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I work in the music industry. Why do I have so many? Because I'm passionate about my instruments as a player and collector.... and because I can :)

When you have this many basses you don't get through strings so quickly, so after the initial investment on a set per bass the replacements are fewer and further between! Strings going dead? Pick up a different bass! lol! 😂

Slightly off topic and with no G strings involved I spoke to Strings & Things (UK MusicMan distributor) recently and they said that if I register my Old Smoothie online for warantee I’ll get an extra few months and free gift in the post. The free gift turned out to be a nice tool kit worth about £46 (eek!). Nice touch, very impressed, big thanks to the Gentlemen at S&T 👍

I’m an SWR’aholic. There, I’ve said it, it’s out there and I feel strangely unburdened 😀 So as a few of you may recall, I own the daddy of all SWR amps, the SM-1500. This is an absolute powerhouse of a bass amp with 1500 real watts available if you ever need them, but that comes at a price, and that price is weight. A few years ago I was pairing the SM-1500 with either a Goliath Snr 6x10 or a pair of Goliath 4x10’s but eventually I learned that I didn’t need that type of stadium filling rig for my regular gigs and paired things back to a single Goliath, mated with an Aguilar AG500SC which is more than enough, even when headlining the Bulldog Bash to 4,000 last year. As a result, the SM-1500 lies idle most of the time in the man cave. But as good as the Aggy is, I still hanker for the SWR sound, and so I started to look for an SM-900. After a few wanted ads on here, I got a couple of leads but nothing that came to a purchase and then last night, whilst browsing a Facebook selling group I spotted what looked like a pristine SM-900 for sale in Holland. As luck would have it, I work in Holland Monday to Friday, and the SM-900 was unbelievably just 15km away from me. A few messages later and a swift trip up the road tonight and I own an SM-900 😎 Now all I need to do is ship it back to the UK and I’ll be one happy bass player.

Ok make that five...

I arranged them like that just to annoy you!

So much misguided hate... So Nick Rhodes might not be the greatest technical keyboard player in the world, but he's most definitely the right synth player for Duran Duran. In the same way that Adam Clayton is the right bassist for U2. I had a listen to Jordan Rudess, and while he's got plenty of keyboard technique I don't think much of his sound design abilities. He'd be completely wrong for Duran Duran. And if the OP thinks it's so easy why doesn't he apply for the role?

Hi I know you are moving on but, as a bass builder, just to put your mind at rest: it is exceptionally unlikely that the twist problem is anything you've done. My reasons for saying this: As folks above have said - with a single truss rod neck - in my view, the truss rod does not do anything about twist. It does not cause it and it cannot cure it. I'm pretty sure the Jazzus is a single truss rod neck. The truss rod adjustment is a routine event - especially with changing weather conditions. Adrian M explains this himself in Part 1 of his YouTube set-up guidance videos (which are good, by the way). He himself in that video adjusts the truss rod under full string tension. Adjusting with no string tension is also OK. Unless a bass has been left in exceptionally poor storage conditions (eg, I make an assumption it hasn't been left in a car in full sun in recent weather or anything of similar extremes) twist is usually an issue whose causes would have been already present in the timbers or construction at the time of building. It is entirely possible that this would have been undetectable at the time of making so it is not necessarily a sign of poor quality control. As the neck moves, through playing or through weather changes, those underlying issues can sometimes start to show. On a relatively new bass, therefore, I'm surprised that there is any argument other than to replace the neck FOC (I think the neck is bolt-on?). It is usually no-one's fault - but it is, in most likelihood, a fault in the bass.

He was good enough for Fender to release a signature keyboard 🤔😋

So after that little disaster I continued spraying through the day, cutting back with 800 grit between coats, the cutting back became easier and easier as the day went on. I got a total of 6 coats on which is more than enough for one day, they will be left now until Friday and I'll have a good look at them then and decide if that is enough or do they need more, they are looking very good at the moment but I'll see how they react to a bit of time to let some thinners evaporate or whatever it does Cut back after 3 coats today This was the fourth coat, starting to look good I thing

They're untidy - why are they not all perfectly lined up by number of strings, make, colour and size? *twitch*

Thursday afternoon we played "almost acoustic" at Rebellion festival. I'm on drums and the suggestions are "snare and brushes" or Cajon. Instead I took my snare, hi-hats, crash cymbal, and a kick drum contraption I made out of a tupperware tub, pedal, EQ pedal and noise gate. The soundman didn't look very impressed when I gave him the jack to DI but the audience loved it. Best reaction to a gig since we played the Arena stage at Rebellion a year ago. The following day we did the Pavillion stage with our normal full setup, and it was good, but somehow not as exciting as the Almost Acoustic thing - probably because we were just winging that one. Someone posted some footage on Facebook, I'll try to share it here: Last night I played bass for my mate down at the local open mic and that was just as much fun as having hundreds of people cheering for you!

