flyfisher

Isn't it astonishing that there's no standard for DC power supplies, or no widely adopted one?

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1309479' date='Jul 19 2011, 06:35 PM']I use a guitar tuned like a banjo with no low E string - like Keef[/quote] I've been thinking of trying that. He mentions it in his "Life" autobiog and he also uses open G tuning a lot. He says a lot of Stones songs won't sound right with anything else. I played guitar before bass, though only rhythm - I could never get the hang of playing lead guitar. I've played around writing a few songs and it has never occurred to me to try it on just the bass. Seems far more natural to strum a chord sequence as the starting point.

I've had many recommendations for this company: [url="http://www.stripperspaintremovers.com/"]http://www.stripperspaintremovers.com/[/url] Mostly in the context of removing different types of paints and varnishes when renovating old houses, but I don't see why a guitar should be particularly different. Might be worth giving them a call.

[quote name='citymariner' post='1308357' date='Jul 18 2011, 08:17 PM']Is it really that dumb to ask for peoples experience? Isn't that what a forum is all about?[/quote] No and yes. I prefer the old adage that there's no such thing as stupid questions, only stupid answers. FWIW, I also use Ashdown 210 and 115 cabs. I stack them 'upright' so that the 2x10s are one on top of the other (with the 115 cab at the bottom). Seems to work fine and has quite a small stage footprint. Last weekend I played a garden party gig and only had room for one cab in the car as, this time, I was taking a lot of the PA gear as well. I chose the 210 and it was fine. I've only tried a direct comparison of the 210 and 115 at home and, to be honest, I didn't notice any great difference that a bit of eq tweaking couldn't fix. Perhaps I've just got cloth ears!

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='1307995' date='Jul 18 2011, 03:47 PM']I've done it Rich's way except I used small mole grips. G.[/quote] Beat me to it, but a definite +1

I've never had an active bass, so I'm just thinking out loud really, but why can't such things be phantom-powered like many microphones?

[quote name='Doddy' post='1303781' date='Jul 14 2011, 05:10 PM']On a more general note,a big part of practicing is not the pure number of hours but the material that you study. Playing along to your favourite Chili Peppers for a couple of hours is great fun but it's not practicing. The idea is to practice something that you have never played or can't already do....that is how you improve. An hour studying an 8 bar exercise out of 'Chord Studies' will see a bigger improvement than 3 hours jamming to 'Californication' for the 6th time. Don't get me wrong,playing to your favourite albums is fun and important but after a short while it stops becoming practice and you need to look elsewhere for improvement.[/quote] +loads That principle applies to everything in life really. Personal development in pretty much anything is best achieved by focusing on things you are [u]not[/u] good at. Just concentrating on stuff you can already do is reinforcement rather than the route to improvement.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1303620' date='Jul 14 2011, 03:15 PM']Get those 10,000 hours in. [/quote] Only about 14 years if you practice for 2 hours every single day . . . .

[quote name='oldslapper' post='1303616' date='Jul 14 2011, 03:08 PM']There is the old story of Robert Johnson, who legend has it that he was so brilliant because he sold his soul to the devil on exchange for talent. One of his peers was asked whether this was true, and the guy said "I don't know about that, but this I do know....he practices a lot".[/quote] A bit like that old Arnold Palmer quote (I think) about golf being a game of luck - and the more he practiced the luckier he got.

Be aware that digital file timestamps can be changed fairly easily, so I'm not sure if this would be acceptable evidence if things went legal. But if things do go legal it's usually too late anyway as it'll be a long, messy and expensive business

Yeah, I've heard the suggestion a few times but have wondered about how it could be 'absolute' proof. Besides, I assume the letter would have to be opened in the presense of a recognised witness to verify it, in which case lodging the witnessed papers with a solicitor might be a better option. Good luck with the songs though.

I've seen loads of bands where the guitarist breaks a string but I don't remember any of them stopping mid-song.

