flyfisher
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Everything posted by flyfisher
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Crying about something like an 'overpriced' guitar is pointless and self-indulgent unless there is an alternative. What would the OP suggest should be done about people charging high prices for their products?
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How much is too much for a piece of wood?
flyfisher replied to hiram.k.hackenbacker's topic in General Discussion
[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1327344546' post='1509703'] Cost is all relative. Anything is worth (to you) exactly what you are prepared to pay for it. [/quote] This^ People pay £20k+ for a pair of shotgun stocks and there's probably less wood in those than a bass. OK, the shotguns will generally receive finer workmanship, but even so . . . -
Dodgy for-sale pictures... do they bother you?
flyfisher replied to Mylkinut's topic in General Discussion
[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1327268601' post='1508718'] Us older guys take a little time to work some of these new fandangled software type packages out you know. I remember when computers actually started when they were as big as a spare room for a basic timer programmer. [/quote] Funny you should mention timers. I had to get a friend to help me control my alarm clock from my vintage home computer; here we are checking the timer settings using a 'proper' interface device - none of this WIMP nonsense. -
[quote name='charic' timestamp='1327066870' post='1505946'] You should have refused to pay him in full, maybe give a token amount for the bass setup but I would not have paid for a full lesson. [/quote] Absolutely. It's a sad story but well worth sharing in order to help others looking for a tutor.
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PA advice - what should I know before buying a PA?
flyfisher replied to magee's topic in Accessories and Misc
[quote name='zzaass' timestamp='1326564994' post='1498975'] Hi, we were in similar situation a year ago and got a Yamaha Stagepass 500 Just for vocals. It's plenty loud enough for loud pubs. I probably wouldnt even have considered it but the singer was recomended it and just got it. It's dead simple to set up, takes no room at all and we can just about manage without foldback. [/quote] We started with the 220W version and even that is loud enough for many places (vocals only). We then added a separate mixer, a pair of Mackie SRM450s and a Mackie SWA1501 for larger venues and we use the Yamahas for stage monitoring. Seems flexible enough for us - anything bigger and the venue usually has its own PA anyway. -
[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1326321907' post='1495593'] Tried buying Kodachrome lately? [/quote] Ah, Kodachrome. RIP. I've got boxes of 35mm kodachrome slides that I shot in the late 70s onwards. What amazes me today is how I managed to use something as slow as 25 ASA. Happy days.
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[quote name='umph' timestamp='1326301361' post='1495182'] Did you do any measurements with gear? [/quote]
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[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1326214893' post='1493941'] Demand already has disappeared. The music industry alone uses tubes . . . . [/quote] I thought the RF industry still used valves for high power transmitters. OK, not an interchangeable component but surely the manufacturing process would be similar? [quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1326214893' post='1493941'] Once all the Soviet era military hardware using tubes has been retired so will the tube, as few musicians would be willing to pay the 50 pounds each that a 12AX7 will eventually go for. Eventually the tube will go the way of photographic film. [/quote] In a crazy world where some people happily pay 100s for simple interconnect cables and loads more for other 'exotic' stuff, I'd say that £50 for valve would not put many people off. I take your basic point but reckon the price point would have to be much, much higher - probably at least ten-fold to completely kill them off.
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I can't see valves disappearing unless demand really does disappear. There's always someone or some small company willing to make specialised stuff. That's why we can still ride on steam trains or buy a horse drawn cart or buy vinyl recordings. Having said that, all these things still exist in living memory. It'll be interesting to know what will happen in another,say, 3-4 generations when there will be no living memory and such things will only be known about from the history books. Even then, I dare say there will be some people still interested in them. I believe there are musicians that play ancient instruments, even make them from scratch, though that's hardly the same thing as being semi-mainstream.
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Random: is it ok to use a guitar amp on its side?
flyfisher replied to gafbass02's topic in Guitar Amplifiers
It's bad practice to mount heavy components on a circuit board and not provide another form of mechanical fixing/restraint. Given Peavey's reputation for tank-like robustness I don't think 'bad practice' would readily spring to mind in this context and I'd certainly not be concerned about using it on its side. -
In general, passive splitters are not ideal, especially when connecting to multiple low-impedance devices. Personally, for the very small additional cost, I would choose an active splitter. I have one of these and it works fine: http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/behringer-ha400-microamp-ultra-compact-stereo-headphone-amplifier--33860
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[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1325772027' post='1487404'] They forgot the bit where you take some gear out to the car, only to hear "sorry mate, pub's closed" from a member of staff as you try to get back in to continue loading out. [/quote] Yeah, I've had that one!
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Thanks for the interesting comments. I didn't realise that the some of the components were actually different. I appreciate that MIA versions are almost bound to have a higher price tag because of labour costs but I've never got my head around why the differences should be so large. The comment about Fender being masters of marketing is probably right. My fender P is a1989 MIJ that I bought new and before I knew of all these subtle variations. I've been very pleased with it, although I have a nagging worry that not having much experience of other basses might mean that I'd actually be better off with something different . . . . but I guess that how GAS begins!
