flyfisher

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1390864609' post='2350804'] Mind you, some pubs are a bit deluded as well, I recently had a landlord who was actually shocked that we weren't prepared to drive 250 miles in a van full of PA gear for 20 quid each. [/quote] He may have been shocked but did he increase his offer or just find someone else for £20 each? [quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1390864609' post='2350804'] On a more constructive note, I personally think that venues that put on local band showcases where the bands are expected to sell a bunch of tickets to their mates at 5 quid a pop, would have a more successful night if there was no charge on the door with the understanding that these young local bands would play for free. The venue gets a crowd buying beer, the bands get to play to a crowd whuch isn't just made up of their mates and the other bands mates. The better/most entertaining/popular bands from these showcases could then be offered a paid gig on another night where they could realistically attract paying customers. [/quote] That's what they do at the Hertford Corn Exchange at various times throughout the year and it seems to work quite well. It was through such an evetn that we were offered a support slot for a paid gig supporting Neville Staple (ex Specials).

I've still got my Dell P3 PC that was working before the PSU gave up (see above). Alternatively, what's the make and model of your CNC lathe?

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1390852713' post='2350467'] Why does having fun in your chosen occupation preclude you from being compensated for it?? Is there something immoral or unethical about having fun and earning money? [/quote] Of course not. But neither is playing for free if that's what some bands are happy doing, just for the love of playing.

. . . except that, using the 'big iron' criterion, you might as well argue that those new-fangled toroidal transformers just don't have the grunt of a real laminated transformer.

Whinge, moan, moan whinge. Anyone trying to run a business could make a list of 10 things that would make their lives easier. More customers, higher prices, better products, fewer competitors, lower cost suppliers, lower business rates, lower property costs. blah, blah, blah. But guess what? Outside of a state-run monopoly, they can't dictate any of those things and have to deal with the way the world is and not the way they'd like it to be. None of that is to deny that music a tough business but so what? There are loads of tough businesses, but that should hardly be a surprise to anyone and no one is being forced into them. Are they?

Sure, we can argue preferences but let's not forget that's all they are. There are no rights and wrongs.

De gustibus non est disputandum.

The day this isn't true is the day musicians will be redundant and machines will have taken over.

Yeah, looks a bit like a problem that didn't need solving.

On the subject of eulogies . . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_IWNO-U_YE

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1390732567' post='2348639'] But can he do it on a wet Wednesday night in Scunthorpe? [/quote] But does he need to?

I found Cherry White via a link on one of EliasMooseblaster's posts, bought their EP and have been listening to it a lot. Free To Bounce is my particular favourite, with some great bass playing. http://cherrywhite.bandcamp.com/album/cherry-white Here's a live version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLaXLpYXhL0

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1390664501' post='2348099'] I beg to disagree still. I don't know of many new cars without built-in climatisation, or electric windows, or turbos. A simple car radio doesn't exist any more. There are not many 'basic' amps left to 'choose', and not using the crap on an amp with a digital converter is not an option. OK, OK, I'm not the 'market' being targetted. Old fogies like me don't have enough 'clout' to get products made for 'em. No problem; I just buy older stuff which is at least repairable. I'm not typical, I know, but no, 'choice' is not there, in the loyal sense of the word. Time for my nap, perhaps. Is my cocoa ready, nurse..? [/quote] Ah, the old cross-purposes thing. Tricky things, forums. I was thinking more about our choice to [u]use[/u] all these new bells and whistles. I take your point about cars but once upon a time things like electric windows, aircon etc were expensive extras, now they are bundled in with the car for no appreciable extra cost because it's easier for manufacturers to build a million of one thing rather than 100,000 of 10 things. Sure, you might only want one of the things and not the other nine, but so what if it's hardly costing anything? Just don't bother to use it. Of course, there are loads of suppliers out there that will build you exactly what you want but you'll have to pay for that choice - and loads of people do otherwise boutique amp, cab and bass makers wouldn't remain in business. But bespoke goods at mass-production prices is never going to work, in any market, and I don't think it ever has. First world problems eh?

