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I'm tempted to have a few lessons with him. I've the time but not the budget for many lessons. Were your lessons with Ian in person or over the internet?

Spitballing here - after what is hopefully the final flatting tonight - a very fine Sharpie, then remaining clearcoat over it?

I've often wondered, in 3EQ to 2EQ conversions like these, what becomes of the original output jack?

Bit of a long shot but has anyone used the various cheap preamps available on eBay/Amazon? Bought one with good reviews but it came with no wiring diagram so I am at a loss!

I think Ibanez MC-924 (AJ) made for Alphonso Johnson was one of the first ones with a vertically half fretted neck. Ashula is a horizontally half fretted. I had a white Ashula, but as I converted it to a 5 string, my bandmates were asking why the sound was changing within a song. I converted it back to a six and sold it. I think the idea is nice but there are obvious problems. If the song requires quite a big area from the fretboard, the sound changes can be bad for the music (record something and listen to the result). Sound is dependent on the electronics, too. That's why the change between the fretted and fretless notes can be substantial: one adjustment may not be ideal for both worlds. Fretless board after frets in a vertically divided board requires neat work from the luthier. When the fretboard ages, it may be complicated to level everything to original specs. I am not quite sure if a two neck monster would still be a better option if the instrument was light (like Basslab?). Putting both instruments to one single neck is an interesting idea, but I couldn't live with it - I am too old to learn new, or even old tricks. And no, I am not a very good player. My thinking of the instrument is maybe ancient and slow: from 4 to 5, from fretted to fretless, all changes require changing my attitude to the song and playing.

The headstock shape looks pretty much the same to me if foreshortening due to perspective is taken into consideration.

I've made a small mistake. There should be a gap in the top of the 'p' where the musical 'note' descends. That was silly. I'm in two minds here - should I just accept the mistake for what it is, or should I try to put a tiny sliver of black on what I've built up to this point then try to hide it in the final coats of lacquer - as illustrated in this quick mockup? It's so nitpicky, and fraught with risk at this late stage, I dunno why I'm even considering it. How risky is it, do you think?

I've always used rounds on my Jazz basses and my absolute favourite strings for my fretless Jazz basses are Rotosound Swing 66 Nickel rounds light gauge. They just sound incredible. However, I've started to string my fretless Precision basses with LaBella Deep Talkin flats in a light gauge and they sound, play and feel amazing. So I'm going to try a set on one of my fretless Jazz basses to see how they compare. I know most say that you get more mwah with rounds but I have always found I get more mwah with flats on a fretless so I'm interested how they compare on a Jazz.

His dad died in 1990.

Yeah this was great - I was lucky enough to have lessons from Ian over a few years and it was an amazing experience. I miss those times ! He is just an all round great guy! thanks for posting the vid

That was a bass lesson in itself. No stretching to reach notes, a lot of hand movement, even notes, totally relaxed. Ian shows how it's done. Loved it.

For bass playing in a band setting, how do you find they compare with studio headphones or other IEM brands @acidbass ? These, presumably, inexpensive IEM 75 headphones, for me, are far closer to studio headphones than they are to the KZs.

Even if it were true a few million thrown by Rod at good causes ain’t anything like enough to compensate the world for his Glastonbury show 😆

good day UK did you hold on to that thoughts? well, i'm on it agin & again. actually exact the same idea of a 5er (6 would be too wide for me personally) fretted up to 5th, to have a 'regular bass' to fall back on and a full tonal option of a 4er fretless to sing along. i wonder if you gentlemen could give me some more advice and help? ONE bass to do it all ! thats a vision worth to follow, isn' it?

The ZS10s have a pronounced hump in the upper mids for sure. I find it's a nice frequency for vocals but probably not best suited for bass guitar. I use both the ZAR and AS16 Pro X and the bottom end is much more present.

"Rod Stewart destroys AI bots with insane brick-throwing, that isn't what you think" with crappy soundtrack and American voiceover.. Feeble tragic stuff (twats that misuse AI have a lot to answer for!) but at least the comments brought out some laughs....