Marvin

I somewhat flippantly said that it'd be January 2023 (I'll be 50 then) before gigs would be back in any meaningful way. With the way that the pandemic has been so grotesquely mishandled in the UK I'm coming to the opinion that this may well be the earliest gigs might be in any way back.

I've read that article a number of times now and nowhere does it say that 'Glastonbury' or the Eavis family or their farm will go bankrupt having to cancel this or any other year's festival. There is a part that says Festival Organisers in general are asking for a govt backed insurance scheme if they have to cancel festivals, which is quite another thing. It is something that smaller festival organisers need.

I borrowed a 6 string Harley Benton bass from a mate for a practice at a mutual friend's house. It was foul. The action was quite high and on the underside of the strings you could see an actual build up of grease from his fingers, it was like 2 or 3mm thick in places. It made me almost physically sick.

Yep, it's a pretty good place for this. I put out a shout for bits and bobs a few years ago as I was repairing my local schools' basses and guitars. I received more than enough. Great stuff it was as well.

If it's in the T&Cs and on the list of exclusions (which people should read before purchasing) that an item isn't covered, if a customer then goes on to buy the insurance then it's pretty much their own fault for wasting money. If you read most couriers list of exclusions for what can be sent in the first place it's a surprise they're in business, they exclude almost everything bar a cardboard box with bubble wrap in it.

Totally agree. The whole ethos at the beginning was affordable, quality instruments, which was what the V7 was. Basses like the V9 and V10 make that original sales pitch look quite cynical now. I wouldn't get rid of my original V7, but I'm in no way interested in the new expensive ranges. As I've said, I'd rather they'd have brought out a P3 to match the V3, or maybe a P5.

Surely it's not beyond the realms of possibility to put their pre amp pedal (as illustrated above) in a box with a power amp, and at least a 212 lightweight cab, to create a decent lightweight gigging combination.

I've never owned any TE gear but I'd really like to see someone take it out of the hands of Peavey and do something with it. TE have a grand total of 7 products on the market at the moment, and only one of those is actually a head. For such an iconic brand it's being treated in a pretty appalling manner. I've never owned any Ashdown gear either, but I hope they don't sell out to someone else

It must be said the John Paul Jones and Geddy Lee's 'dink' phases were ok though...weren't they?

That could cause inflation. Tax doesn't pay for govt spending. Deposits aren't used by banks to provide loans. Economics is ever evolving.

This was a message put out on social media by one of my favourite UK bands, a really great group of hard working guys... It's pretty self explanatory and it's not good.

A P3 or P5 (to go alongside the respective V versions) would have been more interesting to be honest.

One of my favourite UK bands that tour/gig almost constantly and would tour Europe maybe 3 or 4 times a year (festivals and gigs). So for them any limit blows a massive hole in their touring schedule. I'm not even sure the band may be viable, as gigging is their main income. And I doubt that if they decided that gigging in Europe was too expensive and problematic that the number of dates they do in Europe could be offset with dates in the UK. There are only so many times you can play the same venues in a year. At one point they were doing over +250 shows a year and probably a quarter to a third would be in Europe.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/298259546971359/permalink/2145526592244636/?sale_post_id=2145526592244636 £100, in the Bristol area. Not mine, just happened to see it

Also, I don't think people realise that well known brands don't always come to UK direct from place of manufacturer. From the packing labels on the last cab I bought - it was made in China, shipped to USA, then shipped to Netherlands, finally to be be shipped to a UK online retailer.

The only thing uncomfortable about that article is that Larry Elliot is employed by anyone to comment on economics, let alone be and Economics Editor. I didn't even bother with him when I did economics at University

Doves - The Universal Want AC/DC - Power Up Only 2020 albums I've listened to

I've got a Browning fishing reel, it's great. ...as is this coat I'm putting on to leave the room.

Once you add the VAT to the the prices on Thomann's site they're petty much what they were over the past few months. Some items are a little cheaper than in the UK some a little more expensive. So their prices are a known and fairly easy and straight forward to understand. What puts me off buying from Thomann currently are the unknowns and non price factors. As a UK consumer I can no longer rely on EU distance selling regulations for purchases from EU countries (distance selling regs have been rolled over for now into UK law to cover UK purchases, but that doesn't help if I buy from Thomann). Where do you stand with warranties? Do companies you buy from outside the UK have to abide by or provide a warranty? How would you return an item that needed repair? Would you be able to return something for repair? I returned an amp to Thomann for repair once, nothing could have been simpler. Download the postage labels, take to the PO, send it off, it was back within 2 weeks. Anything you send back now would need a customs declaration, fill it out wrong and who knows what fun will ensue. Non-tariff barriers are going to be a major headache of you've been used to regularly buying from EU countries. Buying from an EU country will be little different than buying from the US, Japan or any other country for that matter. How many of us buy regularly and without a second thought from the US, for example?

This is what happened when I put a Fender product into my 'basket '. You'd also have to consider what happens regards warranty. Also if you wanted to, or had to return it, what the paper work would be. The same combo from GAK is £274 inc VAT and delivery. How it'll effect prices in the long run will be uncertain. I bought a Fender Rumble 210 cab from GAK several weeks back for £275. Now at GAK they're out of stock but the price is £319 (which I believe is Fender's RRP). EDIT: just edited the post so the image doesn't need to be downloaded to view.

When I wasn't wanting to be a ROCK STAR playing at Wembly I wanted to be an aircraft engineer. Unfortunately it turned out I wasn't too hot on science, namely physics, and my maths was sort of only OK, so I decided that perhaps I should try different subjects. I went on to do Economics, History and Politics at A-Level and then Economics and Politics at University. I was quite good at them...although it didn't result in a decent job because I was naff at interviews. Oh well. Somewhat strangely I did tick off one thing from my musical bucket list. About 2 years ago I played at the Arts centre in my town that had/has hosted the likes (not all good I might add) of John Martyn, Danny Thompson, Seth Lakeman, Show of Hands and Andy Fairweather-Low and loads of great gigs from local bands. The strange thing was that the first band I saw there was when I was 17. 30 years later I was stood on stage with the guitarist from that band (who's about 10 years older than me). So that made me smile a lot

I only use a clip on tuner if I'm too lazy to use my pedal. I prefer a pedal as it can double up as a mute pedal. I don't like, or rate, clip on tuners to be honest. I don't find them accurate and they look naff.

...play in a rock band at Wembley stadium. From as far back as I can remember, from seeing maybe Live Aid, I don't know. But that's what I wanted to do. And watching INXS LiveBabyLive on iPlayer, yes I'd have some of that Look at the crowd shot at about 15 secs.

Last time I ordered strings from Amazon I ended up with a mobile phone case for a Samsung S something or other.

Ghost Town was the first single I bought with my own money. I was 8 I think, I bought it in a branch of Littlewoods. Anyway, I love Mr Panter's bass playing. He also seems a really nice bloke. Win win