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I'm now the proud owner of a Hartwood Satellite that came in the post on Thursday. I love vintage and retro looking guitars and for the price I could not resist. I'm not completely down with the split p's in terms of looks - though I will admit they do sound quite good in that neck position. Originally I was thinking about putting a big old Thunderbird style just to compliment the looks and to give it a bit more of a surf punk sound, but I also have a Rascal and a Newport which also caters for that kind of look. Someone on that 'other site' across the pond suggested lipsticks, which I'll admit is totally growing on me, but most folks over there are very good at spending other people's money and I'm trying to source a lipstick that would not break the bank say up to £35 max, so no SD's for me. I'm also very confused with the outputs of lipsticks and the fact that some have "folds" and some do not. This is totally alien to me who is just used to putting in SC's or Humbuckers, 😕if anyone can explain to me what folds are I'd be dead grateful. I also understand that lipsticks are primarily used in guitars, but my Bronco has a 6 pole strat in it and it sounded great before I swapped it for a McNelly, so I'm not too fussed about using a guitar pickup as long as it isn't reedy or wheezy. I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a lipstick that's readily available over here - I have been looking at Roswells but ordering them direct to UK appears a very convoluted business, and Amazon carry a few no names but the majority have no reviews so I don't know whether what I bought from them would be any good. I know I'll have to have a new PG made up, but that's the plan anyway, eventually I want it red like a paupers Backlund, 😁, maybe reshape the headstock and nitro it to colour code with the body, I've also a Guyker GB 1020 bridge arriving on the twelfth of never which'll I reckon look great on the retro styling. If anyone on here has put reasonably priced lipsticks on their guitars, I'd love to hear their recommendation. Thanks all.👍

*cough* https://www.digimart.net/cat3/shop5072/DS09354419/ 😉

Haha Cheers Mark, I'm already trying to stop myself buying the Hagstrom H8-II that's in there, I've wanted one of those for a while!

Mark bought a Phil Jones cab off me. Great comms and quick payment. All around, a pleasant and smooth transaction. Enjoy the cab mark Kind regards Ian

Thanks Mark, it was a pleasure doing business with you. Enjoy the cab Kind regards Ian

Well my Z7 (solid finish so not ash, CBA looking up what it is got back to the computer, it's alder) is 9 and a half pounds, and I don't consider that to be particularly heavy.

Congratulations @cetera it is a stunner! Myself is a bit relieved that it's not a 5 string and even if it was it's not available (Ishibashi site doesn't show new items, only used)

Spot on. My Z7 with the ash body is 11.2 lbs and on a 2 hour gig it`s just too heavy. Pity too as I love everything else about it.

Had a cracking gig as dep in a UB40 tribute last night at the Big Tribute Fest 2025 in Plymouth. The band were headlining the Saturday night.

Or have a change of thought on the role the bass takes in this particular band, moving to a more supportive instrument laying down a rock solid foundation with the drums. A band I really like that had keys was Rainbow and the various bassists although they played interesting lines they were def supporting the rest of the band really well.

I have just bought a PJB cab from Ian. Great comms and super fast despatch of the item. Couldn’t be happier. Top man, trade with confidence. Thanks Ian. 🙏

Wrong on several counts, I'm afraid. No amount of changing tone will prevent harmonic clashes - typically caused by keys and bass playing passing notes that are a semitone or tone apart. All that will result from changing the bass tone to cut more is accentuation of those clashes. No keyboard part is set in stone. It shouldn't be for the bass player to "remember that a piano is played with two hands and work with the keyboard player"? The bass has little choice about what to play, especially when playing covers. Obviously, you have to stay in your lane and avoid clashing with other instruments (I rarely if ever venture above the fifth fret). The main issue, as I point out above, is keyboard players playing the same way in a band context as they would solo, filling all the holes and taking up too much sonic real estate. As others state, songs by the likes of Elton and Billy Joel are properly arranged. It isn't by chance that the keys and bass (or keys and other instruments) don't fight one another.