Maude

It does sound like the 'middle aisle of mystery' doesn't it.

I like 'em. I've already bagged myself a new boiler, a chainsaw, an old bike from a Police auction and a hot Polish date! What's not to like? 🤣😂

I know it's a little cheesey but open top bus tours are a great way to see a lot of the city in a relaxing manner. Last time I did it with my kids the ticket was valid for 24hrs, jump on and off where you like and it included the river boat tours as well. Buy your tickets early afternoon and do the open top busses one day and the boats the next.

Looks like it's piled up ready for the crusher. I'd wait 'til the end of the first song and dive backwards into it, sort that mess out before the intro to the second song finishes d!ckhead. 🤣

This thread has made me very happy to be in both of my bands. I couldn't be in a band where punters didn't notice the bass. First band is doublebass and lively so goes without saying that folks notice what I'm up to. Other band is Mod/Northern Soul/Ska, in songs like 'Tubestation At Midnight', 'The Real Me', 'The Night', 'Pressure Drop' etc people definitely know what I'm doing. I'm no wallflower in that band either and that's the way I like it.

But what are top quality strings? If there is a best string then we'd all be using them and the rest would go out of business. I've got a set of barely used LaBella white nylons in the drawer at home because I prefer D'Addario half rounds, but at nearly half the price are they half as good? No, they're better to me. So which of these two are the top quality?

^^ I agree but not paying through the nose doesn't necessarily mean a compromise. More expensive does not always mean better.

I'm intrigued as to what that is.

I like my necks like I like my playing......... kept in the pocket 😋

I find Chromes have that same 'grippy' feel when new. Disappears after a few weeks of playing. I haven't bought the Olympia ones as I don't actual need any at the mo. I know, I shouldn't really let something silly like not needing them stop me

There's also these from Olympia I've had in my watched items for a while but haven't committed to yet. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F302719180784

That's why all my pieces of string are the wrong length then, I've always done half twice it's length.

I have a 'Great stuff this Bass' bar towel in my gigbag.

I haven't updated this for a while but some nice photos of last weekend have just surfaced so here we go Last weekend was supposed to be Looe Music Festival in Cornwall, probably grown to a large enough event over the years that most of you will have heard of it. Three weeks ago the management company declared themselves bankrupt leaving the small seaside town reeling as the festival is/was a massive, end of season cash injection to the local community, with a main stage on the beach and numerous other stages around the town. The Looe Saves The Day festival was organised from scratch by volunteers in three weeks. As far as I'm aware everybody involved gave their time for free to try and keep the towns event going. Here's some pics from our set on the second stage on the Friday. Great set up for such short notice, amazing sound, fantastic crew and an up for it, receptive crowd. Result!

Chromes feel a bit 'grippy' at first but just play through that and they'll soon feel slick. Possibly a coating to stop oxidisation before use.

Look at the wear under that A string. Proves that the 'rounds on a fretless' worriers need not worry after all. If it's good enough for Pino and all that

Sometimes you just can't tell either, introverted extrovert. I can be quite quiet at rehearsals and such like but come alive when gigging.

I've more often than not joined bands that were of a better standard than myself. The best and quickest way to improve IMO is by playing with people that are a step above you.

Please don't take this the wrong way as clearly I don't know you, but personal hygiene. As well as having all the musical side of it covered be clean, deodorised and have fresh breath. You'd be amazed at the amount of stinkers in this business.

I think there's enough choice of string in low tension, high tension, flat, round, half round, steel, nickel, tape, long scale, short scale, etc, etc these days that whatever style of string you choose you won't be particularly limited. After years I have settled on the type of string I like that suits my style and sound. I now just concentrate on my playing.

For me it's not so much that I can't play them, more that they don't suit my playing/gigging style. I have two acoustics used at home with Fender tapewounds on which are very low tension and no problem but I would have to change my style if I gigged with them. I'd rather change my strings to suit me rather than change me to suit my strings.

I just can't get on with low tension, high flexibility, floppy, call it what you want strings. I have Chromes on P bass and like them. You'll need to play them for a while before judging them as they feel quite grippy (correct technical term 😁) for a while. I use D'Addario half rounds on my main gigging bass. They give me a fairly high tension with flat-like fundamental but with some decent top end, a very good compromise for what I do.

He doesn't want to relic it.

I haven't tried any jazz for while, I'm going to have a listen and report back in a bit.

Another successful outing for The Dastardlys last night. Only a smallish social club which is a converted old stone built school, really nice. Easy load in and out, kept the sound low which always seems to make things sound better and plenty of people up dancing. It's an annual booking there so hopefully we'll be back next autumn.