Richard R

I am down with a lurgi, been wiped out and useless since Friday afternoon. I am useful for an hour, useless for an hour, then need to sleep for an hour. Repeat for the day, sleep at night, repeat. If I have to miss this bash I will be very, very, annoyed!

https://www.canford.co.uk/EMO-PASSIVE-DIRECT-INJECTION-BOXES This isn't especially low cost, but I bought three of these second hand 12 years ago after they had finished their touring life and they have been kicked all over church ever since. They will accept instrument input, line input, amp output presenting 8Ohms load or even 100v PA speaker thru-input if you have to tap that. Bomb-proof, passive, and completely neutral.

I don't think they're doing it for the money. Unless they have made some really, really, bad investment decisions they don't need it. I think they're doing it because they're bored, they've missed the buzz of playing live, they like their songs, and they can. No doubt they will be good fun gigs if you take them for what they are.

Assuming I get rid of the Lurgi, I am going to check out the venue on Wednesday first thing. I expect it will be fine, but if it only has a single 5A socket under the stage we would have a problem...

I would love to be able to play by ear. The closest I get is the old joke "Do you play by ear?" "Yes" "Well clear off and play somewhere else then!"

I think I have just worked out what this might be! Only two weeks late 😁

My lad's not coming now, so if you take a sharpie and write on the bottom of one of the strips "Sponsored by David R, who would rather stay in bed", you can keep the door fee I paid for him 😉

It's bad enough shouting for "Panda", "Pandora" would be dreadful!

B - for the same reason that @Reggaebass gives. A nice problem to have though. Could you have a veneer cut from the side you choose for the back, so you can use it on another build later?

She's known as Panda, Pandora was the name the cat sanctuary gave her.

😱 Pandora is my cat!

https://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/steve-miller-band-the-joker-bass-tab-s83239 For any youngsters who may have wandered in 😉

It's "Lord I lift your name ON high", not "I lift your name WHILE high" 🤪

There's more space in the car now as I'm only bringing the one bass and amp and my lad has had to decline.

Can do, it depends on the amps but most people are sensible. ( it's not a guitar show) At the last Midlands Bash we had a "No amps during lunch or the talks" rule which worked really well. A few folks brought headphone amps, so they got shared around a bit if I remember correctly.

I'm thinking I shall just bring the HB with the Roland V-bass system fitted, and an amp. The Brawleys are really nice to play, and unusual, but I think more people will be interested in the V-bass.

Good movie that, though not as good as 2. Thanks Stubbs - I wondered how I would recognise @neepheid at the bash.

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That was part of the reason for avoiding May. That and I have a holiday booked and two 90th birthday parties to organise!

Do you have time to 3D print a pantechnicon?

Very. Pick 5 and one amp. You can bring a different set to the midlands bash in 2026. 🤪

OK, lets DO THIS! 🤘

Right - 2026 is the year we're going to actually going to do this! Updated 13th Ocober: The hall is now booked 🥳 The date: Saturday 20th June 2026. The venue: https://bentleyheathhall.co.uk/ The address: Widney Rd, Bentley Heath, Solihull B93 9BQ Link to Google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kN4xPQQe35cHTNKbA Probably 10:00 to about 16:00 as usual.

Bently Heath charge £180 for a full day 9:30am-6:00pm and seem to have availability in April and June. I shall start a new thread, see what dates suit people, and then - as there will be no consensus - just book a weekend anyway!