Stub Mandrel

I think Fender use self tapping screws, not wood screws. Tapping Screw #10 x 5/8", Phillips Oval #8 Head, Chrome (Qty: 100) Brings up a US screw that looks spot on, except #10 is about 4.8mm diameter. No exact UK equivalent. I'm guessing you need something like #2 x 16mm. https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/Self-Tapping-Screws/Phillips-Csk-Self-Tapping-Screw-AB-No.2x16-A2-Stainless.html 2.2mm diameter

I've fitted two, I used standard straps button screws but cut the ends off with hefty combination pliers and drilled a full depth hole. For a vintage bass try these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bulk-Hardware-BH02295-Slotted-Countersunk/dp/B00O7P1FQC

AFAICS the same button but shorter screw to avoid embassaing sharp point on front of headstock.

I've got my first ever dep lined up for 26 August. Two gigs in a day. They've sent me a set list divided into three with 31 songs! I thought that was a lot. Fortunately, I've played most of them before at some point, if only at rehearsals or just to learn them for fun. Lots of obvious ones... very much a list of crowd pleasers, rock and indie mostly with a bit of motown/funk. Quite excited as if it goes well I'll have the confidence to look for more dep gigs.

Interesting follow up - Clive Button says there is no Clive Button mod for the Bipolar Bear! I don't think he wants ANYTHING to do with it!

This should be dead easy, but there are no tabs out there. I'm sure Jack Bessant drops a few tasty fills and in the video he appears to be playing up the neck - is he using an octaver or is it bad editing? I'd like to do more than the basics. Google is not helping 😞

My experiences have all been fine with BD. Reading this thread from time to time, the issues seem to revolve around stock control. They seem to excel at orders where they can parcel up the item and send it out asap.

The trousers are clearly CGI!

Busy weekend. Friday night went to see Dansette, a motown type band complete with horns, arranged by my partner, so delighted that the place was rammed with some new faces. Their drummer agreed to dep for us in August. On Saturday played a 'beer garden' gig at The Bell Inn for Caerleon Festival. Not a huge attendance, but a pretty good crowd considering we were on after a thunderstorm followed by a Morris Dancing troupe. Acid test - for our last two songs it rained and everyone stayed - so we played Purple Rain as an encore. That evening our guitarist played another open air gig with his other, younger, band, and I was on the door at a sold out gig headlined by my brother's band, met two guys I hadn't seen since I was a teenager. Their drummer played with the support, a Faith No More tribute as well, he must have sweated off a stone by the end of the night as the portable coolers struggled to keep the place habitable! Yesterday evening at Cubanas, a club in Barry. We got confused about start time so went on about 15 minutes late, but only took a 5-minute comfort break and went about fifteen minutes over with encores so everyone happy. The weather and the fact that many of the regulars went to my bro's band's gig the night before (traitors!) meant we had a good crowd, but not packed like the previous time. A local singer got up and joined us for two Free songs at the start of our second set, which went down very well. Here's a Facebook video, I think it's set to public... We played Gary Clarke's 'Bright Lights' and it being all on Am somehow I ended up improvising a very rambling, jazzy walking line under Alex's solo which I was enjoying then he got a glint in his eye and stopped playing, so I found myself just blattering the fetboard as many positions and rhythms as I could think of, which to be honest was an absolute blast, and apparently it was OK out front, which is a relief! We got lots of positive comments after both gigs, but I'm knackered, so I won't be going to an open mike tonight! Punter pics: Up the dusty end!

Oh no! CHOKED ON THEIR OWN VOMIT!

Busy weekend.

A disgruntled Clive Button posted on Facebook today to stress that despite a currently popular video, he did NOT design the Bipolar Bear.

This is part of the little TE Elf's magic.

I don't think he was listening...

Well done for being philosophical about is 👍

There are two big debates going on here: How much do you need to live 'comfortably'? Can you earn enough to live comfortably from a function band? Clearly, some of us are fortunate enough to have very different ideas of what 'live comfortably' looks like, but disregarding that it's clear that you need to address the first question from your own point of view before any answer to the second has meaning.

This.

I'm aware of a rock band, above average profile, lots of radio play, chart albums, support big names, play big festivals regularly, tour in their own name and can get a few thousand people in a venue. One of them also does ordinary pub gigs as a duo/band, another one has a day job to sustain his new family. I'm sure the others do as well. It's hard work.

I've got two gigs coming up at the weekend, Caerleon Festival, and Cubanas, a local venue that started doing Sunday gigs last year and has really taken off. But what I'm really excited about is my brother's band have sold out a gig for Saturday evening (so I can go after the festy spot) and they are setting up on Friday. The bass player can't make the soundcheck evening, so they've asked me to stand in. Even if it's only a couple of songs, it will be great fun.

I always feel Markbass amps are very transparent. Not for me but very popular.

CCR as vastly more popular now than back in the 80s. And Deep Purple have almost disappeared from cover set lists!

I assume this is something of a 'new thing'. But then I am of an age where I get invited to funerals not weddings...

Just Sp[izz these days? He used to change his name every year, I recall Athletico Spizz80...

Just popped in to say howm much I enjoyed Elton John and Matt Bissonette.