FinnDave

The question wasn't 'would you rather play your lines on a Squier?' but 'if you had to, could you?', so short of Dad's triangle, I should think most of us could. It might not be the same, but I doubt very much that anyone would notice except the player themselves. I answered 'yes' in the spirit of 'if my Fender was stolen/broken/suddenly stopped working at a gig, could I finish the gig with a Squier that magically appeared?' to which the only realistic answer is yes, if necessary, I could. I am sure that if a Ferrari owner's car broke down in the middle of nowhere, the offer of a bog standard Ford to get them home would be accepted as it could be a very long walk! But really, the question is a bit pointless. I am sure that anyone who would rather play a Squier than a Fender, Wal, Alembic or whatever already does so.

Maybe it should say 'current role as a bass player' then!

Yeah, I am sure they could let you know what you need to do in much simpler terms. But they are a business like any other, their primary (only?) objective is to make as much money as possible, and paying money out for claims is not going to help them do that!

Exactly so, I am very careful to check exactly what the company's rules are and making sure I stick to them. No point in taking out a policy that won't pay out because you didn't read the T&Cs. I must admit that I didn't used to think that way, but my wife has been working for an insurance brokers for the last couple of years and I get to hear so many tales of woe from her about people who didn't take note of the terms of the policy.

I would advise asking the insurer rather than relying on speculation. My instrument insurer insists on written proof of ownership, preferably receipts, but will accept service records, or a valuation by a recognised authority. They will not accept photographs as proof of ownership. I know other companies are less severe in their rules, but these are the ones I am obliged to follow if I want my insurance to be of any use in the even of a loss.

I'd hazard a guess it was something by The Who.

I don't get nervous about performing, but I do worry a bit about the logistics of getting there, and worse, of the rest of the band getting there! Once we're at the gig and the gear's set up, no nerves, just want to get started.

Yes, no problem. I enjoy using my Fenders, they aren't preventing us from keeping a roof over our head or depriving my children of food ( at nearly 30 years old, they can afford their own food!), but if things changed, I could play what I play on a Squier just as easily.

Of course not, just the edited highlights!

Everyone says, that, but some of the short ones only last a day or two

Interesting, it works the other way for me, rehearsals can seem to go on forever, but gigs just fly by! Yesterday's rehearsal (and the other 3 I've had with this band) are the exception, they are as enjoyable as a gig.

I survived five hours or more rehearsing yesterday with a Precision, so I should be up to the task (remaining upright, that is!)

I've got my first Grateful Dudes gig next Sunday. As the name suggests, they play Grateful Dead material, so for the assembled Deadheads, our four hours will probably leave them feeling short changed!

Once I've driven home and unloaded the car, I relax with a couple of large whiskies, then sleep is fairly easy.

I've been known to jam on a Cream song, but there were no scones involved as far as I know!

Not sure if that question is aimed at me or Josie, so I'll give my answer anyway! I'm a huge Dead fan, and to do their music full justice, the sets need to be long. Some of the songs last 30 minutes plus! There needs to be time and space to allow prolonged improvisation, or it simply won't be a GD experience. Over to Josie...

I'll be gigging with a band I recently joined for the first time in a week or so, we are supposed to be playing from eight until midnight. I assume there'll be a break in there somewhere but not really sure. We play the music of the Grateful Dead in the style of the Grateful Dead, and their gigs would last for hours as well, so I think it is probably part of the deal.

Yep, that's happened to bands I've been in. Often more like 10 minutes after than 30 seconds before the first number starts, too.

Take our own cars in all the bands I'm in, in no case do we live close enough to make a van for everybody a practical proposition. Although in one of them, the drummer doesn't have car, or even a driving licence, so the guitarist has to collect him and take him home, as he lives near to him than anyone else in the band but it does cause a fair bit of tension. His drums are kept at another band member's house who there has to load them and take the to the gigs for him. It works, but causes a lot of resentment at times.

That would be perfect. Which doesn't explain why I'll be driving 200 plus miles each way for a gig over Easter! One problem is that I'm in a band where if everyone drove towards each other for a maximum of 70 miles, some of us still wouldn't meet up!

And, of course, none of us ever used to borrow a mate's album and tape it...

It might be better to accept that than spend hours digging through the box mountain in the loft to find the certificate, and then when I've found it, some clever so-and-so will say I photoshopped it!

Somewhere, I still have a certificate stating that I completed a Photoshop course in the mid 90s. The instructor's name was (and this is not a joke) Shirley Nott.