Dom in Dorset

I've spent a lot of time around bombardes, the most aptly named instrument. I once made myself a binou, I just want to make some eardrums bleed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL-OkzdyP4Q

I don't remember elm being that heavy, probably about the same as oak. There's still a fair amount of dead elms around here, I used to use them for firewood, they do tend to be quite wormy (having been dea for many years)

As far as we (bagpipe iconography nerds) know he's the only only goat legged piper that's been found so far. this sort of thing is far more common:

It's a popular miscoception that all bagpipes are A. loud and B.scottish Just about every country in Europe (and some beyond) has or had some form of bagpipe. The French claim a huge number of bagpipe species, Brittany alone has two indigenous types (you'll also hear Scottish and Irish pipes there too. Most other French regions have a native type of bagpipe This video is of a Musette Bechonnet (Central France in origin but widespread now) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yWq-UkC_ZQ&feature=related This picture is of a carving in my local church, dates to the mid 17th century.

[list] [*]can't be me, I'm not that versatile. [/list]

Guitarist , when called to find out why he hadn't turned up: "I didn't think that it was thursday (the agreed rehearsal day) today, funny thing is I've just had an argument with my girlfriend about what day it was , aaah she was right then..."

Plug it in and play, if it dosen't sound right twiddle knobs at random until it dose.- that's as geeky as I get.

With first band, the others wanted to become a shoe gazy, whiney acoustic duo. They fizzled out about six months later. The second band wanted to sound more like recordings thay'ed made a few years before with a double bass player, they had a chance to get him back for a gig and (were at least up front about it) kicked me out. They now have a bass player who is a usually resident in Spain, I give them six months. Both bands were full of praise for the new bass for at least two weeks, how much better the band sounds with it etc.

It dawned on me the other day: A few years ago, I was in a fairly casual band, we start taking it a bit more seriously, I get myself a decent bass, I got kicked out. Last year, I'd been in a band for nearly two years, I got myself a really nice bass, I got kicked out. Also, I've noticed that in my musical life I seem to have cycles of two busy years followed by a quiet year (this is due to be a quiet one)

I was after one last year, they were everywhere second hand, here , ebay etc. By the time I'd got the money together...nothing but tumbleweed. I got a US jazz in the end. I did try one in Guitar Guitar in Brum, it wasn't set up (only the US delux stuff was) but it was still nice. If I could convince my wife that she needs one...(I'd even let her keep it with my basses) BTW - the staff at guitar guitar were very helpful , I'd be happy to buy from them if I was after a new bass.

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1328187612' post='1523231'] If you want to stiffen it up a bit, either use a less flexible string (as AceBassMusic suggests with hex cores - never tried them myself), or a heavier gauge so you can get more tension on it. The pitch of the string depends on it's length, mass and tension. The length between nut and bridge is fixed, it still needs to be tuned to 'B', so the only other variable is mass i.e. the thickness of the string. A heavier gauge string needs more tension on it to get to the same pitch - which should help with your problem with floppiness (snigger). Any other gubbins you stick on your bass (like a different bridge, string trees, spacers, etc.) are not going to make any difference unless they [s]shorten[/s] lengthen the scale of your bass - and then your frets would be in the wrong place. Edit: Longer string = more tension for same pitch - oops! [/quote] I was planning to post something like that myself, thank you. A string tree on the head stock will increase the downbearing on the nut and can help eliminate some string buzz but won't have any effect on the sounding length of the string.

If you move the bridge back , won't you then have to move the saddles forward to keep the intonation correct? I put D'Addario nickel wound strings on my Fender Jazz (4) , I was careful to buy the same guage as the existing strings (on it when I got it) , the D'Addarios were much higher tension, I had to completely re-do the set up.

I tried several Fenders in Guitar Guitar in Brum (nice people in the shop, I'd be happy to buy from them if was ever looking for a new bass) Only the delux models seemed to have been set up, everything else (US standard, Japanese , I don't remember trying anything mexican) was just plain nasty.

Hi Louder, where are you in Somerset? There's a small pocket of us in the Bruton area.

