Stub Mandrel

I once orded from Farnell, a single microprocessor about 20mm. It arrived in a plastic frame for 100 chips about ten inches square, sandwiched under another one. In an anti-electrostatic bag. In a standard plastic bag. Surrounded by bubble wrap. In a cardboard box. Surrounded by cardboard packing. Inside a cardboard box over two feet square. Someone must have been having a very borjng afternoon. 😁

Whomsoever can answer the question, will get their answer ticked and a credit towards obtaining the rare and only slightly less mysterious Third Badge.

So what's the mysterious fourth badge?

It's possible, but not common, to make your posts a poll question. I wonder if the poster is able to mark an answer as 'best'?

I learned a new word today.

I play fingerstyle quite hard but don't get blisters or callouses. Is it a technique thing?

£7 🤣

Typically, this sort of thing... cheap enough not to worry about being ripped off, but I haven't been (yet). https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008052686848.html?algo_exp_id=f349a06c-7271-443d-8abd-ed25e12716bd-2&pdp_ext_f={"order"%3A"14"%2C"eval"%3A"1"}&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch|query_from%3A|x_object_id%3A1005008052686848|_p_origin_prod%3A

G;ad a mutually OK route was found. I hope you are able to find a positive way to keep gigging.

You nake my point! Sailing may be maudlin and mediocre, but it's like a duck - going like mad under the surface. You won't find many modern pop chart hits with the complex and continually changing phrasing of its bassline. After the slow start there are barely two bars repeating the same rhythmically or melodically.

Has anyone got experience of felt picks? I inagine these sound much more finger-like. (In the early days Fender recommended "the thumb of the right hand or a plectrum of medium to heavy weight felt, if preferred". Using the first and second fingers of the right hand was for a more advanced stage were "speed and agility" were required.)

Sailing was massive, Barbados and Jive Talking are classics and the Smokie song is great IMHO. But the question is basslines and even the totally wet Bay City Rollers song has a reasonably interesting walking line.

Considering the prices are close to the likes of Pizza Excess the food is a big step up. Marc's also opened Palladino's Jazz Bar nearby. I haven't been yet, he's targeting the jazzy end of blues.

Or Sgt. Rock?

I should have mentioned (confessed) my latest bass - a Kay Gremlin. I suppose starting on a Kay guitar, I feel sorry for them- I have a Kay Tulip too.

I still feel 'imposter' syndrome about my bass playing. It feels like I've got away with this huge bluff.

Partly because it isn't that far from the truth.

If you want to save a few quid and have some most excellent nosh, his brother's signature Penne is only £15. There's a pizza too, but personally I recommend the fiorentina.

I have a couple and so does our lead guitarist which is a bit much! Pink Floyd eat yer heart out! It's ridiculous how cheap they can be and that even on usb power they are bright enough for a club.

A-strings is my favourite shop, because you buy a new Fender and the 'free online lessons' sticker is in the goody bag, unloved and unwanted.

I've been looking into octave violins and violas (curiosity only my violin playing is not good). Scale length seems to be almost irrelevant. https://www.sonicviolins.co.uk/electric-violin-blog/octave-violins

I bought some cheap PARs from Amazon. Aside from cheap plugs they are great, sound to light, dmx and everything. I ordered two more and they were basically remote control light bulbs. They must have sent the wrong model the first time. I have a few other bits and keep meaning to get a decent Derby. I also bought two tiny USB 'R2D2' lights from Temu for about a fiver each. I got the idea after seeing similar ones at a club. Sat at the back they cover a huge area of ceiling and back wall with gently moving patterns of rgb dots that chase through the combinations. Take 2 minutes to set up and add a lot to gigs in little venues where there's no room for proper lighting.

You are not alone. I can only keep things tidy if they have a place.

I've just been triggered by seeing a six year old bass with a manufacturer's sticker still on the scratchplate 😱

Failed at violin lessons. Chucked out of the choir audition. Found school music lessons grim. Discovered TOTP. Got into ELO and part of that was the realisation that each instrument and voice had a different rhythm and melody. Used to listen to those albums over and over focusing on different parts - so I was aware of bass. I had a 'classical' guitar I fitted bronze strings to... then a Kay 'sg copy' (I still have it) and made a couple of deadly amps from old valve record players. Went to uni and got better - used to vamp chords along to a copy of "The Beatles Compleat" as folks sang along. Got a gorgeous mid-70s Epiphone Jumbo and became moderately competent as a rhythm player on it. My best mate had a Precision that fascinated me - I had to play it whenever I saw it. In the end he leant it to me for a month on the condition I learned one finger per fret. Ended up buying a new Hohner Jazz and getting into a cover band at my second audition. then my brother gave me a B2. Then I got a Maya fretless P, followed by almost accidentally getting a Fender Performer. Two originals bands brought me to 1996 - I lived for music and mountain biking. <over 20 years of non-musicalness due to work but mostly a tough marriage> Towards the end of this I was self-employed and started playing bass to break up the monotony of working on my own - discovered I was good at playing by ear to the radio. Then I started finding my own way again (divorce incoming). Did a weekend warrior event and led to a band, Ialso did some random stuff with a local singer songwriter. Starter buying basses... Then covid... Once vaxed, moved out to look after my dad. As soon as I could, joined two bands. Met my new partner through gigging. One band never gigged so left and started another. Started going to jams and open mics, got confidence and did some depping. Got asked to join two more bands. So now I have too many basses, four bands and I do the odd dep and have an incredibly supportive partner who lives for live music. Yes I'm burning the candle at both ends but I have a lot to catch up on. And it's f£%@ing awesome to rediscover myself.