The materials for this morning’s main musical task: Bostik Extra Strong Soft Plastics glue, meths, nail polish remover and a J-cloth.

The job was repairing my Headway Band viola pickup – removing remnants of glue securing velcro fastening to the artifical rubber tube that contains the actual piezo pickup, some of which had softened and given way from heat / humidity / stress, then regluing, so that the device can be firmly and snugly fitted round an instrument without vibrating against the body (which produces a possibly interesting but certainly heavily distorting and completely uncontrollable set of noises for which I have yet to find a use).

I could have sent the device back to the makers for repair. But they were good enough to tell me how to set about repairing it, and they would have had to charge me for postage (even though they’re based in the north of the same county), materials and labour, whereas at least this way I only pay for the materials and can list those as business expenses to be offset against income tax (especially the nail polish remover, for tidying up excess glue on the tube nozzle so the lid will come off again and it be possible to use the glue another time).

All part of a day’s freelance music-making …