Leaderboard

Maxell M9V Well,ummm,it's a battery Anonymous 14.07.2016 If you're looking for a 9v battery, this is a 9v battery. It provides power to things that require a 9v battery As a helicopter, totally useless. As a 9v battery, perfect. It will provide power for a certain amount of time, after that time elapses it will no longer provide power. As such it serves as a metaphor for the ephemeral and transient nature of being and provides proof(if any were needed)that entropy is the prevailing force in our all too brief existence. Also it tickles your tongue if you lick it. Hope you found this useful, next week's topic...trousers first ,THEN shoes. Show less

Splendid weekend of shows with From Gold To Rio (Spandau/Duran show). 99% sold out show at the lovely St Austell Keay Theatre on Friday to start off.... great sound... and staff were fab. Audience were up for a party from the get-go too 😃👍 Then it was off to the beautiful Littlecote House (a Warners Hotel) for our Saturday show. A stunning (and haunted) place... with a posh venue within. Audience older and not as demonstrably enthusiastic as the night before but they seemed to enjoy it, so job done!)

Dep reasonably close to home. Small venue with an odd layout with us off in one room off the main bar playing through an arch. All seemed to go ok. A few flubs and nowhere to hide as the second guitar I have played with depping with them in the past was not there so just guitar, drums, Vox and bass. All good fun and generally got through ok with a good bunch of guys that it’s easy to work with with knowing nods 🙂 Having used the old skool (and heavy) Hartke LH500 last week it was back to Class D this week and I do find that the latter always seems to start sounding great but after a prolonged group of songs they ‘go off’ and need a break between songs to get their puff back, whereas the LH500 ‘seems’ to be more consistent. Maybe that’s just my ears ‘going off’ and needing the break, but it’s odd. Still living the FrankenJazz and the S2 didn’t get a look in. Still working out the new IEM’s and despite working through menus and setup in the week I was still only getting signal on one plug which I don’t understand, so more to do there.

Another early evening gig yesterday at The Lookout on the Pier in Scarborough with the acoustic duo. We arrived there slightly later than usual due to a traffic accident, meaning we had to divert through Bridlington but still got set up in time to start at 6pm. A full house of diners, some who had come with requests already written so we had a pile of them to get through. Best ones for me were ‘Wichita Lineman’, ‘Just a gigolo / ‘I ain’t got nobody’ ( David Lee Roth style), ‘No particular place to go’ ( which I sang for the first time in my life, forgetting how hard the phrasing was!) and then ended with ‘Enjoy yourself’. Used my Fender Kingman bass into the Rumble 100, with no PA support needed. Still exploring some settings with the preamp on the bass, including the subtle effect the phase switch has on things. We are back at this wonderful venue on 30th March, and it’s always a pleasure.

The Twisted Pair gig was very good. I didn't think we sounded all that great, but still a good gig. We're still working in a dep drummer. He's not the best drummer I've played with. However he understands the band and what we're trying to do. I arrived at 1:45 the place was packed. I couldn't find one open parking space. The reason I say it was a good gig is solely based on the number of people that came out. Very generous tippers too. I asked the manager if they always have a big crowd on Sunday afternoon. He told me they had a band last Sunday and the place was dead. So I was feeling pretty "stoked". I've attached a few pics. I bet many of you have rolled up to one of these venues sitting out in the " boon docks" Daryl

We played a 40th b’day party last night. Had punters up dancing from the first song - that’s a new and novel experience, so we enjoyed that. Except we later learned it was because the do started about 2.5 hours before we set up, and they were already well and truly lubricated with booze. By the second set, the families with young kids had gone home, and the remaining punters had largely passed out/thrown up or were harassing the pub staff. Total mess of a night - even though we played well. Not a family we’ll be working for again.