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1390661828' post='2348061'] There's a flaw here, though (to me...). My 'choice' has always been pretty much minimalist. I play drums, bass and guitar ([i]no, you fool; not all at once..![/i] ), and have always thought that less is more. I respect the wishes of those attracted to the 'City of Tiny Lights' gadgets, bells and whistles, but would appreciate the 'choice' of having nowt to frig about with. It's purely consumer commercialism, imo, driven by the perceived need to renew, just because one can; built-in obsolescence. Yes, I'm old. That explains it..? No, I've always been like this. Thanks anyway. [/quote] I agree it's pure commercialism but you do have the choice - just don't play with their fancy gadgets. I bet very few of us use our PCs for every single thing they [u]could[/u] do, we just use them for what we want them to do and ignore the rest. If you want basic simplicity then buy an abacus Anyway, I bet people said the same things when the electric bass was invented . . . all that extra gear with all those controls - madness I tell you, madness, it'll not end well, and another thing . . . . (cont'd p94)

More seriously, how about a groundbreaking and highly influential song that changed the nature of pop music forever? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UVerdKle8Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SjBdVYG9ms

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1390656130' post='2347981'] Just because you [u][i][b]can [/b][/i][/u]doesn't mean you [u][i][b]should[/b][/i][/u]. [/quote] Agreed, but if you have an amp with only one control then you have no choice. Choice is a good thing isn't it? Just because some people can't deal with it is no reason to deny others. If we applied your principle to music itself then we'd only need a handful of songs in the world, one for each genre.

[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1390650242' post='2347882'] The more bells and whistles means more stuff to go wrong. [/quote] Sort of. The advent of digital technology means that adding more features usually just means a bit more code rather than more hardware. Besides, chips are cheap and phenomenally reliable these days (otherwise how would a billion-transistor CPU chip ever manage to work?). The real trick is to make all the user interfaces [s]idiot [/s]user proof so the amp can't be damaged when things are connected wrongly. Sure, user-definable light colours are just a gimmick (and other 'features') but so what if it costs nothing extra? Someone might like them and the wider the appeal, the greater the sales volume and the cheaper the manufacturing costs, though whether that trickles down to a lower price is a different matter. Anyway, the market will soon determine what really matters and I doubt many people would refuse to buy an otherwise good amp just because it had programmable lamp colours as well.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1390576185' post='2347116'] Bobby Vega just doesn't get enough column inches. Why isn't this guy a super star? He deserves so much more. [/quote] That's pretty much my ideal and would suit me just fine - fantastic player, played with loads of legends, played on legendary records, renowned within the industry yet almost unknown by the vast majority of the listening public. All in my dreams in my case

I've given up looking for a decent, lightweight and small stand. I used to tolerate a small 'A-frame' type for my P but when I got my J it wouldn't sit upright due to its shape and I spent more time watching and worrying about it falling over - which is hardly the point of a stand is it? So now I just don't bother and they are either around my shoulder or in its hardcase. Safer and less to carry - what's not to like?

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1390234730' post='2342932'] Yes, ISA cards need a -5V connection, which was removed when 16-bit cards became obsolete. Not a lot of people know that ..... but why should they? Thanks for all your efforts. [/quote] No worries. Perhaps you'll find an old duff PC with a working PSU? Let me know if you do and we'll revisit things!

Agreed. A balance pot might well be linear, but they are not usually a double pot. This application is more to go with increasing the gain on one channel while reducing the gain on a separate one, hence the dual pots. Could easily do this with two linear pots but could also use log pots for matching the gain change to the way we hear sound (as you rightly point out), although the use of log pots would really require one to be log and the ganged one to be antilog, hence 'log/antilog' pots. So I don't really know either I'd still go with your suggestion of getting an original replacement part!

[quote name='adam87' timestamp='1390298077' post='2343609'] The pot says this... B50KΩ2P. I've seen mono, stereo, linear and log pots. What sort is right for my trace? [/quote] Probably a 'log' pot but with dual pots they can be 'log/antilog' so it's hard to be completely sure. You won't do any harm by fitting an incorrect type (make sure it's 50k though) but if the 'sense' is wrong then the blend won't work as intended. I'd take ghost-bass's suggestion and go for an original TE replacement part if possible, just to be sure.

Well, it's certainly A problem but whether it's the ONLY problem will be difficult to determine until it has been repaired. Your description does make sense though so fingers crossed that it will be the only problem.

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1390228242' post='2342823'] That's very good of you but I think that I'd rather see if I can get a PC with a working power supply. The power supplies do seem to be the weak link on those. Unfortunately, you can't fit a new power supply - it has to be an original one capable of supplying the special voltage to the ISA card. I appreciate your looking anyway. [/quote] Interesting. I know that the mobo PSU connectors have evolved over the years but I've always assumed that if it fits then it must be fully compatible. Still, I'm glad it failed in my hands - I'd have hated to have shipped it only to fail after 15 minutes! Sorry to get your hopes up - we nearly made it.