Rich

This. How about a Washburn Status? Within your price bracket. And if you see a Westone Superheadless, grab with both hands.

I hear ya. Duller than a dull thing with the word 'DULL' painted on it in big grey letters. One thing I've found the punters absolutely love is Reef's 'Place Your Hands'. Gives 'em a proper singalong and there's a good opportunity for an audience participation chorus or two.

Glad All Over - Dave Clark 5

Watch it with the subtitles on. They are hilariously inaccurate.

Jon just bought my Wilkinson tuners in a lay-by on the A370 lovely fella. Hope they serve you well!

For me, the appalling drums on Script for a Jester's Tear make it pretty much unlistenable -- Fugazi was a quantum leap forward in quality. My favourite Fish-era Marillo album is Clutching At Straws.

Up Town Top Ranking - Althea & Donna

Many many years ago I used to have a 6U SKB rack case, I bought it secondhand and it didn't have enough of the fixing cage nut thingies to allow me to mount all the bits of kit I wanted in it. I looked all over the place on tinternet but couldn't find any, so I emailed SKB in the States and asked if there was a UK distributor I could approach. The reply was along the lines of "yes they can be a bit hard to find, give us your address and we'll pop some in the post for you FOC". I replied with my address and 3 days later they fell on my doormat all the way from Orange County California. Fabulous customer service.

Samson - Regina Spektor

Birdie Song -- the Tweets I can't believe I just typed that.

The Vintage brand Ray-alikes are supposed to be really excellent VFM. Not tried one but I believe they have a good rep.

Bloody Well Right - Supertramp

I bet I'm not the only one who will never ever forget the first time they heard 'Eruption'. Round at a mate's house, he'd just bought the album and as the second track played we all just stared at the stereo, and someone said what we were all thinking: "What the F**K is THAT??". Unbelievable stuff.

Drop The Bomb - Trouble Funk

Wonderland - Big Country

It's Brilliant, And That's A Fact A short one-act play {Scene: stage is dark except for a spot-lit desk bearing a laptop. A person is sat at the desk, typing a message on a music forum.} A: "I've never really heard band/genre X, so I gave it a shot the other day. Didn't like it at all." {A second spotlight falls on another desk and laptop, with another person typing a reply.} B: "Are you mad? Band/genre X is completely brilliant and anyone who doesn't like them/it has got cloth ears." {A third spotlight falls on another desk and laptop, positioned face to face with the second desk. A third person sits typing a reply.} C; "Nah, band/genre X is rubbish. Absolute garbage." B: "No it's not." C; "Yes it is. You can't even dance to it." B: "Yes you can." {spotlight over desk A starts to fade as the typing of persons B and C intensifies in agitation} C; "No you can't. Way overrated." B: "No it's not." C; "Yes it is." B: "No it's not." C; "Yes it is." {spotlight over desk A brightens slightly} A: {typing hesitantly} "I might give it another try, see if it will grow on me..." C; "I wouldn't bother, it won't." B: "Yes it will." {the typing of persons B and C gradually intensifies in weight and agitation} C; "No it won't." B: "Yes it will." A: "sigh." {spotlight over desk A fades to black} C; "No it won't." B: "Yes it will." C; "No it won't." {curtain slowly begins to fall} B: "And so on." C; "And so forth." both B and C; "Arrrgh." {fade to darkness, curtain falls}

Pure Pleasure Seeker - Moloko

Stevie Ray Vaughan was allergic to Portugal.

In For The Kill - La Roux

The Chinese Way - Level 42

Michael - Franz Ferdinand

Stop press: Music in "We All Like Different Stuff" shocker. Who'da thought it?

I suppose if anything, I follow him. But really we're a team and play off each other. We are the Engine Room 😎

Yikes, some of those are really grim. Just checked my Sire ash V7, it's a 2-piece body but the join is right down the middle so it looks a lot better balanced. The grain's not an exact match but it's close enough.