I've got a 2006 US standard Jazz, I got it second hand , the only fault that I think was there when it was made is that the bushes on the back for through stringing aren't stuck in and fall out when you take strings off! As I didn't get it new, the through stringing might have been done later. When i got it the action was sky high, it's now seriously low , it has a little fret buzz around 3rd fret but not enough to anoy me.Yes. you have to take the scratch plate off to adjust the truss. While Fender aren't the high end instrument that they once were it still has some details that stand out over cheaper basses. The neck feels beautiful solid , but is nice and slim (others have commented on this after trying it) The body contouring is nicer (in looks and feel) than most coppies I've tried. It's a shame that quality control seems so lax, you would probably be doing everyone a favour by complaining , eventually something must filter back to the factory. I was under no ilusions when I bought it , it's not a work of art , it's a good quality tool (that looks nice too!) - at least it should be.

I had to set a bass up for a guy that used some extreme down tuning .He was a little vague as to what it actually was, and eventually (after lots of umming and erring and "I need to ask the guitarist")told me a list of notes to tune it to. It was a five string and he wanted it tuned down a fourth, so why he couldn't just play the riffs one string down in conventional tuning , I don't know. I put on some seriously heavy strings to try and increase the tension , and he was pleased with it. I have to say it made interesting low frequency rumblings but I prefer a bit more deffinition,

"the CD of the new recordings that you burnt for me doesn't work" Time passes. " "Oh , it does work, I'd put it in the player the wrong way up."

[quote name='Stickman' timestamp='1327406510' post='1510581'] Some people seem to be taking this overly serious - it's just a few lines from one of Rollins' books/spoken word routines that some venue employee has copied out and posted up somewhere for a laugh... [/quote] My thoughts exactly.

oddly enough we have our milk delivered by David Bowie.

I grew up in Brum and at that time there didn't seem to be much happening. A lot of bands have come from Birmingham , and I'm told it's picked up again. If you're into heavy metal :http://www.homeofmetal.com/events/events-list/birmingham-museum-art-gallery-home-of-metal/ Other places - Cornwall, full of ancient stuff, nice scenery, Seaton Beach Cafe dose the best fish and chips, eat them at a table outside watching the sea. To get there from London you'll drive past Stone'enge (it's official the silent h has been dropped) . If you are planning on seeing a lot of castles and the like , you might think about joining English herritage, depends how long you'll be here , but you can save a bit of money that way if you're a member.

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1327397631' post='1510403'] Hank? FWIW he could assume less about the individual reading the message and make the effort to learn how to spell dubious correctly. Otherwise he just comes across as a pompous cock. Seriously, if there's a problem, he needs to deal with it 1:1 not post lazy, dumb ass messages to an imaginary audience at large. [/quote] Smile and the whole world smiles with you .

I was recently sent this slightly dodgy clip of my band Back Before Breakfast, three songwriters, acoustic, folk influences. we formed to do a one of gig a few years back and kept going, we've had a few line up changes since then , it's settled down to a group of friends who enjoy what we do. Three of us take lead vocals in turn. For some reason the guy playing acoustic guitar decided to dress up as Stevie Wonder's demented half brother (it was Glastonbury) We recently recorded a demo and I'll post a link to myspace once the new songs are on there. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umdKtSG3YlU&feature=youtu.be[/media]

Slightly OT but: I was working in a Wiltshire music shop when a car pulled up outside, in walked a familly from Wales who were on their way to Longleat for the day. They spotted the shop and thought they'd call in for a quick nose around before going on to the safari park. Before they left I'd sold them a grand paino.

I wasn'y buying strings but..... I hadn't done any serious bass playing for about five years,I'd been concentrating on folky stuff on bagpipes. I took my electric bass into a shop that's run by a friend of mine to see he'd sell it on my behalf. While I was waiting to see him I spotted an acoustic bass, picked it up , played it, kept playing until the man apeared , swapped my electric for the acoustic, left the shop. A month later I was thoroughly hooked on bass playing and had bought another electric, then I made a fretless , then....etc etc.