Been waaay too long since posting here and to be honest, my gig rustiness showed, having a few numbers where I just made stupid mistakes. But the rest of the time was ok, at the Playhouse Cheltenham. Very difficult to sell tickets at the moment, especially for an out of town band doing its 1st gig in the city but we got about 70 in a 190ish capacity venue, so enough for a party. Tenor sax player went down ill the day before but fortunately the trumpet 2 player lives a member of the RSC orchestra so she slotted in just fine. Took our own FBT Pa, great quality stuff and the foh and in ears sound was great, plus the drummer turned up with his dad’s DW kit so we sounded fruity. Played much better as the gig went on and the audience were good fun. Much less time to wait until the next one.

Tonight, Royal Blues at Katzspace, London Bridge, that London. Surprisingly packed for a Wednesday night, but we're doing quite well. It's original material, I use the term Americana, otherwise I'd have to say it's a bit blues, a bit roots, a bit country, a bit rock. Ibanez UB804 (EUB) - Swiff wireless - venue DI. The monitor mix was good and it sounded great FOH. Footwear black suede brothel creepers. And Leeds won 2-0 so even better! 💙💛💙💛. 😁 View from the stage

Played effectively a home town show last night at club 85, hitchin. Really cool line up and first gig since November for me and Gévaudan. Outed a new song, new drummers second gig and it all went off really well. One of those gigs where it just all clicked in and sound was great...although maybe a touch bass heavier would have been cool. Managed to pull some stupid faces as well which was cool. So good night all round. ✌️🧙‍♂️

Played at Drakes in Maidstone on Saturday, and it was the first gig I’d had with this band since December. It went well overall, but we were playing outside in the courtyard and it was freezing! I had to put a jumper back on a couple of songs in. There were plenty of people there, but mainly they stayed by the patio heaters rather than come up dancing. As usually happens, those people came to life at 11.30 just as we were heading towards the end of the set! The outside area had had a makeover since we last played there, and decking had been installed, along with a raised stage area which was nice. A good, but cold gig overall. We finished with a rocked up version of Livin La Vida Loca which was quite amusing. I’d also installed some Schaller strap locks earlier in the day and was pleased with them.

First gig since 2nd Jan with the Glam band at a fantastic venue Dalkeith Miners Club. No pics as yet but here's the stage pic from last time we played here. Sound guy was saying ticket sales in general have been low and some are just paying on the night. He said 100 tickets sold plus they expect 30-50 paying at door. Looked a bit empty when i went in to get changed for the set but it got busier after the first few songs and was a decent crowd for the 2nd set. Dancers on most of the songs tonight which was good. Audience reaction was good and a few T shirts sold too. Club aren't advertising the gigs so thats not helping fill the place. They put an advert up on their FB page an hour before the doors opened and that was the first advert since start of January for our gig tonight. All in all it turned out a good wee night altho the guy that paid us said the treasurer didn't want to pay the full amount because it wasn't full. The other committee guys over-ruled him. Not our fault they didn't advertise the gig at all. What do they expect. Shame as its a cracking big club that can hold 500-600 at a push. Typically we get 200-300 at our shows but tonight i reckon 150. This was the decider for me whether i would stay with the band a bit longer and i have to admit i had a great time and i think i will miss it so i'm now really struggling to make up my mind. Band have said if i have doubts about leaving to just take my time and have a decent think about it. Anyways my gear tonight was my usual Sandberg VM4 into Shure Wireless, Keeley Comp, Mesa TT800 Boogie channel, Mesa 210/115 cabs with my fav bass Fender Geddy Jazz as a back up. Was gonna use it but i changed the strings to Elixirs yesterday and i found the neck had bowed a little so i need to straighten that out. Meant the string height in middle of the neck felt high even tho it wasn't a lot. Maybe it was just in my head. LOL Outfit first set was a nice sparkly purple jacket with matching satin trousers and platform boots. 2nd set was a matching light blue and silver jacket and trousers with my trusty platform boots. Dave

Halfway through tonight’s gig. We’re sharing the night’s ticketed event with a pair of DJs, so a good break until set 2. Everyone is well up for it, lots of dancing and general appreciation. Small, hollow and slightly floating stage, so on stage sound isn’t the best, but I can hear everyone else just about. I’m using my custom, Maruszczyk Elwood L, through my usual Phil Jones rig. Shoes are modtastic suede affairs.

