Leaderboard

something to cheer us all up this morning

I think the technical term, given the smoky venues these basses will have been played in, is 'Fagnolia'... 😀

1972 all original Fender Jazz, with the original case, she’s aged beautifully with great looking wear and checking all over, she was Olympic white but is now a gorgeous buttermilk colour with the most beautiful piece of tort I’ve seen, I think my soul was a small price to pay.

Although the Festool is now firmly on my wish list (I have seen previous reviews and it is that halfway house that @Christine mentions that seems to be a pretty powerful USP), nevertheless it isn't in my present means so it's old-fashioned BF&I this time round. Got the sanding pretty much done (prob still got the final, final neck work to do) and THE FINISHING IS STARTED Here it is in its sanded form: Not sure if it really comes off, but the figuring just behind the fretboard end always reminded me of the swift shape, so I tried to emulate it with the fretboard end carve: And then the first tru-oil slurry and wipe coats. Unless I have a colour concern, I generally now use that for my base sealing and grain-filling process, whatever the final finish. In this case the final finish is going to be Osmo Polyx satin, but I'll still start with the tru-oil treatment. In a previous build, I proved to myself that you can slurry with Osmo just as well, but I wanted that touch of added amber hue that tru-oil tends to give: The bridge, by the way, is now flush with the leading edge of the body as planned: Finishing progress shots tend to get a bit boring so I won't post the Polyx progress, suffice to say that I will be wiping it on with micro-fibre cloth. All being well, the next shots - probably next week - should be the fully assembled bass It will still need a week or so for the finish to fully harden before I can pass it across to Neil but I think I'm now fully clear of disaster/BBQ wood potential tasks - I think it's actually going to turn into a playable bass! As always, many thanks for the encouraging feedback and pearls of wisdom along the way

always loved Bobby Vega

I have a full set of plans and instructions to build an Eagle 1 hovercraft from ply and fibreglass. Engine options include a lot of single cylinder ones and even a 2 cv. I made one myself about 15 years back and they comfortably take 2 but are more fun with one. Easy build for anyone with decent DIY skills. Free to collect or cover post and they are yours.

That looks the business, if they’ve sorted out the issues I might get another one! Good luck with the mods.

Arrived Monday but only got a chance to upack today. 1st thing... How the F**ck do they make these for so little money? Some things other people thinking of buying may want to know: No hole under the scratchplate like some others have reported. Can use without plate now. Bridge has changed from the large bulky one to one with Fender dimensions and screw placement. Volume and tone pots work as they should do. Gave It a quick set up and It plays superbly, love the tone with my old flats on too! Mods I'm gonna do: New tuners. (anyone know what are direct replacements?) Amber tint the neck with Nitro. Reshape the headstock. Add own decal. Repaint scratch plate aged cream. Must say I am blown away at the price. Cheers Geoff.

We had a somewhat different experience - we played together, off and on, for a year as a blues workshop at Band on the Wall in Mcr which ended with a friends and family gig at the BotW cafe. At the end of that gig we looked at each other and knew we couldn't let it end there. There was so much shared energy and potential, we just had to carry it on as A Real Band 🙂 Two people did drop out, one more joined, but by then we knew exactly how much commitment and ambition was shared. Played our first gigs outside Mcr last weekend, and we're all looking forward - realistically - to building on it.

Melodic and groovy too.

Now that’s a challenge to the profanity filter!!!!

Talking of Laura Kuensberg...

Grecos were excellent basses. Dont be confused with the likes of Columbus etc

This should be progressing according to the script. Fender are digging themselves out of the financial hole they are in. To do that they have to draw a line under the "old" Fender product lines and start anew. These basses are supposed to be "better" than the old ones. I assume that means they have taken notice what customers have been saying and addressed any QC and build issues and looked around and finally seen what the competition are doing and are incorporating the best and most useful bits into their basses. Of course this means they will be more expensive. The market place will decide if the extra cost is covered by the "improvements" being made to the instruments. Bass players moaning and thinking that cheaper instruments was the was to go was what got Fender into this mess in the first place. I'm hoping Fender makes it.

Right, clear your desk out now and get your coat. I'll have security escort you from the building.😂

Thanks Douglas, but as the audition is scheduled on the 11th of September, I will be careful with knockin' em dead. 😉

Last post on this I don't want to derail Andy's thread. If you can't justify one that's fine, they are very expensive but they are exceptional at what they do which is smoothing wood either flat or curved but in the way you want to not the way the wood wants. Previosly I had bought Bosch and Elu sanders which didn't last 3 months in my workshop and spent more time back at the service centre either being replaced or repaired. Then the finished surface was at best a little wavy on flat surfaces, the Festool has the Rotex setting which is a halfway house between a random orbital and a disc sander. It cuts cleanly across the surface not following it removing high spots but in an almost scratch free way. I use that to 180 grit then switch to the random orbital mode for finishing with 240 or 320 on a bad day. And the best bit was it did it for over 20 years, only just recently did the switch give out and need to go back for repair, along with some new gears that I didn't know about, I think it has another 20 years in it now. I would recommend one for the standard of finish alone even if they only lasted one year, they are honestly that good

