Big_Stu

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1413736653' post='2581374'] Unfortunately for Fender you've hit the nail on the head. Their home US consumers fiercely believe US made is way beyond anything made anywhere else. The anti foreign made feeling is very strong, this is especially so for Asian manufactured equipment. [/quote] ^This - the day they move production of Harley-Davidson to China will be a day of national mourning.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1413734817' post='2581348']If every country operates like that then it's certainly something to consider before stumping up large amounts of money for a holiday abroad . . . . Well, outside the EU anyway! I wonder if travel insurance covers this sort of thing? [/quote] 1st time I flew into JFK I was stopped by a huge security cop; [i](nice f-off .357 on clear view there mate) [/i]I was wearing a small enamel St George's flag badge. "What's the button?" [i]"Oh the badge? It's an England flag?"[/i] "Oh England? Are you one of those [i]soccer hooligans[/i] we hear tell about?" [i]"Soccer? - oh you mean "Football"? No - I never watch it."[/i] "What did you win the "football" badge for, do you like to shoot people?" [i]"No"[/i] (secretly wishing I could, but knowing now wouldn't be a good time to add [i]"that's your job"[/i]). "OK, you can go" - and not "Welcome to America" - I was gutted, "special relationship no more". I had friends waiting for us & they said if I'd reacted I'd have been on the next 'plane back - and probably pushed my luck with what I did say.

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1413732261' post='2581322'] The problem for Fender is simple. Fender Basses and guitars are not the best basses or guitars for metal! (although joking, there is probably a hint of truth in there) [/quote] A reply about Steve Harris, Iron Maiden incoming in 5 .......4.........3.......

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1413703055' post='2580939'] I watched a video of Carol Kaye on youtube, and she was very uncomplimentary of Fenders in the 60`s and 70`s, so it appears that the poor build is not a relativley new phenomena amongst Fenders[/quote] I'm old enough to remember the bad reviews of both Gibson & Fender in the mid/late 70s, poor manufacture, orange peel finish & at a time when the Japanese direct copies were making their presence felt. IMHO it's what led to the diversity of brands competition now which Fender has never recovered from.

Went to see Steve Cropper with The Animals last night in Chester. Last band on before them was The Billy Walton Band, who were blistering!! Solid songs & playing all round, though I couldn't hear their horns much from front far side of them, didn't recognise any covers apart from a few bars of medlies in the final encore. Didn't realise at the time that they're American, this is old footage not last night......... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93_q9s3kbSA"]https://www.youtube....h?v=93_q9s3kbSA[/url] Cropper was great as always, a lot less chat between songs and more playing this time, but we had a good old catch-up before the show and a bit after. The Animals have a new singer Danny since last tour & their new bassist Scott looks a hell of a lot like Duck Dunn. Going again to The Robin2 on Thursday; not sure if The Billy Walton Band are on the bill but they are at The Southport Blues Festival & would make a cracking night out if any BCers need a Sunday night out.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1413651845' post='2580600'] Have a lot of this guys music, but this is a real standout record for me.[/quote] How about this version @9.40? [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IVbJa6LiwI"]https://www.youtube....h?v=4IVbJa6LiwI[/url] Then go back to the start of it and put your life on hold for an hour and a half of "Yeah baby!"

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1413617024' post='2580112'] I too think that they've diversified the model range too much - the brand has lost focus and identity. [/quote] Like the Pawnshop range? What the hell was that all about? Was it the Gibson Sonex that was said to be made of some kind of "wonderful composite" - which was quickly slagged off as the sweepings off the workshop floor mixed with glue? I remember the slaggings it got when I was a kid. The Fender pawnshop range looked to me like a similar desperate grab to "clear out the spares cupboards and get something, anything, out there"

I saw a guy in the street the other day wearing an American Civil War soldier's "forage" cap. Didn't have the badge on top though.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1413570187' post='2579771'] Is that Steve Cropper stood next to you, Stu? Looks a bit like him.[/quote] It is! He hadn't actually seen the vinyl version of his own album until then. Really nice guy, his UK tour starts tomorrow in Chester so well be there. Going to get to 5 or 6 of them this time around.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1413542433' post='2579281'] Straight £10 in my local hairdressers/nail and waxing parlour[/quote] That's pretty good as ticket prices go - but what can she do for an encore?

The last "new" release vinyl I bought led to this conversation, which started off with "Hey man, is that a [i]record[/i]??" It wouldn't work the same with a download. Free CD with it for £16 IIRC and on my system I do prefer the sound off the LP so I sent the CD (autographed) to a mate in the USA.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1413392443' post='2577879'] You are right, top marks for paying attention The guide dogs one made a few quid I suppose but only what we would have normally charged, the football one earlier would have been better if everyone had put £3 in a pot. [/quote] I'm (very) trying

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1413365040' post='2577450']Another thought occurred to me last night, which I haven't mentioned to the band yet - if the total amount raised for charity is less than the various band members spend on transport, then it would have been better for the charity if everyone had stayed home and just donated directly. S.P. [/quote] IIRC that was StingrayPete's suggestion to his band. edit: You could pre-empt the feelings about charging a charity by making a donation of your own direct from the band. I've found quite a few folk involved in charities recently who use it as a profile raiser for themselves personally, it's kind of an Emperor's New Clothes scenario. Getting past those folk to the ones (if any) who actually have a clue what the hell the job is about is a nightmare.

