R,5,R,5...

My favourite Focus clip, including yodelling, flute solo, brilliant musicianship, general lunacy:

I've been playing the Beguine "riff or pattern" and found that there is a certain gaiety about this Latin American beat. It has definitely made me feel gay, and I intend to go on feeling gay for the foreseeable future.

Well, I'm very surprised to hear that, father. I didn't think you'd like that sort of thing. I read a bit of one of them once. God, I couldn't finish it. The language, unbelievable! Ah, it's a bit much for me, father. "Feck" this and "feck" that. "You big bastard". Oh, dreadful language! "You big hairy arse", "You big fecker". Fierce stuff! And of course, the f-word, father, the bad f-word, worse than "feck" - you know the one I mean. "Eff you". "Eff your 'effin' wife". Oh, I don't know why they have to use language like that. "I'll stick this 'effin' pitchfork up your hole", oh, that was another one, oh, yes! "Bastard" this and "bastard" that, you can't move for the bastards in her novels! It's wall-to-wall bastards! "You bastard!" You fecker!" "You bollocks!" "Get your bollocks out of my face!" It was terrible.

[quote name='josh3184' post='328327' date='Nov 13 2008, 01:20 PM'][url="http://www.myus.com/index.shtml"]http://www.myus.com/index.shtml[/url]


tried these?[/quote]


Unfortunately they're no good because you need a credit card with a US billing address to buy online in any case (for most stores at least).

I know, I've tried...

A shop near me in Amersham has a flying V Spongebob ukulele. I don't know if that is something that might interest you.

May I remind everyone travelling to the Netherlands to pass the dutchy pon de left 'and side, as they drive on the right there.

I quite agree, he's always tended to sound like arse in spite of his wonderful playing.

Well for a start there's this - exhibit A:

good good v. good indeed. When they added piano it became less interesting to me.

I think early 3MP is the best, as it's just bass, drums, and vocals, and yet ABSIV manages to fill the sonic space perfectly. Highly recommended.

I CAN'T believe someone else is a fan... I've tried to convert others with very little success. I still think that Na vucca do lupu is one of the best albums I've heard.

[quote name='BOD2' post='198784' date='May 14 2008, 03:01 PM'][attachment=8653:jabba_real_v.jpg]

[/quote]

Actually ol'Jabbers' a bit of a dish in comparison.

[quote name='Russ' post='197546' date='May 12 2008, 09:43 PM']I take Kevin Spacey's point - it's giving a load of extra free publicity for ALW/Cameron Mackintosh's shows, but, to be fair, having TV auditions for roles in the plays that Spacey puts on wouldn't make for very good telly. [/quote]

Whereas...

There aren't many sights I loathe more than that of the botoxed mug of ALW.

Wouldn't surprise me either. I saw him on Austin city limits a few years ago and he played half of Mr Fantasy on Hammond, then let rip on his strat. Singing all the while. What a talent.

And he does all that while smoking a pipe.

You mean you each have over a hundred children scattered around Jamaica? Impressive.

Brilliant fun. I love the guy with the massive balalaika having a blast.

Looks like a fun gig.

[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='157957' date='Mar 15 2008, 01:21 PM']I had a similar experience. That really put me off them.[/quote]

So did I -- I was strung along for more than two weeks, they kept emailing me with new estimate shipping dates, though the products (a pair of Yamaha HS-50M) were listed as being in stock on the website. They even told me that the delivery lorry had an accident, etc etc. Eventually I cancelled the order and got them cheaper in Denmark St (shock horror!).

Had dinner 1.5 metres away from Kevin Spacey last Friday. He seemed like a nice guy.

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='135507' date='Feb 7 2008, 09:17 AM']Audio purists and hi-fi nerds hate it but it's a sound that I quite like.

Radio 3 and 4 don't really bother much with compression, which is why they sound so quiet![/quote]

It could be argued that the dynamic range of classical music (and perhaps speech) is broader than that of the average pop/rock song, so it would make sense for these stations to go easy on compression. I know I would see absolutely no sense in heavily compressing even a string quartet from the late 19th or 20th century.

Besides, if the station's quiet, you can always turn it up!

This is not to poo-poo compression altogether, of course -- it is very useful when you want to hear some music and there's significant background noise, like when you're driving.

[quote name='Doc B' post='130091' date='Jan 29 2008, 04:02 PM']To complicate things even more, years ago I read in a bass mag that fitting slightly heavier guage strings allows for a lower action without buzzing as they don't move as much as the lightest guages, therefore rattle less.

This definitely worked for me when I went from 40s to 45s on my Streamer Std, not sure what would happen with much heavier guages though.[/quote]

Even allowing for differences in string construction, materials, etc -- more of the same. Thicker strings = relatively higher tension (to produce the same note) = narrower oscillation = less clearance needed.

ahh I see, no need for glue as the screw keeps the bit in place. Only problem I see might be penetrating the small soundhole with my large manly fingers. So to speak.

[quote name='ped' post='126694' date='Jan 24 2008, 09:51 AM']Thought you were going to drill a hole in the Alembic then. That would mean you were in line for a beating[/quote]

That might just be worth it then... ooooh peddy, I'm starting up my Makita.... I'm being a naughty boy!!!

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='126691' date='Jan 24 2008, 09:48 AM']No. But you will need to screw through the side and into something as the sides themselves wont be strong enough. Makes sense to fix to some wood behind the sides that is already there.[/quote]

Hmmm that doesn't sound too diy to me, I was rather hoping to be able to do it myself, but I can see your point.

Ahoy-hoy

I have a nice little tenor ukulele that I'd like to hang round my neck to facilitate the frantic strumming one often associates with said instrument. To that end I need to drill a hole in the bottom of it. The two sides join right at the bottom; somewhat like this:



But without the binding. Now my question is -- is it better to drill right on the joint or beside it? I've often heard that hide glue cures to become harder than wood, so perhaps the joint is the best place, but I'm afraid of splintering. What say you? Anyone have any experience with this?