Hotglove

Again, thanks for all the input, I found an Ampeg RB 108 that was bought new 2 months ago and only used a couple of times, indistinguishable from new for £90, so very happy with the result. 👍

Thanks for all the input, I am learning a lot, experience with other sports, hobbies and pastimes has taught me that, usually, at the bottom end there is cheap rubbish, at the top, there is “King’s new clothes” and, somewhere in between, there is decent kit that performs well and holds good resale value, just a matter of building a shortlist of reputable kit. thanks again for your wise words.

Hi all, as a rank novice, I need some advice, I bought my Yamaha to start learning, one of my criteria was to keep all kit down to entry level prices, but also keep a reasonable resale value. as yet I have no amp, I play through my Macbook Pro with Apogee One interface and Shure SHR 940 headphones and Garageband. having read up on this site and elsewhere I have been looking for a practice amp and the parameters I have more or less settled on were, a used combo, around 30 watt, established brand, good condition, auxiliary input, not too big (needs to live under a desk) From what I have seen there are 2 or 3 cheap Chinese amps that are clones of mainstream designs and are marketed as own brands by the big online dealers. Normally I would avoid the own brands, but, at the moment, I am looking at the Fazley Dark Planet 35 from Bax, they are currently knocking these out at just under £50 inc postage, so, given the 30 day trial period, I am curious as to just how awful they might be, has anyone heard one? all input welcome.

Thanks for all the comments made on my thread, “practice amp” having considered the points raised I find that there are several amps that might suit my aims and budget. one alternative would be a Hartke HD 25, new from Bax at £120, Blackstar Unity 30, used around £120, Fender Rumble 25, used £75, Ampeg BA-110 35w, used £100. all input v welcome.

Hi, considering a practice amp for novice, looking to buy a clean, used example to allow for future upgrade at the least financial loss. so far the 2 that appear to tick most boxes are the Fender Rumble 25 and Roland Bass Cube 20 or Bass Cube 30. all input welcome.

Yes the wiper motor was driven by manifold vacuum, like the advance/retard on the distributor, so, if you were going uphill, with an open throttle, they went slower and slower, then going downhill, with a closed throttle, they went like the clappers. 😂

Good way to have a warm bum if you sit in the middle, vacuum wipers take a bit of getting used to as well 😂

Neepheid, house, or friend's place

Book arrived, good, easy read and very interesting so far. 👍

Thanks for the advice concerning the Yamaha, it checked out well, nice guy, gave it a thorough demo. I would describe it as, “very good used condition” very slight scratches and one or two small chips, gives the impression of having been used, but not abused, but not so pristine that one is afraid to make the first mark on it. now looking for decent used case or bag for it, my first thought is a hard case, but interested to hear opinions on bag v case. thanks again.

Hi, just looking at getting a bass to learn on. From the advice so far the target was looking like a used Squiers P Bass, but the waters have been muddied with the offer of a mint looking Yamaha RBX 170 for £120. the logic round a used example is to enable freedom to chop and change if necessary without losing a stack of cash, all input welcome.

Thanks for the link to the publishers, I have ordered the book and look forward to having a browse through it. 👍

Just wondered if anyone remembers a cheap cafe that I used in Tin Pan Alley in 1966. My first job was aged 16 in Foyles Book Shop, Charing Cross Road, starting in the summer of 66, I was living in a bedsit in Hampstead (landlady was sister in law of Tony Garnett, celebrated producer/actor and thoroughly nice guy) most lunchtimes were spent prowling round the area, looking for cheap grub. the cafe I remember with the most affection was, from memory, just a few doors along Denmark St from Charing X Rd junction, in a basement, cuisine was mostly Italian crossed with “meat and 2 veg” lady in charge was a formidable Italian with a foghorn voice, I can still hear her bellowing, “ONE MINESTRA” into the dumb waiter, which brought a bowl of the best minestrone on the planet, I believe her name was Renee. I loved the vibe of the street and the occasional glimpse of famous faces, another memory concerns the strangest E Type Jag, it was two-tone pink and yellow, divided longways like a rhubarb and custard sweet, the pink side had a yellow seat piped in pink, the yellow side had a pink seat piped in yellow, very tasteful. Many years later I learned that the line from Elton John’s “Your Song” “I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss” referred to him and Bernie Taupin working in a publishers over one of the shops, this being around the time of my lunchtime prowls. Several of the bookshops in Charing X Rd at this time had cinema clubs showing Indie films from UK, US and Europe, often with poetry readings and folk singers, not far down from Foyles just off the main drag was Bunjies Folk Cellar (from memory, in 66, it was known as, “Bunjies Coffee House” but that might be influenced by the fog of the years 😂) In the days of no Internet, the wall on the stairs down to Bunjies cellar was covered with notes, posters, stickers advertising gigs, selling kit and with messages like, “Can anyone drop off a guitar in Hamburg?” So glad that I saw that scene, at that time.

Love music, sing (and record) a bit. Interested in trying a bass and this seems a good place to start. very much like the tone of the comments that I have read so far.👍