Tim2291

A jazz bass is like a Volvo. They are a good tool in most circumstances, but about as exciting as watching paint dry.

It is shockingly common now, I know countless people with all sorts of degrees that don't use them in anyway, law graduates managing supermarkets etc. I got an HND in music straight our of school, about half went on to finish the full degree, and out of the entire HND class, 2 of us still actively play, most have got rid of their instruments altogether! One thing I would say about studying a degree a little later than is traditional, is that it makes you look at opportunities differently, and helps to reinforce the drive and determination from when you're younger! I am definitely more focused in every aspect of my life having done my degree, so in that respect if I never ended up using it for its true purpose, it has still helped me hugely! Thank you guys, I will explore the idea further !

I think the best teachers can sometimes be those who are reluctant to be at a school, they understand that the kids don't want to be there! A lot of people I went to school with are now teachers, most of them complain non stop about it, and to be honest from what I have seen, went in to teaching as a "backup" because they couldn't get their degree to work for them in any other way! There are some incredible teachers out there who do it because they enjoy/love it and it sounds like you were one of them so well done! I've been contemplated teaching bass to boost income as we have a baby on the way, but I always come to the conclusion that I don't know enough or feel that I'm not good enough!

I love learning things to be honest! Hated school with a passion but always love learning new things, no matter how irrelevant it may be. What I don't understand is spending nearly £6000 a year if you aren't planning on using it for anything useful!

Unfortunately when it was decided that universities could charge up to £9000 (or whatever it is exactly), they all will, so the Open Uni also raised their prices in line! I remember it was originally that Uni's could charge up to £9K if they felt they were worth it... yeah which Uni is going to devalue themselves like that!

There's a joke there about the wife doing it for me or something

I think there are a lot of older people who do it as they are fully entitled to a student loan, yet on a pension, they are never going to pay a penny back!

I did 4 x 30 credit modules in a year once... that was tough! I'm waiting for my results which are due later this month but then I will be looking at moving on to the next step whatever that may be, just hoping to get out of technical sales engineering to be honest! OU is definitely a lot of work, but I have met some great people along the way and the residential courses were good! From what I'm told, the maths we do goes in to far more depth and it is a far broader spectrum of engineering, I have focused mainly on electronics but I have also done mechanical, chemical and nanoscale modules so it is very broad. As you say though, I'm sure "brick" uni graduates would run rings round me in each individual area on their own as they specialise on one subject only!

A surprising amount of people do it for "fun" to be honest! It seems like a very pricey hobby... but then again I'm saying that on a forum for people who spend thousands on planks of wood!

Yeah! I did the first 2 years part time and then decided I like punishment so did the rest full time! It is a lot of work, I have spoken to a few other engineers who have done degrees at "traditional" unis, and they have all said that the OU degree goes way further into the subjects as well! Only downside is the lack of practical work!

Stuff the bass, the stereo, the rug, the fretless strat, the BSB Ducati and the R1... That palm tree is looking great! 👌

As I said, it's ugly as anything!

Right now this... However much the sound engineers are paid... they deserve more! How can 3 drummers at once sound this tight!

The SR's have really thin necks! I mainly use the 5 for moving notes up the neck, for example, playing Donna Summer - Hot stuff, is pretty much exclusively octaves around G and F (1st and 3rd fret on a 4 string) for around 4 minutes is uncomfortable. Play it on a 5 string means it can be played on the B string above around the 6th and 8th frets which is far more comfortable. The extra low register is amazing as well, adds so much depth being able to go as low as B!

Having known technicians in the RAF... the planes are held together by a terrifying amount of duck tape!

Very true... but the chefs and logistics guys don't get to do barrell rolls and loop the loops all days which at the time was what I thought being a pilot would be! In reality, it's probably closer to my daily commute 99.9% of the time, sit in the chair, get it in the sky, hit "cruise control" and let it take you wherever you're going!

I know the feeling! Other than a musician (which people put me off of at every opportunity obviously), I never had a clue what I wanted. Ended up stumbling into a sales engineering role, and whilst there found that I did enjoy engineering a lot so went for the degree. Hoping to move forward into more of an actual engineering role once I get my results back, with any luck I will actually enjoy it haha! I'm 31 now so still have plenty of time left to work sadly! I'd love to get music back to a point that it's more of a job for me, but in my stupidity I let contacts and networks slip away over the last few years!

I was hoping to join the airforce as a pilot, until I found out I was very colour blind and wouldn't be allowed to fly a plane. What's the point in being in the Air Force and not being able to fly the plane?

This one will definitely be ugly to a lot of people... Personally I think it's ugly, absolutely ridiculous and I've never wanted a guitar more in my life 🤣

The careers advisors at our school pretty much told everyone to become a train driver or teacher... They don't help in any way! I ended up starting my full Engineering degree at 26 (Open uni) and have only just finished it now! Schools should never "advise" kids on careers, they should be advising kids how to achieve their career regardless of how crazy it sounds. I'm sure if Tim Peak said to a careers advisor at 14 that he wanted to be an astronaut they'd laugh at him rather than saying OK, this is what you need to give yourself the best chance!

I'd love to, but I cant see the rest of the band agreeing to that one sadly! That is a good idea for next year though, put together a misfits tribute just for Halloween!

For 5 grand i'd want the decorative tailpiece to be solid gold.

Completely agree, buying either would be ridiculous, neither look nice in my opinion. I know both USA Fenders and Rickenbackers are great quality wise. But I personally would struggle to justify spending that kind of money when the Mexican fenders exist at a far lower price. Granted quality isn't as good, but replace the bridge, give it a good set up and maybe a rewire and you're laughing!

Welcome Rob, and good call on the Tidepool blue keep an eye out for second hand ones! Mines a Mexican Jazz bass that I from a good friend for an absolutely crazy deal!

No problem, even so the Ric is great at being a Ric, but it's fairly limited on what you can do with it, Jass bass, whilst boring, has been used on so many recordings it makes it more versatile. If i'm honest, I probably wouldn't take a £2000 guitar to a gig either way though, I'd much rather stick with my MIM Jazz and not worry! I guess if you were a serious collector/investor, a special edition is probably the one you'd buy, and it would then sit in a cupboard for 40 years until it's worth even more!