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Yes, but realistically, after investing 20 years, surely it's worth giving it another five? Y'know ... just in case ...

Chet Atkins said to his dad “When I grow up I want to be a musician!” And his dad replied “Sorry, son, but you can’t do both.”

I'm with Roger2611 and Lozz196. When I went looking for a vintage Fender I deliberately sought a bass that had some visible wear as to me it probably signals it's a good item and has been used not abused (and hopefully maintained) rather than stuck in a cupboard. As original as possible and un-modded. Mine actually has one none-vintage strap button but I guess I could always remove the old hootenany button and use that instead and leave a hole in the headstock. Gratuitous vintage Fender pics (it's a '66):

Everybody should have Tin Drum by Japan in their music collection. Mick Karn was a God in my eyes...his work with Japan is legendary, however his solo albums ( I have three IIRC) didn't take his work to the next level IMO. Doesn't mean he wasn't a God though....

Looking at those latest photos, I can't help thinking that the knobs would look awesome if they were mounted on top of an elongated teardrop-shaped inlay that mirrors the shape and colour of the f-hole. S.P.

Andy Fraser’s solo on Mr Big from the Free Live album; not technically difficult, but superb build and note choice.

Well it has taken a while, but I've finally had time to give my Burns Barracuda Bass a proper work out including a rehearsal with the band. First the obligatory photos: While it shares a lot in common with the Squier being a Bass VI, in many ways it is a very different instrument, especially when it comes to the pickups and electrics. The wider neck is much more comfortable for me than the narrow Squier. However it is not as wide as the specifications would lead you to believe. Nut width is 45mm, but the actual string spacing between the two E strings is only 38mm, a mere 3mm more than the Squier, and the strings are very obviously set in from the fingerboard edges. The difference is enough to make the neck feel more comfortable overall, but if the string spacing made full use of the available nut width, it would be even more useful to me. The fingerboard is bound in fake MoP which looks great, but doesn't make the dots particularly easy to see in subdued lighting conditions - as I discovered the first time I took this bass into the rehearsal room. At the other end things are less good. The overall string spacing at the bridge is only 52mm compared with 55mm on the Squier, so while it is easier to form chord shapes on the neck without inadvertently muting strings with my fingers, picking the correct string cleanly is a lot harder. For the first week I was constantly missing strings or playing the wrong one. This is one of the problems when the hardware for a Bass VI has been appropriated from a guitar design. The Squier Bass VI might look like it's been cobbled together from bits left over from the Fender Jaguar, but all the important parts have been suitably altered to suit the nature of the instrument. The bridge on the Barracuda appears to be exactly the same as that on the Marvin Guitar and consequently the spacing here is really a bit too narrow for a Bass VI. The relatively narrow bridge also means that the outer string get further way from the edge of the fingerboard as you move up the neck. On the other hand the vibrato mechanism is a lot more useful than the one on the Squier. It's smoother feeling has a noticeable effect on all the strings and has less of a tendency to put the instrument out of tune. Overall the Barracuda is (for me) easier to play than the Squier, but it really needs to have a correspondingly wider string spacing at the bridge to match that of the nut for optimum comfort. The other interesting thing is that despite looking bigger and chunkier than the Squier Bass VI, both basses weigh the same (4.3kg on my scales) the Barracuda feels lighter on the strap and is definitely more comfortable to wear for a 2-3 hour rehearsal. When it come to the pickups and electronics there's a lot more variation between the Barracuda and the Squier Bass VI. The Barracuda has a standard Strat-type pickup selector with the conventional 5 options. However pulling up the tone control nearest the jack socket automatically activates the neck pick up irrespective of the position of the 5-way switch. I was a bit worried that the "in-between" pickup positions might sound a bit weedy, put while there is some thinning of tone, it's all very usable and all the positions work well in a band mix. At the moment I'm favouring either the bridge or middle pickup solo'd or the bridge and neck pickups together depending on the band mix. What is much better than the Squier is that the instrument has a lot of clarity without it being at the expense of the bottom end. To that end if you want to be playing surf-style bass this could well be the bass for you. There's plenty of twang and oomph available, and at the same time should it be required. As you can probably tell, while the Burns Barracuda still isn't ideal for me it's a lot more suitable than the Squier Bass VI. It is usable straight out of the case (it comes with a rather nice Burns branded hard case) without needing to shim the neck or replace the strings, and the bridge/vibrato unit while not being as wide as would be ideal is overall a lot more suitable for a bass instrument than the Squier. I think this bass will be fine for me at the moment, until I can afford to have something mode more specifically for my needs.

