Happy Jack

So that's $870 vs the $995 for the Felix? These are truly lovely pieces of kit, and in the hands of players like Roger and Rabbie this sort of expenditure can be justified. Sadly, I ain't a player like Roger and Rabbie ...

Thanks Dan, but no thanks! That amp represents everything I like least about modern equipment ... it can't decide whether it's a musician's tool or a multi-purpose computer. The current homepage at Berg proudly boasts: "Now shipping with 4.22 firmware!". Well that will knock yer parametric mids into a cocked hat. You get a cute little LCD display and two Memory knobs and a Program button; it actually reminds me of my old Atari 1040. The most bizarre thing of all (for a doubler) is that I can see only one Input socket, although I'm probably missing something. Ah well. Bass playing is just great, seriously. It's such a broad church, and there is just so much variety available to us.

I'm just reading the Simon biography of Glenn Miller, and I've reached the chapters dealing with his sudden rise to superstar status in 1938/39. Much of what I'm reading could be transposed effortlessly to 1978/79, or for that matter to 1898/99. The sound of pop music changes from year to year but the essentials remain the same.

Don't suppose you've got a spare one knocking around?

Well that's me told. Who do you think I am - Clarky?

Now Roger, would that be the Felix unit that retails for $995?

If you stepped out of a time machine in front of your younger self, I'm struggling to imagine what he'd make of that piece of advice from an old git wearing funny clothes.

So between us, Mark, we make a balanced individual.

Much as I agree with this sentiment in principle, in practice my entire career was built on putting up with truly industrial quantities of sh!t. Deeply depressing and unenjoyable, but it paid for my early retirement. You pays your money ...

Yes, I wondered about that, but Euphonic Audio do say that the impedance on both inputs is set to 1 M-Ohm. According to my (limited) research, that's at the lower end of what is acceptable, but it is acceptable. What does everyone think?

The Doubler looks good, but I'm surprised to see that the HPF control is a tiny trim pot on the top of the amp. EAi clearly don't expect the player to want to adjust this on the fly, so to speak.

I don't have a few basses with many pickup types & configurations so as to avoid having too many basses. I just have too many basses. Works for me. And yes, I use very specific basses for different bands / projects. It's a luxury being able to do this, but I'm not complaining. With my main covers band I play a Mike Lull T5. With my country band I play a Mike Lull 54 P. With my tex/mex blues-rock band I play an Ovation Magnum III. With my heavy blues-rock band I play a Chowny fretless. When I dep with a functions band I play a Status Streamline 5. I'm on the lookout for new bands so that I can play more of my basses ...

I'm gradually developing an interest in an amp head that doesn't need a Fishman Plat Pro or an FDeck HPF in front of it ... something optimised for DB with high Z inputs etc. I've started by looking for an Acoustic Image Clarus, but what else should I be excited by?

Don't wait until you're nearly 50 before you pick up a bass ...

I have one Mono strap (which came with a bass that I bought) and there's nothing wrong with it apart from being a bit on the shiny side, so occasionally prone to slide off the shoulder. If I'd discovered Mono before Comfort then who knows ... but owning both I know which I'd recommend to anyone focused on wearing a bass comfortably. The clue is in the name.

"I wonder if Arsenal are going to equalise"

Phil's right. First gig to hit the diary wins. My solution is easy. For most of the bands I gig with (don't ask) the gigs are got by me and Silvie. Since I am invariably the busiest member of those bands, that removes the biggest sticking point.

Surely I can't be the first person to mention Amy Winehouse?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1970s-Vintage-Made-in-Japan-Angelica-Deluxe-Tele-Bass-all-original-with-Case/302852256995?hash=item468366b4e3:g:TDMAAOSwTi1ba2R2 Remember that song where everyone shouts: "Alice? Who the f*** is Alice?"? I feel that way about Angelica ...

And that was just for the ashtray ...

I've used nothing but Comfort Strapps for years now, yet to feel any need to go and check what else is on the market. I should probably mention that I started using them after years of back pain. They don't 'cure' backache of course, but they certainly help deal with it.

Agreed, but the devil (of course) is in the detail. I know bands who play a gig every single month who think they're busy. I prefer (where possible) to gig every single weekend and I still have plenty of spare capacity. Like most things in life, it's contingent. Maybe it will work for you, and maybe it won't. Suck it and see.

Especially if they grow up to be drummers.