BigRedX

One of the most successful bands I was in (other than The Terrortones) was very much subject to the sorts of logistics problems that @EBS_freak has outlined. We didn't have any problems on the musical and playing side and TBH I don't think I would have time for any band member who didn't put in the required practice outside of band rehearsals should it be needed. However for every other aspect of the band - organising rehearsals, gigs, recording, promotion etc. it came down to the fact that if I didn't do it, then nothing would get done. After a couple of years of this combined with having a quite stressful day job that had a tendency to take up all my waking hours to the extent where the only way I could guarantee to be available for a gig would be to take the whole day off as holiday, it was unsurprising that I suffering from band burn out. As an experiment, I stopped organising anything to do with the other band members, and had a quite relaxing six weeks off doing almost nothing from a band PoV (up to that point we had be rehearsing twice a week and gigging at least once a month) until one of them phoned up asking when the next rehearsal was going to be...

Unless it is classed as a warranty repair (i.e. free), you will almost definitely have to pay VAT and possibly import duty on the cost of the the repair and the return postage when it gets sent back to you. If you can get the relevant paper-work for an export for repair, then sending the item to The Netherlands should be free of VAT and duty. I haven't tried exporting anything too outside the EU, but AFAICS the new rules apply to all exports, not just to the EU, so there won't be any less paperwork for sending it to the US. And from the sorts of delays I've currently been experiencing allow 4 weeks for export and possibly the same for it's return journey, plus however long it takes to fix the item. I have a sneaking suspicion that you are right in thinking that option 4 is going to be the best.

Two entirely different DAWs with completely different features designed to appeal to users with different needs. However, you can think of Logic as being GarageBand Pro, so if you like the way that GarageBand works then Logic is definitely worth investigating, plus as others have said it will import your old GarageBand projects. Also while £199.99 might seem like a lot of money, you get a lot of extras in terms of plug-ins, instruments and loops, and unless there is something very specific that you need it terms of effects or instruments, you don't need to spend anything additional to have a fully-featured DAW. Reason is completely different. If there is a trial version available then download it and have a go and see if it suits you.

Yes it's a complete nightmare, with a load of additional paperwork and extensive customs delays both in the UK and the receiving country. If I was in you situation, I would first phone up HMRC for advice, and also get them to email it to you so if anything goes wrong you have all the information you were given in writing. Because it's being exported for repair only and will be sent back when fixed, you will need different forms then it it was an item you were exporting as a sale. Then check with all the various courier companies to see which ones are getting their parcels through customs the quickest (Most have massive delays and some aren't even dealing with items for Europe at the moment). Currently from my experience The Netherlands Postal Service has a huge backlog of items coming from the UK which are taking approximately 3 weeks to process even if all the accompanying paperwork is present and correct. Edit: My dealings this year with Europe have all been "sales", however I did look at sending something back to the US for servicing previously and in the end decided that all the additional paperwork was too many hoops to jump through considering the cost of the item. Since January 1st the amount of paperwork required for items both coming into the UK and leaving it (from anywhere - not just EU) has only increased. This combined with delays and restrictions due to Covid does not make it a good time to be trying to send anything out of the country.

None of the strings that came with any of my Bass VIs (I own three - Squier, Burns and Eastwood) and none of the strings I have bought for them subsequently - LaBella and Newtone) have come with any unwound strings. Also neither sets of strings that I got when I briefly dabbled with 5-string tuned E-C came with an unwound top C. Where are you finding unwound bass stings?

It took several weeks for my application to join the Shergold forum was approved, so hang in there...

Bill Oddie. Both Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh were in the original touring version of IAMX

Well after all that negativity in my earlier posts I got an email from the keyboard player form Hurtsfall saying that we have been asked to contribute new a track for a compilation album coming out this summer. This was accompanied by an MP3 with his initial ideas for a verse and chorus. Looks like I might be playing again.

That's my understanding too. However I think that part of the problem is that she was not given to opportunity to make a bid for the master when they were sold. However without knowing exactly what is contained within all the various contracts, and only those whose signatures are only their plus their legal representatives will know for sure, it is difficult to comment accurately on the situation. Added to the fact that both the mainstream and specialist music media often seem to have problems distinguishing the various rights and ownerships when it comes to music, who knows and can comment with accuracy on exactly what the problem is?

UK consumer law says that any new electrical device sold to the UK market must come with a UK mains lead or a fixed, fused adaptor that fits and locks over the existing plug completely shielding the contacts. To do otherwise is breaking the law.

