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The Scott Devine Academy has organised a Clinic with Hadrien Feraud for next week. They ran a comp for 20 lucky academy members to be amongst the attendees. Yesterday morning, I had an e-mail telling me that I was amongst that number. What a great way to start my 2020!!

Yes, as recently as NYE. Looking at the crowd , how great the stage looked with our lighting and gear knowing I'm a part of this. I know I sound like a broken record. I think very few of us hate being in a band or gigging. I think some of us hate the decisions we've made. Playing in bands with questionable people with no sense of direction, discipline or ethics. Face it guys, there are some folks out there that don't even know how to be in a band. I'm grateful I'm not the guy looking,wishing he had a gig. I love the attention. I love being approached by people that want to talk to me only because I'm in the band. However it's not easy keeping my spirit up after 50 years of gigging. Health issues and fighting to stay a live in a scene that's dieing. It helps that we cherry pick our gigs now. We know crap gigs when we see them and will not book them. And most of all, I play with good people. We're ego and drama free. Gigging is still a blast for me. While chronologically I'm 66, I still have the same spirit I had when I started gigging in public at age 12. Blue

This reminds me... back in the days of originals bands on shared bills (especially fun at battle of the bands), we used to feign a nightmare situation over a shared kit. Laws of the land = shared kit, bring cymbals/snare. Our drummer turns up to the venue... "Oh, I'm left handed..." Much groans etc. Sound guy looking peeved at the prospect of doing a kit switch around. Me - "Oh Rich, FFS, just play it right handed. I'd like my own amp but can't bring it. Just deal with the situation. Don't be such an amateur". Soundcheck comes... Rich (drummer) deliberately plays shite and you can see the amusement on the faces of all the other bands (especially in a battle of the bands (ugh) situation). For optimum effect, he made sure that he dropped at least one stick through the first fill. We eventually go on stage.... Rich has more groove, tricks and pyrotechnics than a fireworks factory. And that is how a (non lefty) drummer intimidates the hell out other drummers.

Ever since I worked on a beautiful Wal, I have gained a particular love of machine screw/insert neck fixings and do this nowadays whenever practicable. But, whereas with wood screws you can be a little bit wonky, with machine screws it has to be right! So - in case any of you are thinking of doing the same, I'll go into a bit of detail how I, personally, do it. I first of all make sure that the neck is going to be an accurate, snug fit in the neck pocket. I temporarily clamp it in place and, using a bradpoint drill of EXACTLY the right diameter, push the drill into the pocket holes and mark a drilling datum: I then put a bradpoint drill of the right size for the insert into my press drill and level the neck in all directions by placing it on a fretboard radiusing block. I use the bradpoint marker and double check that the drill is concentric by just turning the chuck manually, then drill in one go. Having decent bradpoints is very helpful here - DIY or ebay jobbies are not likely to be accurate enough for the pin-point to be in exactly the middle of the drill. I use the Fisch ones from Axminster Tools: I fit the first insert - making sure it is absolutely straight as it cuts its thread (I always use the ones with a hex head - never with a screwdriver head). I then fit the neck and check with a torch that I can see the marking dot in the centre of each of the other holes: Then drill the other three holes in the neck and fit the inserts: And then - well, it just screws on OK - it's not a Wal. But it looks 'right' to me. And there is no way @scrumpymike is going to have the neck clap hands with the body in the middle of a performance!

I'd go with 'Dirt Box'

I've had this for a few weeks now and still cant get over what a cracking bass and how good a value for money it is. I've had a jazz itch for a while and have tried/bought and sold a couple. But wanted a specific spec e.g. lake placid blue, rosewood board, block markers etc. Was tempted by ether the g&l and Sire with at spec but ended up plumping for the more traditional. Bought it with a bit of black Friday discount from the good folks at PMT Bristol and managed to try it against a 2nd hand Sire and a Mexican Fender they had in and the G&L played and sounded better than both especially considering the Fender was about £250 more expensive. Had an audition for a new band so I took it along with my trusty old yamaha and got the gig and said they'd want me to use the g&l as they loved the look and the tone. I dont know how G&L do the tribute series so cheaply but it is an absolutely cracking bass for £400. I'd absolutely recommend one over any equivalent Fenders.

