Frank Blank

...dress up in a French maid outfit and roller-skate around with a tray of Martinis. Oh, I've said too much.

I never think of myself as a Clash fan, I was snottily indifferent at the time despite being a punk and also despite me thinking that London Calling is possibly the best single in the entire history of music. Hmmmm, here's another good 'un...

BTW the tenner is just cover the cost of the hall hire, anything over that goes to charity.

If you tell us what you are bringing I'll bung you on the gear list, not that it's compulsory to bring anything other than your good self.

...and it costs a tenner.

A Bass Bash isn't really a Bass Bash unless there's a DB present...

Sorry @Jean-Luc Pickguard, after checking you were coming I forgot to put you on the list! @cetera - Charvel 3B, ESP Surveyor '87, Fender FSR PJ Precision, Hamer Impact, Italia Imola, Spector NS2, Spector Euro, Spector EuroX (Spectorbird), Spector Pulse II, Spector Dimension 4HP, Gallien Krueger 400RB & Legacy800 heads, GenzBenz Neox 2x12 cab @TheGreek - All short scale this year - a @Jabba_the_gut scale 5er, Mini Ray, Short scale P bass @Harlequin74 - Zoot Performer, Status Shark, Spector QV4 , Markbass TTE501 and Matching CAB. Maybe the Lehle Basswitch… @Frank Blank - @Jabba_the_gut short scale fretted and fretless, JMJ Mustang, QSC K12.2, Grace Design Alix @TrevorR - Mk 1 Wal, Wal Pro IIE, Aria SB700, Frankenjazz, pedals and MarkBass LMII & Traveler 2x10 @bnt - travelling light, probably a couple of pedals such as T-Rex Diva Drive, Orange KongPressor @bass_dinger - 1999 Washburn XB500, 1994 Washburn XB500, Washburn XB925 in zebrawood, Washburn XB925 in bits, Boulder Creek 5 string (likely to be for sale), SWR Workingmans 12. @greentext- 2008 Spector NS4-H2, 2015 Sandberg VS4, 2000 Trace Elliot T-Bass, my pedalboard and my tin of picks 😈 @prowla - Probably a couple of Rickenbackers and some interesting oddities. Amp-wise a Markbass EVO and a 1x12 (last year I bought some others to try and never switched them on, as the EVO sounded spot-on). @SuperSeagull - Status S2, Feline P Bass, Modded Fender Lyte, Flea Jazz, MB Combo @Merton - various short and medium scale ACGs, Zoots and Conway basses, Barefaced cabs, modern Trace Elliot amps @MacDaddy - Shuker (probably no3), Snapdragon Folding Bass, possibly a Rob Allen Mouse. @neilp - matching pair of fretted and fretless 1980 Aria SB1000s, possibly my fretless Wal mk1, Ashdown ABM500/Ampeg 4x10, Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig @NickD - Strunal Schonbach 5 String DB, and whatever else I can shoehorn in the car around it... hopefully a MD CMD121 H, Zoom B6, and maybe a Maruszczyk Jake and a Shuker Series 2. @WalMan - converted Wal Pro, Zon Legacy Elite, Status S2, G&L L2500 fretless, McMillen 12Step & DSI MoPho, Two Notes Bass Revolt, Trondheim Audio SkarBassOne, BackBeat2 (and my BackBeat1 will probably be available for sale). Darkglass Microtubes500 and one of the Barefaced cabs. All depends how late I leave and what will fit in the new car 🚙 😁 @Smanth - With my small, light, battery powered gear (mostly) ... IBBY-Ibanez GSRM25 5 str sub short scale, 'ELIMA - Kala California 5 str fretless ubass, QUINN- HB 5 Str Fretless, MOD Dwarf based pedalboard, Boss Dual Cube Bass LX. (Also some toys to sell) @Jean-Luc Pickguard - NS Design CR5M, Squier Bass VI, Roland MicroCube Bass RX and some pedals. @tauzero - the basses that @TheGreek made me buy (handmade 6-string headless, Pedulla 6 fretless), Roland GR-55, one or two Seis, anything else that occurs to me, Mrs Zero (probably) @Stingray5 - EBMM Stingray 5, a trio of Tunes i.e. TWB-6, TWB-4z, SWV4-BB, Boss GT-6B, Eden EC180 combo. @rumblefish - Reverend Rumblefish,GB basses,Mesa Walkabout amp,Vanderkley 112 MNT. @Paul S - might be space for a shorty? If not never mind. I have nothing of interest

You'll have room for some basses actually.

