Happy Jack

Just the one 810 then? Opportunity missed ...

I've used a GrammaPad for years now, whenever I play a wooden stage or (in some pubs) on bare floorboards. No staining or crumbling issues at all, but the glue used to hold the larger foam pads has failed on one side. No complaints.

I get that Pete, but only if you put the entire band through the PA. In my limited experience, that's a Functions Band thing, not a Pub Band thing. I've never yet been in a pub band where for example the lead guitarist was content to abandon his boutique valve amp or his Fender Bluesman in favour of a pedal and an amp sim. As for volume, well obviously he must have the volume in order to get his tone. If you don't have the entire band going through the PA, then there's little point in having any one of you going through the PA. You may attain a balanced sound at the soundcheck, but as soon as the 'independent one' turns up his amp, you're screwed.

Nope, it's because it will go through the window far more smoothly when you hurl it.

Dunno about grooves, but the OTT wah-wah guitar on Yes Prime Minister always seemed about as deliberately inappropriate as you could get.

Fascinated by all this, but not convinced it would make much difference at The Dog And Duck.

I've had plenty of shortscale basses, and a number of bass ukes, but this falls halfway between the two. Interesting. Have you played bass ukes at all? Can you offer a comparison? Have you played through it at gig volume yet - I'm curious about feedback and how susceptible this bass is?

??? Which bit don't you recognise Mick?

This brings a whole new dimension to scratch'n'sniff ...

Turns your standard leccy bass into an unplayable waste of money.

Excellent! You have now actually read and understood what I wrote, rather than creating a straw-man argument by mis-quoting me. We are able to return to civilised discourse. It's all good.

OK, maybe you need to understand that cause (we want to earn bigger profits) does not necessarily correlate to effect (making US workers redundant so that we can employ Vietnamese has resulted in Vietnamese workers getting wealthier), or maybe I need to re-visit my opinion of your intelligence. Your call.

Ditto.

Nope. And I don't believe that you're stupid enough to think that's what I wrote.

Interesting video, and he seems like a lovely guy, but his economic and political naivety is quite extraordinary. His constant references to "cheap production" and "exploitation" ignore the reality, which is that for example Fender making "cheap" guitars (branded as Squier) in Japan created jobs and helped to raise the standard of living in Japan to the extent that they moved production to Korea, then to China, then to Indonesia, then to Vietnam, in each case creating a new population of skilled workers earning more than they earned before, and now capable of pushing ahead without further investment from abroad. That's how economies work. The people who live in those countries, just like the people who live here in the UK, don't constantly look abroad and wish that they had the same standard of living as someone richer. Most people look at what they have now, compare it with what they had before or what their parents had before, and judge on that basis whether or not they're doing well. And when those Third World countries benefit from this sort of inward investment and develop their economies, guess what - they stop being Third World countries and become Developing countries. "Exploitation" definitely exists in many unskilled industries, most famously textiles, and I don't condone that for a second, but this luthier's definition of "exploitation" and his clarion call to cease "exploiting" these countries would see those very country's economies damaged and their workers thrown into unemployment. Is that really such an achievement? Basschat's tentacles extend a long way around the world. I'd love to hear from some Basschatters in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam as to whether they'd like to see the big instrument factories closed down. For their benefit. I'd even more like to hear from Basschatters in Kenya, Mozambique and Sierra Leone who are likely to be the next recipients of this sort of inward investment. Because, of course, their labour is now cheaper than the workers of Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. There's a reason for that ...

Well when Mr. Luthier and Mrs. Luthier love each other very much and decide to have a baby ...

Whoah! Big time Lazarus thread ...

"Check a lead connection"? Hardly, old chap. My wireless unit failed, and in less than 10 seconds mid-song I diagnosed the problem, unplugged the wireless unit at both ends, plugged in a lead at both ends, and rejoined the song. Actually, I'm actually quite proud of that. Actually.

My other cracker was playing the Ealing Beer Festival in 2014. They had an enormous generator supplying the power and all was good until the last song of the final set. Then they turned on all the floodlights, partly to enable the staff to start clearing up, and partly to encourage all the punters to go home. The sudden additional current draw caused the power to dip momentarily, and my Matamp all-valve head cut out. It was fully 30 seconds before I could get it back up and running again.

2:10 into this video:

I never really saw this as an either/or thing ...

Why not play through headphones? Use your budget to buy something like a PJB Bass Buddy (other gadgets are available) and your Fun Prevention Officer will love you even more than she does already.

Or let them keep the name and you then go out as The Artist Formerly Known As Nancy ... Why not send some tree surgeons round to the studio?

Bwahahahahaha!!!