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Sorry our fault, we were waiting for Google to update something and I had an email from them this morning - I didn't realise by default they give you 'auto ads' all over the bloody place. We're configuring them to be as they were before at the moment.

A small but important step today. So I don't lose the interesting figuring of the top with the bits you end up cutting away, I took off 15mm from the width so that the two 'eyes' weren't off the edge of the waist. Having done so, I had to re-jointer the mating faces. For this I used the offset fence technique again on the router table. It needs careful set up but works a treat: Then the two halves were glued and clamped: And we had a piece of joined top wood: Seen through a paper template and dampened a bit, this will be the broad look. Once it's been sanded and finished, it's going to look v good :

So you've seen my band!

Phew! I thought I was going to have to buy new lingerie, send money to Somalia, buy viagra, a new travel iron and subscribe to a wine distribution service just to read what @Al Krow had written about the Helix Stomp.

I like 'em. I've already bagged myself a new boiler, a chainsaw, an old bike from a Police auction and a hot Polish date! What's not to like? 🤣😂

QUOTE: Although @Len_derby 's bass contained no CITES Appendix timbers, there seems to be confusion in some US and UK customs operations (and some associated scare stories) to make me believe that I need to be particularly careful that this does NOT contain any such woods and that I can prove that in a way that would satisfy a well-meaning but ill-informed customs official who might think, "Bass Guitar - impound" or even worse - and just my paranoia because I'm sure this would never happen - one who might think, "Hmmm - bass guitar, impound ...and keep" Andy, I know from my Gillett experiences what a minefield this CITES business is. Doing the necessary paperwork for Japan recently was a nightmare and I was having sleepless nights until the importer confirmed the consignment had successfully cleared through customs. So, here's an interesting development I was going to PM you about but thought I'd add to this topic instead as it may be of general Basschat interest. A Swiss guy visited our stand at Olympia to tell us about a system he's developing that would enable us to build ID data in to our instruments. The data lives on a transducer that's embedded during construction and can then be scanned with a smart-phone. His idea was that this could confirm serial number, model name, give detailed info on construction materials and would also be helpful in case of theft. He didn't know about CITES and when I explained to him the potential for adding traceability info he got really excited. We're excited too as this would be a great 'fit' with our Contour range. We're expecting a trial system some time soon.

/\ This. Unless its an instrumental act the singer is key. I have seen some stunning pub bands, and some mediocre pro touring acts, so doing it simply for the love of music does not mean the musicians will not be high quality. I go to see a band and be entertained and the singer front person is a huge part of that, If they cant put the melody and lyrics over then what the rest of the band is doing is largely wasted. I am a bassist and a drummer but I never go to check out said musicians, I go to see the band.

I'm based in West Yorkshire (used to live in London more than half a lifetime ago)! Just got back from my pub gig, one that would confirm the worst fears of all the doomsayers on here i.e.only about 15 people there! Next gig is at a venue that always gets packed, so swings and roundabouts The thing is that I know plenty of decent drummers and several great guitar players, but it is very difficult to find a lead vocalist who has the pipes, can front a band and isn't completely mad. As you say, the singer is the focal point - it doesn't matter how good a band is, if the singer isn't up to scratch you are always going to struggle...!

Real album covers from a gentler time in our musical history. Now, I can understand the problem simply being a chronological one in the case of the quartet but, WTF was Dickey-boy thinking when he gave the green light on that one?

This made me laugh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ouOKCgdMz4

So, thanks to @andy67 for selling the Little Bastard to me, and thanks to @eude for bringing it all the way daan Saaf from Edinburgh. A nice little collection of Essex’s finest; old school valve, slightly newer old school class AB and modern class D. What more could a boy want?

I think 'Dickey-Boy' knew exactly what he was doing with the album title judging by his picture. Touch of the Pat Mustard's about him.

I forget occasionally just how uniquely good 10cc were, but I’m rewatching the BBC4 documentary just to remind myself...

If you need a second opinion, give me a call.

