FinnDave

Bring it on, we need more Dirk, Stig, Nasty, and Barry. (Who wanted to be a hairdresser. No, two hairdressers) Sadly, I reckon I could quote every line from the Rutles and I've not watched it for at least five years!

I miss the organic feeling of finger style, but I'm getting close with the pick now. Definitely prefer my tone with the pick. Only real drawback is that I can't plays double notes as easily, used to slide one finger off just behind the other. Luckily we don't do 'White Rabbit' any more, as I find the main riff tricky with a pick. Other than that, I'm back to where I was before my accident.

I love the vibe of older basses, but for my money, the current crop of Mexican Fenders are better than 15-20 year old US Fenders. My Mex Classic 60s Jazz is effectively a road worn without the wear (though being a nitro finish it has picked some real wear now). I de-glossed the back of the neck and it's a fine bass.

If I could only have one it would have to be a Precision. I play my P far more often than I play my J.

The current US standards are bloody good basses. I have both types (P & J), the P is 2012 and the J 2016, both are excellent. I also have a CiJ P (60s style) and a Classic 60s J, both good basses but not as good as the US standards.

Not sure about that, having had to start using a plectrum about 6 months ago after a lifetime of finger style, I can't easily tell the difference between my old style and new in recordings, other than the clearer tone a pick produces. Plenty of cross string work involved.

I use one of those cheap little vox thingies, plugs into the bass, headphones and MP3 sockets in, has been working well for several years now. I use it for playing along with recordings of my band if I haven't played for a while, keeps the fingers loose and makes sure I don't forget the set!

Ah, time to dig out the Rutles again, I remember it well from the first TV broadcast. Far from home and far from talented!

Our guitarist found our lights (4x LED) in a skip. Can't get cheaper than that!

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1473092347' post='3126847'] ..and they almost never have to quote from Douglas Adams' H2GT2G unless provoked by drummers. [/quote] As I used to live with a woman who had earned her masters degree with a thesis on translating the works of Mr Adams into Finnish, I am easily provoked on that subject!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1473083410' post='3126701'] [Shows age] Sass that hoopy FinnDave - there's a frood who really knows where his towel is. [/Shows age] [/quote] Knew I could rely on you!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1473081725' post='3126671'] What a load of rubbish. A classic vintage P or J with no 'elephant's ears' or 'lollipops'..? Nay, nay and thrice nay! And you only have to misplace the 'radiator key' just once to be right in excrement bay without a means of propulsion. Look at the way drummers carry on with their drum keys - i.e. they're [i]always [/i]losing them. [/quote] Yeah, but they're [i]drummers.[/i] Drummers can lose anything, and probably will. Bass players are superior beings who always know exactly where everything is, including their towels.

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1473074354' post='3126540'] Ooh I like that one. Super streamlined headstock with tuners operated by a radiator key [/quote] I had a radiator key in mind when I posted, but I expect most people would opt for something bigger and shinier! Pianos seem to manage with a removable tuning key, so why not basses?

Here's a suggestion that will eliminate the apparent dread of out of line tuners and reduce neck dive in one hit...how about tuners with just a square socket, and one key used to slip on and tune each string in turn, then returned to the pocket, or wherever you'd keep such things.

I'd rather watch paint dry than spend even one fraction of a second worrying about the visual appearance of my machine heads!

I just in after a 150 mile round trip to play at Shelsey Walsh bikefest. Had a good time, we were there as the 'friends' of the billed Josie & the Outlaw and friends. We alternated sets with Josie & the Outlaw (hard working rockabilly band from Swindon) and the mix worked well. Hope to do some more gigs with them. And just when I thought having our last gig interrupted by a travelling bagpipe player could be topped, this time we had the world's fastest shopping trolley starting its jet engine just behind us as we played!

[quote name='samhay' timestamp='1472814794' post='3124456'] >...So...is there a consensus/generally agreed upon/wildly differing definition of punch? It would seem that way. So seeing as 'punch' is effectively undefinable, why do almost all pickup manufacturers insist on using it as an adjective? [/quote] Probably because it is such a vague term that no one is able to complain about its absence.

I was trying to avoid repeating 'amp', but should have known some one would see through my laziness!

I recently bought a combo on Ebay as a 'buy it now' item. The seller was in Kent, I am in West Oxfordshire. My bid went in at about 09.00 and by 15.00, I had the amp (and the seller) in my lounge. Used it at that night's rehearsal.

Hi! We always use a live drummer, ours is from Swindon as well. No help whatsoever, I know, but at least you've got a reply!

Forgot to mention we had a surprise guest at last night's gig, a Scottish piper from the local RAF base, not often you hear a blues rock band with bagpipes!

Just back from a new venue, good pub gig, easy load in/out, good locals (plus a few friends of the band) and pretty decent sound. Couple of hour plus sets, at the end of which the landlady was standing there with the gig money and her diary to rebook us. If only they could all be like that!

Don't know if any bikin' bass players are heading for Shelsley Walsh Bikefest this weekend, but if you are, pop by and say hello, we (The Wirebirds) are playing there, as guests of Rockabilly gang Josie and the Outlaw. https://www.shelsleybikefestival.co.uk

Not too from for me, either. I'll take a look next time I'm in the far north (of the county).

I used to carry a home made 2x15 cab to gigs in the back of my dad's Mk1 Escort. A spanner to remove the boot lock ring (the metal loop inside the lower part of the boot) was an essential tool, as it had to be removed and replaced each time I took the cab out!