Leaderboard

Much to my delight (and to my surprise!) when I hooked the Pi+Audio board up to a monitor I saw this: The two lit LEDs on top and the text on the screen indicate it has successfully started up and initalised the audio card! S'manth does a little dance of happiness! Now to play hide & seek for some jack sockets ... S'manth xx

Dear Friends, this is Valérian Werner , my personal painter & friend! Attached a few pictures of my next Basses … stay tuned & many thanks bro for your awesome paint job 👍

Quick shot of my 3 on the wall, Euro Bolt in Metalic Blue sparkle, 2004 Legend in Amber Maple top, NS2000 from 1999 neck is incredible on that one, neck through in Translucent Red. They all sound different with them all having their own pickups and preamps. replaced the hardware on the NS2000 & Legend. The Euro Bolt can be made to sound really aggressive depending on the setting of the tone pump, all enjoyable to play.

Visitor stuff all done and so, hopefully, I can start on the home straights! Finishing Epoxy arrives tomorrow, all the 'reveal' coat aberrations are photographed and noted, including stuff that shouldn't have got through the 'pre-paint feel test' like this: But mainly the grain sink like this, which is what the finishing epoxy will be used for to level it all out: Also ordered is a jack plate, that will be recessed into the body - the recess also needing to be done before the final paint job. The hatch will also be final sanded, and similarly epoxied to ensure that it is flush and grain-free before painting both the body and the hatch. And also, the white paint on the headstock front needs to come off ready for its pink make-over. And so, ready for the epoxy arriving, the body is currently being sanded back to the wood, sorting the non-grain aberrations as I go: Most other stuff (screw inserts, hatch magnets, etc.) will be done after painting. Assuming there is some remaining dry weather in the coming week or so, the progress should accelerate a bit from now on

There is no true "flat" setting for any instrument amp. They all have some degree of baked-in sound. That's why you pick one brand/model over the others, because it has a baked-in sound that you find pleasing.

Stolen from the Facebook hence the dodgy formatting: HOW TO REQUEST A SONG FROM THE BAND When requesting a song from the band, just say “Play my song.” We have chips implanted in our heads with an unlimited database of the favorite tunes of every patron who ever walked into a bar and all songs ever recorded so feel free to be vague, we love the challenge. If we say we really don’t remember that tune you want, we’re only kidding. Bands do know every song ever recorded, so keep humming. Hum harder if need be… it helps jog the memory, or just repeat your request over and over again. If a band tells you they do not know a song you want to hear, they either forgot they know the tune or they are just putting you on. Try singing a few words for the band, any words will do. It also helps to scream your request from across the room several times per set followed by the phrases, “AW, COME ON!” and “YOU SUCK!” Exaggerated hand gestures expressing disapproval from the dance floor are a big help as well, such as the thumbs down or your middle finger up. Put- downs are the best way to jog a band’s memory. This instantly promotes you to the status of “Personal Friend of the Band.” You can bet your request will be the next song we play. Entertainers are notorious fakers and jokesters and never really prepared for their shows. We simply walk on stage with no prior thought to what we will do once we arrive. We don’t actually make set lists or rehearse songs, we mostly just wait for you to yell something out, then fake it. An entertainer’s job is easy, even a monkey could do it, so don’t let them off the hook easily. Your request is all that matters. Once you’ve figured out what genre of music the band plays, please make your requests from a totally different genre, the more exaggerated the better. If it’s a blues band playing, yell for some Metallica, Black Sabbath or Motley Crue. If it’s a death-speed metal band be sure to request Brown Eyed Girl or some Grateful Dead. We musicians constantly need to broaden our horizons and it’s your job to see that it happens… immediately. TALKING WITH THE BAND The best time to discuss anything with the band in any meaningful way is at the middle of a song when all band members are singing at the same time. Our hearing is so advanced that we can pick out your tiny voice from the megawatt wall of sound blasting all around us. And we can converse with you in sign language while singing the song, so don’t worry that we’re in the middle of the chorus. Musicians are expert lip-readers too. If a musician does not reply to your question or comment during a tune, it’s because they didn’t get a good look at your mouth in order to read your lips. Simply continue to scream out your request and be sure to over emphasize the words with your lips. This helps immensely. Don’t be fooled. Singers have the innate ability to answer questions and sing at the same time. If the singer doesn’t answer your questions immediately, regardless of how stupid the question may seem, it’s because they are purposely ignoring you. If this happens, immediately cop an attitude. We love this. IMPORTANT TIP When an entertainer leans over to hear you better, grab his or her head in both hands and yell directly into their ear, while holding their head securely so they can’t pull away. This will be taken as an invitation to a friendly game of tug of war between their head and your hands. Don’t give up, hang on until the singer or guitar player submits. Drummers are often unavailable for this fun game since they usually sit at the back, protected by their drum kits. Keyboard players are protected by their instrument and only play the game when tricked into coming out from behind their instruments. Though difficult to get them to play, it’s not impossible, so keep trying. They’re especially vulnerable during the break between songs. HELPING THE BAND If you inform the band that you are a singer, the band will appreciate your help with the next few tunes, or however long you can remain standing on stage. If you’re too drunk to stand unassisted, simply lean on one of the band members or the most expensive piece of equipment you see. Just pretend you’re in a karaoke bar. Simply feel free to walk up on stage and join in the fun. By the way, the drunker you are, the better you sound, and the louder you should sing. If by chance you fall off the stage, be sure to crawl back up and attempt to sing harmony. Keep in mind that nothing assists the band more than outrageous dancing, fifth and sixth part harmonies or a tambourine played on one and three and out of tempo. Try the cowbell, they love the challenge. The band always needs the help and will take this as a compliment. Finally, the microphone and PA system are merely props, they don’t really amplify your voice, so when you grab the mic out of the singer’s hand, be sure to scream into it at the top of your lungs, otherwise nobody will hear what a great singer you are. Hearing is over-rated anyhow. The crowd and the sound tech will love you for it. BONUS TIP As a last resort, wait until the band takes a break and then get on stage and start playing their instruments. They love this. Even if you are ejected from the club, you can rest assured in the knowledge you have successfully completed your audition. The band will call you the following day to offer you a position

