tauzero

Never thought of that, I could have got it to write its own NIPSD.

New isolated power supply day. I've been messing around with a pedalboard which doesn't actually contain many pedals - Zoom B3n, Line 6 G50 wireless, Korg Volta bass synth going into the Aux on the B3n, and off-board a Roland PK5A to make the Korg Volta make sounds a bit like a Moog Taurus. However, I didn't want to have multiple power supplies, so I tried daisy-chaining them (with a polarity-reversing and size-changing lead I made up for the Volta). First power supply was too weak and weedy, got another one which had enough oomph but there was a huge amount of noise - even with just the wireless and B3n plugged in. So I did some research on isolated power supplies, and a post in this very forum sent me towards http://stinkfoot.se/power-supplies. I wanted something cheap, small, and isolated, and preferably with a 12V output in case I want to use my little mixer rather than the B3n Aux for the Volta. Very near the end of the page, I found the Vitoos power supplies - the DC8 is partially isolated, the Iso8 says it's fully isolated, and Stinkfoot says it is (but not verified). Under £45 off That Ebay, rather than £100+. So I bought one. It arrived today and I first took a multimeter to it. Infinite resistance between all of the pins, and also between all of the sleeves. Then I plugged it in and connected everything up, and all was quiet on the Western Front. So, for any B3n users wanting to do something similar, or indeed anyone needing to use an isolated power supply, I can say that the Vitoos Iso8 is well worth a try.

Does a power supply count?

I've just paid for a bass that I'd agreed the purchase of before Christmas. So a fail according to strict rules.

Are they really only making 300-400 instruments a year when they're selling the standard models through a dealer network? Or are they making 300-400 of the upper echelon instruments and rather a lot more standards?

I'm not exactly a frequent flyer - in recent years I've flown to Germany (Munich) and back three times, and to New York once. The Germany trips gave me no problems but the New York one finished with me in some discomfort in one ear, which took a couple of days to wear off. Didn't affect my tinnitus either way though.

That's entirely the wrong approach. If you make it your two least favourite, that's a win-win situation.

You don't have to lift the heavy bit onto the top of a pole. Instead, all your mid-range and bass end comes from a box on the floor so it can head straight for people's knees, rather than having speakers onna stick and getting those frequencies out above people's heads, so the back of the room needn't be inconvenienced by that nasty music (except for the trebly bit).

The 70s had a lot of interesting bass playing in glam rock, prog rock, and metal bands - not just root note playing. While the 80s had the bass coming to the fore in some bands, it also lost a lot of that almost improvisational playing. It's all generalisation, but I would say there was a move towards technique and less concentration on bass as a melodic as well as rhythmic instrument. So 70s for me.

Have you looked at their full set list? Are there songs in there that you would like to do? Are there songs in there that no money on earth could make you play? If you think you could make a go of it, and maybe persuade them to bring in other material that's a bit more to your taste, then prepare properly and go for it. You've got to bear in mind that they're playing for a lowest common denominator pub crowd (or that's what I infer from the material) so are unlikely to want to do something obscure by Meshell Ndegeocello.

It's due to people like you the prog rock bands are a critically endangered species.

It's also a little difficult to deny it if you're in between sets at the Tickled Trout.

Mrs Zero's duo uses a pair of Evox 8s. As they're a duo playing pubs and clubs at non-deafening volume levels, I don't know how loud they can go. I'm not impressed by the weight. Sound is OK but I wouldn't say it was fantastic.

First gig - playing guitar (a Vox Stroller) for a Glenn Miller tribute band at school, about 1972. The old music school building that we performed in has since been replaced by the Paul Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, presumably due to Sir Paul feeling a bit guilty over the £100M he made betting that Northern Rock would turn to ashes (IIRC). First bass gig - playing my Hayman 40/40 that I put together from parts bought from the Fender Soundhouse, in the bar at International Hall, in That London. Assorted originals and covers. This was a shakedown gig, we played a second one for which we actually got paid in the same bar, and a Turkish belly dancer also appeared.

It's the same as you'd get paid for an open mic night, so someone local should get a bunch of people together from the local open mic and see if they can eat and drink themselves into profit.

I'm not.

The last time I listened to Talksport was either 1995 or 1996. Damon Hill had just put his Williams on pole for the following day's British Grand Prix. British driver in a British car for the British Grand Prix, and all the imbeciles could find to talk about was the transfer window.

My OCD wouldn't let me do anything without changing its nappie first.

What does that mean in English? A dime is 1/10 of a dollar, so does that mean turn the bass control to 1/10?

Why is it that this gets trotted out so often? A P bass fits in some standard mix that a producer uses as often as he can better, but it doesn't fit in every mix better, otherwise everybody would use the wretched things.

Or perhaps a pull switch on the pot: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Push-Pull-Pot-Switch-For-Guitar-Coil-Tap-Pot-Potentiometer-A250k-B250k-A500-B500/271832420196

Have you ever seen any of the Ebay auctions from He Who Shall Not Be Named? If not, take a look and decide for yourself which category they fall into.

You're haven't quite grasped this capitalism thing. You should be charging 10k.

Even more difficult is Alice Cooper, initially the band filed under A and then the singer filed under C.

I had a further reflection on this, following my initial negative reaction, and I do see the point. The producer isn't interested in exploring the possibilities of a wondrous sonic landscape but just wants to get the backing down as quickly as possible so the Talent can come in and do the vocals and everyone can go home. Plugging the bass in and pressing a button marked "P" does that, so the producer wants a bass player who has a bass that he can press the button marked "P" for. If an actual band goes in, the same producer would presumably be happy to accommodate their non-P requirements (if they have them) and go exploring sonic landscapes and flights of fancy.