Count Bassy

This as well. In many cases the original band would play it differently each time anyway. As I said above it keeps it organic and exciting. It's only when committed to a recording that songs become frozen.

I voted 5. I tend to listen to the original(s) of a track and start from that, but then do my own thing in the same vein. Obviously there are exceptions where the punters expect a specific thing at a particular point in a song, but generally they don't give a stinky poo as long as they reckognise it. I very rarely play the same song the same way twice in a row anyway. Much more fun to vary it as you go along and see where it takes you. NOTE: all this is in the past tense as I'm currently dormant!

School trip to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the Palace theatre (1973/4 ish ??). Those first few bars of bass at the beginning just blew me away and made me want to play bass. Sadly it was 30 years or more before I did anything serious about it.

Are we both married to the same woman?

Iggy Pop supporting the Foo Fighters at MK bowl several years go. Obviously a matter of taste, but IMHO he blew them out the water.

Is it actually the Class D technology itself that's the problem, or the way that they compress it to make it sound louder for the actual number of watts?

From my, admitedly limited, experience of modern SS amplifiers with Valve Pre-amps, the valve pre-amp has negligible effect on the tone. I currently have a Carvin BX something or other, but to be honest I can't tell the difference between the Valve in or by-passed. I've also read comments here and elsewhere about the Markbass Valve premps being "Very subtle". I'm comparing here with the wonderfull Marshall DBS system, or even their B150 Combo; both of these have blendable valve pre-amps that really make a difference, to the extent that it is actually useful to be able to blend between the two. Are there any modern SS amps out there where the Valve Preamp has a noticable/useful effect?

This. The song was released 65 years ago. Very political then, not really political or even controversial now - which is a good thing as it shows how much things have moved forward. However I still say the main reason not to play it is that it's dull.

I wouldn't perform it, but only because, for all its iconic status, it's a pretty dull song.

Brilliant, just the sort of thing I needed to know. Looks like a K&M one again then!

Title says it all really Thanks in advance for your thoughts / experience.

Yes, the Dunlops do need a bit of oil/WD40 (other lubricants are available) and checking every now and then. Dirt can get in the barrel and prevent the balls and/or the release machanism working properly. I've had no problem with the Dunlops, but then I've never tried the Schallers.

+1. Except that wher you "used to be embarrassed" I still am, which is why I've never been to a bass gathering.

Off the floor where you were playing? 😉

Depends on the garage.

Nothing strange about it. It's a good song.

Thanks for your thought folks. I should have made it clear that I've only ever been in cover bands, and never attempted writing or recording (which might be a good reason to try it I guess).

Johhny B Goode All Right Now

I have not been in a band for well over a year now. This was a conscious decision I made at the time having been involved in a number of start-up bands that either collapsed before any gigs (2), or played one gig and then collapsed (3). I just got tired of putting in the effort for it only to collapse in a heap. I think I can honestly say that none of the collapses where down to me. (Edited to add: I understand that it might look like I'm the common factor here). The problem I have is that, without having something to work towards, I have totally lost the motivation to practice (not helped by my depressive nature). To be honest, until last weekend I probably hadn't pickup up a bass for several months. It's got that bad. I guess the obvious answer is to try another band, perhaps an established one rather than a start up, but obviously the lack of practice makes that less likely. It's a sort of downward spiral. The other option that occurs to me is to just knock it all on the head. Any others here been through the same sort of thing. If so, how did you get out of it? CB.

I'm with you on this Binky.

I can identify with the OP. I got a place in the band after the original bass player moved away. About a year later I was sacked from the band for various unconvincing reasons, and lo & behold, a few weeks later the original bassist was back. I'd seen the sacking coming due to changes in the atmosphere at practices, stopping going to the pub afterwards, and the band not playing songs that I had been specifically been asked to learn the bass for. I'd have prefered them just to say "The old bass player is coming back".

Not really a problem because when/if the gold does wear away you will still have the nickel or whatever underneath. Not saying that they are worth it, just that it's not really a problem.

Pedant alert: The generated voltage is proportional to the speed of the travel, and the mass of the metallic object (i.e. the (square of) the string gauge). For a given pitch then a bigger oscillation requires the string to move faster, hence more signal.

You need to ask youself one very important thing............ .....Is it any good for metal?

Play the Johhny Winter version. My favourite by far.