The new amp

Hi

Here is a quick blast. The guitar is The Baby - made specially for me when I was 18, it is now over 30 years old but is still one of the nicest basses I have ever played.

I don't talk because every time I tried that Custard barked at me!

I start off playing with a basic, clean, sound.  Then I adjust one of the controls to give different effects.

The first is an envelope filter which gives a wah-wah effect.

The second adds another note an octave below the one I play.

The final effect is a chorus,which gives a swirling sound that is used by a lot of bass players.

Hope it comes through OK!

Friday!

Been a busy week, and things are only going to get worse.

On the final run to the end of my dissertation - all the hard stuff is done, I just need to tie it all up neatly.

The pub quiz was a storm!  We went expecting maybe 30-40 people to turn up.  We must have had 80, maybe more!  Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun, and the bar must have done really well - we drank a lot of the pumps dry!  I am wondering if the eBingo games had an effect on the turn out.  They are certainly popular and I have already had students asking me if I am going to carry on doing them when the new year starts in September. 

I have had a last minute invitation to join the field trip to Malta!  We leave on the 21st!  Yikes!  Might be a good thing, though, as I can take my laptop with me and spend a chunk of each evening working on the dissertation without the distractions of bunnies, toy soldiers and new amps.  I have the feeling that someone is watching over me...

Have a great weekend, when it arrives!  I will probably be surfing and posting at some point over the weekend, especially now that I have finally upgraded to the unlimited usage internet package...


Oh, I almost forgot!

My chair arrived, and it matches the sofa!  Ordered in November - how is that for service?

My new toy

How things change.

Below is a photo of my bass amps:

The one behind is my old one.  It is from the late '70s/early 80s, and puts out upto 65 watts when really cranked up.  Both parts weigh an absolute ton.

In front is the new one.  This one does 400 watts and also has loads of built in clever stuff.  It also weighs less that each part of the old amp.  And it is loud - even turned down low I could feel the floor vibrating - and our floor is made of concrete!

I will try to post a video to show off how wonderful it is very soon.

Fluffy Bunnies

My daughter borrowed my camera and got some great snaps of the bunnnies.  We think we have the names now too!

Houdini (Mom) and Possum.

The white ones like to huddle together a lot.  The white ones are called Smudge, Bun, Pebble and Snowball.  Each has distinctive markings (or a lack of in the case of Snowball who only has black ears).

This is Pebble.

And Possum

And Shadow and Possum together.  The darker ones are much bolder than the white ones, although having said that Mrs RC told me that when she was in the run today building a playground for them they were all around her, often trying to steal her tools!

So, all up to date now!  Donations for the rabbit food fund more than welcome  :-)

Maybe I need to relaunch Live Aid!

Feeeeeeeed theeeeee Buuuuu-nies

Let them know it's Easter time...

I can't wait...

I have been tracking my new amp as it makes its way to my house!  I have never done that before!  Last update it was around 20 miles away...

Also having other deliveries today - more houses for the rabbits!  This will allow seperate housing for each of the adults (might try the 2 females together to see if they still like each other) and also to split up the babies into boys and girls.  Just hope we can find someone who really knows the difference this time!

I am starting to believe that rabbits really can change sex...

UPDATE

My amp has arrived!  Woohoo!

Mrs RC has built an adventure playground for the baby bunnies...

Weekend

Had a really busy weekend, but it was great fun anyway.

The baby bunnies are really getting active now - will post some photos later today if I get time.

I am helping to run a pub quiz later this week, and have been pulling pictures and questions together for that.  It has got to the stage where I have to think "would my kids know that?"  The age gap is widening...

For a long time I have restricted my online shopping because I just haven't really trusted it.  However, we have done more and more recently as my kids find great stuff out there that would cost an arm and a leg where else, even if you could find it!  So last night I took the plunge - I found a 400 watt bass guitar amplifier going for an amazing price.  It is one that I wanted to buy through local shops but they kept saying "well we are seeing the rep in 3 weeks..."   Anyway, there I was, surfing for guitars and amps and there it was - the amp I wanted for less than half the list price!  It should arrive on Tuesday.  Watch this space.

Yesterday

Spent yesterday taking Number One Son to an interview at a University.  It was about as far away as you can go and still be in England.  We set off at 5am, arriving just before 11am.

My brother was driving us, and the whole journey was taken up with tales about his passengers.  He should blog - it would be hilarious!

The interview went well and Number One Son will be going there unless something terrible happens with his exams.

We stopped off on the way for a break on the way, but I was put off eating there.  I went into the toilet area and it smelled terrible.  It was as though someone had filled those automatic air freshener gadgets with pee and left them going all day.  Nice.

The return journey confirmed my as a cycling non-driver.  The roads were fairly clear but this just seemed to encourage the idiots out there...

This morning I managed to get one of those much requested "fluffy bunny" photos:

Bambi and Thumber?

PS  Agg79 just raised an important question - names!  We have this black one, a brown one, 4 white ones with black ears and markings, including one with a black moustache and one with a large splodge of black  on his face.  Suggestions for names are welcome - preferably names which will work for both males and females...