Well ....... I struck lucky ....... I've been browsing for weeks, nothing turned up. Then I tried searching randomly for p instead of precision bass and found the perfect bass..... A bass centre power bass in John Deacon spec! It was in Scotland, but the kind seller even dropped it off for me on his way to a work event! This feels nice and has a wide but not too wide neck, but is quite shallow so it's easy to play. It has the optional babicz bridge - which I had on my jeff berlin bass - which are great. I've got it booked in for a dimarzio pickup fitting tomorrow, and then we are good to go!

Update: the TC Spark Booster arrived today and - on first impressions - does the job admirably. Aftwr matching levels, it lifts the WB-100 into nicely overdriven territory in an "organic" sounding way (whereas my Sansamp sounds a bit synthetic, for want of a better word). Thanks all, the BC collective delivers again 🙌

Pïss ～ Krince

I have a Reverend, and it has elbowed its way to the front of the queue. It plays fine, looks amazing but it's the sound that leaps out at me. I've never played a bass so articulate. Every nuance (and mistake!) Is so clear, it's unforgiving and beautiful all at once

Packed pub gig Satdy night, went well, but a couple of things which echo the common niggles above; there isn't tons of room in this venue, and I was first in, so helpfully I put my gear (Walkabout and Super Twin - it's too busy in there for the inears/PA setup, plus we don't gig much any more, so we'd have needed a longish soundcheck to reset stuff) over in a corner, tucked nicely out of the way. Drummist and Singist/Geetard then set up all across the rest of the space, so I was crammed in, standing sideways overlooking the drummer, while the Singist/Geetard had yards of space...pffffttttt... And I can't hear much other than me and the cymbals because I'm nowhere near the tops, and the monitoring wasn't working. Then we had the perennial problem with that Radiohead dirge High And Dry - I don't like it anyway, and it's an energy-sapper of a song, but the Singist/Geetard plays it solo, so we have it in the set. What he doesn't do is adjust his EQ from his solo settings to take out the very bottom end, so when he's playing a chord with a ringing open E and I play the F#, the resulting muddy blur is annoying. Even going up an octave doesn't fully cure it. If he cuts the bottom end of his acoustic we're all good, but he never remembers. Oh, and S/G starts into a song, I join in, it sounds derrière (from what I can hear), he shouts 'I'm one down', but he meant one tone/two frets rather than one fret, so, what with not being able to hear much, it took me wayyyy too long to hunt him down... Needless to say, nobody else noticed, and it was all fun and games till the Last Orders Scuffle at the door. We just got a drink and watched, it was better than the telly..

I've done that before. That's why there's annotations on the set list along the lines of "TUNE BACK UP TO E FFS!"

The only people who care about the brand of guitar you’re playing are other musicians. I just picked up a Squier Precision Special (matching headstock), and it’s genuinely phenomenal. Needed a few tweaks but it looks great and sounds amazing. It’s genuinely as good as any of the Mex Fenders I’ve had, although I would say that it’s been set up very well and played in. Music snobs are frightfully dull.

