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@jimbobothy I've been thinking of a modular setup a bit like yours, but I've not yet figured out what to do in terms of power. Or where/how to insert each board in the signal chain. Interested to hear how you get on.

Very sad news. I was fortunate enough to meet him, and spend a memorable few days on the road with him, sharing dressing rooms. The first gig was in Paris, and from the outset he was the most friendly and generous guy you could meet, always chatting and telling us tales of his life and the music industry. We did drink quite a bit of wine together over the course of the next week and a half, and I got in trouble with the promoter once for going out wine shopping for him the night we played Islington Assembly Hall. I fixed his amp in Milton Keynes before the gig, it was just a bad valve, but he said "Rob, you're the man!", and my heart swelled with pride. RIP Cropp.

I don't think that basses suffer from the same collector/invester interest as guitars. That insane multi-million pound tier of golen-era Les Pauls or Strats, or guitars with rock credentials, I don't feel that basses get it in quite the same way and as you can see above - if a player is after a vintage bass for a very specific kind of work then they can find one at a reasonable price if they can make some compromises, say, refinished and some parts not original. There are enough "players" instruments out there that I think we're pretty well served and the prices tend to be relatively consistent...ish. Sure, some things come into fashion, but it's not like per Ernie Ball Stingrays have gone from being £1000 ten years ago to £10,000 today. They're worth more, but they were always high-quality desirable instruments, they're just a bit more valuable now. Anyone speculating on collectible basses as investments is gambling, but at least if you buy a '66 Precision and it loses 20% of its value... you'll still own an incredible instrument!

It's a weasel word. There are no standardised guidelines as to what "vintage" means when it comes to instruments, unlike in cars.

How old is a vintage bass? 20? 30? 40+ years?

We live in the golden age of luthiery. Not joking.

Aces High - Children of Bodom (Original: Iron Maiden)

Hunting high and low - A-Ha

Squier CV and VM series have been around for a while now. For £300, you can buy a fantastic instrument off the shelf.

I find sending a short, friendly email every few weeks with quick updates or stories works best. Too much spam feels annoying, so I keep things light and personal.

Caught up with Paul Turner and Rob Harris at the Jamiroquai gig - Glasgow Hydro - Wed 3rd Dec

It's a 9v battery power supply. No need to plug into anything at a gig. Just charge up and go.

There's an ACG Krell headless at the Bass Gallery that I'm quite intrigued by here. I've owned an ACG Retro before so am aware of the build quality and playability of Alans work. I've never owned a 32" and have thought about dipping my toes in those waters. As I live at the opposite end of the country its hard to just pop in and try it out. Has anyone been into the Gallery and actualy played this bass and can offer any insight?

I think I'll drill the holes, fit the t-nuts, put some sacrificial M3 bolts through, and then cover it. I want to get the speaker working as I have another to assemble and want them done for Xmas.If the covering has to wait, I'll accept that. Rob

It’s amazing that such good instruments can be made for this amount, with the difference in quality between these and their big brothers not being as much as the price tag would suggest. Starter instruments when I began playing really weren’t up to much at all, whereas nowadays these could easily be first but kept hold of and gigged regularly instruments.

The list should have details like: - brand, possibly the original manufacturer, too - material (Ni, SS, bronze, tape...) - tape/flat/ground/round wound - silk colours - string colour or coating - ball ends - piano string design - round/hex core What else?

I have an Ampeg stack and a wee Markbass cat D CMD212 combo which sounds amazing. I also had a Helix which had an Ampeg SVT and 8x10 cab simulator. I have to say, while you can somewhat replicate the tone of big bass stacks in miniature, you can never really get the feel of them. The way they pulse the air, the harmonics, the bloom and the trouser flapping. Whether or not you think your tiny amp sounds like a big amp, it kind of does, but really doesn't. It's like looking at a video of an OLED TV though an LED monitor. For recording or hifi pop, yes I agree a small amp will do. For driving rock, funk, blues and metal it really isn't the same. Modern live music calculus says that you should mix everything through FOH, but not everyone wants to sound modern.

Did you get issued a mandatory flat cap and t'ferret? We will get back on track though Rob

There are lots of individual topics here about string brands and models/types. I suppose AI could make a compilation of the topics so far. I am not that familiar with AI, that it would be quick and straightforward way for me to ask for results, but is there someone that would do us all a favour? (I am too old to learn old tricks. For me these new ones are even more complicated...)