ambient

What’s crisco? Chcken fat sounds disgusting. I should imagine it would be a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria too.

The guy from Pearl Jam.

Wonder why he tried to change how you play? Anyway, keep at it, 6 string bass is brilliant.

Watch videos of great 6 string players like Steve Lawson, who I ended up studying with in the end when I was having problems adapting to the 6. When I first started on a 6 string about 15 years ago, I was still trying to play like a 5, particularly with my right-hand. A good right hand technique is to follow the strings down as you move, so if you're playing notes on the D string for instance, then you might be resting your thumb on the E string. Muting is very important, and slightly harder to do due to the extra strings.

You're absolutely right, me too. Is it the symmetry do you think? Having the normal four strings with one either side.

I remember clearly the last instrument that I played that had been described as both playing like a 'dream' and 'like butter'. I could literally slide my hand under the strings at the 12th fret. It was more like Stork margarine and a nightmare.

There's a lovely version of this by Matt Garrison with Teri Lyn Carrington, I'm not sure whether he plays it on his EUB. I know what you mean though, Superstitious by Stevie Wonder for instance.

Yet they’ll still take your money.

Never have someone pay by Paypal and then collect. Paypal need a trackable delivery otherwise the buyer can make a claim against you.

Sometimes collection only, particularly on eBay can work in your favour. I bought my cassette deck last week from a seller. It was collection only from Leicester. A fantastic bargain, cost me a fraction of what others were selling for from buyers that were willing to post, even when factoring in the train fare and 3 or 4 hours I spent picking it up.

This. I was advertising a pedal on Facebook. Someone contacted me about it, we agreed a price, he then wanted to pay by normal Paypal, I said no and said I'm not selling to you. He got quite annoyed.

My bass is currently for sale, and collection only, but I am willing to meet. My reasons are: It's safer both for me. It's safer for the buyer. It's safer for the instrument. I don't get to lose a whole load of cash if the instrument gets lost or damaged The buyer sees and tries what he's buying. There's no chance of a very expensive and very lovely instrument either getting stolen, broken or lost. I used Parcelforce recently to send back a gig bag, the lady in the post office thinking it was an instrument started telling me about all the regulations regarding instruments. You have to really read the small print with regard to insurance. It's not necessarily just a case of popping the instrument into a box and applying some tape. I've travelled all over the country either delivering instruments or collecting them. The furthest up was Edinburgh and the furthest down was somewhere by Brighton. Train travel can be for very little if you plan your journey, plus it's a nice day out. I bought my Overwater from a guy who works for Overwater. The train to Carlisle cost about £30 return from Birmingham. Edinburgh was about the same. Liverpool cost me just over £10.

Chords are lovely on bass.

I believe so, best to ask an accountant, I think you're allowed so much a year. I claimed my MMus fees that I was paying myself two years ago. I claim travelling, and expenses associated with releasing my music etc.

It’s like the clothes you buy in primark or the fact that milk is so cheap. Someone somewhere is taking the hit for it. It’s got to be built, the parts all have to be made and shipped. It’s then shipped all the way across the world to the distributor, then to the shop. Each intermediary is putting their profit onto it. It’s undoubtedly the fact that mass production techniques have improved too, but I’m guessing that the workforce where it’s made aren’t paid very much.

I read a book years ago that someone gave me, possibly this one. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/937168.Hendrix I'm not a particular fan, but found the insight into the recordings and production fascinating.