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I sat down with a Vigier Passion 5 yesterday and took some measurements because the neck is remarkably playable. I was stunned to discover the nut was 41.6mm wide! That's the same as a preCBS strat...on a 5 string bass. But it didn't feel cramped in the slightest and the neck at the nut was 20mm thick as well...again, comparable to a guitar. I started wondering if these kinds of measurements might be appropriate for a narrow SR5 neck.

I used to have a Jap Jazz in this configuration. It was a 75RI. Bought it from a Basschatter in France. I absolutely love the look, still do. You don't see it very often. It reminded me of my first proper bass, an original black '75 Jazz... but I just didn't play it enough to warrant keeping it. I sold all the basses in my collection a few years ago, but kept the Pro Precision that usurped it as top bass in my stable. Did you import yours?

Great! PM'd

Bass players of Peterborough and surrounding area! On Sunday the 17th of August between 1.30pm and 3.30pm we are having an open house at Nick Smiths studio in Peterborough so you can come along to see and try his Midas Bass! We’ll be opening the raffle to win this bass at this open house and there’ll be the chance to purchase the remaining items of Nicks vast music gear collection Raffle tickets will be £20 each, with the winner being drawn at the Nick smith Memorial Gig at Charters in Peterborough on the 7th of September. All monies raised will go to the Nick Smith Foundation to help music related projects in the local area Please share this post far and wide to help us raise as much as possible in Nick Smiths Memory The location is in Belgic Square, Fengate, Peterborough….please DM for exact address and access instructions on the day. @Blondy will also be able to help with the details ”remote” entry details will be tied down and announced by the 17th August **should the base be won by someone not at the memorial gig the costs of shipping will be taken from the monies raised from the raffle**

Pre EB SR4 necks can fit preEB Sabre basses. So I expect the same will be possible for the graphite composite SR4 necks.

I'm patiently waiting for one of those to turn up. I notice they're priced VERY differently from the 6 string version.

But we're young at heart @obbm Dave

Im partly responsible for the expansion to Musical Exchanges when they opened the downstairs showroom. I did the building/painting/flooring in there. That's how I got a job in the shop. Brilliant place and atmosphere.

I‘m absolutely happy for you! I myself, however, was absolutely unconvinced to exchange money for the Fretless Z7-4 I received yesterday and re-packaged it within 23 hours. Part of it may have been that I was on the fence whether I actually want / need a fretless, part of it that I would have had to sink further money into a new preamp as I‘d want a classic 2-Band circuit and to do something about the awful pickguard. But what genuinely disappointed me was the neck. It was my impression that Sire built their reputation with these and their "edgeless" quality, in particular? I was just not impressed, at all: The glossy fretboard was continuously rippled, not evenly plane. The bone nut was filed not low enough so that open notes sounded jarringly un-fretless - first time I’ve ever experienced this on a fretless, across various price points between Warwick "Rockbasses" up to a Fender Tony Franklin. The neck was not sanded properly, with multiple rough spots on the back and the sides of the neck. Shocking, really. All of this to say: Quality control seems mixed, unfortunately.

For our Belgian members. . . . Anyone remember Euromusic, Parys Flore, Rue Du Midi, Bruxelles? I just found the receipt for my Fender Precision, which I bought in 1969 from there. Great shop and friendly staff.

Yup a compressor will do wonders for your drive tone depending on where you set it and the suggestion above is solid. Adding a comp as an ‘effect’ for other pedals is a great trick.

Well it was more like this afternoon, Cider festival. This right here absolutely sang today 😎🏁

"Join a band" they said. "It will get you closer to the ladies" they said....

I worked this out this morning, after years of unhappy “drive” searching… My suggestion is to also try a compressor with extreme settings (high ratio, 100% wet, above unity output) - as an effect rather than tool… The extreme compressor gives the type of “saturation” I like… lots of clarity & raw balls without being weak/oversaturated/weird midrange/low end roll-off/biamping/etc I’m going… Bass - Compressor - Sansamp - Power Amp So really I’m using the extreme compressor to drive my preamp - which gives another great suggestion, the Sansamp BDDI, great for Ampeg SVT style “always on” grit The big muff deluxe bass was the closest to happy “heavier drive” I did have… but now it’s either not needed or the compressor pushes & enhances that even more. Hope this madness helps others, good luck!

Last Thursday I saw Hawkwind at Chepstow Castle... epic. A local band had a great extended spot in the crowded beer garden of the pub next to the Castle for the 2 ½ hours before the doors opened. Onebof my bands had that spot booked for next Thursday with Terrorvision at the Castle. Our bl got a new job and neither of my other bands could make the afternoon setup time. 😭😭😭😭😭

Groovy Movies - The Kinks

I think probably the shop I spent the most time in was in Canterbury, where I went to university. A place called – I think – castle street music, or something like that. It was a guitar shop on castle street, and businesses in Canterbury tend to go for pretty straightforward names. It was called County Music - a lovely shop, good staff, a decent selection of gear for a small outlet, always happy to match online (GAK) prices.

Likewise. 🤣

That is one seriously nice rig