"Locking with the drummer" is about time and timing, but there's a lot more to it than that, and in order to be successful he has to "lock" with you as well. It's about the two of you working as one, being on the same wavelength, feeling the groove and dynamics of your combined playing (not the dynamics of the arrangement). It's about complimenting each other, lifting the song and giving it extra life.

To me it means something a bit different. You can play in time and it be correct, but lifeless. Making a conscious effect to be as tight as possible with the drummer, creating as many Dynamics as possible, not necessarily as per record, is where it's at for me.

I'd thought for years this meant lengthy after hours boozing sessions was the key to a better sounding band

In our group the singer / sax is definitely the showman, he interacts with the audience, dances round, goes into the audience when saxing to interact. And he gets the most attention as he should, he loves it and he does it well. He is an OK singer, but that is all he needs to be - I would rather the showman who can sing than a fantastic singer that can't show. So in our group, me and him are at the front as I also do vocals (although I don't move round too much), the guitarist doesn't generally look up. I often get people talking to me after the show, most people know I play the bass

They are targeted ads - they know we are all impressed by big size and volume but little actual content 🤣

I took delivery of the bass on Friday evening when @Grangur kindly delivered it to me at a gig. I didn't play it there and then, as I thought it preferable to familiarise myself with the controls and switching possibilities at home. Others before me have already described the timber, hardware and components used, so there's no need for me to do the same. What I will say, is that the quality of workmanship, timber and hardware is all very good. It is not without faults however, but again this has been detailed by Rich @Grangur What I will say from the off, is that this style of instrument, although very attractive, is not one that I would go for, that's not a criticism of the build but just my preference. I suppose it's about my more conservative taste in basses, to me a more standard P or J bass just looks and feels right in a function/pub covers band, which is the type of gigging that I'm involved in. Having said that I took it along to last night's gig, with a view to just playing a couple of numbers, only to find myself really enjoying playing, what is for me a very different style of instrument and keeping it strapped on for the entire first set. Importantly for me, it was very shoulder friendly and balanced very nicely on my strap. Initially I felt a bit disconcerted by the thickness of the neck up in the first position. Actually I don't think I've encountered a bass with such a thick neck profile but once I forgot about that and just got on with playing, it wasn't a problem, nor was the radius which is flatter than my usual preference. Sound wise it was impressive, although I have to confess that I didn't really experiment much with the settings, there wasn't time, we didn't even get a sound check. To me, that makes it all the more impressive really. For the record, I think I had both pick ups on and with the middle switch in the down position (can't recall what that actually does), volume control up full and the tone rolled slightly off. The only adjustment that I made was with the tone control, this is something I always do on my P basses, to suit certain tunes. Anyway, it was punchy, articulate and had a pleasing growl going on. It could certainly be heard, loud and clear over an enthusiastic drummer and two guitars. Although I was happy with the sound, I have to say that I'm not convinced by the controls and think that the switching options are somewhat confusing. Having said that though, as mentioned earlier, I normally play basses with just two knobs, so it could well be down to my short comings in understanding the relationship between the pickups and the various options available. My preference would be for a simpler form of rotary blend/volume control for the pick ups, along with a tone control for each. Have to admire Marco for his building skills and then sending his creation out to be critiqued by us lot. This bass, with a few tweaks, a little attention to the frets and nut could be a real winner. I've enjoyed my couple of days with it and thank Marco for the opportunity to try something a little different.

EQ pedal in the fx loop.

+1 ^^ 100% The guitarist in our more modern covers bands is a complete non-showman, to the extent that the vocalist who plays acoustic guitar to a basic level (and is nowhere near as good as the lead guitarist) got asked by one of the audience if he (and not the lead guitarist!) would be able to give lessons to their kid! 😂 The singers in that band have commented what a difference it's made to the vibe when I've come out from behind and supported them from the front, because they're not getting that from the guitarist. And a lot of our sets have some great bass-heavy numbers. When we're playing any Chilli Peppers material, for example, you can see the punters gaze wandering to the bass as well as the vocals. There is no reason a bassist can't have 'presence' in a band which can, if done well, add to the whole.

