flyfisher

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1398872172' post='2438517'] Take E-bay as an example, say you win an item at £100 that implies that you thought it was worth £100, but no-one else did. [/quote] Interesting perspective, and quite right of course for an open auction. By definition, the winner cannot get a bargain as they have to pay top price. Their only solace is that they've got what they wanted.

Fair enough. Time does make a big difference because fashions can change and the value of items with them, but if you're talking weeks or a few months then I'd agree it would be cheeky to expect to profit and losing £10/£20 for what is effectively an extended evaluation period seems pretty reasonable. Unless a collector suddenly pops up who needs what ever you're selling to complete the unique collection they've been building up for a lifetime . . .

I'm with TimR on this - price it for whatever you want. Who cares how many owners something has had or what was previously paid for it, the item is what it is and available for whatever price you want. If someone is happy with the price, they'll buy. If no-one is happy with the price you won't be able to sell. Selling at less than you bought and regarding the difference as the rental cost is a fine sentiment, but what if you had bought, say, a Fender USA Jazz in 1970 for £25 (or whatever it would have been back then). Would you seriously sell it for a bit less today and regard the loss as rental? I somehow doubt it - you'd likely sell it for what it was worth to someone today.

Daft risks are always worth it when they work out . . .

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1398727141' post='2437098'] Toothache is one thing, but pneumonia is something else - but it's surprising how it can catch up with you. As I write, a neighbours wife is in an induced coma in an overseas hospital, fighting for her life, with pneumonia. She had a 'bit of a cold' when the went away 10 days ago. [/quote] Our guitarist was hospitalised with pneumonia a few years ago and was really seriously ill with it - quite a shock for a normally fit and heathy guy. Fortunately he made a full recovery but these things make you realise how easy it is to take our health for granted. I hope your neightbour's wife has good health insurance. A good friend went on a carribean holiday in January and suffered a brain aneurysm within a few days. Fortunately he has made a full recovery and is now back home and rapidly recovering his physical condition - the insurance claim was £1.17m

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1398686126' post='2436492'] What I would say is if it's your dream then do it, try it. If it doesn't work out then you've at least tried, better to try than to spend the rest of your life wondering [i]what if, or if onl[/i]y. Like people have pointed out, there're a load of things to do as well as the singer/songwriter, all of which keep you employed within the music business. There's a songwriter course where I study, I know some of them organise a songwriting circle once a fortnight. That's maybe something else to add to the portfolio. Charge people a small amount for coming in etc. Kind of like an open mic, but for original material only. [/quote] Seems to me there are two things going on here - wanting to be a singer/songwriter and wanting to make a living from being a singer/songwriter. Perhaps some people feel that it's only by making a living from such things that actually validates their material in some way? But I know quite a few people who are prolific singer/songwriters and gain immense pleasure from performing in folk clubs and other social or open-mic occasions. Why does money have to be the only measure of merit? There are plenty of creative 'hobbies' (if that's what you call something you don't make money from) that people pursue to very high standards of excellence - photography, painting, writing, etc - without ever thinking of making it their only form of income. Are they all 'selling out' simply because they prefer to earn their actual living doing something else?

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1398681200' post='2436408'] It really does come down to taking a long, hard look at your skill set and your skill level. What are your strengths and weaknesses, what can you improve? [/quote] This. I've loved playing in bands since I was at school but I've never been under any impression I was good enough to make a living from it, or that I was dedicated enough to put in the immense aount of time and effort to become good enough (even assuming that would be guaranteed, which I seriously doubt). This thread seems to show that even for really good players, it's really tough to make a good living and I've never understood why anyone would consciously put themselves at such a disadvantage in life. It's not even as if the choice is all-or-nothing - there is no need to give up playing in bands just because you get a 'proper job' . . . . whatever that means. In fact, you may even enjoy it more because there is no financial pressure and you can concentrate on simply enjoying yourself for its own sake. When we played our first international gig a few years ago (well, Wales is another country isn't it? ), we played with a great sounding covers band headlining the gig - the singer was a GP, the drummer was an architect and one of the others was an accountant. Judging by the cars they turned up in, none of them were worrying about where they would find a few bob for a new instrument or amp. I'm sure that many people would consider such outrageous behaviour as 'selling out' or not having any 'integrity', which is fine as an opinion, but integrity isn't going to pay the bills is it?

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1398632316' post='2436078'] Two words - John Glascock. [/quote] Well yes, but he had plenty of form when it came to neglecting his health . . . [i]Despite the diagnosis of heart valve damage caused by an infection, he continued his previous lifestyle, which involved heavy drinking, [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana"]marijuana[/url] usage, and wild parties. His health continued to deteriorate.[/i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Glascock All I'm suggesting is that there's a difference between playing while feeling ill and playing while risking something serious and permanent. Not very 'rock n roll' of course, but graveyards contain plenty of people who ignored medical advice. Thing is, those who don't survive don't talk about it much.

I guess Diana Ross was bigger than The Supremes

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/188958/10-reasons-morrissey-sucks/ or for something slightly less serious . . . http://www.thepotato.ie/2014/01/morrissey-vanishes-recent-interview/

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1398616157' post='2435755'] What I ask is: Would you have done the same thing and risked your health for a gig? What lengths have you gone to in order to let ensure the show must go on? [/quote] Not wishing to put down what was clearly a brave effort to ensure the show did go on despite immense personal discomfort - and all credit and respect for that btw - but was there [u]really[/u] much of a health risk involved, in the sense of risking permanent health implications as a result? Fortunately I've not been in a similar situation but I'd like to think I'd have done much the same thing, under the circumstances you descibe, to avoid cancelling the gig. However, if the situation meant I was risking permanent health implications, e.g. putting off an urgent heart operation just to play a gig, then I'd cancel the gig without a second thought. No question about it. I care far more for my loved ones than I do for an anonymous audience or band mates.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1398626086' post='2435964'] I [i]never[/i] found I was too tired for music after work. If anything, the prospect would energise and enliven me as the work day progressed. [/quote] One company I worked for was based in a big old country house on the outskirts of London and had so much spare space that we used it for band rehearsals in the evenings.

