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Played with local rock band Rebel on Friday night at The Sun Inn, Beverley. I was depping for their bass player who was at a wedding, but managed to turn up in time for our 2nd set! Fortunately he didn't see the first - few technical problems threw the band a bit off kilter but they pulled it back after a few songs. Some good mates in the band, including ex-Bowie drummer John Cambridge who played so well. John is probably my favourite drummer to play with - solid as a rock, straight and unfussy style but very musical with a great feel. The sets were all dad rock stuff, which is what the near capacity crowd wanted. Plenty of dancing and singing, as well as catching up with a few musos I'd not seen for a while as well as Jan who is the guitarist in 'The ELO Experience' with me. Shame I was driving as it was just one of those great gigs when a few beers would have been very welcome. The landlord was well pleased, and also asked if I wanted some gigs there with my acoustic duo, so a worthwhile evening all round. The Sun Inn is a proper music pub, and well supported by many regulars who appreciate it.

Friday night we continued our tour at Bishops Stortford Mill Arts.... and Saturday at Rugby Benn Hall. Both cracking gigs and we had lots of wonderful comments from punters afterwards along the lines of 'best theatre rock show we've ever seen'! 🥰😎 Next stops.... Ilkley Kings Hall tomorrow (Tuesday) and Solihull Core Theatre (Thursday)!

Sarum's Lot had a cracking gig in Qudos Bar & Grill in Salisbury. We haven't played there for around three years as the pub decided they were going to concentrate on food and B&B's etc, it's a great venue, very close to the City centre and the place was quite busy when we arrived, and continued to fill up nicely whilst we set up. Lots of regular followers ensured the gig was one to remember - singing along and dancing from the off, it was a fantastic night and I'm really looking forward to returning there in November. No photos sadly 🙂

Saturday was an odd gig. A huge pub in Bargoed. The main street was closed while a street festival cleared up and had to get access sorted for the load in - which was great, no steps and helpful punters who held the door open! The pub had had a great day with the combo of festival and sun, but we would be up against Eurovision. As I said, it was a huge single open plan bar, as in HUGE. It didn't feel like our audience but as we set up the tables in the middle section in front of the (HUGE, carpeted) band area filled up with people who were clearly interested. A few of folk asked questions and some leaving said they would be back later. Early start. Very odd to play with a large audience but only around 25-30 or so who were really into us, cheering, some dancing. While lots of people at either end for whom we were really just 'backing music'. We can't have been bad, if the sudden disappearance of most of the punters when we finished at 10:30 was an indication. A lot of appreciation for our young guitarist, Alex. The pub was open until one, but our guess was that the clientele changes from about 11:30 as other places chuck people out - a bit like a 'spoons. The load out was nice and simple, slowed down by half a dozen of the audience who had an extended chat with us. Why odd? Well it felt like playing to a half empty pub, yet even at a quiet point we were playing to well over fifty people, and it was much busier at times. It would have been nice to have the people who were really into their blues rock as an audience in a smaller venue.

Finally, assembly can start!. Just need to make a brass nut

Hi all I'm still waiting for the invoice from the people who run the Prospect Street venue, but I've made an interim donation on our behalf to the Nordoff-Robbins music charity. I reckon there should be a bit more, but I'll send that when I have the full expenses to hand.

This is all I have at present

I used to love it when my Mum came to my gigs, too... 😀

Naked shots 😁

I've recently completed a pair of Basschat 12" MK3 cabs. I took them out for their first try last night complete with the sweatshirt covers I posted about recently I play in a moderately loud glam rock band. We had a "charidee" gig in a hall around 80 x 40 feet with a high ceiling last night. I used the cabs in "landscape mode" with my trusty old TC BH800 perched on top looking a bit lost. The temporary stage was a bit lively, otherwise I would've opted for portrait mode. I was afraid they'd topple over - especially whilst watching the support band's singer leap around like he had a bum full of mustard. When I built the cabs, I mirrored the baffles, so that the HF horns could be kept in alignment The amp was barely breaking a sweat and the bass control of the 4 band eq was reduced by maybe a third. Bottom end was plentiful My setup was Yamaha BB734A, lead, amp. Tone print compressor used in the amp. That's it. I'm very simple.... The tone was everything I want from a cab. Clear, defined without mush or muddiness that I normal get from my older home brew cabs in large halls. Felt good knowing I had oodles of power on tap if required. Bass filled the room without overpowering. Mids were strong and the wonderful HF section barks a great deal of clarity towards my moulded ear plugged lugholes. I could "feel" as well as hear my playing whilst stood in front of my cabs. Rather nice. Yep - the parts involved aren't cheap, (and all the little bits do add up when you begin building) but my oh my the performance is worth it. I own a couple of well respected manufacturer's cabs and these are making me wonder why I bothered!!! One is for sale as I type. If you're a liability with power tools, then you can buy a mildly supercharged version of the mk3 in the form of the LFSys Silverstone. If you can measure, use a few tools and enjoy a challenge, then you can still obtain the mk3 plans on this 'ere forum. I really would recommend it if you're thinking of having a go. Pub gigs will be easily taken care of with one of the pair. Outdoor or BIG rooms will be dealt with by the pair running together for sure. Any more required would be a PA job.... I've built them with top hats in the bottom, so we have a get out of jail PA system should ours cr*p out on us (its a pretty shonky setup that I hate with a passion, but my band mates are too tight to invest in upgrades) I look forward to trying the cabs in a PA role soon. I also recessed the handle on the top. I promised myself i'd take a few pictures, but as usual forgot. If you're near Norwich and interested, then i'm more than happy to let you come and try one/them Again... Big thanks to Stevie, Phil Starr and the crew for making this great resource available for us all. Cheers all Jon

