discreet

If you want a good budget DI box that is also a cracking bass preamp you could do much worse than a Behringer BDI-21, which is less than £30 new. I carry mine for emergencies and use it all the time for recording. Don't be put off by the brand, it's a good thing. It also warms up any amp a treat.

The bass on MacArthur Park and Aquarius was played by Joe Osborn, who also did great work with The Carpenters and Simon & Garfunkel as part of the Wrecking Crew. The ultimate 'Fender with a pick' sound, though I believe much of it was with a Jazz Bass.

It's an open goal. One wonders why they don't take the shot. Anyway, moving swiftly on...

Yup. Much is made of low unemployment, but they're McJobs and zero-hour contracts. You can now be employed yet not be able to afford rent or food. Or have to choose between them. Welcome to 21st century UK neocon society.

Not only do they not cover instruments, but they will still take an insurance premium from you! Mis-selling if there ever was.

What made me want to pick up a bass was hearing the line on 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)', which still gives me the chills every time I hear it. A tour-de-force example of how bass guitar doesn't have to be all about fifths and roots and only be a supporting instrument (though that's OK too, obviously).

Are we long-lost brothers? No. But I absolutely agree.

Really sorry to hear this, Dan. But at least we all had a good moan about couriers...

I've never claimed to have perfect pitch...

I've had consistently good service from UPS, too. Of course that doesn't mean I'll always have good service from them, or from any other company. The way that delivery services are run is fatally flawed, mainly due to financial and management issues. Pretty much a microcosm of UK plc, unfortunately. And the upcoming 'national mental aberration' in March 2019 is surely going to be no help in this, or indeed anything else.

Intonation and Tuning SNAFU Had a problem with a P Bass. No matter what I did, I couldn't seem to get the tuning and intonation spot on. Not WAY out or anything, but enough to be one of those niggling problems that prevent you from fully concentrating on your playing. You know what I mean! So... I went through the all the usual. Truss rod, bridge intonation adjustment, action (but not necessarily in that order). Nothing. Then I suspected the nut. Then I thought maybe the tuners were iffy (crazy!). Then I thought maybe I had duff strings. In short, I tried everything. No joy. It became an 'issue'. Days pass. All this time I'd been checking the tuning with a headstock tuner. On a whim, I tried a pedal tuner. Bingo, all perfect. The headstock tuner was iffy. D'OH!!

Looking at it from another angle... courier service in general is poor. This is because it's a highly competitive industry and costs are cut wherever possible. This means that your friendly neighbourhood courier (of whatever company) is likely working for minimum wage - which means that no matter how hard they work, they won't be able to afford somewhere to live and to lead an independent life. This shouldn't make a difference to their service of course, but it does. It's hugely depressing. The other problem is that they are under extreme pressure to deliver an unfeasibly large number of packages in an unfeasibly short space of time. If they lavished as much attention on your parcel as you'd expect, they'd NEVER get home and would be out delivering parcels 24/7. You're thinking about one parcel - he has to think about 240 and how he's going to deliver them and get home in time for some kind of life. So inevitably, corners are cut and even if the guy started out wanting to do a good job, the pressure and reality of the work means that it just isn't possible. I really don't blame the guys at the sharp end. It's the business model. If you want a valuable and irreplaceable bass guitar (for example) to arrive in good order then don't entrust it to someone else. Either the buyer needs to collect it or the seller needs to deliver it in person. That's the ONLY way you can 100% guarantee a delivery. /sermon

I genuinely and actually had a dream last night where I was playing a Sandberg. It was great - so very warm thanks all round to those who have contributed to my total insanity and ignited huge GAS for a bass I can't afford! You people are driving me nuts!!

Way too shiny!

It's only a matter of time.

I've had underlying low-level Sandberg GAS for years anyway and this just puts more positive weight on the scales. Which is why good customer service works well, not only for the customer, but for the company too. Win-win.

In that case a Rumble V3 100 Combo would do it for you. Also good for rehearsal and gigs, should the need ever arise.

Agree in principle, but Van Halen's solo on Beat It is to die for. Quincy and Michael Jackson can do no wrong afaic. Not quite as impressed with Phil Spector's work on 'Let It Be', however. That was definitely gilding the lily.

Nah. The red tape sets it off nicely.

With metallic champagne? Are you mad??