Again, don't be fooled - it's not as near done as it looks! But we are on the home straight. I've said before that I have a slightly unconventional way of going about things. Probably much less efficient than many, but it reduces the risk of me knack****g the functionality for style or vice-versa! The top hasn't been finally shaped yet - it's a bit flat-topped and thicker than final target. But making sure that it is going to be straight and intonate OK and just how much to lower the top where the bridge sits are all guestimates until the actual hardware and strings are in place. So that's generally what I do - I string it up and then I can see exactly what leeway I have, or what tweaks I need to make: The bridge area can drop down up to 3mm safely and the curvature from the centre line to the 'f' hole can increase a touch. The spacing (adjustable on this bridge) will be tweaked a touch to get the G just a little closer to the fretboard edge at the 24th. While it's strung up (these are temporary strings) I will also finish shape and sand the neck - being able to play it and really feel how the curvature of the profile works at all parts of the neck as I fine tune the shape makes a huge difference to judging when it's right. Last this is that I can see whether those knobs enhance or distract - I'm doing a second set to be able to do a live A/B comparison where the tops are the plainer poplar (same as the headstock plate). @Len_derby will have both sets and will be able to swop them around as often as he wants I'm hoping to do that extra sanding over the next few days and start the finishing process at the weekend - Osmo Polyx Satin is on its way as I type

I share with you this solo I covered. Tell me if yu liked it or not! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KgxjxvipQI&feature=youtu.be

Looking very nice, I'll bet Len is dying to get his hands on it

Here are the plain knobs - they will lighten a touch when the oil has dried. @SpondonBassed - please note that I SOMETIMES take notice of what you say ref the background The comparison is here: Personally, I prefer the plainer ones on the actual bass - my eye is drawn to the top and not the knobs - but, whatever, Neil will be given both sets

The Libertines were, are and forever will be utter gash. The fuss over Winehouse has been one of the most bemusing things in music. Back to Black is wafer thin ersatz 60s Dusty Springfield type pop updated for the millennium, produced by the most overrated producer ever. Stand up Mark Ronson. Just an opinion of course.

Willie Weeks on Donny Hathaway's Voices Inside is a favourite, as is Dexter Redding playing The Awakening.

Yes - that's my thought. When you add the pattern of the knobs, I wonder if you lose just a smidgen of the bookmatch pattern effect of the body. The plain poplar alternative is the same wood but without the pattern and is identical to the headstock - it may counter that effect and also visually tie the headstock to the body. The nice thing is that I can do both and present Neil with a simple ' do you prefer this or that' and give him the spares anyway By the way, all in, this is 6lbs 6oz at the moment. Less a bit of final finish sanding and plus a bit of finish oiling, that will be pretty much the finished weight.

The difference having some strings makes is astonishing. It looked good before. Now it looks the business too. If one was to suggest an LED for this instrument I would conceal one and only one with a diffuser inside your norrisole to bring out the warm red tones of its backing veneer. I am looking forward to the Andyjr knob comparison post with anticipation. I think it's anticipation... that or I'm still immature enough to get a kick out of typing the word knob whilst imagining it being said by Rowan Atkinson. I found the flooring a distraction. It might be easier to compare knobs with a plain background for the bass itself. I like the ones in the images above well enough. Our Len's going to be spoilt for choice though with the poplar tops. Excellent.