If I got locked out of Basschat it would save me a fortune 🤔

Friday saw Hurtsfall in Coventry at The Arches Venue for the Necroscope Goth and industrial night. Great venue although a little difficult to find if you've not been before, and a great promotor. Pity I can't say the same about the sound engineer. Set up and sound check went very well, we were playing last so sound checked first, but there appeared to be a lot of unplugging and moving of cables between our soundcheck and getting the other two bands set up including a lot of worrying sounding pops and bangs coming through the PA as unmuted channels were plugged and unplugged. When we came to play we were told that there was no need for a line check as none of our stuff had been moved since the original soundcheck. Come the first song there's no sound from one of the synths. We play through regardless, but pause to get the problem sorted before starting the next song. First the promotor has to go and find the sound engineer as he's gone outside. Then there is an almost point blank refusal on his part to accept that the problem isn't with our equipment. Finally when we persuade him to check the connections to the PA, and after even more pops and bangs through the FoH it turns out that the PA's XLR lead connecting the synth to the stage box is dodgy. Once that has been replaced everything is fine. I accept that if you work at a venue not every band that plays there is going to be to your musical taste, but you have one job and that includes being there in case there is a problem with the sound during each band's set. In a way programmable digital desks have made some less than enthusiastic PA engineers even more complacent. I didn't say anything on the night because we hope to playing there again and I don't want to see what happens if he deliberately messes up our sound, and anyway come the end of our set he was nowhere to be seen and his assistant who was very pleasant and easy to get on with was left to pack everything away. After all that we played really well, so it's pity that the audience was somewhat on the small side. We were competing with another Goth gig in Coventry that night and it was also the first night of Corrosion in Morecambe where more than a few of our fans were in attendance (they were all posting photos from there on Facebook). Still those that were in attendance seemed to really like the band, and we sold a surprisingly large number of T-Shirts and singles afterwards. The promoter is very keen to get us back later in the year when hopefully there will be a bigger audience. I'd saved posting this hoping that there would be some photos on social media over the weekend, but despite seeing at least one professional-looking photographer in action during our set nothing has shown up so far. Our next gig is in Sheffield on 5th April supporting Deviant at The Corporation.

A 5-7pm slot yesterday with the acoustic trio, The Desperate Cowboys. We picked up the gig after the booked band cancelled due to illness. A large, busy pub and we were playing in a roofed outdoor area. It started to get a bit chilly after the sun went down, luckily I’d put a pullover in the car for the second set. The audience wandered in and out a bit but there was always enough to make it worthwhile. Taylor mini bass through Trace Elliott Elf and Barefaced one 10. Home by 8 and a couple of cans of Hobgoblin Gold.

New bass day! I acquired this Wilcock Mullarkey yesterday and took it with me to rehearsal - what a lovely and well-built instrument! Dare I say even better than my Serek…

Copycat!

Part 2. Second set was just as good, if not better, although the guitarist/lead singer was feeling ‘not right’ so we cut 2 songs that give him trouble in terms of breath. Lots more leaping around from the crowd and apparently someone even mentioned my sound and playing to the aforementioned guitar player, which was nice (probably another bass player). Really quick tear down for me and I was home by one, despite the patchy fog threatening to make the journey longer. On that performance, I can’t see us not playing there again. Next weekend, March of the Mods in Dundee (multi band lineup, charity gig). First on, so early finish.

