Happy Jack

Can't be AI ... it has the same number of strings, tuners and pegs. 😉

Agreed, but it does make each note sound way more expensive. 😉

And as you can see, AI has managed to capture the very essence of Duck there. Oh no ... wait ...

I do find it puzzling that the AI is capable of doing so much in these images, but then hits a brick wall when it comes to things like the number of strings / tuners / pegs etc.

Did a designer somewhere win an award for photographing a silver bass against a distressed off-white background? Yet another triumph of arty-farty nonsense over common sense.

As far as I'm concerned this is a complete no-brainer. That's not a real band, walk away now and find some decent bandmates.

I'm now intrigued ... why do you want a 1/4 DB? Obviously they're intended for young people and - I suppose - very small adults, which may be the explanation, but a 5-string DB with a 90cm scale length? Hmmmmmm.

That's because the French are bad losers. In fairness, they don't call it The French Channel or something, they just call it La Manche ("the sleeve", because it's shaped like that). Growing up on Guernsey, I got used to telling people that I lived in Les Isles De La Manche rather than The Channel Islands.

I thought it was going to be The Gulf Of Fentanyl? Oh well, now waiting for Trump to annexe the Sudetenland.

Is there any piece of kit that you don't have lying around, Chris?

When playing pub gigs on bass I always prefer a 3-piece. There's more room for expression in the music, more room for the band in whatever space we've been given by the door to the Gents' Toilet, and there's no need to discuss who's going to set up where - it's blindingly obvious where each of us is going to go. That's less of an issue at club gigs of course, since there's usually some sort of stage. When playing keys it's pretty much inevitable that I'll be playing in a 4- or 5-piece, but then my role is entirely different, plus I set up at the back alongside the drummer. I always assumed that it would be easier to get gigs for a 3-piece but in fact my 5-piece soul band seems to have no trouble bringing them in ... it's just that there's less money for each of us. Luckily enough, I don't do this for the money.

Similar to this is the units made by Steve Whitehouse (originally of The Sharks) - you can find him on Facebook if you want to know about his stuff. His magnetic Pbass-alike sounds very similar to the Schaller, whilst looking wildly different.

Keyboards. It's never too late to learn keyboards. Buy yourself something like a Yamaha CK61 or a first-version Korg Kross (pre-loved, natch) and you'll be in a world of fun, sitting down to play with your instrument resting on its own stand, and nobody saying "it's not very rock'n'roll, is it?".