bass_dinger

One of those alternatives is Gotoh - they are a respected brand, I think. Perhaps that is the option I should go for. Thanks @pete.young

My mandolin tuning buttons are falling apart. They fracture, and then fall off of the shaft. Superglue fixes them, but they now look ugly. The plastic is likely to be 40 or 50 years old - is this degradation a known thing? The tuner action is also variable - sometimes stiff, other times no connection between the cog and worm drive, when I loosen the string. I am thinking of changing out the tuners to one of these Expensive £68 https://hobgoblin.com/ashbury-as-2038-slotted-mandolin-machine-heads Cheaper at about £21 (gold plated) https://hobgoblin.com/ashbury-as-2018-mandolin-machine-heads-gold Nickel is the least costly at £14 (but out of stock until June 2023). https://hobgoblin.com/ashbury-as-2016-mandolin-machine-heads-nickel Anyone ever upgraded mandolin tuners before?

But if those bits and pieces are not part of the signal chain, or are to repair or replace existing kit, or relate to other instruments, there may be a Case for the Defence - you may still be in for 2023!

You could make a little project of it - go and see a few of the tribute bands, and after each show, chat with your daughter and decide how well they nailed it. That will give her the opportunity to discern whether she prefers the show, or the musical accuracy.

The difference in sound between silicon and germanium diodes was astounding. Is that really the only difference - the diodes - or are other settings also changed?

For me, Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Made all the more fun when the rest of the church band know it, and have played it at an open air festival (to trick the audience into liking us...). Billie Jean is also fun, when the stick- swinger is warming up

That's a flex right there!

Do you have a link??

54-46 was my number Fast Car by Tracey Chapman

Pachalbels cannon 4 bars long. It's based on a repeating bass motif. There are dozens of songs based on the chord sequence. https://youtu.be/3uhKiGz118k

I'll take you there, the Staple Singers.

The Pina Collada song - two chords! Dance the Night Away - the Mavericks

Four bars that work for the whole song (or almost the whole song)? Sweet Dreams are made of this Seven Nation Army Tainted Love The above three have the same relative chords, and one can play the bassline to seven Nation Army to Tainted Love. Same for Stray Cat Strut. Anything short that works with a looper should work with a programmed TRB303. I started up with a list of songs that had an iconic first four bars - which is not what you requested! Billy Jean - Michael Jackson Beat it - Michael Jackson Cars - Gary Numan Don't you want me baby - Human League Peaches - Stranglers Rescue Me - Fontella Bass Hit me with your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury Oh what a night - Silly Love Songs - Wings

It's not really a chordal instrument. Don't be misled by the similarity to a guitar. Yes, the frets mean that one can play chords, but they were designed to be melodic instruments. Most of bluegrass mandolin seems to feature fast melodic runs. Vivaldi's mandolin concertos are again melodies not chords.

I do wonder how bassists manage to switch between instruments! I think that that addition of a high C or the loss of a low B would confuse me! I admire people who can switch.

Here, an Ashbury Lindisfarne octave mandola. It seems to be what you described- guitar body, double courses of strings. And it sounds gorgeous!

Did you manage it? It is surprisingly possible, I have found. I am also pretty sure that there is a key change or a mode change in there, but I cannot say what is happening in technical terms At 3'20 it seems to revert to the original key, but I cannot hear when it left it!

Here, another Rotosound advertising jingle.

You have got me thinking. Is the bass funky-sounding (single coil J-bass, steel round wound strings?) - or is the funk from the fingers, the tight timing, and by playing the strings nearer to the bridge?

I think that is clear that, if you are an attractive yet unrecognisable bassist, Rotosound requires that you share a photo of you gazing longingly at the product, while wearing false vampire teeth and playing a bassline that would fail the audition for a function band. Only then can your tout your wares on this thread.

Not at all - I am enjoying it hugely! And, if I get a bonus point for every Like and Reply, at this rate, I will be a Bass Chat High Master and General Big Cheese on this forum, in spite of not even knowing the difference between a good-looking model and a bassist.

1967 Advert - "that is the Who with Rotosound strings!" 2023 Advert - "who is that with the Rotosound strings?"

I wish!! (See what I did there....?)

You're not taking the question seriously - which probably tells me all that I need to know about the likely answer! Is the man that tall bassist who makes cheese? Is the person in the hat the young German girl who works for Thomann and demonstrates basses on their YouTube channel?

My basschat feed has an advert across the top of it, for Rotosound strings. Lots of attractive, young, happy people smiling because of their string choice, and a couple of older, professorial gentlemen, making music. Are they well-known musicians, or models chosen for their good looks?