That top E is an octave below top E on a guitar? If so that equates to a light D guitar string. I've not come across any plain D guitar strings no matter how light I go! Also I'm now playing Bass VIs - all the high E strings for those (30" scale, and even the lighter gauge sets) are wound. If you are having problems finding the right strings for you as others have said get in touch with Newtone.

What tuning are you using? How stiff or floppy do you like your strings to feel?

Use what you want. Experiment. The gauge of the wire is only one part of a number of variables that go to make up a pickup.

The controls might have been modified, but the rest of it looks right for an early 70s MIJ copy. Normally those pickups would be hidden under the ashtrays so you wouldn't know that they weren't Fender style J- pickups.

Interesting. Although when it comes to end-user usage there is no allowance made for a wired connection. Also the most important point to make is that IMO unless you are a cinema anything over HD is fairly pointless. A neighbour has recently put in a 70" TV. In their small living room. It completely fills one wall and you can't sit far enough away from it to be able see the whole screen without moving your head. Also unless I am mistaken it doesn't actually make the script or the acting any better.

AFAICS the OP is enquiring about a £2700 instrument. I would want a complete written record of all enquiries and negotiations if I was in their position and wanting to spend this much money with anyone. As soon as you use the phone you loose that security, and should anything go wrong with the transactions you have nothing to back up your side of the argument.

If you are a business if you advertise a means of communication then you should also make sure that you are on top of keeping in touch with that particular method of communication for the sake of your customers. If you don't want to deal by a particular method do not publish it. As an example, I no longer give out my mobile number for my business. When I first went self employed, I got a mobile phone because I thought it would be expected of me. I quickly discovered that it was actually of very little use. When I am in my "office" I have a perfectly good landline phone sitting right there on my desk, and when I am out of the office I am almost definitely not going to be in a situation where I can do anything about your call other than acknowledge that you have called me. Very important customers will be given my mobile number, but along with that they will also be informed that it a method of last resort communication. My mobile voice mail message actually tells any caller to email me if their call is important.

This. Also if the communication is done by email there is a written record of everything that was said just in case something goes wrong with the transaction. For my business any important phone calls are followed up with a summary of what was discussed in an email so that can be no confusion at a later date.

If I wanted to play an instrument for the fun of it, I'd choose guitar or keyboards where I could play something that was recognisable as a song to non-musicians. Unfortunately mine are in currently their cases buried under a mountain of other stuff in the one habitable room left in my house.

For me playing an instrument - any instrument - is a means to and end, not the end in itself. And that end is writing songs that can be recorded and/or played live. Unfortunately as you can probably tell from my incoherent ramblings on here I'm not much good with words, so I rely on a songwriting partner for the lyrical side. At the moment it is not possible to work directly with any of the people I write with, so my motivation to pick up any of my instruments has been low. Last year I hadn't really noticed the lack of actual playing since I was involved with the mixing and production of a number of musical projects (and with not being able to attend any of the studios in person to do this it took considerably longer than normal). However all but one of these are now complete, and this thread in particular has made me aware of the fact that I have nearly touched an instrument since March of last year.

Very much this. For me bass is an instrument I play as part of a band. With no band activity in the foreseeable future, there is little incentive for me to play any of my basses.

I don't know why. IME it is impossible to make any meaningful decisions about an amp without using it in a band situation (practice or even better a gig). Even if you are able to play it at gig/rehearsal volumes in the shop it still won't give you any indication of what it will sound like with the other instruments in the mix.

I think there is a good case to protest the "overabundance" of music. I like to listen to music, but mostly when I choose to, and also I value the ability to not have to listen to a load of unnecessary music whose sole purpose appears to be the filling the silence. Maybe this is a subject for a separate thread?

IME it's best to drill the hole as straight as possible in one go. Wires are unusually resistant to being fed through holes with changes in direction, and the closer the diameter of the hole to the diameter of the wire the more resistant they become.

I've sold nearly all of my "collection" I've down to two 5-string basses (for one band) 3 Bass VIs (for the other - one of which needs to be sold as soon as I can organise myself enough to take photos and get it listed) and 4 guitars (for my own amusement two of which will get sold soon, see above!). Unfortunately all my amplification is in one of my band's rehearsal space and I've not been able to access it, although I don't currently have any space for it at home, which is one big reason why I've done so little playing. I was considering doing some electronic music on my own, but I've been struggling to find time and energy outside of my working day. The weird thing is that apart from the absence of band rehearsals none of the lack of motivation has anything to do with the pandemic.