There always seems to be a greater fascination with advancing ones collection of gear as opposed to advancing ones ability on this and other related sites... I might be going out on a limb here however, could it be related to the overwhelming male membership? In the parlance of psychology longstanding sociological studies have revealed males are far more interested in 'stuff' whilst the female of the species tend to gravitate more towards people. Casting my mind back, none of the female bassists I've known have ever been as remotely obsessed with the intricacies of their instruments (fingerboard radius anyone) like the guys. Just putting it out there ☺️

Put your sunglasses on, lads. So shuny it looks blue from the sky refelction! Very happy. Suprr close inspection will reveal some minor scratches but no runs at all, and only very few slight run throughs.

A few updates from the past couple of weekends. After prepping the neck laminates, they were glued up and then I cut the headstock angle. I then removed some of the excess from the back, leaving the headstock thickness full so I can do it in one piece. Next up was the fretboard. It had a slight twist/bend at one end (which is now the nut end), so I drew a centre line, marked out the nut, strings, fretboard edge and the fret positions to make sure everything was correct, before cutting the fret slots and gluing in maple veneer for the lined fretboard. Then I moved on to chiselling out the truss rod channel. This was part way through and testing to see how much more needed removing. (please excuse the sweat drips... it was very warm!!) Finally to the correct depth and level all the way along. And with the truss rod in place. I then marked out and cut to depth for the positions of the humbuckers, but didn't take pics. Haven't removed the wood yet, need to be careful they come out as full pieces as I will hopefully be utilising them when making the pickups. Next was gluing the fretboard in place. Usually I would cut the fret slots after this point, but with the twist/bend I needed to make sure everything was lined up perfectly. I clamped it in place first and drilled through on the outside edges that will be removed so I could use nail pins to hold it in place and keep it lined up when gluing. Then masking tape over the truss rod and cut to size, before gluing and clamping the fretboard in place. Once it had dried it was out of the clamps and lined up with the wings to see how it was all looking. That was where I got up to on Saturday, was hoping to get some more done Sunday, but didn't get any time. So will get back to it next weekend.

Yup, what else would you do on a Saturday night. As we say, 4 blokes of advancing years who like to dress up in questionable clothing.

Fantastic night in Beat Generator in Dundee with 70's Glam Rock covers band BLOCKBUSTARZ. First time at this venue, well to be honest my first time in Dundee centre and have to say i was impressed. Looks like a good day out could be had there. Bit of a pain loading in and out with 3 flights of stairs but no PA to carry. Good size stage a bonus. Sound was first class from SE and PA was good quality. All in all a great venue and really nice owner too. Good sized crowd too that spent first 6 songs just watching us before they eased off into a bit of dancing. Many had even dressed up in their 70's Glam gear so that was good to see. It was more like a concert audience, all standing from front of stage to the back entrance door so pretty full by looks of it. It was a door money deal 70/30 to us so we ended up with a tidy sum at the end of the night. They want us back this year again and owner said the feedback was astounding. Not just a band but a full show. Had to cut the set short as they only wanted two 1 hr sets whereas we normally do 1hr:15mins first set and 1hr :30mins the second set. On stage 9pm finished back of 10 and back on 10:15 to 11:30 altho we were asked for more and got permission from owner to do another encore. Very warm night but everyone was happy. Sandberg VM4 into Shure wireless and then into Roland mfx then into Handbox WB-100 head and Mesa 210/115 cabs. I'll add some pics when they come in. Dave

Get him into bass gear, then buy it off him for a song when he gets fed up with it... 👍

Crumpet Up ～ Elvis Costello and The Attractions

Black Mirror

The correct answer when being asked "Can you play a bass solo", in an audition is: "I can, but no one wants to hear bass solos." Actually, it's the correct answer at all times...