Jools' Hootenanny has been going since 1992. That's 27 years and the show just keeps getting longer. He must have a picture somewhere of a BBC Director General engaging in energetic congress with a donkey. But let's be positive, oh, yes. That's a fine list of suggestions. To which I would add: * Instead of having competing music output on two BBC channels, why not shift it all onto one channel and have a pre-recorded (and more carefully curated) 1 hour Hootenanny without all the chat up till midnight. From midnight you'd start The Live Gig and run it to maybe half one. That way we'd be spared that embarrassing hiatus where the live act has to stop the music at 23:55, leave the stage, traipse up a flight of stairs banging fists with the peasants and go out onto a balcony in the cold night air (bad for the pipes), there merely to swap platitudes with some bug-eyed, drooling BBC presenter until the bongs go bong then have to scamper back to the stage and start all over again. * And make the main midnight gig a freaking huge act rather than those who are (NOI) on the comeback trail * And someone change that Auld Lang Syne cover for another one. It's getting tedious. Or play Miss Vera Lynn's We'll Meet Again and anyway nobody in the crowd will notice because it's 95% Chinese tourists taking selfies. * On the (now) spare channel they could run out Where Eagles Dare or 633 Squadron which would entertain the (apparently) geriatric grousers on BC and everybody would be happy apart from those who like sitting through 125 minutes of dross and watching Rowland Rivron soil himself on camera.

Finally got some time and space to paint my cab and finish it off. It has been an interesting process for me and nice to do something different like working with wood and paint rather than gears and lumps of metal. Fortunately this warmer weather over the last few weeks has meant the workshop hasn't been too cold for the paint, curing times have been a little slower but with the water based paint it has worked okay, and I'm pretty happy with the finish. I found that as the roller became more soaked with paint (I just put it in a plastic bag between coats rather than clean it each time, as advised on the TuffCab instructions) it tended to skip a little so for the last two coats I used a second almost clean roller for finishing once I'd applied the paint with the heavily impregnated roller and that way I was able to get the subtle ripple effect with the slow and light technique, especially on the front edges which I couldn't do with the loaded roller. I chose TurboBlue for mine, partly because I like the colour, have a blue camper van and matching blue bass and partly because the unit I trade out of was one of the workshops that was used to build TurboSound PA cabinets in the 80's and early 90's, so it's a little bit of a homage/tribute to that era. Back in 1986/7 I was part of a PA system in Newcastle and we had a couple of Turbosound cabs to start with, they were great sounding, powerful and compact, but kept burning out drivers so we did change to Martin Audio after about 6 months, but I have fond memories of our first new build rig. Many thanks to Stevie for the ready painted grill it made finishing it off pretty easy I have briefly tried it with both a TC BH250 and a Hartke LH500 (new to me) and it's pretty impressive, very clear, sounds great at low volume but goes well loud without a problem retaining that clarity. Interestingly the TC gets louder with less 'volume' than the Hartke does and flat out they don't seem that much different despite their power difference, the TC seems to give a good bit more volume than expected into 8 ohms. Both amps are single volume types without a gain and master volume set up, both are class D output, the Hartke has a valve preamp which seems quite subtle upto about 6 and half then goes into full on heft mode.

Finally, it appears someone took a short video but no photos What The Funk ( us ) at NYE Buckingham move on up.mp4

"We can't hear you at the back . Can you turn up?" "Oh go on then"

I did for a while... Until I ran out of talent!

Thanks for all the replies and support peoples, it’s really appreciated. To update I did my last gig as a substantive member of the band last night, not too many details as it’s in the gig last night topic for anyone interested, but was a gig I’d really wanted to do, in Hamburg with friends of ours. I’m sad it’s over but I’ve had 6 wonderful years in the band, I’m looking back at the whole period with a smile 😃

I have been pretty happy with my Fender Elite 5 Jazz, but decided to create my own version to incorporate some custom touches. I am still deciding on electronics. Possible EMG or Nordy pickups. Specs are Aboyna burl over alder, with black veneer accent. Flame maple neck, burl headstock, 35:" scale, Ebony fingerboard, MOP dots. Compound radius. Assymetric neck rear profile. Bridge and tuners are Hipshot, 17.5mm spacing.

Well, a good start would be don't book singers who can't sing anymore. After that... It's supposed to be a party show (NYE is the biggest party of the year after all), so maybe, just for one show, don't try to be all cool and edgy and instead get fun, funky party bands. Let the bands play a number of songs on the bounce (like a mini set), give them the opportunity to build up a head of steam and get the crowd really going. The constant switching from genre to genre crashes the flow, even the world's shittest DJ wouldn't plan a set list like that. Plan the night like a DJ set list, bulld the crowd up throughout the night, create a proper party in the studio, it will translate to the viewers at home. Stop the table hopping interviews, it just doesn't work. Maybe have a co-host setup in a corner of the studio, interviewing one guest at a time, prehaps with some prepared, interesting questions. Stop pretending its NYE. Everyone knows its prerecorded. Imho it harms the integrity of the show as well as the atmosphere in the studio. TV is fake enough as it is, adding another layer of blatent falsity does nothing except expect everyone to buy into a lie, which no-one does and, I feel, is a big reason why the show feels so forced.

