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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

That whole album is great!!

It’s good stuff for sure. I used some water based artist’s paint as a stain on my Telecaster and then applied coats of Danish Oil over it. I let it dry and then lightly waxed - all good.

That's a welcome NBD Geoff. The bigger bridge and wiring hole were a balls up and kind of spoiled things. Glad to hear Thomann sorted it out 😎 The question isn't so much How can Thomann do it so cheap, It's more how can the rest get away with charging so much 😁

I've got the Festool ETS 125, which is an eccentric sander. I'm not quite sure what the difference is between that range and the Rotex range that Christine has mentioned, but they are (a bit) cheaper and mine will very happily sand wood and polish finish up to 2000 grit (Andy my blue tele was finish-sanded with it). I don't think it's really designed for taking off lots of material, but for normal sanding and finishing it works great. Give it a go next time you are up?

Ooooh - fancy! Very striking. You could also stain it...an ebony board would look pretty classy...

No thread would be complete without a gratuitous mention of Colin Hodgkinson. I've been listening to this man for 45 yeqrs and I still have no real clue how he does it!

I prefer the low end so how about a halfway house and D tune it so like standard E to C but a full step down. pick up wise I just tarted my Hohner B2ADB with EMG HB’s, I did try the BTC system but I didn’t get on with stacked knobs as I am a bit thick, so I kept it vol vol tone. If there jazz pick ups are equally as good you will have a bucket load of fun

I'd agree that the control layout looks odd and I don't recall stacked knobs or switches on Statii preamps of that era, but I'm not much of an expert. I'd get pics in the control cavity if possible. Edit: if the price was right I wouldn't be put off by a change of preramp. Great basses these.

If you're comfortable playing those standards on that instrument, there's no reason to refuse you, especially if you're eager to learn even more (learning is what Conservatory is for, after all...). Our youngest plays a similar bass (has done almost from the 'off'...), and is entirely at ease with it. You'll be fine, if you're not of a nervous disposition. Just play as you normally would at home, relaxed and confident. The fingers will do the rest. Knock 'em dead..!

Thanks I think its high time I learned some about some proper stuff rather than just winging my way thru life

Not sure if I understand any of this thread. How can I find out more about jazz standards?

Frank Bello - absolute legend, saw him play in the 80's and then again a couple of years ago he's still got that boundless energy and enthusiasm along with amazing finger style playing and a cut above most thrash bass players of his generation. GungHo from Spreading the Disease - speed and technicality masterclass. Also seem to come across as one of life's nice guys.

Unless the case is always going to be carried and stored in the same orientation as it sits on the cab you are also going to need to attach a block of wood to the top of the amp bracing against the top of the rack case.

The first thing I'd do is squirt switch cleaner on the valve seat contacts and make sure all of those seem to be clean. But I'm no expert. So have a bump, so someone else might see this.

Good luck, hope you make it John

Sadly I'm more selling than buying these days due to illness , but Over the the years I've always been happy buying instruments which have been well used and and dings in , just meant I could use and gig without worry .

You’re right. Just had a look - they’re not cheap!!!

Yep , not a clue here either , but best wishes 👍

Ours is a pi55artist!

I like all the usual (and unusual) Bass solos from over the decades; Jaco, Patitucci and the rest of them etc. Slow/fast there is usually something to keep me interested. Just too many to list really.

Beyond 6 feet it doesn’t make much difference............

Thank you so much! On the day, we set up the interview and David came up to the studio. The original plan was for me to follow my guide questions, but we got engrossed in to a really long conversation instead. So much so that we actually ran in to the allotted soundcheck time! I didn't open my pad once throughout the interview itself but we certainly talked about some really cool stuff! Frank's interview was also meant to be in the studio but due to timings we couldn't get back in. My notes being behind a locked door, I was told that I would quiz him in front of the awaiting audience instead. Which was nerve wracking. Frank, ever the gentleman was more than pleased just to, as you say, shoot the breeze and talk about his bass tone and what's important to him as a musician. I'd have to say that although the interviews were for a magazine, for me, it was an opportunity to reach out and do exactly as you've said. Two memories I hold dear.

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

Disco is the greatest musical form ever created. My cohort and I just completed a parody based around a Boney M song and it was too much fun... He is a grumpy goth but we were both giggling at what we had wrought... :D