So have I. £433 was the cheapest on a quick search and that was an RO125. Christine's RO150 is £508! I've not looked at the specs to see what the differences between the two are because I can't justify the expense of the entry level one let alone what Christine recommends. I might have to consider it however as I am getting a bit of interest locally for restored cast iron garden furniture. Shameless thread diversion concealed below:

I think of vocalist as the catch-all term for someone who uses their voice as part of a musical performance. Not all vocalists are singers, but all singers are vocalists

I’ve always had a soft spot for Billy Gould’s effort on ‘Kindergarten’ by Faith No More: https://g.co/kgs/DQQKMa

I sent him a link to pics of an identical Columbus - he also messaged me back saying he'll re-list it. Because Grecos were anything but low - end. From the mid 70s onward they were replica-standard, and the instruments that convinced Fender to set up Fender Japan - in partnership with Greco's brand owner. It's widely held that the last-run Greco Fender copies from 1982 were sold badged as Fender & Squier JVs - which are nudging at 4 figures these days. A good late 70s/80s Greco could easily be a £400 - £500 bass these days.

Most of my favourite pro players have played 5 string basses from time to time - they would probably have been more commonly seen in the late 80s up to the mid 2000s. As an example, take Nick Fyffe of Jamiroquy - live he usually played Yamaha 5 and 4 string basses, switching dependent on the song. As has been said, people often use what they consider the best tool for the job. I bought a 5 string for the particular reason of learning Stevie Wonder songs, many of which are played on keyboard bass or in keys lower than E - note the Nate Watts plays a 5 string also (though this is not the reason I got into playing one). I basically alternate my basses for gigs dependent on what takes my fancy on the day but I go through periods of playing 5 or 4 strings - I never take two basses with me these days. 5 strings seem to be used in some theatre orchestras also.

The yellowing is UV discolouration in the lacquer. I’ve had some success overspraying a light amber tint nitro to give some of the effect - it’s not exact but it’s close. I’ll dig out some photos. I also have a later 64 Precision in sunburst should you want any details - My neck is October I think, and I have the transition logo. Pots are October 64 and pickup is November I think.

I messaged him too and told him to be careful about selling fakes, and he's just told me he's relisted it. I also said it may or not be a Columbus, but dont quote me since we dont really know - so what does he do ?

My 1966 cherry red Gibson EB2 is faded - much more on the front that the back - and gently worn and rubbed. I had a chance to do an almost straight swap for a mint condition 1965, still bright cherry red and looking as if it had never been out of its case, and turned it down. The other looked and felt artificial, too shiny. Mine looks and feels as if she's been part of 50 years of music history. I wouldn't be drawn to a bass that was visibly seriously bashed about, even if it was genuine wear. New relic'd - only if it was the only bass on a desert island.

That bridge is a really nice touch.

T'is indeed a thing of beauty and an inspirational thread too. Now where did I put my chisels, I feel a whittle coming on !

That a Status Streamline 5, going through a Valeton Dapper boost pedal to get that cheap synth-bass sound. In truth, it sounds OK on the YouTube but was absolutely righteous on the night.

I've had an ABZ for years, and the fanned frets aren't an issue at all: as others have said, 30 seconds the first time you pick one up and they're a natural thing, and I switch between my ABZ and 'normal' Shukers at gigs without even thinking about it. The string tensions are great, and although mine's a 4, I'd imagine the benefits for a 5 are even more pronounced...If you are a 20th fret chorder, then you may have more of an adjustment to make, but that's not me... As Chris says, try and try one first, though: there's more to them than just the fanned frets - they're light, they have compound radius boards, banjo frets, they're tonally very versatile and feel like the hand-finished quality they are. All good things, IMO... 😍

Nice, just be thankful you weren't born in 1960!

Looks great!

Take a look at the Real Book.

Very good luck, but why should the fact you are 53 be of any significance?

I switched to 5 strings because absolutely I needed to, came to a point where it was a chore working around the limitations of a 4 with regards to songs we play. Not something I wanted to do (I had some very nice and expensive 4 strings I was perfectly happy with) but needs must. Playing a 5 is much easier too, wouldn't go back if I could.

I have nothing to add other than “good luck!” I do like Misty, though...

Great amps, in fact (cough) I may have accidentally bought another one myself!

A bass player people recognise and appreciate. You? You're neither.

That's different!

Enough of the twiddly derrière nonsense... Lemmy - Stay Clean.

It was a start-up. And they seemed super-keen to get gigging. But it was a lie. I gave them the benefit of the doubt for a while, then walked. After making my opinion of them very clear. Finding a band with a full diary is easier said than done. Even more difficult is finding a band with a full dairy. Blessed are the cheesemakers.

Intonation slightly out up at the dusty end

Musicians are a nightmare. I mean other musicians are a nightmare

If you mainly play upright, then I'd recommend Bottesini's Method For Double Bass, which gives me a proper ar*e kicking every time I open it. Much more exciting than Simandl.

I went to see a Victor Wooten bass clinic and he was asked about his basses. He said he would always use his 4 string bass at clinics because he's most comfortable doing the "show off" stuff on a 4, but he uses 5, 6 and fretless on other gigs. Unsurprisingly he'll use what ever is appropriate for the gig. Ian King posted a video on BC of him playing on Hamilton. He's using electric, bass, double bass and bass keyboards. The "best pro players" don't seem to have the hang-ups that so many semi pro players do.