Finally Stocked Up

It should be a hard and fast rule for every player.  Always keep an extra set of strings in your gig bag or case, no matter what.  No matter how expensive bass strings can be (up to $75 in most cases for bass guitars, much higher for uprights), you should always keep a set at the ready, and maybe more at home just in case.  I went ahead and splurged on some extra sets - partly because there's a new bass in the stable, and partly because I have to change the strings on the Jazz bass more often to keep things functional on the MIDI side.  With the new Reason program, I want to program some new sounds into the Playboy Psychonauts set, and that means making sure the notes translate well through the MIDI pickup.  The brightness of the new set is the biggest difference-maker in that department, and I just like the sound of them.  Conversely, I've kept the same set on the fretless for a couple years or so because I like the duller, thumpy sound they make.  Strings are a huge part of the sound, and even at $75 they're a lot cheaper, even in the long run, than the $8000 amp I just saw reviewed in Bass Player this month.

Also, I got just around to watching the "special event" of "Battlestar Galactica: Razor" last night after a few days' delay.  It was decent, but I wonder if new episodes in March are still on the horizon given the writers' strike.  I'm probably obligated by my AFM membership to support the writers in this case, but I'd come down on that side anyway. Just because the studios don't (allegedly) make money on Internet content yet doesn't mean the creative types shouldn't be reimbursed for their efforts in making that profit to happen.  Here's to a swift and lucrative resolution.

Finally, anybody know where I can find a Cylon bass guitar?