Owen

Thanks everyone. I keep looking at the 66J on my wall that I have not played in anger for 30+ years and wondering what shaped monitors it could turn into. And acoustic treatment, obv. Only an idiot would have lush speakers in a bare room!

I suspect that the broad glamourisation of drugs in music is down to journalists making things more fabulous than they are. "Ooh look at then being naughty, they are getting away with it and are epically cool. I wish that was me". Ask anyone who has experience of heroin (other drugs are available) addiction either personally or within their family, and I can guarantee they will not be saying "yeah, but the songs made it all worth it". Have some people produced interesting stuff while using drugs? Yes. Would they produce interesting stuff anyway? More than likely, this was just a different flavour of whatever would be. We only read about the tiny percentage of people who have "done the thing" and " produce the thing". The rest of the people who have "done the thing" and produced "not the thing" are not eulogised by those who write about it - the tastemakers/gatekeepers.

My Sub Phatty came with aftermarket wooden end cheeks as well as the originals. I am sure it is trying to look like something it is not.

I bought a Reunion Blues bag 25 (?) years ago. I remember it being heiniously expensive. I would not change that decision. It has been the absolute bomb. I know that they are no longer available - my point is that if I was shopping again I would go to that end of the market. So much cheaper than getting donks sorted by "my" luthier.

Slow and steady wins the race.

As I have mentioned somewhere else on here, you will find that most players have at least some reference points in the grain of the neck. However, you will also find that people who are playing classical professionally have YEARS of muscle memory to rely on.

Thanks. I am looking for active boxes. My 1982 B&W DM110i + Mission Cyrus 1 amp have been doing sterling service, but it is time for an upgrade.

Awkward!!!!

You are, of course, correct.

I would love a pair of ATCs. That is not going to happen. I am a tragic fantasist embarking on his very own vanity project. I am looking at a pair of Yamaha NS8 as my monitors. I have borrowed a pair and they are in situ. I am struggling to think of a reason not to go with them. I am running Sonor Works which can deal with the less than epic placement. Does the £500ish have anything else that I REALLY should be considering as well? I am not hugely into buying 2nd hand for speakers like this, unless someone I know and trust is cutting me an extraordinary deal on a pair of ATC SCM20A boxes. TIA

Sean Hurley. Sorry Sean.

I hate (operating) compressors. I bought a TC Spectracomp. I tried all the programmed settings I found one I liked. I never have to think about compressors now. When it comes to playing with fingers, the accepted way is to use two fingers. This is great. However, 1 finger was actually good enough for JJ and he seemed to get around just fine. I watched a vid of that guy who had a signature P bass who is a hotshot US session bod (sorry, I cannot remember his name) who was playing with one finger and it does give a subtly different timing/groove.

I am following this with interest.

I did a choir gig recently. Two keys players, one kit and me on bass. The conductor wanted the pianist to just play a rhythmic pattern above middle C. The kit/bass section were laying down a solid groove. She tried 3 times, but was still playing something an octave + below middle C to give her something to syncopate against. The conductor said 3 times "no, just the rhythmic thing". Eventually, I put my bass down, walked over and told her to play it again. I held her left hand and lifted it away from the keyboard and the magic happened. To make it EVEN sweeter, I have been waiting 42 years to do this with this specific player. Keyboard players are clueless. Ones who actually understand a band dynamic/make up are like gold dust.

There is no denying that they are spacehogs.

Thanks. I have reached the stage in life when I have realised it is better to actualy get the facts rather than guess. I now have the facts.

I am all for this inside info. But who are they?

My experience is not exhaustive. But I had an NS which was beautiful. But it sounded a bit fretless-y with original NS strings. I loaded it up with proper DB strings, raised the action and, voila, there was the DB-alike tone.

If you use super glue you can spend happy hours picking it off afterwards!