Skybone

Pre-amp valves are pretty robust things with long lives. An orange glow is a healthy valve (generally speaking).

Do what you need to do, so that you keep it as a "player". However, don't make any physical alterations to it, and keep any parts that you remove.

Retrovibe have just announced a new set of pickups, including a new bridge pickup, with chrome surround & cover.

The PRS SE range are pretty darn good, and have a 'wide, fat' neck profile. Great for big handed d bass players. I've had a few of the SE Singlecuts (the ones with the P90's). Great players, great sounds, and seriously good build.

Was just going to post that I was pretty sure his name was Dave Pybus (met him a few times, sound bloke).

There's a few options available at a few price points. At the lower price end, there are the Retrovibe Hy Gane pickups. £25 + £5 p&p They also do a humbucking 'toaster' style pickup with 4 wires. £29 + £5 p&p Email them if you want more than one, and they'll send you a PayPal invoice, combining the postage. Higher up the price range, there's the Seymour Duncan humbuckers. Gemini Pickups in the UK hand wind replacement pickups, iirc, they're about £130 a set. Nordstrand have just released the 'Nordbocker' neck pickup. Don't know how much they are. Then there's Classic Amplification in the US, but they'll be quite expensive.

No idea unfortunately, give them a call. www.matamp.co.uk

Although not strictly in the North West, Matamp are worth a call. They're in Meltham near Huddersfield.

The Damned: Evil Spirits

I'm a bit too young to have ever experienced The Stadium, like many other great venues, it "progressed" into a car park for the Royal Insurance. Never knew about the Last Trumpet either. Interesting piece of music history.

We work out an arrangement during rehearsal, I record it & send it out to everyone. We will possibly rework it but we let everyone know. Is the singer responsible for the music as well? Are the rest of the band having difficulties keeping up with the changes to the songs? Sounds like you're best off out of it, the singer sounds like a nightmare.

Like Lozz, I bulk buy strings, but after trying the Red Label Stainless, I didn't like them. Started using Fender 7350m's, as they weren't that much more expensive, lasted a bit longer, and kept the brightness a bit longer as well. Plus the fact that they don't feel quite as harsh as the Red Labels either.

Line6 POD HD500x. It's a pre-amp and a multi-fx.

What I found useful when trying to get in to "singing" & playing with one band, was to record the music separately, then concentrate on the vocal separately. If you have a rehearsal recording, you can practice the bass line, then when you're happy with that, put your bass down and practice the vocal on its own. I found it helps, especially when you're trying to remember the words as well. Put them together in the rehearsal room.

Not bothered about his hair. His face is looking more like his old "Karloff" guitar graphic!

Whatever you decide, keep the Wal. Try out loads of different basses. Get the one that plays and sounds great. But keep the Wal.

Gig loan etiquette? Don't blow the amp up or any of the speakers!

Kirk is looking very old...

Saw the Stranglers the other week. JJB was superb.

Got to agree that Warwick Red's are pretty coarse. Used them for a while, but wasn't too happy with the feel or the sound. Changed to Fender 7350M's, not quite as cheap as the Red's, but cheaper than Roto's, decent quality and a nice sound.

Agreed. Nickels are a wee bit softer than Stainless, where Stainless are harder, and more abrasive because of it. You won't get a skin reaction with Stainless, but they are a bit harder on the fingers (and frets). I used to get a skin reaction from Nickels (dead skin on my fingertips), but since moving to Stainless, I've not had that. It did take a while to build up my fingertips, and it did hurt after playing, but it's a muscle / callous thing rather than a skin reaction. The solution? Play more bass!