Goodness gracious..! Unaware of other versions of this song, I was inspired to give this a listen, on the back of this recommendation. I regretted this decision quite quickly, and didn't even get past the half-way mark (unusually, as I like to give everyone their chance...). 'Big beat', cheesy arpeggios, vocoders galore, sub-BeeGees harmonies, 'Pooo.. Pooo..' synth 'drums, an 'arrangement' of sorts, although term seems inadequate... Goodness gracious..! It's been quite a while since I listened to such tosh. They say that all is a matter of taste. Hmm... I'll be more wary next time. Goodness gracious..! Warning: Please don't be inspired to make the same mistake as I did without the full knowledge that this is highly likely to not be a pleasant experience. At your own peril, then.

Plenty of good bands need a good and dedicated bass player. Sure you won't be on the shelf for long. And without the "band" you can resume friendships without the smouldering resentment at each others differing priorities with the band.

I like the way the knobs blend in - looks like there are none. How about using a darker wood for the main barrel of the knob so the player looking down can see them but for the onlooker, they are concealed?

Just posted a link to this thread to the GK Facebook page, you never know might help.

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But a lot of the time the mix was a result of the recording technology and practices of the time and not down to what the artists or their producer intended. Anything recorded on tape machines with less than 16 tracks will have had all sorts of mix decisions made long before all the instruments and vocals had been laid down, all of which would ultimately compromise the final sound of the recordings. If you find that several bounces down the line instruments recorded on the first or second pass were no longer in the right place in the mix you could either live with it or go back to the point when they were recorded and redo the track form there. The second option was only really available to artists with the recording time and budget of The Beatles. Most other bands who had just a couple of weeks to track and mix their album would have to carry on with what they had already done. Also on most studio-created albums from before the mid 80s a good part of the sound is dictated by the delivery medium - what can and cannot be cut to vinyl and will play properly on the average record player. Many of them won't sound the same on record as they did in the studio, because too much is lost/compromised in the transfer to vinyl.

I have a 1970 P in sunburst/rosewood/tort just like that 1966 P, which is in used but certainly not abused nick. There's a mobile phone sized patch of wear on the back, and various smaller patches of wear, about half of which were there when i bought it 24 years ago, and the rest has been picked up along the way. I think the fashion for relicing has given an unrealistic idea that old guitars become inevitably battered - if you take good care of them, they don't. Mine has clearly been well used and had some professionally-done repairs over the years (on its second refret and its third jack socket) so its no museum piece, but as a working instrument it is incredible. I would neither seek out battered examples, or shun pristine ones really. All instruments are individual anyway, so it's down to whether or not I like the one in my hand (or more likely, whether I can afford it!)

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Ooohhhh my veneer turned up today very excited but I won't get chance to start it till Friday 🙁

The best bass players (pro or otherwise) are the guys playing the best bass lines. Who cares what instrument they used. Do what the best pro players do. . . make your own decisions and resist following the herd.

It's just a tool. I play a 5 purely because I get piano scores rather than bass parts and I like to be able to play the low end without having to thing about changing things. Half the time I don't use the lowest notes but I have more positions to play in because I can play across the board rather than up and down. TBH anyone who does the "4 was good enough for Jaco" routine is a weapons grade silly billy. There were hardly any 5 string basses around at the time. There was the 15 fret Fender V 1965 but the first really popular 5 was the Stingray and that wasn't introduced until 1987. The year Jaco died. Wal and Alembic did some before that but they weren't common or affordable. Who knows what he would have done if he had lived longer. But one thing I am sure of - he wouldn't have said - "Oh look! a 3 string double bass was good enough for Bottesini so that's good enough for everyone"

It is of absolutely no importance to me what other bass players do. Besides the best bass lines on most albums released since the early 80s were synthesised or sampled and played by a sequencer.

