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Thanks mate, sensible sound advice

Johnson & Knopfler's Music Legends is on Sky Arts now. Nile Rodgers in Miami interview.

Find out what happened to the pedals I would say - maybe he has them in a box somewhere?

Dreamy!

A philosophical question - if the new neck is made by the same person who ran the Washburn Custom shop, but has now left, is it still a Washburn custom? But yes, if I sell it, the bits will be included - as will a link to this thread (for those who want a bit of provenance ....).

All around the £2.3k mark in today’s money I think. I’m intrigued by what looks like a 4/6, Ibanez, twin neck on the next page.

what's the flanged metal thing with the bolt on it?

Just come down if an when you can....

I didn't say I could afford transatlantic yacht racing....

I wouldn’t change a thing till you have worked out if you like it or not

The "blue of the 928" is aniline blue. The same person who is making my new neck, had also made the 928. He remembers the colour. I will ask him for more detail, and see if it can be replicated in the UK.

To be honest, depending on the gig (how challenging the material is, if it's been rehearsed, etc), I'm quite happy to have a few drinks on a gig. It's whether I've got to drive home that determines if I have a drink or not.

I have one of those, it's a good bass. I modded mine by knocking the gloss back with wire wool. Rough and ready but looks good to me. Was going to get a new pickguard but like the look with the black. Still may try a gold or mirrored one or something silly though! I put some beefier pickups in it too.

Many thanks guys for the friendly and helpful advice, I'm not looking for sympathy as everyone has their problems and to those who've offered help I'll be in touch. Much appreciated Nick.

So, I am now in a position to take this project forward. I looked in more detail at the twisted neck using a straight edge. You'll see a gap between the wood and the straight edge, on one side. Doing the same check on the other side shows no such gap. So, a bend rather than a twist. I showed the same picture to my chosen luthier and he was upset at the poor workmanship of the original neck. That's because he used to run the Washburn custom shop that originally made these basses, until the whole shop was moved to a new location. Same machines and jigs, different staff - and poorer quality. I have one of the poorer quality ones ( this one - but my other XB925 is from the original custom shop, and is great to play, and sounds good too). Anyway, the agreement is that I will send him the old neck, and fretboard, for him to either straighten, or to use to inspire the replacement neck. I suggested that he uses the same headstock veneer (lift it off of one neck, place it on the other), and he still has the same stamps so that he can replicate the serial number. I will post it off tomorrow, and discuss what I need, when he has it in the workshop. I am planning to have an ebony fretless, with little edge lines. All in, a new neck is $450 (not the $400 I mistakenly quoted).

Well that would certainly be more glamourous than my choices of badly playing bass and failing to grow onions. What do you do for a living, and how quickly can I retrain?

That’s a lovely bass. I wonder though, if any of the people who walked past when the photo was taken thought “ah, shame he can’t afford a Fender, maybe one day”.

I thought it might be the cable but it wasn’t as I tried that same cable with an electro acoustic. there’s no obvious fault with the wiring, can anyone recommend a fairly cheap replacement pre amp? Quite willing to believe it might be toast after 20 years

I swear Sam Wilkes head is going to come off one day. I worry for the guy. Louis Cole arranged all the parts for this as well. Just a shame it looks like it was filmed on or by a potato.