Headlined a 'sausage n cider' festival last night. Judging by the condition of the audience the emphasis throughout the day had been decidedly less sausage and considerably more cider. But they enjoyed themselves, danced and cheered, and generally had a good time. The highlight of the evening was that rarest, most precious thing, a member of the audience who actually understood music in all its subtlety and all of its majesty. She stood open mouthed in appreciation of my supreme bass playing skills, and at the end of the song announced that I was 'carrying the whole band'. A fact I had previously considered blindingly self evident and yet one that had always gone curiously unrecognised. After one particularly superb bass fill she told the singer that the entire room now needed a pregnancy test, such was the filth with which it was imbued. Probably the greatest compliment I've ever been paid. Where was this creature come evening's end, I hear you cry? How did she show her appreciation for my hypnotic musical skill? A gentleman never tells...

Horrible news.😢 Giblin is in my collection because of his brilliant content on my Kate Bush CD's.

To save this threat from starving and it is not raining:

Just wondering how you fastened your Bass to the spinning hub and where the valve goes?

Anise Song ～ John Denver

I think all the gear and no idea is about people who start a hobby and go out and buy all the gear without having any idea what they're buying or why they're buying it. Similar to the fishing story above: I once took a guy up Snowdon who arrived with brand new tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc etc. I told him we didn't need any of it today, it was an easy walk up the mountain to see how he coped. Not very well with all the gear and no experience at all. The next day we went completely 'off piste'. We sat down for lunch and he began to unpack and assemble all his cooking gear, rations and shelter. I sat on a rock, ate my cold pasty and crisps, and was thinking we should really get a move on when he emerged from his shelter and asked if I had any matches. So in terms of bass playing, this is the equivalent of taking tons of brand new gear to a gig, spending ages setting up, moving kit around to look good, and then realising you don't have a lead. Learn the basics first before deciding what gear to waste money on, and what gear to spend wisely on, otherwise you are buying blind and spending on equipment you may not need or may not suit your requirements. Which then reminds be of a gig I did where the guitarist set up 6 guitars on a stand and then complained there was no room. So I told him to put the guitars in the wings. To which he replied "The audience won't see them there."

Watching the Digestive - Elvis Costello

You Ain't Seen Muffin Yet BTO

It's a Cort, made in Korea by Cor-Tek. Nothing to do with Matsumoku. Guitar version:

Gigging in crotchless knickers is a non-starter. Frequent adjustments to the undercarriage are necessary. Errm, so I'm told.

You should've taken the BC marketplace approach. Can't sell that bass? Flog it as parts. Two kids, well that's 4 kidneys for starters...

I bought a kit from FretNation in the USA to change my volume to a stacked Volume/Tone control. Works in active or passive mode. It was just a couple of wires to solder and I had to enlarge the hole a bit to get the stacked pot in, but I'm really happy with the result. In hindsight, I could have just bought a stacked pot, but I knew that it would come with the matching knobs, so went this route.

'Perfect balance'......Hmmmm. I wonder if someone who promotes this on his 'builds' is reading this?

You're complicating the idea. Simply use your active/passive switch to have two different tones: a passive tone with all the balls, and a darker tone in the active mode. Then just flip the switch for these two different tones that you can still adjust in the active mode. A passive tone in a separate box will be a real pain in the āss, as the tone will vary with the cable length due the passive path being high impedance (loss of highs linked to the length) and very sensitive to the capacitance of the cable used too, so the tone itself can change very quickly depending on the length and type of cable used, and I don't even mention the buzzing and earthing issues you'll get: forget it.

Let's take the high road here, fellas!

Talc Talc ～ Talc Talc

Shurely you mean "you choose wht nd when" then..? We could lose the Z but the A might be awkward...

Yup, the hole stitching diameter is 14.7mm And for @ossyrocks The measurement from hole centre to hole centre is 112cm. What leather there is after the holes is not relevant. 112cm is the minimum the strap will go, not 115cm. If you can live with an extra 2cm ( 3/4 " ) you'll be fine.

Thyme - Pink Floyd

Must of brought some tears to the eyes

I agree to some extent, but not to the extent of absolute silence which some people seem to expect or feel entitled to. Complaining about small amounts of noise is just as selfish as making excessive amounts.

I had a set of EB strings via Amazon a few months ago…… I strongly suspect they were fake. They didn’t feel or sound right. Fake strings are a thing, contrary to what some might say.