Not at all. I only got it a few weeks ago just for fun really. Aside from the fact the bridge is total garbage, it's really good. You're welcome to pop over if you want once I get my new cab sorted.

I've watched most of Davey's videos - they're mostly pointless but fun nevertheless.

If I have to get my credentials out, would you at least draw the blinds first please?

I had a look around, Luke, and here's at least four Andyjr1515 bloopers All covered in gory detail in their respective threads My first acoustic guitar build. Lovely neck blank. Was really pleased with it: Slight problem. Wrong size. Had to make another neck blank Mick's Psilos Bass. I knew what I meant. Unfortunately, I comprehensively failed to explain to Mick what I meant. Had to make another neck Tom's African Bass. "Hmmm...did you hear something like a cracking sound???" Tim's Alembic-esque electric. Fretted, through neck. Almost finished. Problem was that, once I'd strung it up, I realised that the fretboard was too narrow and the strings slipped over the edge. Result - I had to de-fret, add binding to either side of the fretboard, refret, re-shape the neck to fillet in the new binding...and every erroneous step followed avidly by the thread followers And there are many, many more examples. To be honest, there aren't actually many builds where there isn't at least one 'oops' moment. And usually it's a really obvious and avoidable error. The only difference to my earlier builds is that I now: triple check stuff that would render a bass or guitar complete scrap before I let sharp metal anywhere near the wood. I reckon I make as many errors, but they tend to be smaller ones. have got better at working round issues once I've c****d them up! Does that make everyone feel better?

...yes, please verify your credentials or get the hell outta here. Big Poppa.

My home made radiusing rig isn't brilliant, but it does the job. I've clearly got something horribly wrong with my geometry because I have to offset the blank by 10mm off centre to get it to rout evenly on both sides of the radius Still - with that tweak it works well enough to be able to just finish it off with 15mins of a radius block after 20 mins or so routing down to final size. Based on that it used to take me a couple of days to radius a fretboard - and the radius was often highly suspect even after that - it's still progress and was well worth the time to draw it out and make it Then onto the G&W mitre box. Theoretically the scale should be 25 3/8" but I have a 25 1/2" template already - should be close enough as the guitar is going to be for my own use. Folks may have seen one of my previous threads where I scrapped a fretboard using this rig the very first time (please note @LukeFRC ) but, now that I've found a decent method of setting it up and securing everything from moving, it works well. So, I have a radiused and slotted fretboard: Next job is the neck, using the maple/walnut/maple offcut I found. But first, I must amend the title of the thread to avoid being lynched when everyone realises this isn't a bass and think I've been hoping no one would notice!

yes I was, didn't know he was closing, but like you, not surprised. Bit of a character is Jimmy, at a recent open mic he had a bandanna on his head, I said didn't know it was it was fancy dress you coming as a pirate, to which he replied "Better than coming as a c*nt" perhaps not the best at retail diplomacy though

Back in the workshop on my phone. Turns out the splurt was water not congealed nitro, it has evaporated away leaving next to no damage so an easy fix in the end. I’m feeling better now that was quite upsetting but I’ve learned something so that’s good!

My Spector NS2's get a lot of love - they just feel and sound perfect to me. I'd use my Spectors for everything if I could (and they'd nail them all) but I take the projects I do seriously in looks and sound so Lizzy tribute gets P basses, Hair Rock covers gets Hamers/Jacksons etc, 80's hi-fi pop gets Wals, disco functions get J bass etc etc

Not sure the truss rod offers much torsional rigidity, and aren't the lower strings (BEA) generally lower tension than the higher ones anyway?

I now feel slightly dissapointed that my TC-RH450 doesn't have a thrust control. There are many times I am sure I could have done with more thrust, and as we don't get invisible bears over here, that would have been perfect. I am sure there are times when there is just way too much thrust too. In fact I might have to make an effect pedal for some thrust control.

An excellent exercise in recycling, but they're real suds to play.

Well I just saw Jim’s show last night at the Edinburgh fringe and had no prior knowledge of his misfortune. We had seen that he was on and remembered him from about 25 years ago. The show was witty, enlightening, shocking and poignant and yes, I did laugh out loud quite a lot as he said to me on the way out. He can’t play at the moment- still working on making a fist with his left hand but ‘Bessie’ the bass does make an appearance on screen. His recovery, whilst nowhere near complete, is nothing short of remarkable so if your going to Edinburgh for the festival, turn up and give the man some well deserved support.