Had a bad mistake last week doing Into the Valley by Skids. Bass E string detuned to D for it. Bass starts and after a couple of bars the guitar joins in for another 2 bars. That was fine until i went to the next line a bar early causing the guitarist to get lost and the drummer couldn't come in with his cues. At one point myself and guitarist were on different bars, he stopped and i just kept playing the intro riff until they came back in. That's the worst start i've had in many years. Some of the audience who had been drinking a fair bit said to me at the end of the night that they thought i was having a wee bass solo 😂 Happy days but it's live music and sometimes things go a little astray 😀 Dave

I have heard that the Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird is better than any of Gibsons current offerings. I know I've banged on about it lately but my super cheap 90s Encore that I spent a leisurely afternoon rolling the fretboard edges, bevelling, levelling, crowning and polishing the frets, sorted the nut and smoothed the edges/corners, in fact just rounded and smoothed any edge. It now feels as nice to play, if not nicer, as any high end bass I've played. A lot of what makes a high end bass expensive is the man hours put in to lift it above the machine finished budget models. Does it matter if your bass was made in Mexico by Mexicans or made in America by Mexicans? (that was tongue in cheek) And let's not forget in the late 70s/early 80s Japan were churning out stuff that embarrassed the likes of Gibson and Fender who'd sat on their laurels and let quality slide.

If anyone has an Amazon Prime subscription the digital version the September edition of Sound on Sound is available as a free download. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B9ZGWCN5/

Marimba You're A Womble ～ Les Wombles

The Piddle ～ Nik Kershaw

If You Tolerate P'iss Then Your Children Will Be Next - MSP

Be careful Dave. I've bought 3 in the last couple of years. Great basses.

I actually find the opposite. Scooped in the shop, all nice and smooth. But for me, the energy and character is in the middle.

Followed by wondering why they bothered?

Most active EQs have similar plots. It doesn't show what's happening elsewhere in the amp. As to what sounds flat, you have to take into consideration both the coloration added by the speaker and the effect of equal loudness. Once you do so it's impossible to say that a particular amp sounds flat.

And possibly a tad rude?

Same with anything. Try an Aldi mars bar or a twix and you'll never pay full whack for the brand name again. Let's be fair - we live in a world where folk will pay 60 quid to see a trib band ! Couple of things to note , though. Pay £1200 for a used US Fender and what's it worth the day after ?? I'll tell you. £1200. Buy a cheaper instrument without the magic name on it and you're likely chucking tenners away as you leave the shop. Also a lot of pros are being sponsored. Give me a bunch of cheapo freebies and I'll use them. Pay me to do it and I'll tell folk they're brilliant ! In any case - what's a budget instrument ?? I'm 60 , you should have seen the state of the copy stuff when I was 16 !! Nowadays you can find a decent quality , playable instrument for nuts. I've a Squier Dimension ( though it's Fender badged for show) . Great instrument and cost me about a weeks shopping bill. Why would I take my 73 Precision into some right Mary Whitehouse full of scrota when the Dimension will do the job ?

Get me out - new model army

I had a similar drop D issue earlier this year. I downtuned the E string to D for Summer of 69 and forgot to retune it afterwards when Sweet Child O'Mine kicked in. Nothing like transposing on the fly to keep you alert! FWIW, I have a hipshot xtender on one of my other basses, but I haven't gotten around to installing one on the bass I was using that night. Otherwise, it would have been a non issue.

The first fretless I ever played. In amber. It was totally awesome. I had a fretted one later, and a fretless older one a few years after that. Brilliantly built basses.

preacher man - fields of the nephilim

Re Marcus Miller using Sire, Larry Carlton has a Sire Signature 335 guitar type model. Here's Laura Lee

We supported Midge Ure a few years back, he went on stage with a Vintage (branded) Midge Ure signature Les Paul, a Vox VT80 transistor amp and a battered Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal, I suggested the guitars must be hand made for him by Vintage, he replied "No, off the production line into a box and I open the box and play the guitar !" He sounded utterly brilliant so I can confirm the sound / the talent is all in the fingers...his fingers and not mine clearly!

This last weekend, I played at an Open Air gig - the town organises an event, this time a Food Fair - and ask a church band to play. The band is made up of musicians from various churches in the town (three of whom are from my own church). The remit was for us to play worship songs, along with familiar tunes to attract a crowd. So, Amazing Grace, Lovely Day, Build You Kingdom Here, Mr Blue Sky, Crazy Little Thing Called Love. For the band, it was a new discipline to play songs in the original key, using fully accurate chords. We even did All You Need is Love, using the correct wonky timing. We seemed to manage, even with a failure of two iPads at the start of the session, and sub-standard sound on the stage. For me, it was great fun, and an honour to play in such a strong band. I was surprised at how relaxed I was - no music, and not being able to hear myself and the guitarist well, is usually a recipe for major stress! Over the next few days, I hope to hear the outcome of the afternoon - contacts made, and conversations had.

XTC Go 2. Every track is a belter. I never enjoyed them much after this, even if that was their 'prime'. I guess that for me, there was a hole in the sound after Barry Andrews left.

I don’t think that I ever posted this. Quite a rare vid of me playing my RBX - and with a plectrum no less! And a laugh of a time signature too! Quite a cool line up on this one - Gaz especially… monster vocalist.

This one.

This is my number 1.