chriswareham

Any other harmonium fans on here? I got this simple model for £30: [attachment=201116:harmonium1_small.jpg] [attachment=201117:harmonium2_small.jpg] Googling doesn't turn up any information on likely age or manufacturer, but I'd guess it was a low priced model for something like a school as it has no stops, little decoration and some undecipherable graffiti scratched on to the lid that reminds me of old school desks. Most harmoniums are much bigger and more ornate than this one, with multiple stops to produce different timbres. They're quite unfashionable and can often be had for free as long as you collect, but they sound fantastic - they were intended as alternatives to a pipe organ, but produce much more haunting, choir like tones almost like a string synthesiser!

There was a shop on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton when I first went to university. Analogue synths were only just coming back into fashion, and I had plenty of bargains from there - Roland SH-101, MC-202 and TR-606. A Roland TR-808 and Emulator II (albeit with busted floppy drive) from a similar shop in Oxford as well as a Simns-Watts AP 100 valve amp and Oberheim DX from a junk shop in my home town. Then there was the small ads in things like Loot - a Korg Mono/Poly for peanuts from a bloke in a functions band and Moog Prodigy. All sadly long gone (both shops, Loot and the gear) although my brother still has the Mono/Poly.

Good excuse to by another 8ohm speaker to go with your existing one :-)

"Are you looking for some rough trade love?"

Recently seen three people I've known through bands pass away suddenly. They were also partial to amphetamines in their twenties, so it's not surprising that Lemmy's health seems to be suffering after a much longer use of similar drugs. Like Billy Apple above, Lemmy is the bassist I most admire and while I understand he wants to keep gigging I fear he's not going to last long if he keeps at it. That said, probably better to burn out than stop gigging and fizzle out in misery.

I have to second The Chameleons and add the debut album by Department S. It took over twenty years after it was recorded before it was released, which is a shame.

I've done BEAD, CGCF and BbFBbEb on four string basses. The only one that needed truss rod adjustments was CGCF to cope with increased tension. My strings of choice used to be Power Slinkys, but then I discovered Circle K strings that can be bought for specific tunings and maintaining even tension across all four strings.

Looks suspiciously like a faker: [attachment=199691:lemminions.jpg]

Always had a soft spot for the Peavey T-40, and this one is in my perfect colour: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1980s-PEAVEY-T-40-VINTAGE-ELECTRIC-T40-BASS-GUITAR-w-HARD-CASE-BLACK-MADE-in-USA/331636861187"]http://www.ebay.co.u...SA/331636861187[/url]

I doubt that most people would see money from PRS for their tracks played on SoundCloud. Any monies collected would just be divvied up amongst the big publishers as usual. At least that was my experience of them - people like Elton John or whoever owned The Beatles publishing rights would get a percentage, smaller bands like mine would get nothing despite airplay on commercial radio and Channel 4.

[quote name='Bassjon' timestamp='1440084010' post='2848160'] Ha no not quite Atari.... it just seems these days Garageband and Logic have overtaken everything, nobody seems to use cubase anymore. [/quote] For home use Ableton Live seems to be a more popular choice than Logic. And Basstractor - it's only about eighteen months ago that I sold my Atari ST, complete with a boxed copy of Cubase. Nowadays I use a circa 1989 Roland hardware MIDI sequencer and record into one of these: Way less bother than struggling with poor timing and latency on a PC based DAW. I then master into one of these:

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1440067663' post='2847976'] Why is it out of date? Just curious. [/quote] Maybe he's still using the Atari ST version?

An update! The edges and corners have been routed, so I can finally cover the beast in Tolex:

What time is love? If pennies came from heaven,could Karl Marx have been mistaken? Who let the dogs out?

That's a really nice build and it's awesome that you got to show it to Jerry. I love the fact that his own basses, which he makes himself, have no volume control as he doesn't ever turn it down. As someone who's constantly checking my volume and tone controls are fully on I can see his point!

The hole on the back of the neck on that Avon SG is originally where the strap button was it's not a modification! I guess someone moved it to the upper horn although there's no neck dive on my one with the strap button near the neck heel. Great short scale twang and thud sound - love my one.

These are Chinese made hence the affordability, as only the high end Gretsch models are US made. I had the six stribg baritone version of this bass. It was superbly made, and very light. I only parted with it as it doesn't fit sound wise with the band I play in.

One of those later Matsumoku made Hondo II models that look like prototype Westone Thudders: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hondo-II-Professional-Bass-Guitar/121720169982 I find the style of bridge on them quite appealing - looks like the ones on old Gibson basses.

I know it's a six skinny stringed thing, but this Hayman is absolutely lovely: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-VINTAGE-1971-HAYMAN-1010-EXHIBITION-MODEL-/281763123499"]http://www.ebay.co.u...L-/281763123499[/url]

There's one of those in a rehearsal room over in Tottenham, North London. Sounds great at lowish volumes, but can't cope with full band rehearsal volumes. Didn't realise it was valve until I saw this thread, I'd assumed it was an early solid state amp.

The speakers in my Vox cabinets are 43 and 49 years old. Never been reconed, and still sound great. I know one has had an easy life, having only been used a few times until I got it, but the other one is in a cab that bears all the signs of long use.

Older Peavey gear is utterly rock solid. Used a Mk III head for many years, and it survived being thrown around and accidentally dropped down several flights of stairs. When my Ampeg SVT CL blew up, I used a Mk IV as a temporary replacement and wish I'd kept hold of it.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1436825068' post='2821250'] Wasn't FQ largely just famous for being related to Tricky? [/quote] Nope, he was largley famous for being bland and safe.

Had a few lessons after two years of playing, but I deliberately asked to be taught styles I didn't listen to normally. About three months of weekly lessons, a bit of theory from books and a huge amount of working stuff out from my favourite bands.