A synth legend. As well as playing, he was very creative and also heavily into the production. The sounds he brought to the first two DD albums brought so much atmosphere which allowed the rest of the instruments to shine against a lush background. Probably the hardest spot to fill in a DD tribute IMO.

I've not played seriously for years so there's no good reason to own near 70 basses 🙂 Then again I've no family or financial ties and since I've been sober can afford it so why not own 70 basses 😎

Not much to report today, 5 coats of clear gloss on the back and the neck. Do the fronts again tomorrow

There are no hard and fast rules and plenty of overlap where high gain overdrive can sound like distortion or low gain fuzz. "distortion dumps a portion of the signal to ground from the opamp feedback loop, and overdrive doesn’t" might be true for some circuits, but it isn't a general characteristic of distortion. Not all distortions use op-amps for one!

When I first moved to Warsaw I only knew a couple of musicians, so asked them to put me in touch with anyone who they heard might need a bass player. So, a week or so later I get a call and ask if I want to go and rehearse with a band. Sure! I arrive at the given address and it turns out to be a semi-derelict factory. Okay. There's a youngish bloke waiting outside for me and he helps me lug my amp out of the car and inside - it looks like a squat. After wending our way through a veritable labyrinth of dark corridors I find myself in a darkened room with a surly looking, multi-pierced person behind a 1000 piece drumkit and another guy with a BC Rich guitar and a full-on Marshall stack. This is gonna get loud, methinks. First up, they ask me to detune my 5 string down to a low G. Alarm bells! Then they give me a quick rendition of one of their 'songs': a 600bpm deathcore number, with the chap who helped me load in jumping around shouting "WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!" into his microphone. Hmmmmm. I think I'm at the wrong gig here, but hey whatever I should be able to keep up with them. We thrash around for 5 minutes or so and they ask me what I think, to which I reply that I don't really think I'm the right man for the job. Shouty bloke assures me that I should hang around as their second vocalist will be along shortly and he is a much better singer. OK. Second vocalist arrives, we start another 'song', now there are 2 variations on the "WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!" theme. Enough is enough for me, so I start to make my excuses and leave. On the way out, they ask if I'd like to join them for their next rehearsal - I politely decline, but being British say that whenever they are planning to gig let me know and I'll come along (as if). I enquire as to the name of their ensemble to which I get a reply of indecipherable Polish. How does that translate into English, I enquire, 'Nun's C*nt' they reply.

My old beloved Jazz Bass I bought second hand in 1982 has undergone some dramatic changes through the years. It started as a black maple neck bass. I took off the horrific lacquer and had it more or less just wood filled/plain wood for a lot of years. It was the heaviest s.o.b. out there, causing a slipped disc and back surgery for me. Some years ago I had a new very nice body made for it, chambered, with "tiger eye burst". But - I made a mistake: I didn't tell the luthier I wanted 70's bridge pup position, so it was a beautiful wall warmer for some years. Last year I bought a super nice single piece swamp ash body with 70's routing from www.guitarbuild.co.uk and today I let the old friend out in the sunshine again. No lacquer, just heavily Danish Oiled and polished, Hipshot KickAss bridge, the Swedish Lundgren single coil pickups and completely shieded and grounded. Even the pole pieces are grounded, so no buzz when touching them. Faraday cage, kind of... Well, here is my old friend, my first ever bass, revitalised and reincarnated... It is the same bass as in my avatar, but with the beautiful body, that now has a fretless neck...

Stunning, simply stunning.

The only time I ever visit a music shop is when I need something immediately that day and am too impatient to wait for an online delivery (a set of strings or a patch cable, for instance). I’d love to say I’m more supportive of music shops, but I just find it far more convenient to shop online. Although I appreciate that’s perhaps not a popular opinion I just can’t be doing with the faff of: Actually visiting them. Finding out they don’t stock what I need when I do visit (despite it being shown as available on their website). Discovering that I could have bought the same item cheaper online anyway. Human interaction generally. I can see the value if you want to try out an instrument before you buy it. And I'm all for shops offering a more independent alternative to faceless globalism, etc. But meh.

Flattery will get you everywhere! Thank you that is very kind, especially from you. The carves have turned out well but remember that sander I recommended? That did most of the work for me, they really are the bee's knees, I would have turned it into a piece of Treen before I got that smooth and flowing by hand! Now drawers, I can speak with confidence about those, basses, I just try my best and learn from people like you

I still think the Stingray is the best bass guitar design. This hasn't changed since I first heard the tone and saw the body shape when I was a young teenager. They can be very aggressive and cut through no matter what the other instruments are doing. But put flats on it and drop the treble and its an old thump machine.

