Cliff Edge

There’s the difference. Mine has spent almost all its life out of a case, being used.

I accept my experience may not be typical but I’m naturally suspicious of any Fender from that era described as totally original. Many of the bits I have had to replace did not last the first 20 years, including the pickups. And I’ve just remembered, the strap buttons are original, with a bit of surface rust. It weighs a healthy 10 pounds.

If my experience with my constantly gigged since new ‘72 jazz is anything to go by, you’ll be lucky to find anything original beyond the body and neck. And probably the bent bit of metal they call the bridge, which is indestructible. Everything else has not survived the intervening 50 years. And no I have not abused it, just used it, a lot.

You’re based North of the border which may have a bearing on the delay if the port of entry, where clearance would normally take place, is South. And then there is DHL (Richard Heads Limited), which used to be an express logistics company. Your frustration is understandable but as you will, or at least should, be required to sign for delivery, if it doesn’t show up you’re covered. Edit. Crikey. Well I’m sure you get the Richard thing.

The tone strap is definitely a myth, but there are plenty of nuts about.

Go and stand in the corner.

I have short scale TI Jazz flats on a 32” Aria TSB 650. Fit well, play great. Some useful info here <https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/blog/how-to-measure-bass-scale-length/>

I enjoyed EJ’s set last night (iPlayer) although his weird diction drives me crazy. I have problems understanding more than two words a minute sometimes. Always has done but appears even weirder these days. For once the BBC got the sound mix right. Obviously someone with good ears on the edit. Contrast with the Chicks who’s microphone technique doesn’t involve sucking the damn thing all the time, and an acoustic guitar solo was virtually inaudible. Shame as the set was very professional. Haven’t watched anything else yet.

I had something similar recently. Middle and index finger seemed to stick together with the middle slightly over the index. This happened in the middle of a song. I couldn’t get them apart immediately and had to play the next couple of numbers with them stuck until the break. I got concerned I was having a stroke or worse. I managed to get them apart during the break and it hasn’t happened since. No pain though.

Lower the pickups.

I’ve never done that. It’d be pointless as I’m hopeless remembering names.

Over time I’ve had a mix of stuff depending on what I could afford at the time. From memory, in the early 70’s a Vox AC30 treble boost of all things. Rather good it was too. A Traynor passed through my hands, I recall it wasn’t very good. A wonderful Peavey TK something or other combo, I separated the amp and cabinet to make it more portable but it still didn’t fit in the Mini. A couple of Hartke 3500’s, the second because the first took up smoking and died. They went into an Eden 1x15 cabinet. Very nice. There were others I can’t remember, probably because they weren’t any good. All I have now is an Ampeg BA112 and I Di into the PA from a Sansmp BDDI It’s too bloody heavy for its size though. The Ampeg not the BDDI.

I can’t remember actually being 50 but I’m pretty sure I’m a better player now. If I’m not then I’ve wasted the last 60 odd years being mediocre.

Gretchen Peters in Bexhill on Sea last night. First class professional performance as expected from this seasoned artist. The final live tour by all accounts. Great band behind her with Colm McClean on upright and Precision. Not a name I'm familiar with. And no drummer. The support was Kim Richey who finished her set with quite possibly the best ever rendition of Sunday Morning Coming Down getting a standing ovation. A very enjoyable evening and a packed house.

Always good to see the bass player taking lead vocals.

Washing up liquid or any liquid soap works.

‘‘Twas the same with Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Fine I suppose for all the guitar nerds in the audience getting their rocks off but way too much widdling for the sake of it. “Is this tune ever going to end”.

Saw him Tuesday evening in Bexhill on Sea. I agree he can certainly play a guitar, but honestly after the fifth or sixth number it’s all a bit repetitive. And extremely loud. Bass player was excellent with a fine sound from the Ampeg stack behind him. The sound and lighting guys were perfectly synced with the music and the films projected behind him were very amusing. Sorry to say we left at the interval, along with a good few others. I’m pleased I saw him, we’ve had the tickets 3 years and we’re beginning to wonder if we’d ever see him. But I wouldn’t bother again. Sorry.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band last night at the Del La Warr in Bexhill on Sea. He, KWS, is obviously a very talented rock guitarist and he knows it, playing overly long guitar solos, with Status Quo style posing, to his devoted fans. But blues it ain’t. Well I don’t think it was as the vocals were largely drowned out by the guitar, which is a shame as when you could hear the singer he was very good. The bass was muddy and practically inaudible, badly eq’d in the kick drum. There was a very good keyboardist when you could hear him. The sound and mix is usually excellent in the venue and I’ve seen dozens of shows there, but last night was clearly biased towards the guitar player. And it wasn’t nice. I was bored after half an hour of repetitive loud widdling.

My first amp/speaker rig was a cheapo valve HiFi thing of no more than 20 watts. Tripletone comes to mind but I could be wrong. My father built a separate cabinet for me with a 15” Fane speaker. The whole thing was far too big. I didn’t do many gigs with it due to not being able to move the damn thing easily. Non driving schoolboy I was.

They are. They just don’t look the same.

I saw a local Beatles tribute act a couple of years ago in the Canary Islands. Music was good but the on stage banter in Spanglish with Liverpool accents was hilarious.

Lemonrock is light on specifics about the venues. Nothing about parking and access etc. Appears to be reasonably up to date in my area although some venues I would expect to see are not featured but that’s the venues responsibility.

Spirit in The Sky is a great record. I must have played it hundreds of times when I ran a mobile disco* back then. Never failed to get people dancing. * Don’t judge me, the girlfriend and I were saving up to buy our first house and it was money for old rope. Probably still is.