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What are the actual supposed differences though? Surely all the (standard) fender pups are made in the same place by the same machines and shipped out where needed. Similarly, wouldn't the bodies and necks all be carved out by CNC machines working to idential programming? I can understand that wood quality might vary a bit, but wouldn't that vary between actually basses, rather than locations? I can also understand that set-ups might vary a bit, though wouldn't there be a common standard test & set-up procedure across all manufacturing sites? I'm not trying to argue that there can be no differences across basses but I'm struggling with generalisations such as "MIJ", MIM and "MIA" as useful descriptors.
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[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1325436042' post='1483111'] [i]I don't think you or the seller will get anywhere with Parcelfarce, I seem to remember a disclaimer in their T&Cs that say they won't accept liability for damage to guitars if not packed properly.[/i] Why should they accept liability for things that aren't packaged properly? They're there to deliver parcels, not to check that the sender hasn't been a pillock. [/quote] I understand your point but those T&Cs sound a bit Catch 22 to me. They won't accept liability if the item is not packed properly but they can use any damage as evidence of improper packaging. If there's no damage then there's no liability anyway. Nice business if you can get away with it.
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A bloke walks into a music shop........
flyfisher replied to LeftyBiskit's topic in General Discussion
[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1325178514' post='1480654'] Until you want to try something. [/quote] That's a fair point, but it's fairly obvious what people will do. If they really want to try before buying they'll find a shop that stocks the item and will allow a try-out. They'll then go home and order it cheaper on line (unless the retailer can price-match). Of course, this is not really 'fair' but it is the reality of what retailers face. When all the retailers have gone bust because of such practices then people will just buy online and use the Distance Selling Regulations as a guaranteed means to return the goods if they dont like them after trying them. Even if they have to pay the return shipping then they've still saved on time and transport. However, when most retailers really have gone bust and there are no more high street shops, I predict a rise in 'demo centres'. These might be like the current Apple Stores or they might be shared facilities funded by a number of manufacturers but the basic concept would be somewhere to have a close look at things and try them out before ordering them in-store for delivery from a centralised warehouse - which is pretty much how places like John Lewis already work when it comes to large items anyway. -
A bloke walks into a music shop........
flyfisher replied to LeftyBiskit's topic in General Discussion
[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1325170021' post='1480498'] I used to manage a shop selling car audio gear and the internet thing was getting depressing even then (nearly 10 years ago now). In many cases the internet shops were selling such huge volumes that they retailed stuff cheaper than we could buy it trade. Shops can reasonably claim that they are selling a different product in that you get advice and good service. Except that rather too often you don't. As somebody said, they make the mistake of employing musicians - the last people you would employ to provide good service [/quote] I don't consider the rise of internet shopping as particularly depressing . . . it's just a matter of adapting to the inevitable change. As for the advice point, that's where forums such as BC are so valuable. Why ask one or two shop assistants for advice when you can ask a few hundred people for a whole range of views, often based on far more expertise and experience than could be found in a high street shop, and then make up your own mind. Given the time and hassle involved in driving into town these days, not to mention the ridiculous cost of parking everywhere, I'm amazed retail businesses have survived as long as they have. I guess a lot of people still like the 'shopping experience' - which is fine, but it's not for me. -
Could be worse. I've played mid-week gigs where almost everyone has left by 10pm leaving the headline band to play almost for themselves. Should be OK on a friday night . . . hopefully.
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A bloke walks into a music shop........
flyfisher replied to LeftyBiskit's topic in General Discussion
Don't waste time, money and energy trying to find another shop that stocks what you're looking for - this is what the internet was invented for. (Sorry retailers) -
[quote name='ped' timestamp='1324740873' post='1477501'] Average time spent per user is 10 mins per visit. [/quote] That sounds about right to me in practice. I generally use BC in bursts of about 10 minutes, typically while having a tea break, but I do so many times per day. But sometimes I don't logoff, so I don't know if that 10 minute stat is particularly accurate.
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[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1324683270' post='1477115'] So there we go, just wasted another hour of my life writing this crap. [/quote] An hour? You should think about some typing lessons.
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Steve Lawson - Why I've Taken My Music Off Spotify
flyfisher replied to xilddx's topic in General Discussion
It could be argued that you can't really blame the banks either. Last I heard, it's not actually possible to force people to take out stupid loans that they can't afford to repay. And now the banks are being blamed because they won't lend as much money as they used to. Banks are a convenient scapegoat and their demonisation helps us to avoid looking into the real problems we all face. I'm not suggesting they're blameless by any means, but neither are they wholly responsible. But hey, it's Christmas so let's not get ourselves too depressed, let's exercise our flexible friends and have a good time - we can always deal with the after-party repercussions later. Er, hang on . . . . -
[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1324567603' post='1475714'] Great playing from Trevor Bolder and a lovely EB3 tone. [/quote] . . . despite his crappy curly cable ;-)
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Steve Lawson - Why I've Taken My Music Off Spotify
flyfisher replied to xilddx's topic in General Discussion
But my point was about consistency, not about numbers. How many bankers make millions? You're dead right - f*** all (in relative terms), yet we tend to despise them while adoring the relatively few musicians (and footballers etc) who do. I just find the whole psychology of such things fascinating. -
My gear is all insured by my home policy, which is where it spends most of its time. When it's out gigging, I'm always with it so I consider the risk of loss or damage to be fairly low compared to its value and the cost of premiums. Effectively I self-insure and it has worked out pretty well over the last 20 years or so.