Done the headstock decal

I should also add that having had first hand experience of Shure Super 55 as it was Mr Venom's microphone of choice for the Terrortones, I can say that underneath that supposedly rugged exterior, they are quite flimsy. In particular, the wires that run from the XLR socket in the base to the capsule in the body of the mic are very thin and weedy and if your singer makes a lot of use of the pivot between the two, the wires will eventually break and need replacing. I had to do this 3 times over 6 years with Mr Venom's mic and they continued to wear out with use, even after I replaced the wires with something a bit more heavy duty. Admittedly Mr Venom, gave his mic some serious abuse, but after 6 years I had replaced almost every part, so they are not as robust as their looks would have you believe.

I thought this thread was "Albums you've really tried to love", not "Artists and bands you've always hated"..?

It depends what your goals are but for me playing in a band is about playing gigs. That requires putting in some time at the "coal face" to get a set of songs together you won't look stupid playing. You can soon tell if that's not going to happen in my experience.

Bought a lovely Spector from Dan. Clear communication and bass brilliantly packed for courier. Thanks! Recommended!

I've done the vinyl way a couple of times. Pal of mine does vinyl signage for Tesco etc. He advises a light spray of water or washing up solution and use an old credit card to keep pressure on when applying.

Thanks all for the comments @Bassassin I was hoping you would make an appearance! Thanks for the info, and lovely looking basses. @dood Yours looks great too. Thanks for posting. I am going to see if CTS pots fit and get some ordered this week hopefully so I can get it making some noise. It's a really figured body and possibly Sen when I've googled it, so think it may be that. Nice and lightweight, whatever it is.

I think the charcoal one is great but possibly very similar indeed to the starry night. I went for the aqua sparkle - it's a deeper blue in some of the pictures I've seen compared to the front on view on Talkbass - I guess the colour shifts with the lighting - they're all pretty good colours though. And even the 5 strings are quoted as about 8.5 lbs.

Here's my Aria also from the same era (modified with bridge pickup and the original scratchplate was white). The body is made from Sen I believe.

I’m not sure how some people play their instruments, but a well looked after, yet old instrument won’t always be battered, bruised and have large sections of wood showing through. Some do, and I feel represent those that simply didn’t look after it, probably back in the day when they didn’t feel the need to look after them so much, as the value and desirability simply wasn’t there. Old and clean instruments are desired because they are looked after, like collectible cars, or anything else, they are not un-played because they have ‘issues’. Never understood that theory? Personally, I look for an instrument that is as original as possible, including the finish, then the best condition I can afford for my budget at the time, depending what itch needs scratching at the time. I’m not suggesting worn guitars aren’t also good instruments, many certainly are, they’re just not as well looked after, and prices will reflect that. I have an ‘82 JV proto Jazz bass from April ‘82, I bought it in ‘84, gigged regularly with it until ‘95, and still play it very regularly, it doesn’t have any additional marks on it from the day I bought it 34 years ago. Doesn’t make it a bad bass, it’s actually one of my best, and most played. I also look after it. Having said all that, I love to see an instrument with nice honest wear, even if I rarely buy them. Too many heavy relic things around these days which actually look nothing like a genuine old guitar, which is influencing how people I think about stuff I think.

I could not agree more

There’s a couple of colours there I really like - Ivory White/~Maple, Jet Black/Rosewood, Burnt Apple, Dropped Copper, but the one I like best is Charcoal Sparkle which is unfortunately a bit too close to two I already have i.e. the Sledge and Starry Night 😬

Terrific record, this. It perfectly distils the experience of the hot city street; searching for shade, checking out the girls, the pneumatic drill of the road workers, waiting for the cool of the night. Brilliant.

Same with the Beatles, great songwriters, I mean truly great, but I can't stand their whiney nasal racket... I have changed my mind about a few bands over the years, I genuinely detested Steely Dan as a youngster, but I find them fascinating now, same is true of Country and Western.... No, wait, I still hate Country and Western.

Just thinking the very same thing. In fact I already have a pair of P Bass cream pickup covers and cream top-hat volume and treble controls... maybe go for gold hardware and complete the early-80s vibe...