Maple Road, we're returning to The Twisted Pair this Sunday, 3-6. Daryl

Interesting words from amp/cab maker Phil Jones: "Why It’s Impossible to Manufacture Bass Amplifiers & Loudspeakers in the U.S. Without China—A Reality Check By Me: Phil Jones, Founder of Phil Jones Bass With over 40 years of experience in amplifier and loudspeaker manufacturing, having owned factories in the UK, the U.S., and now China, I have witnessed firsthand the global shift in production. The idea of manufacturing amplifiers and loudspeakers entirely in the United States—without relying on China—is not just unrealistic, it’s economically impossible. And even if someone attempted it, the final price would be nearly five times higher than the same product made in China or Southeast Asia. The Industry Shift: Why Manufacturing Left the U.S. Since the early 1990s, the loudspeaker and amplifier industry has gradually relocated from the U.S. and Europe to Southeast Asia. Initially, production shifted to Taiwan and Thailand, but today, China dominates. The reason is simple: China built an unmatched supply chain, workforce, and cost-efficiency that no Western country can compete with. In the past, speaker manufacturers in the U.S. could still source components domestically. There were factories producing cones, voice coils, magnet assemblies, steel frames, and crossovers. But over the years, these facilities shut down because they couldn’t compete with the lower costs of overseas production. Today, virtually every speaker and amplifier company—regardless of where they are "assembled"—depends on Chinese-made components. What Would It Take to Make a 100% American-Made Amplifier? If you were to start a fully domestic amplifier and loudspeaker production facility in the U.S., you’d face insurmountable obstacles: 1. Raw Material Sourcing is Impossible Without China Neodymium Magnets: China controls 90% of the world’s neodymium supply, which is critical for high-performance loudspeakers. Steel & Aluminum: Used in speaker frames and amplifier chassis, these materials are cheaper in China due to government subsidies and high domestic production. Paper Cones: Most cone paper pulp comes from Southeast Asia. No U.S. company produces high-performance speaker cones anymore. 2. Electronic Components Are Made in Asia PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards): Nearly all amplifier PCBs come from China or Taiwan. There is no cost-effective alternative in the U.S. Capacitors, Resistors, and Semiconductors: Essential amplifier components, all mass-produced in Asia. Wiring, Connectors, and Power Supplies: Even the smallest parts—like jacks, power switches, and wiring harnesses—are imported. 3. Labor Costs Would Skyrocket In China, skilled factory workers earn between $500-$800 per month. In the U.S., that same job would cost $3,000-$4,000 per month, plus healthcare and benefits. Assembly line automation in the U.S. would cost millions in investment—still unable to compete with the highly skilled yet affordable workforce in Asia. 4. Factory Setup Would Be Astronomically Expensive China already has fully developed speaker and amplifier factories with optimized processes. A new U.S. factory would require hundreds of millions in infrastructure costs. The break-even point would take decades. The Cost Reality—Five Times More Expensive Let’s take an amplifier that sells for $1,000 today when manufactured in China. If it were made in the U.S., here’s how costs would change: "If an amplifier sells for $1,000 when manufactured in China, producing the exact same product in the U.S. would drastically increase costs. The raw materials, such as magnets and steel, would rise from around $100 to $250 or more. The cost of PCBs and electronic components, which are predominantly made in Asia, would jump from $150 to over $400. Speaker components like cones, voice coils, and frames would go from $200 to $600 or more since there is no longer any domestic supply chain for these parts. Labor and assembly costs would surge from $50 in China to over $300 in the U.S., and factory overhead would increase from $100 to at least $500 due to higher wages, regulations, and operational expenses. In the end, a product that costs $600 to produce in China would cost over $2,000 to make in the U.S., which means the final retail price would rise from $1,000 to somewhere between $3,500 and $5,000—making it completely unviable for the average musician. This means that a product which sells for $1,000 when made in China would likely cost $3,500 to $5,000 if made in the U.S. No consumer is going to pay that kind of premium for an identical product. What About Tariffs? Do They Help? Some believe that tariffs imposed on Chinese goods will bring manufacturing back to the U.S. That is a complete misunderstanding of how the industry works. Tariffs don’t rebuild factories—they just make products more expensive for consumers. U.S. manufacturers still need Chinese components, even if tariffs are added. If tariffs make Chinese production too costly, companies will simply move to Vietnam, Indonesia, or Mexico—not the U.S. The MAGA Myth: “I Only Buy American” Many Americans, particularly in the MAGA crowd, claim they refuse to buy "Chinese crap" and only support U.S. products. The reality? Even the most “American” brands rely on China. Harley-Davidson: Uses Chinese-made wiring, electronics, and even some engine components. Ford & GM: Source critical parts from China, from semiconductors to brake components. Gibson & Fender: Even their “Made in USA” guitars use imported tuning machines, bridges, and electronics. It is simply impossible to buy a fully American-made product unless it is a boutique, high-priced item with limited production. Final Thoughts: The Future of Manufacturing China is not just a low-cost labor market—it has developed the most advanced supply chain infrastructure in the world. No Western country can compete at the same scale and efficiency. While there will always be niche U.S. manufacturers assembling products domestically, mass production of loudspeakers and amplifiers will never return to America. The cost difference is too high, the industry expertise is long gone, and no amount of tariffs or political rhetoric can change that. As a manufacturer who has run factories in multiple countries, I can say with certainty: China is the present and future of loudspeaker and amplifier production. If you want high-quality products at reasonable prices, you have to accept that they will be made overseas. A fully American-made amplifier would be unaffordable for the average consumer. This is not about politics—it’s about economic reality."

