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So Pete is in Hobgoblin Music in Cambridge and has stumbled across an all-original Maya which - from a distance - is the spitting image of Macca's later bass. You couldn't make it up. And the shop want silly money for it. As in seriously silly money in the right way ... it's like stumbing back into the 1990s. What did I say? I said BUY! BUY!! BUY!!! Bridge pickup cover is still in place and doesn't bother me at all. I can play the bass perfectly happily with that in place. Someone has clearly tried to differentiate between the V/T for neck and bridge. Somewhere along the line, they've mixed up the knobs so that neck volume and tone are the wrong way round. There are no grub screws and the knobs don't just pull off so I'm not sure how to swop them around. Original trc is utterly horrible ... but it's authentic. This is a very nice piece of wood. No boxwood or ply was used here. And the tuners are quality items.

Had a look at some of the picture's in Geddy's book, obviously not many close up shots of the backs of the headstocks and rarely shot square on but you can see notches on at least one of the 50s Ps and a '63 Jazz quite clearly, treble or bass side, and also evident on quite a few Reverb listings of original tuners using google search, and they vary in how pronounced they are, and often visible from the back but barely evident on the hidden front face which suggests to me the tools worked loose during the stamping runs so didn't always make properly square contact

Just to further complicate the issue, monitors at higher volume can have a definite effect on the FoH sound in smaller venues. It can be worth sorting out the onstage - backline and monitors - sound to everyone's satisfaction before making final adjustments to the FoH.

I was, and remain, happy with the price I paid for this bass. On playing it I found it perfectly set up and totally playable from the first note. It's strung with rounds, which aren't my favourite but match the rounds on my Rickenbacker 4003/s5 so hardly a problem. It doesn't sound "like a Rickenbacker" but if you analyse what that phrase means, it tends towards the very distinctive 'clank' associated with players like Chris Squire and - of course - that's not at all what McCartney has ever sounded like. The bass just sounds great. It's a really nice, highly playable, very comfortable bass which weighs a little more than 8lbs. At which point I received a WhatsApp from @pete.young Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. Oh dearie dearie me.

Zon 6ers

In truth, it didn't start with a Spanish name. I recently joined a band that does an awful lot of Beatles stuff. It's a weird thing thing, but I grew up listening almost exclusively to The Beatles (essentially until I was about 15, which was 1971), they are and will always be my favourite band and the most important band in my musical life, yet I've played a ridiculously small number of their songs in all the years I've been gigging. So this band could be very important to me. I already have a 1964 Hofner 500/1 Violin bass (yes yes, I know it should be a 1963, but have you seen the prices?) so what I needed was a Rick. Do I go for an early version of Macca's bass (1965 Fireglo) or a later version (natural refin)? That's what sparked the 'Wanted' post for a decent Rickenfaker, and that produced a very nice bass from @Thor which - from a distance - is the spitting image of Macca's early bass. The hand-drawn trc in sharpie is a thing of wonder, the rather more professional fake jobbie has to go and will be replaced by a Shaftesbury trc. Bridge pickup cover has been replaced by the perspex bevel preferred by most Rick players. Reasonable amount of wear to the body, and it's the real thing rather than a pathetic 'relic' job. Tuners are much cleaner than you'd expect - usually these are covered with rust spots. Only major flaw is the nasty crack where the wing is glued to the neck-through. It's been stable the whole time that @Thor has owned it, and it doesn't worry me. Even if it gets worse it's an easy fix for any competent luthier.

Statii in general, especially headless ones. They're either that good or some may be holding onto them waiting for them to appreciate now that you can't get them. Many years ago after watching a video of Paul Rogers around about the release of his "Now" album, I nearly ordered a Stealth 6 string fretless after listening to Jaz Lochrie's playing. In fact I named my rock band at the time "Overloaded" after the track on the album of the same name and we played both Overloaded and Soul of Love live Come to think about it we also played Wishing Well and Louisiana Blues

It's possible that three wires might fit in there. I could imagine a lot of swearing to get them to fit as well 😊 I read the comment on the BFM site. Basically it has to go there in front of the square resistor. I'm going to look for bigger connectors though those look quite big.

Status Sharks. Always wanted one, and have only ever seen one for sale (it's on Ebay now and I can't afford it...).

He's Mistra Know It All - Stevie Wonder

It’s over there, between the land and the sky!

What?

Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong - Spin Doctors

Welcome FS99.

USA Conklin basses... Unbelievable things, exceptionally rare on the second hand market for very good reason. Bee Basses... for the same reason as the above!

Wounded Paw “Attack Goat” or their “Battering Ram” which has a very good drive circuit and the Fuzz

The Vigier Arpège Delta Metal is a pretty rare bird too.

Ooh just thought of another i'd buy (if it all worked) a Peavey B Quad 4

My Sonic P arrived today. Overall I'm pleased with it as the modding platform I wanted and it's certainly a real step up from the Harley Benton I'm sending back. However I will have to do a number on the fret ends as they are all skin-slicer sharp, unfinished basically. I guess it's a crapshoot at this price point. It'll be a killer bass when I'm done though. I love the neck profile especially. I will weigh it eventually but so far I can say that it's nice and light and well balanced.