80Hz

Well sure, but I think that still involves some critical thinking/reverse engineering, no? And I would think what you're talking about is still beyond most people. Example: I've tried to get an LLM to spit out some code for an audio thing I wanted to do, and no, it didn't work, and furthermore, no, I didn't know how to fix it 😂

Wait, you're trying to say I can't become a cancer prompt doctor? Damn, guess I better cancel that custom shop preorder...

@Woodinblack's post really nails where both danger and opportunity lie in industries where LLMs and other gen AI are taking hold. In some ways humans are a lot like LLMs - we use prior experience to apply a quick solution to a novel situation, and it's often "correct enough" to be effective. But our biases - our personal data sets - can misguide us. We're also intrinsically lazy (energy efficient, in my case) so we will tend to take the easily available shortcut if one is available. Good enough is good enough. The key then is to continue to cultivate the skills that an LLM can't replicate: programming needs critical and logical thinking, the ability to incrementally problem solve (<-- non-programmers take), so we will still certainly need those with a programmers skill set. The AI takeover has a feeling of inevitability because we can't see past the neoliberal world we've all been living in for the past 50 years or so. It's catnip for the >=management class because the "logic" that market forces and efficiencies must rule over everything else is unquestioned. This is why it's hard for me to separate generative AI from the larger picture of political economy.

I think there's some nuance that's being missed here. Trained neural nets absolutely have an application in all sorts of areas, and tools that use this technology are often capable of doing things that were previously unachievable - I'm most familiar with the audio world (see stem splitting, reverb matching, etc) but we can lump in things like image uprezzing, spotting cancer, etc. There is no "intelligence" at work here, it's very effective pattern recognition. These tools have undoubtedly made my job easier, and the results I provide to my clients are better as a result. I also very much view keeping up with the latest and greatest tools (assuming they are, in fact, the greatest, rather than marketing hype) as worthwhile professional development. Generative AI, however, is a wholesale power grab of creative outputs by corporate forces (the creative inputs were provided by anyone who's imagery, writing, music or audio were part of their training data, whether they consented to that usage or not). To me that is very different from a "tool" - it's handing over the reins of creative production to the rentier class. Who stands to capture the value of this? There are reasons to be optimistic, however: Most creative people want to work with other creative people. I respect talent, and the creative achievements of my colleagues are what make it worthwhile. So I think the creative industries will persist in a different (perhaps diminished) form. Part of adapting to the new reality will be forming networks of likeminded professionals. Despite the constant noise that AI is going to take over everything, some more-intelligent-than-me computer science types believe we're already at the point where models won't get much "better" at stuff. There simply isn't the volume of training data available, or the cost of accessing and processing that data is too high. There future may well be in faster, more efficient, more targeted models that swing back to special purpose tools. AI generated output is rapidly becoming a marker of low effort and therefore low value of the resulting product. Or do you buy all those scammy lifehack products on AI generated YouTube prerolls? Even with gen AI not everyone can be an effective art director. We're due a massive market correction once the circular accounting between the AI pushers and Nvidia reaches critical mass. As well as wiping off a huge chunk off everyone's stock/pension portfolio, it will be the morning after the night before for the AI optimists.

Nice, yeah not cheap I'm sure but it's certainly unique.. enjoy!!

Very cool (to me) and a further demonstration that tort goes with everything! Where did the body acquire its orange sparkle? Custom refinish?

Exactly this. The regurgitation may seem "original", but only because the model is inherently non-deterministic (i.e. even with the same input it will not produce the same output twice). For anyone who's interested, this article is a couple of years old now but is a really useful long read of how neural nets work, with specific reference to ChatGTP but applicable to different generative AI: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/02/what-is-chatgpt-doing-and-why-does-it-work/

Matt bought an Olympus digital camera from me and was very easy to deal with.. super quick payment and a smooth transaction - thanks Matt!

The Harley Benton Precision kit showed up yesterday and... although it clearly says P-Style on the box there was a jazz bass inside! Thomann have responded quickly and they're going to check the rest of their stock and get back to me. I did have a glance at the body and neck of the jazz kit, and I'm pretty impressed with the bones.

Thanks for the heads up on this. As a daily Izotope user I think it will be a smart idea to download and archive some offline installers this morning, just in case… But I can’t see a company with such well established products disappearing completely. Another triumph for private equity.

