Dom in Dorset

I play in an occasional glam punk band (songs are moronically simple but fun, lots of make up, glitter , tiger skin print etc) We first formed 25 years ago and back in the day it wasn't uncommon for our singer to wear a bra and pants (he's a he) .Our stage gear has got more outrageous over the years as five guys try to compete with each other for the limelight. These days we play a couple of times a year for fun , usually as a charity fund raiser. As we don't do it that often we tend to pull out all the stops and in part due to our singers c list celebrity status we can fill a small venue and it's always a wild night. Our guitarist (a gothic transvestite) is planning on coming on stage with a running chainsaw....(thankfully he's removed the chain) Best / worst things you or your band mates have done on stage.....

Dragons sh#t everywhere. On a serious note these strings could be a good idea for anyone with allergy issues. (u nless you're allergic to dragons.)

Andy mcCluskey.

Mike Kerr and Rick Danko ooh Gail Ann Dorsey

Me (you know that guy in that band you've never heard of)

However you do it you'll still need to re-tune to compensate for changes in temperature (ambient or due to contact with your hot fingers) or just because you can't built a playable but totally rigid bass ie: cast iron through neck that's 8" deep. There will always be some slack in the system . Pianos have iron frames and no machine heads and still need tuning. My main bass is headless I still tune it mid gig.

Single, living alone , all gear in the living room, on the walls , on the floor, on racks, on the sofa. Maybe that's why I'm single?

I was forced to start sight reading a few years ago playing for pantomimes. The problem is that I don't have the time or opportunity to do it for the rest of the year so every time I get panto gig I have to re-learn what I picked up the previous year. The MD offered to send me the score in tab but I stick to conventional notation as I'm hoping I may be able to use it for none bass related activities too some day. As others have said the basic principals are simple enough , you just need to put in a vast amount of practice. like learning a language you'll only become fluent if you use it regularly.

The problem with most of the online stuff I've seen and also with many of the alternative health places that do it is that they seem to be based on variations on "bioresonance therapy" which (IMO) like homeopathy works if you believe in it. I had a neighbour who was involved in such things and personal experience has taught me that it's not to be trusted. My employer has offered to pay if I can get it done at a private conventional clinic.

I'm down for an allergy test as I really need confirmation beyond doubt before I start re-fretting my instruments . "There is up to a 25 week waiting list"

Thankfully I stopped making instrument keys a few years ago , I still work with nickel occasionally , mostly working on frets or stringing guitars. i'll have to wear gloves now.

No but I've had no significant irritation since I stopped playing on Nickel strings. The foot thing may not be related and apparently nickel allergy isn't always at the point of contact.

From Wikipedia " Austenitic stainless steel (include the so called super-austenitics) When nickel is added, the austenite structure of iron is stabilized. This crystal structure makes such steels virtually non-magnetic and less brittle at low temperatures." However the Rotos I have are magnetic, although it's hard to tell if it's the core of the string or the winding. The pull from a neodymium magnet is strong on all the strings.

That had crossed my mind although the tone would be quite different. I played a bass with Rotosound stainless last night for a few minutes and so far no ill effects. I'm tempted to email Rotosound and see if their stainless contains any nickel.

How reliable is the coating? I had some Rotosound Nexus (black coated) but the coating came off if you used a pic.

I've had odd small patches of eczema for a few years now but mostly just on my left foot. In September I was sitting in the garden when it occurred to me that my skin was crawling. I was covered in patches of itchy red skin and blisters were forming on the palms of my hands. Over the next few weeks I saw several doctors , was prescribed various treatments (including scabies!) to no avail. By November a secondary infection had set in and my hands had become a mass of weeping sores. Two courses of antibiotics and three different creams seemed to kill the infection but my hands continued to blister. Last week I was in a pit band for a panto and the trumpet player is a retired surgeon, he asked if I have ever worked with nickel? Yes most of my life , making keys for woodwind instruments. He said it's very common to become allergic to it and maybe my bass string were causing it? I have spent months trying to find the culprit but in my diet, at one point I thought it was dairy, then chili, then sulphites in wine. Nickel seems likely as I've been practicing every day for an hour or more and more blisters came up every day ....except boxing day (I took a day off for Christmas) So.. I played the last panto gig yesterday at 2 and haven't touched a nickel string since ...so far no new blisters ...stainless steel strings in the post....fingers crossed.

Sorted! Thanks for your help.

I was going to bring mine! I'll try and get down 12ish.

Great thanks, are you there all day? It's 10-4 apparently.

Can't make it for the whole day but I'll try and come down for a couple of hours. Not sure exactly when as yet.

I've been asked to repair a Soundgear bass. The battery connector had come away and I can see no indication of where to re-solder it. I've emailed Ibanez and to my total amazement (not) heard nothing. Any suggestions?

Hi, only just spotted this and right now I can't find my diary! Put me down as a a probable... (Fender Jazz, DA Bass Tele and maybe some other stuff)

It's more comfortable than I thought it would be, I still haven't used it for rehearsal or gig yet.

It turns out that it's passive! The controls are Vol ,tone, vol, tone + master volume. I'm really pleased with it , it's nice to play and produces some nice tones. Costs: Bass - free! Gatorskin wallpaper - £12.99 Strings - £9.99 (cheap and nasty "king lion" brand but sound fine) Nut- £1.99 Chain - £8.98 (I bought 2 meters but only used about 1.2M Total £33.95!

I finally found time to finish this off...