These are looking really good, Christine. What I love about a well applied clear coat is how it makes the underlying detail and form project out to the eye. Just look at those headstocks! And the quality of the top carves. It's a great looking spray job, but what that is illuminating is the quality of the build underneath. Top drawer stuff

Yes. The effort is not wasted however. Despite automated spray booths and chemically curing finishes, I have yet to see a product of contemporary manufacturing methods match the quality of a hand finish. Anyone remember French Polishing? Built up layer by layer, it is about the best "natural" finish you can get. It works for trans and solid finishes too. "Literally, hundreds of passes all over the surface of the wood will be required to complete this step. When this objective is reached, take a break and wait a few hours to allow the shellac to dry thoroughly. You're going to need to repeat this entire process 6-8 times to achieve the desired finish." French polished guitars There is a lot of effort spent in the prep between coats with high quality spraying too. You could take short cuts but it would be a shame not to give the underlying instrument the best finish you can achieve.

Maybe not a massive collection, but I think I'm done now. So, here we go: 1. Fenix by Young Chang (short scale) 2. Alembic Stanley Clarke Signature Standard 3. Status Graphite John Entwistle Buzzard 4. Warmoth 8 string Explorer 5. Hamer Chapparal 12 string 6. Eko Florence acoustic 7. Wal Mark 2 8. Fender Classic 50s Precision 9. Rickenbacker 4003

Just buy a 2 bass stand and it won't take up much more room than a single. Job done and you'll have 2 lovely basses to stare at when telly is crap. Dave

Keep going and you'll have a list as long as Cetera's collection

It's starting to look good, that's only 4 very thin coats, it will get at least another 6 before it's done, probably more. My spray gun is a very good one, it's meant for "smart auto" repairs whatever they are but it can put a ultra thin coat on with a ultra fine mist that is so easy to work with. I think I can put down 4 coats in the same thickness as one from a rattle can but getting twice the shine straight off because of how evenly it sprays. Nothing to do with me, that's just the gun

On principle I'll pay over the odds to buy from local independent shops to help them keep going. We're lucky enough to have a local bookshop, and I always buy from them even if the book is cheaper on A#####n. I want to be able to see, hold, physically try something before I commit to buying it. And I want to be able to walk in and have a friendly chat with someone who recognises me and can advise me based on knowing me personally. And know that I'm contributing to keeping my neighbours in employment. My most local (easiest to get to) music shop is Johnny Roadhouse in Manchester, which I walk past on my way to and from work. I've bought four guitars from them over the past four years (my first guitar, a Faith Venus; my son's electric, a 1996 MIM Fender Strat; the bass I keep at work, a cheap Encore P; and my Michael Kelly acoustic 5, which pretty much jumped out of the window and bit me in the leg 🙂 ) All second hand at prices ranging from reasonable to cheap. Also a couple of 2nd hand bass amps and a few guitar stands, cables, & string sets. Convenient, but I'm not impressed enough with the stock or the staff that I'd go far out of my way to get there. Promenade Music in Morecambe, on the other hand, is well worth the 2 1/2 hour train ride each way. I bought my first bass from there - had no idea what I was doing or looking for except that it had to be a 5 - spent two hours narrowing down their huge range with endlessly patient help and a couple of cups of coffee from Gary - who refused to let me buy my (still favourite) GMR until he was certain I'd be happy with it, and then gave me a lift back to the train station! So of course I went back for my Jazz+V and later my Michael Kelly fretless 5 - on which he changed the stock strings to flats free of charge. These days I'd be more confident walking into a place with indifferent staff, and I've bought three basses on BC, but for a complete beginner that level of support was priceless. Long may they thrive.

I think I’ll be hanging onto them to be honest - Plus they’re still in the cabs at the moment, and the Beta 12s are still in their boxes! I bought the strap handles I used, along with the bulk of the rest of the hardware, from Blue Aran. They have a metal strip inside the rubber outer so they’ll take plenty of weight. After you’ve used them they won’t go back completely flat, but that’s probably not an issue. T-nuts definitely though. Here’s one of mine before I put the grilles on...

Until they come off completely and the bass drops to the floor...

Is it just me and BC Bass who have posted pics of their the 22 fret Long Horn (Boner) bass ? This is my 1994 USA Jazz with Badass bridge and Sims front & side led's pictured with my Jaydee series 3 1987

Anyone who's getting excited about the n-bomb in Oliver's Army is taking offence completely out of context in an anti-war, anti-racist song.

This is an opinion that is rarely held by anyone who is: black female gay disabled Do you spot the pattern there? S.P.

Ah, I understand now. I must say, the ability to react means you generally get less "me too" type posts or "Lol!" etc.. keeping threads cleaner. You have to watch for people trolling tho...