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Used a P tonight at rehearsal. Like my Flea jazz it has early sixties spec fender vintage pups and the same strings also in similar 'used but too bright to change condition, so fair comparison. 100% honestly, I felt it wasn't as 'present' as the jazz had been on Saturday.

Tempted by a 6-string fretless on the Gardiner Holgate, I put in a low bid (below the lowest estimate) and won it. Went down to their auction house today to pick it up, and also picked up a guitar that one of my guitarists had bought - saved him a 5 hour round trip which would have been difficult as he works in the week, so it was just me with a 5 hour round trip (a different 5 hour round trip to his). Anyroadup, it came in a rather nice Gator case (£150 quid). Description for the auction: 2018 Greg Barcus Custom six string fretless bass guitar, made in USA; Body: chambered mahogany body with figured maple top and figured myrtle back; Neck: seven-ply maple and bubinga neck through; Fingerboard: ebony; Electric: working, Bartolini quad-coil pickups, John East five knob preamp; Hardware: good; Case: Gator hard case; Overall condition: very good. As some may have noticed from the photos, it's a single cut. I never thought I'd buy one but my tolerance to the looks has increased gradually. It's also got a headstock. Well, there's no such thing as the perfect bass. On taking it out of the case, at first I thought the neck was a bit thick, then I realised it's an asymmetric cut which works really well for me - more perceptibly asymmetric than my Sei Original 5-string. It's lined with faint lines (if it's got to be lined, I far prefer these) and also, admirably, with the dot markers on the fret positions. Action was a bit high for my liking but a small tweak to the twin truss rods and adjustment of the bridge saddles has it nice and low. Strings are roundwounds with colour-coded ball ends - I guess D'Addarios. As I like rounds on fretlesses, they're staying. I'm pretty sure the strap buttons are Schaller, I'll check that with a strap or two tomorrow. I haven't yet plugged it in - the five knob (two of them stacked, two of them push-pull) preamp will provide hours of amusement, and I have to find out the functions of the three switches. This will be tomorrow's fun. The logic behind getting it is that with the originals band, I'm using a fretless as it's the most flexible for me. Currently a 5-string but I'm wondering whether I can push myself into more exploration with a 6-string.

I have labella tapewounds on an acoustic. Still stiff but much nicer feel thsn fender flats.

$1,800 for the the Stadium Floor, so maybe £1,750 over here? vs £1,450 for the Quad Cortex But it does seem like quite a step up from Quad Cortex, which is going some? I guess the context for a guitarist is a Mesa Boogie Mark VII 1x12 Combo Valve Amp would set you back £4,200

Probably as useful and the amp will appreciate it 🙂

Have A Cigar - PF

I’ve sent this Harley Benton PB-20 off to Shuker for a proper set up + strings (not just for that I promise!) and for the bridge & pick ups to be replaced. I spoke to him about what I need out of the Harley Benton and he was happy to help. What a guy. I’m fairly certain Shuker is well known on this page for his craftsmanship and honestly I really look forward to how it sounds when it returns. The fact he does a signature JJ Burnel Bass and sorts out Simon Rix’s bass is awesome! mods to be done: Gotoh 201 Bridge in black Rotosounds 45/105 strings and set up (stock strings were 40’s … and dead) stock pickups to be taken out and replaced with SPB-1’s. I grab it on the way back from Leeds in a couple weeks and I’m absolutely buzzing to use it for rehearsals (and maybe pub gigs if all goes well 😁)

I was at PMT Leeds on Monday and apart from a lack of bass strings to choose from everything looked normal in fact they had been having a move round of the store. Very odd.

I've got a GP11 1110 (red stripe 4x12 combo). Sounds great. If only it was easier to move around, I've only gigged it twice 😞

Good rehearsal with the originals band tonight. Got my basslines finalised for 7 songs. We jammed a song that was acoustic guitar only on the bands first album. I came up with a bassline that had a 'Cirrus Minor' feel - very pleased with it.

Very brief clip of me playing along to Peaches by the Stranglers (backing track on YouTube with no bass). Just to mess around with the tone & volume capacity of my piss poor 15w amp. Surprisingly I think I did well in capturing the JJ Burnel bass growl in this, although I’m just using a sonic P with stock pickups. 48a8d4db-1e07-4e08-b591-17de951a05b4.mov

Please feel free to contact me directly ref DJ, I've not been able to locate your original email.

Brown eyed girl. Studying a setlist for a band I’m joining and it’s quite simple but also intricate in terms of timing. I like it

come to the party, we've got biscuits