Ha! Beat me to it by a few seconds

Michael Jackson?

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1398622043' post='2435870'] Eric Clapton [/quote] I thought about Clapton but I've never really thought of him being seriously in a band and always just 'passing through'. But now you mention it, there are quite a few musicians who have passed through the Bluesbreakers on the way to bigger things.

[quote name='jgmh315' timestamp='1398619999' post='2435826'] Sting. [/quote] Really? More successful than the Police? Interesting.

This post from another topic made me think . . . . [i][quote name='risingson' timestamp='1398618781' post='2435799'] . . . . bands are the sum of many parts regardless of one individual's technical or theoretical level. [/quote][/i] [i]Indeed, and what better proof than The Beatles?[/i] . . . can anyone think of examples where a successful band has split up and one (or more) of the members have gone on to become even more successful than the original band? My first thought was the Peter Green incarnation of Fleetwood Mac that was reinvented as a 'west coast' band and hugely successful, but it's not really an example of one band member going on to a highly successful career. My second thought was Phil Collins out of Genesis. It be argued that he was more successful than Genesis, in a 'top 10 pop' sort of way. Any other suggestions?

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1398618781' post='2435799'] . . . . bands are the sum of many parts regardless of one individual's technical or theoretical level. [/quote] Indeed, and what better proof than The Beatles?

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1398513737' post='2434848'] Then a friend gave me these 1961 BBC outside broadcast monitors LS3/1. [/quote] BBC Engineering used to be world class, both on the audio and video side of things, and highly respected. Such a shame that their R&D was gradually reduced over the years. I'm not sure of the current situation but it wouldn't surprise me if they don't do any R&D at all these days and just buy everything in. Certainly their recent IT systems development fiasco has not exactly enhanced their technology reputation. Such a shame. [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1398591687' post='2435490'] One possible (probable..?) cause would be old age..! If a fuse has been giving loyal service for several decades, it's not unusual for one to decide to retire. As long as the replacement (of the same rating and category...) hold up, there's nothing to worry about. If the replacement blows too, it's time for an investigation by a competent technician, though. [/quote] Yep, a blown fuse is nothing to worry about really, just replace it with the same type. It's when the replacement blows immediately that the warning bells should start sounding.

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1398533875' post='2435054'] The ideas that you have to "Stick to what you believe in" and "Follow your heart", so often imparted by our musical heroes, are total cobblers. On the planet Earth with eight billion other people, it is just possible that you could discover previously unconsidered passions and skills in other areas. It's fine to wonder "What if?" It would be very strange if we didn't. [/quote] Agreed. How can anyone know their true passion if they've settled on one thing from an early age? We live in a time where the possibilities for travel and adventure have never been greater or more achievable. Is spending a whole life plucking 4-strings and living on the breadline really the best way to take advantage of such opportunities?

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1398591523' post='2435486'] What parameters are you going by? [/quote] I was wondering that as well. Most of the replies so far seem to relate to the best 'player' but I interpreted the OPs question as a bit wider. In the Beatles example, Macca was clearly a great bass player but surely his defining feature is his all-round musical ability? He not only plays bass but also guitar, piano and drums ( and probably more for all I know) and his songwriting is also pretty legendary. Is that the sort of thing the OP meant by 'best musician' in a bad?

Not a daft question at all - I've been wondering the same thing. I've had my Fender J active for a couple of years now and haven't changed the batteries but it's been preying on my mind. I've got a gig tonight so I decided I would change them anyway. Bought a new pair of Duracells and took the old ones out (Duracell Pro Cell). I put them on my tongue to gauge their remaining strength (not a scientific test and probably not to be recommended for those of a nervous disposition!) and POW, I've still got a bit of a tingly tongue. So I left the old ones in and have the new ones as spare. I guess I don't play the bass as much as some people and therein lies the answer I think - the battery life will vary a lot from person to person . . . . unless you leave the lead plugged in of course!

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1398449163' post='2434338'] Take a lesson from a mate of mine. Stunningly good guitarist but so hell bent on being able to say he earned his living from music he sold a house he had inherited and bought a houseboat and has gradually down-sized and down-sized as his money ran out. To the extent that, instead of sitting pretty in a job that paid him enough to tick over and play the music he wanted to, he is living in a dreadful little flat over a pawn broker and can't afford to run the car that would get him to his gigs. [/quote] Must be some good blues songs in it though . . . .

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1398447981' post='2434311'] There's a saying... 'How do you end up with a million quid in your bank as a musician?' 'start with two million' [/quote] I've heard that theme before about farming, as in 'how do you make a small fortune farming? - start with a large one'. Mind you, maybe it's not such a bad idea for a budding muso? Work in the City for 10 years or so and retire at 30 with a couple of million in the bank, which can then be [s]frittered away[/s] invested in a musical career. I mean, we'd all prefer to write and play 'serious' music wouldn't we, so skipping those immature 'pop' years would be no bad thing, would it?

Fair point. Indeed I've often wondered about stuff like cavity lining when I've never encountered noise problems that tempted me to try shielding everything. But even if the pickups are the weakest link in the signal chain, I'd still expect noise problems to be exacerbated by unbalanced circuitry. I wonder if the 'humbucker' pickup would have been quite so necessary if balanced wiring was used from pickup to amp? Anyway, it's all a bit academic as I don't reckon the unbalanced jack is going to disappear anytime soon.