Wow that really pops! The wenge is stunning but also wow.. that elm! The dark grain filler really transforms it. Are you using tinted poly or is it the light that has yellowed it a bit? Really nice. Great job 😀

Had no idea there was such a demand for resonators from Yorkshire!! Well worth it, and there's loads of walks in the vicinity if you're not feeling ambitious enough to tackle one of the three peaks.

In terms of generative AI, it's basically an inevitability in my industry (music adjacent) at this point, so I'm resigned to it. We've been using trained neural nets in specific applications for years now anyway (i.e. noise reduction) and they tend to perform very well - but the lines are starting to blur as to where generative AI fits into that. Ethically, I view gen AI in its present and growing form as a pure expression of rentier capitalism. So whether it belongs in music is down to your attitudes as to whom value in creative work should accrue (I feel this will inevitably slide into politics, sorry mods, so that's all I'll say). I think we're very quickly moving towards a world where AI generated = low value and low effort advertising, memes, misinformation, and propaganda. So in my more optimistic moments I believe there will always be a place for us meatbags.

All good info, thanks Rob. I'll have a think on the above and also take some better measurements of the existing cover for v2 - I was rounding some of the numbers on this go to make the layout easier. Noted also on your use of the fillet tool!

Dabbled this evening with the idea of 3D printing a replacement colour pickup cover for the MFD 'bucker. No reason to do this other than a) a bit of fun, and b) learning some CAD. This isn't ready for prime time yet because it's a solid block with nowhere for the bobbins to actually go 🙃 Thank you @rwillett for the tip on Fusion - very easy to get up and running.

Yep that's Andy Solloway. Nice guy and has done work on a couple of my guitars in the past. Haven't had the occasion to see him since moving from York though. I appreciate the advice on Fusion 360! Yes indeed see if anyone else is interested. I'm also looking forward to seeing a 3D printed bass (I had a quick noodle on one of your 3D guitars when I sold you the strat).

Thanks again for putting this together @rwillett - I am currently confirmed for April 25 🙂 Don't do it if it's just me that's interested, but I'd love to see the 3D printer in action. I'm currently dipping my toe into FreeCAD - no real goal in mind but I'm seeing if I can model the casing of these G&L MFD pickups as a learning exercise. I don't have much to bring that's different from last year, but that will hopefully be: - "Jem" my 2015 G&L Custom Shop JB in silver heavy metal flake - Paulman relic 60's Precision which is wearing lovely Dunlop flats - A recently acquired Squier 40th Anniversary Precision in Lake Placid Blue with gold hardware - I'm also "building" a Harley Benton Precision kit with a G&L MFD humbucker as a poor man's L-1000. My goal is to have it done by the bash. Might be an unplayable disaster. You can point and laugh at least 🫣 I live down in Skipton now so I'm happy to come up early if you'd like an extra pair of hands to set up the hall.

Outside of rehearsals you'll be tasked with surveilling key infrastructure. "...subject to retainer" Well, if the gig comes with dental insurance I'm interested...

Interesting, in this video I preferred standard PJ configuration! Of course he's playing with a pick which will highlight the overtones. He also doesn't get into 60s versus 70s J spacing which will add another minor variable. Cool idea for a testbed bass. ...and down the rabbit hole I go 😆

Yes, a nice feature of the MFD pickups is the individually adjustable pole pieces. According to the G&L website a modern L-1000 fretboard radius is 9 1/2”, so the Harley Benton Precision kit I’ve ordered should be the same. I’m more concerned about string spacing - the MFDs are designed for roughly 18.25mm rather than Precision 19mm - but I’m going to see how it all works as is and adjust as necessary!

Yes the green wrap and ball end colours correspond to Fenders I have.

I dig it - it looks like it's dancing!! I can also appreciate the mad skill that went into building it - I mean look at the way the neck starts to deviate around the 15th fret, then the pocket joins the body at an angle.. nuts I'm trying to imagine the genre of music most appropriate for this bass..

Fair enough 😆 - I note the Adagios are nickel wound, whereas both the HBs and Olympias (which may be one and the same - TBD) are stainless steel.

Ah, well that makes a lot more sense then - an independent operation but with a license to use HB branding and import a select product line. That tracks with what I've seen over the last few years (as an observer). Guitar Fetish will no doubt have been hit hard.