Spectors are not actually sold. They can only be cared for on lease from Cetera, who curates them all. Foster Spectors.

Love my '84 BC Rich Eagle...

I have transcribed loads of Anthony Jackson but today, after listening to him for 40 years or more, I have finally noticed a mistake. At 5:09 on this big band video from 1994, in the tune 'Why Not', AJ hits a wrong note. I couldn't believe it. 'kin lightweight! There is hope for me yet!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88-Xz5fUFKg

Picked this up today at the end of my GAS burst. First Ibanez I've had for about twenty years. A very nice condition 2017 SR1400 Premium. Spent the latter part of the evening setting it up, as someone had set the neck flat and raised all the bridge monorails to compensate! All fixed now with a low action

First gig tonight since 2nd Jan with the Glam band at Dalkeith. Large venue with big raised stage area, lights and PA all there. Still not sure whether i'm retiring or not. Band were a bit gutted and disappointed when i told them especially weird when we met at a rehearsal. They've asked if i had any doubts whatsoever then hold off and they'll wait until i'm 100% sure before looking for a replacement. I expect i'll know for sure after the gig tonight whether its still for me or not. The extended break since New Year has allowed me to do other hobbies and have really enjoyed the break from it all. Dave

Everyone here hates his guts right now because of all this. Even the Pennsyltucky types, of whom there’s a fair few on the factory floor. There’s a new cutaway mini-bass coming out very soon, by the way… it’s quite nice. Here’s a little bit of it shown off by yours truly…

I got a Cort Rithmic a couple of months ago and loved it. It plays well and sounds great and I particularly love the passive electronics. On the weekend, I was browsing online and randomly came across a half price Rithmic V, it cost less than the four string which I also got for a good price. I couldn't resist. Here is the new bass alone and with the 4-string and my Harley Benton 7-string.

