Marvin

1/ One of my customers is just learning to play guitar, he's in his mid 50s. His guitar tutor asked what his aim was and the chap said he just wanted to play one gig. The guitar tutor replied that he'd need a better guitar. The guitar in question is an Epiphone Les Paul copy. It's in good condition and very playable. My customer asked me what I thought, I said I thought his tutor was talking out of his rear exhaust pipe. 2/ The music teacher at my son's school told my son that bass players don't play with plectrums, so he should only use fingers when he was playing the bass at school. My son told me this so I suggested next time he 'plays' bass at school and the subject of plectrums comes up he just says Bobby Vega or Carol Kaye. I then told my son, who is learning to play guitar, that anyone who wants to be a well rounded player should try to get to grips with all techniques on their instrument. Being deadly serious, I don't think people, who regard themselves as Music Teachers, and make such nonsense statements should be teaching at all. They're doing a disservice to those they are supposed to be teaching. It may seem minor, however, such narrow minded ridiculousness...well, it boils my waste water!!!

The new format is awful. I couldn't abide the part where the Australian band viewed clips of... Australian bands, it was pointless. I've arrived at the conclusion that if you want to find the worst or blandest new music, you'll find it in the Guardian music section or on Later.....

I lasted 2 practices, and I say practices in the loosest sense of the word. Wednesday was the worst practice I've ever been to, an utter shambles. They hadn't even attempted to learn any of the songs. Neither guitarist bothered to bring a single lead (they had to borrow my spares). One guitarist didn't have his amp and couldn't even remember where he'd left it. That same guitarist turned up stoned off his face and went on to get more stoned...so I've walked. It'd be a miracle if this ever made it out of the practice room Trying to land a spot with 'better' musicians isn't particularly feasible. It's a closed shop in my experience, they all play musical band chairs. So I'm done. Wednesday concentrated many of the reasons I dislike bands into 3 hours, and why I'll not be playing again.

I'm assuming you're referring to the modified "Apple Logo". I haven't used that one for about 8 years @Happy Jack 😁. You've a very good memory

I'll be quitting this band. I've been in this situation too many times and my patience is too thin to put up with it. The kicker last night was they couldn't even play the songs they'd supposed to have learnt for last week, let alone the ones for this. The basses will be going back in their cases and will, at some stage, probably be seen in the for sale forum. This year was the first year in the last +10 years where I wasn't in a band, and it's been a good year. I've spent a lot of time fishing with a mate of mine and taking my kids. Last Saturday I took my eldest fishing, I loved every second, we had a belting day. I've not felt like that in a band,not that I can remember. So...day off Tuesday, weather looks good, I'll be getting the rods out, NOT learning songs.

Get a Schroeder 1212l, you'll never need more volume than that. It may say 350w, but the Aggie is a very capable 350w. It could probably keep up with some 500w heads.

I quit bands, and music, everything at the beginning of the year. I sold almost all my gear, bar 2 basses and a bag of leads. People said don't, but I'd had enough. Then I got asked by someone I said I would be in a band with, the only person I'd be in a band with, I owed him really. And am I regretting it. All the same old crap. People not learning songs, not bringing gear, can't pay for rehearsals blah blah blah. Musicians are such utter moronic wasters.

Ouch. Thanks. I think I'll give that a miss.

Just a quickie Does anyone know how much the old ABM C210 EVO 2 500w combos weigh? I don't seem to be able to find any info on the internet as regards any of their spec let alone their weight. Cheers

There's a bass player local to me who changes his strings every gig (so at least once a week). He uses round wounds, yet plays old country and western. I've always thought it odd tbh. Billy Sheehan is another Rotosound endorsee who changes his strings a lot.

I think I'm quite lucky that I don't get sweaty palms and fingers ( 😯 ) and subsequently don't seem to get this issue. I only really change my strings when they start, possibly, getting 'overstretched', if that's even a thing, and don't stay in tune for long. Even when I used roundwounds, it could be 2 years in between changing strings.

It was perfect for the band I was in when I bought it. Drums and 2 guitarists, they weren't quiet but neither was it a LOUD set up. That band folded and I joined a band that, quite frankly, were moron level loud. The Rumble couldn't even keep up, and I rate it very highly. But these guys were just stupid. I would have been better off changing bands and keeping the Rumble rather than selling it.

Thanks, now I regret selling mine even more

I have Fender flats on my p bass and Chromes on my J bass. The rounds I had on my basses were so old that the flats sounded a lot brighter when I put them on, especially the Chromes. They suit my playing, they, sort of, sound like a bedded in set of rounds and then there's the fact they're a lot smoother feeling than rounds. I can't see me using rounds again, in part because I can' really afford to keep changing strings so Fender flats or Chromes are the perfect strings for me.

Vinyl records

£72?!? Given what's happened that's tantamount to daylight robbery. I think we'd all expect them to "red carpet" whatever they were delivering. Hope this is resolved for you very soon.

The bass doesn't sit that high. The top of the contour cut sits along the bottom of my rib cage. (similar to the height Billy Sheehan plays at). If I play much lower then I get pain in my fretting hand...and I don't want carpal tunnel. Also it limits variation of how the bass sits if you have gigs sitting or standing.

Number 1. If they come back later, having sacked their drummer, your friend could mention the singer then. 😎

Neither. Always use a strap, same height sat down or stood up. Never sits on my leg.

Wouldn't even look at any of them. There a limited number of people I'd be in a band with. If they're putting something together and they ask me then I'm in. Otherwise you'll find me fishing these days 😁. My patience is quite thin with bands, so turning up to try out to 3 or 4 strangers isn't of any interest. Too many times it's been a waste of time.

I don't excuse what happens, but I thoroughly understand it. I was talking, quickly, to the guy who delivers for Hermes. His "patch" is huge, and he regularly gets just under 100 items a day. Approximately 50% of recipients will be out. If he doesn't get rid on day 1 he has to try again on day 2. Say he gets rid of some to neighbours, he could have another 35-40 on top of the 100ish he was already struggling to deliver. So he "doorsteps". That's the way it is. Corners aren't just cut, they're axed. It'll be an unpopular observation, however, online retailers use the cheapest courier because consumers don't want to pay for delivery. This just creates an ever downward spiral.

My air bass is much better than non air bass playing, especially 5 string. Never got the hang of a non air bass 5er, but an air bass 5, I'm a genius. I'm an excellent air drummer as well, which is odd as I can't play non air drums for love nor money.

I've never played The Red Barn so couldn't say. There isn't really a circuit up in North Devon, there just seem to be a lot of bands trying to get in to play anywhere that'll have them. To be fair, most of the pubs are just too small for bands to get paid a decent amount. They simply can't get enough people in to make it pay. Also, there's not really 'a crowd'. It's predominantly 'older' people living in North Devon who don't go out to watch/listen to any music. If I was running a pub in North Devon I wouldn't be putting bands on. All that said...I think I might have just joined a band 😯. The only person I said I'd join a band with just asked me if I'd play bass in a band he's putting together. Bit rude to say no.

The pub gigs I've done in North Devon have never seen a band paid over £200. There are pubs that don't pay anything. It's part of the reason I wasn't much fussed when the last band packed up, and as a result I jacked it all in. Lugging gear around, playing music I wasn't interested in for £35 a night wasn't my idea of fun.