Since you've had the goal-posts changed on you quite a bit why not add a change of your own. In that IF you end up either not playing or being cut short a rental on your gear will be due from the organisers for the amount of time you don't play? And if you don't play at all also for the whole length of time you're left stood around like ..... erm .....erm........ some kind of gear rental employee?

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1412981238' post='2573938']Comments or views on the "tip jar".[/quote] The US has a far bigger [i]tips culture[/i] that the UK, or Europe in general. Especially the bit where tips are still expected, just not as high, for poor service. I loved it, especially waiting staff that aren't slow at asking for tips. "Tipping etiquette" got a whole chapter of it's own in an NYC guide-book I was sent.

[quote name='bagsieblue' timestamp='1412888129' post='2573111']Went to the Doctors yesterday.[/quote] I was tempted to say "bollox to that" but you haven't said what the Dr said. IME I've always been offered anti-inflammatories with cortisone injections and/or operations for carpal tunnel in simlar circumstances to your own. Which do work for some, but why go through the waiting lists, pain & hassle of operations if you don't need to? Went to my sports physio for a second opinion who after he'd finished ranting about needless operations cured it all in 2 visits. Also had RSI and numb fingers fixed by physio rather than meds/ops as has my ex who knackered her ankle while falling off a big pile of sh*t at the stables. She also had her RSI fixed by the same physio. Get a decent physio on the job & IME there's a strong chance you won't have to give up anything. As Nige says, your employer shouldn't have a valid opinion on the matter. He's created a health issue for you - and needs to fix it, it's not a personal choice of his. Though I do appreciate that some employers will have the inclination to make life awkward for you during/after the process.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1412849583' post='2572603']How could I have forgotten Bo Diddley!![/quote] Indeed, without the Bo Diddley beat & Chuck Berry there'd be no RnR... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_AhO9fcJpQ"]https://www.youtube....h?v=z_AhO9fcJpQ[/url]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1412681525' post='2570958'] Stretched wire? Hmm. Wire is [u]made[/u] by stretching it.[/quote] This is true, it was invented by two Aberdonians arguing over a penny. [i](The old ones are the best)[/i] In the OP the second of the three links refers to bulk purchases, in batches of 6?

I was told by two high level luthiers to detune 3 or 4 turns & store upright in a case, that was many years ago with no issues since. I vaguely remember a post by someone with a Rick who believed his neck had twisted, possibly in relation to the twin truss rods, when stored due to being left in tune. With those storage places I'd be wary of how cold it gets at night or winter. Does it have any heating at all? Anyone who's spent a night in the back of a van will know it can get fridge like, which will encourage warping and make condensation a nightmare. Our local DIY place has cheap plastic trays with crystals in them for damp areas, they work well but would it be enough? This topic has been done many times with either camp swearing that their way works, I don't think it's ever been resolved.

Should have used Auto-Tune.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1412612554' post='2570375'] [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Just%20Stuff/GIF%20files/AbbeyRoadmoving_zps1de8ff88.gif.html"][/url][/quote] Soon as I saw that all I could think of was Richard Prior in Stir Crazy saying "That's right, we're bad, hmmm, don't take no sh*t either"

It's better than many I've seen, I like the attention to detail with the aged sticker, though the scratchplate looks a bit clean/new but it could just be the pic. Relicing isn't my thing, but you've done a good job IMHO.

Cracking job! I've only ever changed one neck - and it's not that easy. Good to see you had a few warm-ups on previous necks. Amazing array of additions to the body too!

A few years ago I was invited on a Motorhead related VIP tour of Marshall, met the whole family and was given Jim Marshall's autobiography which he signed to me. I was also taken along to the mini-theatre they have on site ("If you'd been here yesterday you could have watched Slash try out his new amps" ). I had a Jazz stuck in my hands and the curtains were pulled back to reveal Lemmy's new Sig stacks, nicely warmed up, which were to be delivered the next day, "Can you test them for us?" they said. Meanwhile Danny their marketing guy took pics. On the next Motorhead tour I was talking with Mikkey Dee & showed him & Lemmy's PA one of Danny's pics. "How did you manage that?....." the PA said, "never mind, tell him yourself" - and gave me a pass. In Lemmy's room we had a good old chat about his amps, his basses, he offered me a Marlboro which I declined since I don't smoke - so he poured me a half pint of neat JD from his 2 litre bottle. He asked me what I did for a job, at the time I worked in a CD factory's studio, "We did another batch of your "Aces Up My Sleeve" the other day" says I. "That's great" he says, "cos that's just what we f-in need, another f-in hits album, that's what the f-in world needs, another f-in Motorhead hits album" - then I got one of his grins that only starts from the top lip down while his eyes drill holes thru' you. I also had several meets with Jimmy Lea of Slade during their touring years; one time he showed his new JayDee custom EB3 bass. "Bet you never saw a bass with a wang bar before?" he said. "There was one in last week's Melody Maker actually" I shot myself in the foot in reply.

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1412248732' post='2567087'] A friend of mine owns the Guitar Workshop in Ibstock, Leicestershire. He has recently taken the decision to move into selling second hand gear rather than continue trying to compete with massive online retailers. He is therefore having a big stock clearance sale of new stuff to make some room. You can see a lot of stuff on his eBay store [url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Guitar-Workshop."]http://stores.ebay.c...uitar-Workshop.[/url] [/quote] I'm getting an Ebay page "Sorry, this shop does not exist." ??