I'm 56 shortly, I love gigging (I'm with the right people, and yeah, I guess I'm lucky in that), there's two originals bands (one's been going 30 years) which are very occasional but pleasant ones, and a busy covers trio with minimal gear to get a great sound, so it's all good. As is the money. Not gonna stop any time soon. 😁

Now your just being silly you can’t call an Overdrive pedal Barry.........Everyone knows that the name of a octave pedal!!......🙄(tsk)

Thanks pal. You can see i appear to be missing, but you can just catch a glimpse of my Aria Pro SB900 for about 3 seconds, behind the gitwrist. Thats cos i recently came out of hospital after hip surgery and i was still on crutches, so had to sit on a stool. Ah... what us bass twangers will do for a gig 😎

Screamdriver Drivescreamer Scrivedreamer Screwdriver Scroogedriver Bad Driver Drivefaster Fastdriver Slowdriver Screamfaster Fastscreamer Cream Driver Drivecreamer Screamcreamer Creamscreamer KreemSkreemer KreemDryver DreemSkreemer Toob Skreemer Queen of Scream Brian

Fuzzy McFuzzyface Dirty McDirtface Drivey McDriveface Tubey McTubeface Screamy McScreamface you can have all of them!

... but you can put it in a block of resin and turn it into an attractive conversation piece.

On Weymouth quay at midnight. Buzzing crowd and very few fights (for Weymouth).

With a band i used to dep for, the (very good) drummer used to set up at the gig (always weddings) and play like he had never played before. Very badly and out of time. He used to do this to wind the venue or wedding planners up. I saw a lot of horror on their faces over the years, My current band's drummer does the same.....only its not a wind up 😞

I personally am glad the OP makes no reference to playing unlined fretless basses well, just if we are playing them

He should have tried 56. Lots of people say you can’t hear the difference but I can definitely feel it, I watched two YouTube videos on it and have consequently formed my whole belief system around it.

I found this plate for a bit more than the tiger, the description says it’s a dragon, but I think it looks like an angry Chihuahua. Or a flaming rat.. its perfect.

I've been hearing rumours about these for a while, and the embargo was lifted today, it appears. The details are on their EHB page. These are going up against Strandberg, Kiesel & others of that ilk, at what I guesstimate will be about half the price for the top range (1500 series), less for the 1000 range. The multiscale 6-string looks particularly nice to me, though its 32.5 - 35 inch scale won't satisfy folks looking at drop tunings below B, I think. The 5-string is 33 - 35 inch scale.

Just had a very satisfying rehearsal which I think will keep me GAS free for a while longer.

Totally understand where you're coming from and of course, you're absolutely correct, it's impossible to please a wide ranging audience. But... There were too many acts on the show were of a poor quality. Past it singers who could barely sing in tune (Melanie), the 3 screeching ladies, the band with the female singer who looked down to the floor when singing and stepped back and forth when not. That isn't not pleasing a wide ranging audience or pleasing oneself, it's fosters poor booking by the production team who don't seem to have a clue how to save this dying duck. I honestly don't think it's OK to just excuse such poor content because it's a music show so "that will do". This is the BBC's prime program for New Year. It's just not good enough and will only get worse if apathy is the overriding emotion from the audience. What's the motivation for the production team to do any better? Let's be honest, if the people in the crowd can barely be arsed to look like they're enjoying it unless the camera happens on them, what do the producers think the viewing public at home are doing? And that's without bringing up the painful "interviews" with drunk "celebs" who have nothing to say except to promote whatever "project" they have coming up in the coming year.

Yoiks, I missed it too! (Unfortunately that's an indication of my poor timing all round I'm afraid). The whole BC community is here for you Lozz and hoping you continue to enjoy chatting with us as you step back from major gigging. Wishing you a very happy and healthy New Year mate.

Tube Driver, with a large London Underground logo across the top?

David Coverdale

Same for me. Funny, no ?

I play unlined much better than I play fretted. Which of course could mean... I certainly enjoy it more, more inclined to pick bass up and noodle.

You can roll a 💩 in glitter. But @Maude’s point still stands.

You can, you just end up with a shiny turd though. 😄

It seems like the usual "I hate everything about the Hootenanny" thread that we have every year. Obviously putting the term "Constructive" in the title was just a sleight of hand. Anyhow, its a TV prog with music in it so it always gets my vote, even if some of the music is not to my taste.

Very unkind to amphibians.

Imagine how good he could have been if he'd picked with 2 fingers. *runs and hides*

Keep your OC2.... is all I have to add. The Helix is very good, but my LT still does not match my pedals wrt Octaver, Synths and some Drive pedals (some are great on Helix btw, but I have a specific requirement). I have owned or own ALL Helix models, none covered 100% standalone. But that was for my specific setup and needs, I know others are perfectly happy with just a Helix.

Just seen that “head” no. £899 isn’t tempting enough

Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut) Mooooon river ... (ker-fut)

New year, new rig 😎 I have been looking at getting an old Trace head for a while and this beauty came up for sale here along with the EBS cab. Huge sound and huge smiles all round, though probably not from the neighbours. It sounds epic using a Precision with flats, just so much punch! Love it.