My TM4

It does my heart good to know that there are people out there who are like that 👍

Broadly more expensive basses 'feel' nicer to play, although obviously 'nicer' is subjective. I wouldn't necessarily expect a £1500 P or Jazz bass to sound radically different than a P or J costing half as much. One thing I have learnt over the years is that the answer to 'is a £2000 bass four times better than a £500 bass?' is generally 'no' but I would expect it to be more pleasant to play in multiple small ways such the feel of the controls, the finish on the neck, how smooth the tuners are etc. All those small details can add up to noticeably more pleasant playing experience over all Finally it's always worth considering buying used. £1500 should get you a lot of bass on the 2nd hand market

It's a good job none of you are going then! 😝 There's a lot more on there that I'm looking forward to seeing than last time I went. Wet Leg, English Teacher, Franz Ferdinand, Supergrass (could be fun?), Biffy, Deftones, Father John Misty, Japanese Breakfast, Kaiser Cheifs, Weezer, Wolf Alice, Goat, Chic, St Vincent, The Big Moon. I'm going to have a very nice time!

Just won a Boss Katana Go on Guitar Giveaway and it should be being delivered tomorrow. I was hoping to win a Quad Cortex, but a Katana Go is nice too 😃

I've been missing my NS5-XL and I found this Euro. It's a peach. I love an oiled Spector and this 20 year old example is really nice. I'll do some better pictures over the weekend to show the amazing figuring on the maple neck. It's light too. I'll weigh it tomorrow. I restrung it 40-60-80-105-145 and it is like death from the sky through the 400+ and the Barefaced cabs. Perfect. It's scheduled for a refit with an LHZ-03 and new EMG 40P5 + 40J pickups 😇

Isn't that just shooting the messenger? He was in charge from 2013 to 2020, when the economy was being mis-managed by an inept government. My understanding is that he attempted to modernize the BoE and used fiscal policy to encourage business lending, but couldn't perform miracles to counter incompetent political leadership.

Just got some footage of the penultimate song- warning, Robbie content, we ain’t making musical fusion here. 7df2d8ff-83df-4485-b7ea-829eafa69251.mp4

I am enjoying this thread, and am learning a lot from it. Mostly, I am learning that there is no single correct answer - and that people are impeccably polite when debating their points. One minor plea, however. Rather than saying "we" or "our", or "here", where necessary for context, can people say what countries they are referring too? So, not "our importers here have already seen that we don't want to pay more for their products ", but "Canadian importers here have already seen that we don't want to pay more for American products" Otherwise, I am finding that I am having to look at people's profile to see where they live, to fully understand their point! Yours, with a big map, bass_dinger.

We finished tonight at 11:15pm and on the road 12:00pm altho heavy fog in Edinburgh was slowing me down a bit but cleared when we left Edinburgh area home for 1am. Just backline for us tonight so it was a really fast clothes change then gear packed and loaded.. Dave

There will always be unhappy customers. I try to be a good forum member when I deal with people, but I've had several negative responses following a sale, the best being the guy who bought a stunning Yamaha BB2024x a few years back. It was immaculate, but he kicked of a pretty massive fuss about it being in his words 'totally unplayable'. This was odd, as firstly it was a high-end Yamaha, so unplayable doesn't compute, and secondly I'd spent a lot of time setting it up; I play light and with rounds have very low action, something the beautifully engineered Yammie neck allowed me to do. But when his problem became clear - fret buzz due to the action being too low for his playing style - and I suggested that he simply raise the action, over and above calling me several names and accusing me of deception, he replied along the lines "When I buy a bass I don't expect to have to set it up, I'm returning it as faulty". I took it back, and reported him as 'difficult' to the mods 🤔 We all have different expectations, while there are always good days and bad days for businesses, I'm not sure that all the feedback in this thread relates to poor service and/or instruments on the part of the shop, or to the at times excessive expectations of used instruments on the part of the buyer 👍

I'm a sodding moron. I'm now going to delete this thread, find the servers it's hosted on and erase them, I'll then track down every person who has read this and erase their device and the edge caches. After this Im going to head to a cave and brick the entrance up and stay in there for a few years until this thread has been wholly forgotten. I glanced at the wrong input and I have the mixer sitting on my desk. Rob

Ah well…the whole gang’s here…

4 34 Anything else is attention seeking or trying to be clever 🤣