Happy Jack

Excellent! Shame you started with a Framus of course ... being of the discerning persuasion meself, I started with a Hofner. So ... these "Beatles" guys ... any good were they?

[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1439546365' post='2843709'] Two weeks later, I made a snap decision and packed in my job to start my own company. [/quote] Outstanding. I never had the balls to do that. Things have turned out OK for me anyway, but you do find yourself wondering "what if I had ...". Good luck Chris.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-John-Horn-by-Skewes-Bass-guitar-/261995785046?hash=item3d002a6b56

And I don't look a day over 80 ...

Oh yeh? Now identify these ... [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/snake-579682_640_zpscnkkryru.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/snake-579682_640_zpscnkkryru.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/scales-36417_640_zpswapjvzpy.png.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/scales-36417_640_zpswapjvzpy.png[/IMG][/URL]

I picked up a bass for the first time in my life on my 49th birthday ...

Meteor Shower

Actually, no he didn't. He started on trumpet when he was given one on his 14th birthday. Pedantic? Moi?

Mmmmmmm ... wood-smoked ....

Judging by the pictures from Tianjin, you can expect a lot more ... [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/Chinese%20Containers_zpsivgj4o4p.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/Chinese%20Containers_zpsivgj4o4p.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Have they checked the park?

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1439396789' post='2842473'] It was 'found in the park', and the story appears to be legit. [/quote] Looking forward to hearing this story.

I play in one band where MacDaddy (of this parish) plays lead guitar alongside a slide player, so two guitars. I think we sound way better, and I enjoy playing far more, when he uses his (thin and nasal) Flying V than when he borrows my cheap Les Paul at rehearsal. In a 2-guitar band, one guy on a Les Paul can easily end up trampling all over the bass player's sonic turf.

Slow blues in G Rockabilly thing in A Ploddy shoegaze in C Motown ripoff in Bb Sorted.

It's alright Mark, MacDaddy is about to get rid of his ...

http://www.junkyarddogslondon.co.uk/live.html

When I wear a cloth thing around the neck, I usually call it a scarf.

He's shown on keys ...

I've used flats extensively on 5-string basses and, in the main, they are absolutely fine. My favourite flats are LaBella FLs and they work with 34" basses though the B-string can be on the short side. I now play exclusively 35" scale, and the FLs are simply not long enough. I use what I think of as Lakland Jo Osborne flats, but Lakland now call them something else and Gareth (Walbassist) assures me that they are anyway just re-badged GHS strings. With 34" scale on a 5-string there is definitely the risk of some flobbadob going on, so you also need to take into account your own playing style. I like a high-ish action and I tend to dig in pretty hard.

[quote name='smaz' timestamp='1439372740' post='2842184'] Is your drummer Paul Haydon? [/quote] Yup - know him?

[URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Performance/Sundry/Addicted%20To%20Love%20-%20The%20Dogs_zpsqfltdudi.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Performance/Sundry/Addicted%20To%20Love%20-%20The%20Dogs_zpsqfltdudi.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1439301464' post='2841675'] I guess it depends on how you define 'alive'.... [/quote] Whichever way sells 8,000,000 LPs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frampton_Comes_Alive!

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1439293739' post='2841574'] Neither are massively groundbreaking ... [/quote] I'm glad to see you haven't lost your facility with extreme [i][b]litotes[/b][/i].

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1439297803' post='2841628'] They'd be better off making their band 'come alive' by playing something other than bloody blues rock. [/quote] Well it worked for Peter Frampton ...

One of the YouTube links that this clip offers is to Kate performing a song called Smoke on electric bass. Not that great a song IMHO but what caught my eye was the bass she plays on that clip ... one of the rarest of vintage Hofner semi-acoustic hollow-bodies. Sadly, the bass is quite inaudible in the mix.