Newfoundfreedom

He has. It's one of the first things I ever saw of his.

Shows how opinions vary. It's up there for me as one of the greatest covers of all time. The timbre of David Draimans voice is outstanding. The Simone and Carbuncle original on the other hand, does nothing for me whatsoever.

Yeah I saw that too. I like blue, and the cream one as well, but I think I'd definitely plump for the natural.

@stewblack You got one of these yet? Me likey! https://www.thomann.de/intl/harley_benton_enhanced_mp_5mn_natural.htm?i11l=en_GB%3ABG.GBP%3AEUR&o=121&search=1612700286

Have to start buying everything in kit form.

That would make sense, as fretting at the 12 fret would put the bass at the same octave as the open guitar string. So you're good to go.

If it were tuned an octave too low it would be hanging off. I very much doubt you could even tune a bass string an octave too high. I always find the open G sounds very different to the fretted G. It's not a difference in pitch so much as in tone. The open G always sounds to me, for want of a better word "twangy".

To be honest, I'd always be weary of buying from anyone who doesn't answer telephones or emails.

It's like an obsession. There's far, far more interest in the gear forums than there is in any of the forums dealing with actual music, playing, or technique. Quite sad really.

Wow. Small world 😆 I used to be on there a lot a few years ago before I sold the old bus and moved to Bulgaria. I'm sure we must have chatted several times on the other forum.

I've never taken spare anything to a gig other than cables and extension leads.

Easy. The one I use. I've got another one on the wall looking pretty, and another one in a case under the bed gathering dust. I've never really understood the point in owning loads of basses. I get it if you're a session musician or doing some recording. But for most pub band type players, who wants to cart loads of basses to a gig and faff about changing every other song? One bass for both practicing and gigging. Job done.

Same. It's not a technique I'm interested in learning. I don't like the sound of it. So I don't do it.

Off the original topic. But you're not by any chance the same Aiden that does the old VW gearboxes on Club 8090 are you?

Solution already provided. 😉

https://www.muziker.bg/dunlop-flatwound-bass-strings-md-4-set

Plan E. Try ordering from one of the music shops in Bulgaria. It's only next door and Ekont (couriers) cover both countries, and are dirt cheap.

I've also found that six strings surprisingly makes music theory much easier. It's far more intuitive to find the notes across the neck than it is up and down. It feels like there was a massive gap before that's now been filled in. I also much prefer the tighter spacing of the six strings. I can't see me ever going back to playing a four string, even if most of the stuff I play is still using mostly the EAD and G.

I found the best approach was to play things I already knew on the for string. Basically ignoring the top and bottom strings, until I got a feel for it. Then it was easy to use the top and bottom strings as an extension to what I already knew how to play. For me adapting to muting the extra strings was a bigger challenge than playing them.

You get money for gigging? 😮

Adamantium. But only if you play a cover of Prince Charming.

OK. To put the misogynistic aspect of the thread behind us, and talk about the actual musicality of the piece. I would have to say, I'm not sure about the bass and drums. But the top end was extremely tight. (I'll get my coat)

It's more than that. The VAT is usually the last thing added. So the postage, brokerage fees etc would all be subject to an extra 20% as well.