Happy Jack

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sonoros-8-String-Tapper-Ladder-Guitar/192766207149?hash=item2ce1c2e4ad:g:aq0AAOSwJ3RcHR8b

but the one that really gets me is the stringing at the tuners ... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-Bass-Guitar-2-string-fretless-upright-bass/173698896849?hash=item287142d3d1:g:4K0AAOSweRdcEReo

Incidentally, I do know how to construct a sentence that doesn't include the word "really". Really I do ...

The show starts on Wednesday 23rd January. If you've never done (i) a really big music show, (ii) Southern California, (iii) a mid-winter break to somewhere really warm & pleasant, then you really should consider doing this. Silvie and I had a really great time, saw some amazing stuff, met some lovely people, and came away with a bunch of memories that aren't going away any time soon. To get our money's worth out of the flights we started by doing a road-trip to Las Vegas before the show, and then another road trip up the coast to San Francisco afterwards. We were helped (a lot!) by the fact that my sister lives in Pasadena, but chances are we'd have done it anyway. The show can be bloody hard work, of course, but it's good work! It's fun and it's cool and you are in no way 'tied to the stand' for day after day ... there's plenty of time to roam the show and see what's there. Feedback = 5 stars

Actually, in truth the song that gets called the most often is, you know, that one, you must know it, it goes dum-dum-dum-di-dum, no wait a minute that's the keyboard bit, but anyway it's really famous, I thought everyone knew it.

For some reason I had always assumed that Sverdlovsk was the name of a city. Quite surprised to find that it's an administrative region instead.

Damn! I just knew that I'd paid over the odds for this ...

A completely unplanned ambush which left me with a fit of the giggles and slightly spoiled the rock'n'roll sneer that this song needs.

You "Do The A-Frame" Dave, the new sensation that's sweeping the nation ...

Here you go, feast your eyes: http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Basses CURRENT/Tonika Bass 1970s

It's a fun bass. I don't know when it was designed but I'd happily guess that it was the late 60s. I've had a shedload of those 60s basses (Hofner, Klira, Hagstrom, Futurama, etc.) and this fits in perfectly with them. Despite appearing to be a shortscale, it actually takes medium or even long-scale strings. The pickups are as thumpy as you'd expect, and all the electronics actually do what they're supposed to. Hangs well on a strap ... courtesy of the amazing telescopic upper strap-pin. That 5cm steel pin slides through the bullet-shaped bit back inside the body.

Excellent! In that case, you can hardly go wrong. Even if it's a complete pile of poo it will still be a gateway to DB for you. My first was a no-name Chinese jobbie that I bought for £300. It really wasn't very good, but I've never looked back.

Not sure how anyone can offer advice on this if you don't mention the price! Very affordable might mean £200 (do it) and might mean £2000 (erm ...).

Y'know, I completely misread this first time.

So, no change there then ...

Easy, Dave. Take a large mirror to the jam ...

Given a £3400 start price, it would have to be bloody cheeky!

And the ESTA to get back out of the country afterwards ...

In all fairness, you only have to play one note at a time so that's easy, right?

Of course zombies and vampires exist. Have you never watch Today In Parliament?

Maybe he means that you have to be able to play all five styles simultaneously.

They probably looked a little less intimidating before Brexit wrecked the Pound ...

Try spending a few hours with your radio tuned to Absolute Radio (or similar Oldies station) and see how many of the big hits from the past you can successfully busk based simply on the fact that you grew up listening to the song. If you have a talent for that, then you'll do fine at any jam session.