flyfisher

I find it's useful to understand what an RCD actually does. An RCD monitors the current flowing within the live and neutral conductors. In normal operation of any item of electrical equipment the current in both these conductors should be equal. This is obvious if you think about it - all the current should be being used to power the equipment in question and what comes "down" the live should "return" via the neutral. If this is not the case then it means that some of the current is going elsewhere, hence the term "leakage" or "residual" current. In the case of faulty equipment that "leaking" current could be going through you! RCDs are designed to detect very low "residual" currents and will trip before there is a serious danger to anyone on the receiving of such "leaking" current. Understanding how RCDs operate should make you more aware that while they are incredibly useful devices they cannot protect you from every type of accident. For example, should you find yourself unfortunately 'connected' [b]between[/b] the live and neutral conductors an RCD will not trip because there might not be any "leakage" current - it's [b]all[/b] going going through you and nowhere else! Similarly, any device with an isolating transformer will render an RCD useless on the secondary side because no matter how much current if drawn from the secondary circuits the RCD will only "see" the primary side of the isolating transformer and if this is working correctly there will be no leakage current to detect, no matter what may or may not be happening on the secondary side of the transformer. This is not usually a problem because most circuits on the secondary side of a mains transformer are low voltage and therefore do not present a serious shock risk - but that's not always the case. Think about the high voltages inside a valve amp for example, which will nicely isolated from any mains supply RCD by the 'safety' isolating transformer'. None of the above means an RCD is not a valuable safety device - just don't think you are suddenly invincible because your amp is plugged into one! As for the mains noise and fluctuation issues, as noted above the UK mains supply is tightly controlled within a defined specification and any decent manufacturer is going to design their equipment to be able to fully cope with the extremes of that specification. I can appreciate that anyone who has invested in an expensive rig might want to wrap it all in cotton wool and protect it from all that "dodgy pub wiring" out there, but does anyone really believe that publicans up and down the country are constantly buying new PCs, TVs, radios and other mains powered electrical equipment because their dodgy wiring is regularly blowing things up? And do we really believe that our precious, expensive amps etc are really so sensitive that they can't deal with life on the road? If that was really the case then I'd say they were unfit for purpose!

I buy CDs, immediately rip them to my PC then put the CD in a box in the attic. I figure that if I sell them or give them away then I no longer have any right to listen to them because that would be effectively the same as just copying them for free. Since my hard drive can easily store all my music and my attic can easily store all my CDs then there's little point wasting my time by sorting through my collection to throw out stuff I rarely listen to, so I don't.

I'd also vote for bank transfer. As pointed out above, the required sort code and account number is on every cheque anyway so is effectively public domain info and your bank could hardly argue that you've compromised your security if anything does go wrong. But (there's always a 'but'), do you remember the now infamous Clarkson incident? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7174760.stm My understanding is that this risk is no greater than using your credit or debit card online. Yes, your account could be hacked in some way but the banks will always reimburse you for any fraudulent transactions. If they didn't guaranteee this then confidence in the banking system would collapse so it's a necessary thing for them to underwrite though, of course, we are the ones who end up up paying for it indirectly through bank fees and other charges.

When FF junior started having bass lessons at school I let him take my MIJ P-bass to school to use. It was my only bass at the time (my collection has since doubled ) so I must have been mad, but it didn't come to any harm.

Welcome aalam. Don't waste any time regretting not starting earlier, just enjoy it now that you have.

[quote name='mr zed' timestamp='1383007103' post='2259164'] I would say that anything done well live can be enjoyed by anyone who isn't blinkered to a specific genre. [/quote] +1 [quote name='mr zed' timestamp='1383007103' post='2259164'] Still not sure I could get on with Opera though! [/quote] +2

Good news, I hope it works out as you want it to. As for madness, it's all relative so I wouldn't give it a second thought.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1382906830' post='2257942'] I'd do musical mates a favour, but I certainly wouldn't pay to do that favour. I'm surprised that they had the cheek to ask quite honestly! [/quote] Those were my exact thoughts. My inclination would have been to pay the requested amount without complaint but then not be available for any future sessions.

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1382880450' post='2257464'] T'was better when we sent the little scamps up chimmneys TBH, I know I would appreciate a little less screeching and bickering around my house. [/quote] Aye. I blame the tories for closing down t'pits. Now we 'ave to keep the little buggers in school instead of sending them out to work at 14.

Indeed. Women, know your limits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1382598578' post='2254034'] Apparently 'looking for someone to bring their own creativity to the project' actually means 'looking for someone to play exactly what we tell them'... who knew... [/quote] I'd suggest a philosophical outlook about such thing. it's obviously a pisser when people misrepresent things but in the final analysis if the band members don't gel - for whatever reason - then the band is almost certainly doomed.

