Dad3353

An excellent option for use whilst waiting for a set of Dunlop button-type to arrive, and useful as a 'spare, just in case'.

A slight detour, but another vote for Pinegrove. I have an excellent drumstick bag, of superb quality; the fellow there (Rod...) went out of his way to get it to me (in France...) at the best post-B****t price. Top service.

Indeed; the part where all the moving parts are (including the little ball-bearings that the button retracts to allow removal of the lock...). The part fitted to the bass needs no attention, except, of course, ensuring that the holding screw is well seated. Only a drop in the button, mind, and oil, rather than grease, so that it flows down into the mechanism. Hope this helps.

Thess, on all my basses and guitars... It helps, of course having a Hofner Verithin as a main bass, as it's ridiculously lightweight, so no need of uber-width or shoulder padding. Strong, simple, economical...

Another vote for Dunlop straplocks. All of our straps, basses and guitars are fitted with them, with no issues over several decades. Our Top Tip: a drop of vaseline-based oil into the button, to keep the internal action smooth. I do have BC-sourced rubber washers, too, but they are reserved for my cymbal stands, where they do sterling service keeping the cymbals freely swinging, but secure.

... not to mention ... Obvious Antlers Ketchum Knots Bewildered Snakes

... and ... Obvious Snakes Ketchum Antlers Bewildered Knots

The Daub'z; our original rehearsal space was at La Daubelière. Happy with it..? Of course, or we'd have changed it.

How's the insurance cover handled..? How long does it take for an ambulance to arrive..? Who doesn't like the singer..? What on earth can be on that mountain of bass pedals that add to the performance..? Where are the dancing girls, and how many jugglers have been booked..? Obviously the 'keys' player has no need to hear what's going on elsewhere on that football pitch of a stage. Other than that : rock on.

Nah; never did like the beggar...

Not at all; it's a Shergold Modulator.

What splendid drumming.

That wasn't my point, really. If I have a multi-pair with loose XLR's, I can plug any one into any channel. If I have a multi-pair with DB25's (or any other multi-pin connector...), the channel affectation is fixed. No big deal in a stable, permanent installation, but could be an issue with patching 'live', on stage. In your case, it's not a problem, so ignore. By 'manufacture', I mean the quality of the connector itself, but more importantly the quality of the cable and its sheathing, and the soldering or crimping. I wouldn't recommend a 'budget' connector, especially if it's to be manipulated often, but quality for audio use is a more delicate matter than for, for instance, a connector in an automobile or computer hook-up. Non-corroding pins, for instance, so that good audio contact is maintained for decades. Look up 'NorComp', for example. I'd not go down the 'AliBaba' route.

Those 'triangular' grouping is to reduce crosstalk. A well-manufactured DB25 would be a better connector than a slew of XLR's, generally, but less flexible, as the channels are hard-wired, whereas XLR's can be swapped around.

And stamps are for sticking on letters. Some folk collect milk-bottle-tops, others VW Beetles. Some collect basses. S'a funny ol' world.

Don't wait up for me, adoring public, I may yet have inspiration, but it's not bobbed up yet. My Muse is a shy beggar, and without her I am useless. OK, with her I am useless, too, but still ...

Alice..? Who the ............

Disclaimer : more than half-deaf, especially in the upper registers, so... It sounds fine, to me, on my monitors and my headphones; nicely balanced, in fact. As for the playing : yes, that's how Musicians play Music, so no great surprise. Excellent interpretation, which one wouldn't get from a keyboard such as a clavecin or piano, with the subtle vibrato and micro-bends adding tasteful life to the piece. Great timing, too, avoiding the mechanical metronomic rendition that Bach so often suffers from. Thanks for sharing.

And the winner is ... @NickD..! Here, then, is your Winner's Certificates (download and save as pdf file, then proudly print and frame...) ... BC_Chal_Cert_2023_02.pdf ... which look like this (but bigger, of course..!)…

Correct. Mea culpa.

See here ...

Sigh... '...under the modern Fender brand, that's not it's place in the 21st century market...