My understanding is that copyright is automatic; you don't have to 'apply' or 'register' it as such. But the onus is on you to be able to prove it's an original work and its date of creation. I've heard of people sending themselves a letter containing written material, which establishes the date, and leaving it unopened until it might be required. Though I have some doubts about that. A similar thing would, I guess, be to lodge a copy of the song with a solicitor and have the date witnessed.

Bought a 210 cab from Robin. Exactly as described and in full working order. Very responsive to PMs and helpful with arrangements for collection. Trading as it should be. Thanks Robin.

[quote name='dlloyd' post='1294597' date='Jul 6 2011, 12:16 PM']... takes a thin layer of skin off the arm to cover the wound.[/quote] . . . if you're lucky, or takes a thin layer of skin off your fingers if you're unlucky.

Well, I wouldn't recommend drinking the stuff, but it seems a well-established method for toughening up skin, which superglue won't do at all of course. [url="http://www.guitarfact.com/painful-calluses-solutions-and-information"]http://www.guitarfact.com/painful-calluses...and-information[/url]

No direct experience here but didn't people use 'surgical spirit' to harden-up the skin on their feet? Ha! Just thought I'd check that and found this at: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol[/url] "[i]Isopropyl rubbing alcohol can also be supplied in a 99% concentration. This product can also be used to harden skin, such as in the case of the feet of novice hikers, [b]or the fingertips of guitarists[/b]. Care should always be taken, and the label should be read carefully[/i]" I've got an old bottle of the stuff somewhere that I bought from a chemist many years ago - reckon I should dig it out and dip my fingers in it.

I agree with all the above 'scam' comments. Unfortunately, it seems par for the course these days when advertising anything for sale, or wanted for that matter. However, on a related matter, I was rather surprised to receive a 'Nigerian scam'-type letter [u]though the post[/u] last week. Never had that before. Anyone else?

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='395280' date='Jan 30 2009, 12:46 PM']Probably - which is where it gets scary - people who are interested enough to look will probably know more about the subjects discussed than me and I could easily come out of this looking like a complete berk But what spurred me on was a colleague saying that the only thing worse than writing this book badly would be not to write it at all. Its a story that needs to be told and noone else is telling it so I thought I would. If someone says it is crap and writes a better one, then it has achieved its purpose![/quote] Great achievement Bilbo, congratulations and respect for making it happen.

One of our guys has got a mic attachment that clips onto a standard music stand. Trouble is, it's only one of those lightweight music stands and the mic makes it quite top-heavy so it sways about a lot and looks in continual danger of falling over. Frankly, the arrangement is more trouble than it's worth and I think he'd be better off with a decent music stand and a boom mic, but there's no telling him. So, check very carefully for stability.

I agree with icastle. The reasons not to use aluminium foil are mainly physical rather than electrical. Sure, aluminium can provide a electrical shielding, but only if you can make good electrical connections, which will be difficult for the reasons cited above. I guess you could give it a try if you've no copper tape to hand and are in a rush to try something, but ships and ha-porth's of tar spring to mind.

Sound like just one of those things and a partner who's not really compatible with your interests. My wife is fine with my musical interests, happily comes along to gigs even though I have to be there early, leave late and have little time to talk to her during the evening. Plus she's fine with rehearsals at home. I'm sure there would be loads of ladies who wouldn't put up with such things, but they wouldn't be the one for me. Trying too hard to change someone is a recipe for a short relationship.

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='1270303' date='Jun 15 2011, 04:25 PM']the things I like about his thick cable are that it coils nicely and doesn't get tangled up like thinner cables do, and the size makes it extremely robust.[/quote] Coils? Coils! You mean you can actually [u]bend[/u] it??!! Clearly far too lightweight for a speaker cable then.

I'd be a bit surprised if incorrect wiring was the cause. I'd be less surprised if some ham-fisted soldering resulted in the pot track being damaged and thus noisy. But who really knows and is such speculation particularly helpful? They were paid to fix it but it doesn't work correctly, so give them another chance or request a refund and go elsewhere.

I wouldn't worry too much about what they might or might not have done (though I agree with the above possibilities). You took the bass in for repair and they sent it back still not working correctly. Just take it back to them, demonstrate the problem and politely ask that they actually repair it properly this time.