That clip got me watching Youtube for a bit and I came across this wonderful bit of Norman Watt Roy soloing at 1:30 and no slapping in sight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCIWmldNbyA

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1382471653' post='2252657'] Nothing wrong with that, enjoyed it. Some mates having a blast and playing pretty darn tastily. No one here ever play a cover version of a song that's not been quite as good as the original or what? [/quote] Ha! That was my thought while reading the comments. The problem with this song is that original was so brilliantly done that it's very hard to put a slight spin on it and have it sound any better. Plus, as MrF rightly say Dury's vocals worked far better than a more 'singy' singer. But I reckon the drum and bass had it pretty well nailed. Thanks for posting (even though I still can't play that bloody line and would rather not be reminded of it!!!)

Would I buy Morrisey's book? Not while toilet paper is still available.

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1382461111' post='2252463'] Does the 'Go Compare' man count as opera? [/quote] He's close enough for me to call him a 'count'.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1382458688' post='2252408'] I tend to equate jazz with opera. I hate both equally [/quote] Ah, but opera is completely unlike jazz because it has one easily definable characteristic - that awful, strained-sounding, warbling, screeching vocal sound that I'm sure is very difficult to do and needs years of dedication etc etc etc ut to mind ears is quite simply terrible. I don't think there is a single characteristic that defines jazz is there? I don't dislike opera because of the music, it's purely because of the singing. An instrumental opera would be wonderful . . . . er, hang on, that's what we call 'classical' isn't it? Some wonderful and awful stuff in that genre as well but, thankfully, no vocals . . . er, well, except for choral pieces of course, which can also be quite sublime. So it's just that 'opera vocal' singing that I really cannot bear! I'm not sure I could honestly dismiss any other entire musical genre quite so emphatically - not even thrash-metal-acid-grunge-rap or similar!

[quote name='Wylie' timestamp='1382397139' post='2251788'] What a f***ing [i]bore.[/i] [/quote] Though presumably not for him. I really can't understand why people get so worked up about this sort of thing. Why care about other people's musical tastes, whatever their reasons for them, never mind finding them "repulsive" for goodness sake!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1382382688' post='2251574'] When packing something you need to assume it's going to be dropped from [i]at least[/i] head height and deliberately stood on by a sweaty 20st bloke in heavy boots when he's trying to reach something else in his van. If you can't pack to this level then don't send it. [/quote] Yep, that'll probably do it. Problem is, that level of packaging will cost so much, and the resulting extra weight will cost additional courier charges, that it's more likely to make Finn/Dave's "GAGI/CAGI" method more cost effective. It's certainly my first preference - plus, you get to try before you buy AND get to meet some great BCers.

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1382358969' post='2251075'] In my case, the appeals centre responded with what I now know is their standard refusal that allegs the item was "inadequately packaged". [/quote] I suppose it's practically impossible to argue against something being 'inadequately packaged' - the 'proof' is the fact it was damaged. A bit much about the £100 insurance limit though. Surely there must be a way of insuring something for its full value?

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1382337506' post='2250662'] It's the old problem, "define jazz". Way back I got to see Henry Cow one week and John Steven's "Away" a couple of weeks later and hated them, just couldn't see the point. Then I got to see Grapelli, awesome. Bit later I played in a New Orleans style trad jazz band, amongst the highlights of my musical career (such as it is). Lumping a whole pile of music together as "jazz" and hating it all seems a bit shallow to me, like lumping music from anywhere that isn't the UK together as "World" and tarring it all with the same brush. [b]The fun is in picking through the diversity and finding the bits that you enjoy.[/b] [/quote] +1 I reckon musical genres are more trouble than they're worth. Pick any genre and I'm sure we'd all like some examples and dislike others. I don't see that jazz is any different to classical, prog, metal, etc, in that respect. So 'disliking jazz' must be just to annoy Bilbo . . . including those Fast Show sketches.

Given the wide range of advice being offered and given that there's a budget of around £3000 for the right system, is it worth considering hiring some gear to try out? Is this the sort of thing a friendly dealer could help with, i.e. hiring out some gear for a refundable amount if a new system is actually purchased? I've no idea if this sort of arrangement is commonplace but it might be one way to make sense of all the advice and gear options being proposed.

A bit of black spray paint and some metal corners and that would be a half decent flight case. Nicely done!

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1382111442' post='2248202'] Shocking isn't it. Little old fishing town at the forgotten arse end of the country. However, precede the name with "[i]Oil Capital[/i] of [i]Europe[/i]" and it starts to make sense.... unfortunately. [/quote] Unfortunately is right . . . it certainly b*ggered up the price of my salmon fishing on the Dee.

Dreadful story. I've always thought they never operate on both eyes at once for this very reason. I needed laser surgery for a detached retina earlier this year and it is suddenly very frightening how much we take things for granted. Let's hope things do eventually heal properly.

I guess there are musical conventions but no actual musical rules.