Burns-bass

I recently purchased a very fancy boutique active 5 string which I took to practice. My band mates all loved it, talking about how they thought it sounded amazuing, sustained really well etc. However, on a couple of occasions it slipped off its strap and nearly crashed to the floor, so I need a set of straplocks. I’ve never used them, never bought them or fitted them. I’m a busy man and need someone to telL me what I need.

He looks cool. Well done! We’ve just found a new guitarist. The best guy it turns out supplements his employment income by selling a bit of weeding the side. We had to interrupt one song as a buyer had turned up to meet him. Still, he’s a lovely guy and he plays really well.

I’ve got a busted Zoom guitar pedal your can have?

They’re actually chains on the Suspension Bridge (I used to live next to it in Leigh Woods). Now if you’d have said the Severn Bridge...

They’re apparently 30 - 115 Status Elites!

I’ll share a picture later. Cut for a 3/2 headstock. They seem in good condition.

Got these on a bass. These are super duper skinny, I don’t know exactly the gauge (I just took them off and swapped them for flats), but there here and could be yours! A quid or two for postage should see them on their way...

When I was a kid we used to go into music shops and on one the overbearing guys used to play rapid fire licks to intimidate you. I subsequently went into another shop (Remus Sound in Gloucester) and the guy took an hour talking me through the finer points of guitars. I bought one but turned out it fit suit me so he took it back and swapped it for a better one. The guy showed me and a few friends some riffs and talked us though the finer points of amps. I’ve now been visiting for over 20 years. Most of the internet bass playing videos have been one or the other of these examples. Personally, I think stuff like Geoff Chalmers discoed double bass is absolutely incredible and has provided me with literally years of inspiration. The 16 year old kids knocking out Donna Lee on their own less so, but there’s room for us all.

Genuine relic, it seems. I’ve had to swap out knackered old bridges on loads of Fenders. It does seem a little over the top, however and a bit of lube in the saddle holes should stop it happening! Personally, I’d email the builder and explain the situation. This shouldn’t happen within a year...

Congrats to your son! I remember doing some gigs with James Morrison a few years back (15 I think). He'd signed some sort of super-development deal and they sent him out on the road for a couple of years to support awful bands like mine. He's obviously made it, but the work he must have put in, I reckon he's earned it. Wish your son all the best of luck in what will be an incredible adventure, whatever happens!

It was a great course and some great musicians went there. Now in Bristol you've got BIMM which churns out some stupendously talented signers, songwriters and musicians. Go to an open mic and the standard is fantastic (sometimes). The sad thing is that there's just not the demand for all these great players and producers. I gave up playing when I realised that so survive I'd probably have to earn money playing bossa tunes on a cruise ship. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but when you're 25 and wanted the rock and roll lifestyle, it hardly appeals. The funny thing now is that I spend most of my time playing jazz standards, so the world has gone full circle I guess. I remember transcribing 'Maybe it'll rub off' by Tower of Power once and getting some of the kids there to groove to it and play fragments of it was great. In the end, the most popular lessons were always the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and I can't stand them so the game was up. I did meet an ex-student of mine who has done really well for himself, which was brilliant. Can't say any of that was my doing, he was super talented!

No, I was teaching the course in Bristol. It was a well written syllabus and pretty solid in terms of theory. I have to say I’ve forgotten a lot of it as I stopped playing between about 27 - 35 after being in a hugely unsuccessful band that got signed (in Germany) and went nowhere.

I worked as a music teacher at Access to Music and privately while following the dream. I never really wanted to do the session thing (not dedicated enough, lazy etc.) I used the time to develop my writing skills which is what I do for a living now. Can’t say that’s the dream either (not mine anyway) but it’s interesting and no two days are the same I suppose. I sometimes quite fancy a 3 year jazz degree but I haven’t got the cash to invest in it, or myself at the moment.

Jazz

I know, I run a business (it’s less than that, it’s 16% give or take), but that’s much less than VAT at 20% of the total.

You don’t charge VAT on second hand items as the tax has already been paid. Same deal with cars as instruments...