Stub Mandrel

This is the way to go...

His music is also very melodic, rather than the rhythmic rattle of most slapsters.

Both my bands NORMALLY get asked to do 2x45 minutes (plus an encore or two). Usually we end up playing closer to 50 then 50 plus encores, simply because we'd rather play than stand around*. A few venues ask for a bit more, e.g. one venue does 5:45 - 8 on a Sunday. Some want less or have a strict curfew. We've just been booked for a private club Christmas party (a football supporter's club with 5,000 members!) in a 1,000 capacity venue, but we have only been asked to do an hour. We recently did a three-hour gig, 8 to 11, we did three roughly 40-45 minute sets, then ended up doing two encores, one of which had to be a song we'd decided not to do (and it went the best we've played it, probably because we were well into the groove by then). We've been asked back, and agreed because we had a real blast. I negotiated an 8:15 start, so we can leave at a slightly more civilised time. It's a long drive, but as we now know it's a quick setup as the low ceiling limits what gear we can use, that 15 minutes means leaving 30-45 minutes later. *One guitarist said "I get paid to have equipment, travel, set up and pack down. I play for free, because I enjoy it."

I'm sorry, there's no way I would set up on grass with the slightest chance of rain coming.

Should say this is my other band, so I'll be playing it first 🙂 Edit: More good news, the venue hire (we aren't paying for it) a full pro PA and lights with operators 🙂 We need to make sure we have a good photographer!

Been sulking as the guitarist from our blues band is also in an indie band that are taking off. He's just cancelled one of our local gigs so they can play Capital FM's big switch on. Plus they are supporting Cardinal Black at the Tramshed in February, Cardiff's most awesome venue. So imagine my joy to find out we've been booked to play the Cardiff Liverpool Supporters Club Christmas Party at the Tramshed this December (they have five thousand members, although they won't all turn up). Going to be riotous...

I put 4m, but I think mine are actually mostly 5m. But I have lots and some are too short and used only for practice. Currently, my main practise rig has a 6m on it... a Cheinmortbb won at the SW Bass Bash IIRC...

My brother asked me to track down a faint, but annoying harmonic buzz on one open string of a guitar. It turned out that one of the nut slots was cut so it was fractionally higher just back from the mouth of the slot, perhaps one or two thousandths of an inch. A few movements of a fine blade sorted it, but it was almost impossible to detect. In this case, suspect anything that may not be 100% snug, try tapping gently with a screwdriver.

While I love mine, I do have one issue - the side dots are hard to see at the best of times and virtually invisible under some stage lighting. I am contemplating sticking on temporary dots.

There are differences that even I can hear - but the BBOT was consistently brighter to my ear, with more harmonic content. The others sounded like the tone had been rolled back by varying amounts.

Can't remember what we charge, but the blues band I'm in sell cds and t-shirts. We only do covers although we are quite capable of writing our own material.

I used to use (in the 80s) a 1x18. Rock and roll/rock covers. Changed to a 2x12 (a closed guitar cab) and enjoyed the clarity and portability. Then (90s)added a home made 2x12 with two full range Mackie PA speakers. Indie rock, then pop rock originals. Then added two high powered piezo tweeters in a home made 'bright box', and never used the attenuator. Big gap. Trace 4x10 combo, was excellent for rock then a big mix of covers from funk to pop and rock. Added a peavey 1x15 but never used it in anger. Now a little GR Bass 2x12. Great for everything. Mostly blues rock and heavy rock, also general stuff. Not sure ifvthat tells you anything exceptvthat I try and make the best of whatever I have.

Why not fit a tweeter attenuation switch or wirewound pot?

Back in the 90s, the smaller venues we played (pubs and clubs) didn't differentiate between original and cover bands. Today it varies hugely on the status of bands. A recent originals night with four local bands (most only have about 30 minutes of material apparently) paid £60 each. House PA was provided. The motivation for the event was partly getting a decent sized audience together for bands used to playing to small groups of fans. (Alt-rocktpop rock) In contrast one of my bands BL also plays in an indie rock band with a following, have been on a bbc playlist and their last ep was no. 3 in the physical singles chart. When I saw them they packed a readonable sized venue. To date they have have had to plough every penny made back into the band, despite getting a sizeable grant to cover recording the ep. For a recent gig they had to borrow my other band's subs. I can't find anyone wanting to start an originals band because people in my demographic mostly are motivated by playing to a good sized audience. Covering costs with income isn't an issue for most of us as we see gigging as a contribution to the cost of a hobby. I can see that established bands can keep things going (I know a few people who make their living from touring and recording) but it is very dependent on their level of ambition, popularity and most of all, willngness to gig almost non-stop (one of them does over 300 gigs a year inbthe UK and USA).

Totally different layout.

So utterly different to any sportsground in the uk!

Thinks... fit probucker to Jaguar...

Flea jazz, great for blues.

Useful to see different ideas. To be true to the monster fuzz, I recall there was a transistor stage and (dual?) Op amp stage. I will probably go with a gentle transistor stage and experiment with 'klon-like' assymetric clipping using germanium diodes. I will bulid it on a prototyping board first.

Want to design it myself. In the spirit of 'Doc's Monster Fuzz' which I put together around 1984.

Orange definitely use a 10dB pad. But have an aversion to marking switches properly so you have to switch them to see which way is which! I won't mention their right to left obsession...

For sake of argument, imaging I have a 500W amp and a 250W amp side by side with a 250W Elf through identical cabs. I initially play at the same low volume through all three amps. To start with, all three amps sound fine, but I increase the volume (let's assume the gain is low enough not to overdrive). As I get louder I reach a point where the output stage of the 250W amp starts to distort, probably unpleasantly, if it's solid state). The 500W amp has extra 'headroom' so it still sounds fine. The Elf compresses the signal so it still sounds fine, but isn't as loud. To get the uncompressed amp to sound good all the time, it would have to be turned down. As we mostly play at reasonable volume with a few loud passages for emphasis, the Elf can 'keep up' with a more powerful amp MOST of the time, but is a bit less loud during the loudest passages. In this scenario, the effect of the Elf's compression is being used more like a limiter than a compressor, but the effect is more gradual rather than a 'brick wall' so it sounds better.

My brother gave me a PA when I started my second band. It's turned out that i've upgraded speakers and amp. I've also bought basic powered cabs and passive extension cabs that serve as a capable vocal only pa or as monitors with a bigger PA. Vocalist has invested in a serious digital mixer that does vastly more than my soundcraft Folio. Lights are fun... I've bought some cheap led lights and laser modules and one guitarist has very similar stuff. It isn't Pink Floyd, but when we have space it lifts things up. So it's all worked out ok.

Agreed, yet many amps have a 10dB pad to get rid of all that unnecessary active bass gain!

I've got a lovely and varied selection of low-gain germanium transistors, all pnp. Thinking of making an overdrive/ fuzz with a six-way two pole switch to change the transistor. Plus extra gain stages. Do the panel think the original fuzz-face circuit would be a good starting point?