Dan Dare

I agree with JTUK. I have an overall sound I like and use that most of the time, with gentle modification to suit certain circumstances. I find a J versatile enough for my needs.

Agree with discreet. 2x10 has just about the same surface area as 1x15 and will move the same amount of air. Another MB 2x10 the logical choice if you like the tone of yours.

Paul Rodgers and Mavis Staples.

The point of overdrive is that it's great when it's a contrast -. dirty guitar sound versus clean bass/keyboard sound, for example. If everyone uses it, though, the whole thing just sounds a mess (imho, of course). And yes, blokes who approach you in the toilets are bound to be up to no good...

Some people should be banned from going wireless

Difficult. Had a dep' drummer. Started every number in suitably restrained fashion and then went mad and started hitting everything in sight during breaks. Murder to sing over it. He asked me how he compared to our regular guy at the end and I told him, with what I feel was admirable restraint, that our regular drummer was a little less busy...

I like some relief. I like to get my fingertips under the strings and dig in, so suffer from buzzes with a low action/straight neck. I hate fret buzz - even if it doesn't come through the amp, it deadens the string vibration.

Worth seeing an osteopath and getting them to have a look at/sort out your posture? A lot of classical musicians suffer from similar conditions and it can sometimes be helped a lot by changing the way you use the body. Playing an instrument is an unnatural thing to do and we often adopt an awkward posture without realising it. I play the fiddle and used to get a lot of pain in my neck/shoulder. Osteopath sorted that by getting me to alter the way I stood and changing my shoulder rest. Worth a try.

Speak up, young man. I can't hear you...

Great song Mykes.Slightly reminiscent of The Doors in style, which means I'm bound to love it.

Echo Beach - Martha & The Muffins

The outputs are paralleled. As others say, just make sure you don't connect two 4 ohm cabs. I had the Bassman 135. Nice beast.

The words cheap" and" valve amp" don't naturally go together. Valve power stages need proper transformers - not cheap. A valve pre plus SS power may be the best way to go.

If you can't find one Jack's Instrument Services in Manchester can make you one. They're very good. Google will find them

Btw, the original post asked for stories. The best I saw was at a Burns night supper. I was playing in the ceili band. As is customary, a bagpiper had been booked. He had already done several jobs by the time he arrived - pipers normally play for 10-15 mins to pipe in the haggis or similar and move on - and had obviously been given a generous dram at each of them. He was incapable of speech, but could still walk and play so that was fine. He piped in the haggis, which was placed on a table on stage. The MC stepped up to read Burns's Ode to a Haggis, whilst our hero played, marching on the spot and marking time. Unfortunately, his inebriation, combined with the effort of blowing, caused a loss of control of his bowels. He was wearing his kilt in the traditional manner, so the resultant log dropped between his feet. As he was marking time, he stepped on it, slipped back and his foot flew up. The log broke into pieces and the bits flew into the audience. Members of the band narrowly avoided a coronary from the merriment.

Ditto. If we're there and being paid (well), we do what people want. If that means playing quietly so people can have a conversation, so be it. No room for misplaced pride.

Sounds like straight FM (1st chord) C# (2nd chord) to me.

Spot on, Blue. I think some on here may not realise that us function players can also play music that satisfies the soul - I play in an interesting band that makes no (or very little) money when I'm not doing the paid stuff. I just don't do it on Saturday night when the wedding gigs are happening. Re. DJs, I always ask people when they call if they've booked a DJ yet (most weddings, etc. I do have a DJ to finish the night). If they haven't, I suggest they load their music of choice on an iPod or similar and I'll play it through the PA (for an additional fee, of course, but it still costs them less than hiring a DJ). Handy extra earner.

I get requests from others for earplugs when I sing..

Terrible (my string bending). She's handy.

I enjoy function gigs - doing a job this eve. Can't fathom the comments here about "sh*t music", "hate wearing a tie/clean shoes", etc. It's good money (sometimes very good - a damn sight more than some poor buggers earn for half a week of graft) for playing music. Even if you don't like the songs, you can look at it as paid practice/rehearsal time - keeping the fingers in trim. As others say, I've played with some great musicians in nice places and been well paid over the years. What's not to like? Beats shovelling sh*t any day of the week. A certain amount of snobbery in some posts here, I feel. Well that's OK. More well paid functions for yours truly if others don't want them

I know schlepping a DB around shops is a bit of a drag but you really need to try a few with your instrument/pickup.

What Phil says. Smaller cabs have good shop appeal - they appear to do the job well at demo volumes. A different story in a larger space.