It is indeed.

I was a punk when I was young, part of the schtick was to be anti-everything and while that did encourage independence and a strong DIY ethic, which I still have thanks to the era, it also made us throw a lot of the good stuff out with the bathwater. I remember arguing vociferously against learning theory, backed up with hollow arguments about not adhering to a orthodoxy, how untrained musicians make interesting and surprising note/chord choices. Then I was lucky enough to meet someone classically trained, a violinist, guitarist and singer, who is steeped in theory. She makes note/chord choices that even I wince at. Because she understands the orthodoxy she absolutely understands how to subvert it. I'm rambling, in short, know your enemy. Now I just wished I'd learnt theory when I was a kid, not that it was an option as my family were a) bastards, b) not financially well off and, (just for good measure), c) bastards again. But it isn't their fault (even though they were bastards) that I am not learning theory today, that's my hangup, but man, I wish I'd learned.

U OK hun?

Are you confident enough in attending to go on the gear list Sir?

Too late now but just for future reference. La Bella 760F-MUS are super lovely...

This made me listen to Nine Horses again...

@cetera - Charvel 3B, ESP Surveyor '87, Fender FSR PJ Precision, Hamer Impact, Italia Imola, Spector NS2, Spector Euro, Spector EuroX (Spectorbird), Spector Pulse II, Spector Dimension 4HP, Gallien Krueger 400RB & Legacy800 heads, GenzBenz Neox 2x12 cab @TheGreek - All short scale this year - a @Jabba_the_gut scale 5er, Mini Ray, Short scale P bass @Harlequin74 - Zoot Performer, Status Shark, Spector QV4 , Markbass TTE501 and Matching CAB. Maybe the Lehle Basswitch… @Frank Blank - @Jabba_the_gut short scale fretted and fretless, JMJ Mustang, QSC K12.2, Grace Design Alix @TrevorR - Mk 1 Wal, Wal Pro IIE, Aria SB700, Frankenjazz, pedals and MarkBass LMII & Traveler 2x10 @bnt - travelling light, probably a couple of pedals such as T-Rex Diva Drive, Orange KongPressor @bass_dinger - 1999 Washburn XB500, 1994 Washburn XB500, Washburn XB925 in zebrawood, Washburn XB925 in bits, Boulder Creek 5 string (likely to be for sale, SWR Workingmans 12. @greentext- 2008 Spector NS4-H2, 2015 Sandberg VS4, 2000 Trace Elliot T-Bass, my pedalboard and my tin of picks 😈 @prowla- Probably a couple of Rickenbackers and some interesting oddities. Amp-wise a Markbass EVO and a 1x12 (last year I bought some others to try and never switched them on, as the EVO sounded spot-on). @SuperSeagull- Status S2, Feline P Bass, Modded Fender Lyte, Flea Jazz, MB Combo @Merton - various short and medium scale ACGs, Zoots and Conway basses, Barefaced cabs, modern Trace Elliot amps @MacDaddy Shuker (probably no3), Snapdragon Folding Bass, possibly a Rob Allen Mouse. @neilp - matching pair of fretted and fretless 1980 Aria SB1000s, possibly my fretless Wal mk1, Ashdown ABM500/Ampeg 4x10, Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig

He won't turn up, he's been a very naughty boy.

Same here. Most of my basses are piezo and he gave a lot of valuable advice.

Really liking this, tell us more Dad.

Agreed. Having discovered missing springs between the upper and lower knobs of a couple of ACGs that have passed through my hands, I emailed John who sent me out a bag of said springs at no cost. He has also quickly and thoroughly answered a couple of emails about technical stuff too. The more I use small, often one-person, outfits the happier I am, usually a quicker response and much more helpful than bigger companies/brands who are often simply varying shades of indifferent. I have had great service/advice from... John East Newtone Strings Effectrode Lusithand ACG (of course) Grace Design Rob Allen

@BigRedX thanks for taking the time to answer. Nor do I half the time TBH. Which was exactly how I felt about it initially. It definitely does have its own set of in-jokes but its by no means a clique, I was a latecomer to it and yet was welcomed. It is essentially blather but its extraordinarily civil and self-regulating. I completely agree with this. I have no interest in 95% of off topic and yet I understand other people have interests that don't interest me which is why I am happy to tolerate that 95%, but if there were such a function I too would hide the vast majority of it.

*drums fingers on desk, looks at watch*

Why?