Dan Dare

Alex, you're being too sensible.

Frequencies that low may cause an unfortunate commotion in the old trousers... Probably best avoided

Fusion are selling the F1 for £100 delivered as it's being discontinued. Mine arrived today (24 hour delivery). Excellent bag.

Don't think you're being unreasonable. But if the others want to do it, say you're happy for them to get in a dep' for you. No mileage in going through the arguments about timing, lights, etc, etc. Just side-step the job if you're not happy.

I can recommend Jack's, too.

Interesting issue, this. I've learnt that the sound I like on stage isn't the one that sounds best in the room when everyone is playing. Agree with suggestions to check with a wireless/long lead (NOT curly, unless you want to pull your amp over) whilst the band is playing (you can't hear how it blends otherwise).

Much good advice here already. The only issue I can think you might have is if there is large difference in the efficiency of the different cabs.

The best drummer I ever worked with (serious pro' - won't drop his name, but some would recognise it) carried a metronome. Before the start of a number, he'd listen to it briefly (we'd agreed tempos at rehearsals), give us two bars with his sticks and job done - perfect starting tempo every time. If he wasn't too proud to check the tempo, nobody else should be.

More to it than a vehicle's age. Mine's 18 years old BUT has only done 46,000 miles. No point in changing for the sake of it.

I fell in love with the 5 string many moons ago. Check out some of Bela Fleck's stuff.

As others suggest, a lot amps don't turn up well. Master on 7 is pushing it for many. You need to move air for a clean fat bass sound, which needs wattage and driver square footage. Guitar players are often OK with smaller kit because they like an overdriven sound. Try an add on cab and slave amp?

BBE? I have an old 383, which I like a lot. The newer BMax looks decent and isn't that pricey.

I agree with Rhys and BottomE. I adjust by feel. Interestingly, I've found different instruments don't feel the same, even with the same setup, string gauges, etc (and I mean the same models/scale length and so on). My 3 Fenders all feel different.

At the end of Get Back, I believe.

Good decision. It's a lovely bass - you'd kick yourself if it didn't come out right (and you'd knock a hole in the resale value, too).

A band I was in advertised for a fiddle player. We played 50s country music, Western Swing/honky tonk and similar. I play fiddle, but was the bass player in the band (due to our being unable to find anyone who could play the bag - it ain't just 3 chords/2 to the bar, despite what many think). We agreed I'd check people out - accompany them on guitar while they showed their stuff. A weird Scandinavian arrived at my house. He asked "Vot iss honky tonk?" and then played me a terrible version of a well known fiddle piece which he insisted was an original tune wot he had wrote (and argued when I suggested the real title). I let him murder another song and then suggested he was not sufficiently familiar with the idiom and thanked him for his time. He fixed me with a maniacal stare and said "I am not satisfied with your explanation". So I took out my fiddle and played him some stuff and pointed to the door. He gave me a terrible look and left.

For a quality instrument like that, get it resprayed professionally. Stripping to bare wood can be difficult. The tough finishes some makers use resists all chemicals and has to be removed with a blow lamp (I know. I've done it. Takes for ever).

Anyone else have problems with people in bands who insist on wearing ear plugs? As a result of doing so, they can't hear subtleties or how loud they are relative to everyone else, so they crank the volume and the whole thing descends into chaos. When you suggest it would be better to take them out and for everyone to play at a sensible level, they bleat about damaging their hearing (they don't seem able to grasp that wearing plugs is only going to increase the problem, for others if not for them). Mad.