But is that because it is easy for the bass player, not generally being a soloist (unless you are Billy Sheehan), to be relegated to the shadows at the back of the stage? It is more difficult for a lead guitarist to hide at the back, even in the unlikely event that they wanted to. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be this way – compare John McVie and (to take an extreme example) Nikki Sixx?? I have always got recognition from the audience. At your school event, kids would have been coming to me – not because I’m a superior player by any means, but because I am more of a performer. A few of us went to see the Devil’s Slingshot a few years ago (rock fusion trio featuring Tony Macalpine, Virgil Donati and the aforementioned Billy Sheehan). This was the first time that my wife had seen Sheehan live and she was laughing as she said she could see where I had stolen my act from – not the bass playing (unfortunately) but the stage moves…!

So went home and sacked the singer then?

Last night we were a lead vocalist down at short notice. East London pub audience for most of whom 50s and 60s is not their favourite (or even second or third choice) genre. Potential to be a disaster. The band rose to the challenge and were clearly all determined to give the audience a great night out. Including the bass player who got his Smooth-hound out so he could party with the rest of the band and donned a pair of shades to look like something from the ancient world; the guitarist playing the Johnny B Goode solo behind his head; the lead vocals having amazing energy and interacting with the audience. Ended up as one of our best nights with that band, ever! Almost the whole audience (80+) up and dancing by the end of the night. Baying for encores. Publican insisted on paying the full amount although I'd told him we'd take less 'cos we were doing a slightly shorter set (15 mins less than the usual 2 hours) given we were down to one lead vocals and some of our prepared material just wasn't going to work. And yes folk came up at the end and wanted to thank us for a great evening. We left on a high. So I'm happy to say it doesn't have to be anything like the above! A really good band will be noticed and we, as bass players, have a big part to play in that. I've realised that, for me, there's nothing like a great night with my band playing to an audience that's really enjoying themselves. It's when I feel most alive.

It is now in primer! Looks nice in white but will be awesome in yellow ( I hope!)

Because the Amstrad Emailer has a flat response. The perfect platform for Helix’s amp/cab sims IMO...

I can even imagine what @eude was thinking. I'll bet he was thinking : "OK clever clogs Andyjr1515. So you can build 6 string electrics and you can build dreadnought acoustics but they are - well - NOT BASSES! And, yes, admittedly you've made a bass or two and you've modded a few. BUT I BET YOU CAN'T SORT THIS ONE!!! Oh, and before you say you can, did you know it's a VI? Bet you've never done one of THOSE!" I'll let @eude fill in the background but the challenge is to take this body: And put a shortscale neck on it and a Warwick two-part bridge. "Oh...and did I mention the b****y big hole through the body?" "Oh - and the neck pocket might not be the right size for a VI neck but I'm sure a clever clogs like you will be able to sort THOSE trifling details!" So what could I do but accept the challenge! Besides, I've only got my reputation to lose. @eude has this rather nice bass carve to lose

This guy collects/stocks all kinds of knobs - might be worth shooting him a message? He has an eBay shop but sells direct for slightly less. https://www.facebook.com/ampstack/

I think they're called 'Cam lock straps' and yes, I use them all the time with kayaks, surfboards and paddleboards on the roof of my car with no problems. A lot easier than ratchet straps, which, quite frankly, are a pain in the Aris.

I love Bozio. He's part fruitcake.

So can bass players

Sometimes, it's just getting the drummer to lock in with something... anything.. 😂 I jest of course. I feel very lucky to work with some incredible kit technicians who have an understanding of what is needed in the song or part. For me, locking in is about understanding first and foremost. Even before you think about the notes to play. Understand mutually what your roles within the song or piece is. Here's a great example: Often, those who dislike the genre whilst listening to Jazz think that drum solos are frenetic. However, with a bit of understanding, you can recognise the change of role in the band situation, it's easier to hear that the pulse is being held down elsewhere. Often, say the bassist will be holding it together rather than "the traditional role" of the drummer. The drummer could be laying down some crazy polyrhythms or displacing the groove such that to the uninitiated it "sounds wrong". The bassist knows where the ONE is and the drummer is probably relying on said person to remain rock solid. Understanding is the larger part of doing.

Indeed. I’ve sent countless emails to the Testicle Exfoliator™ support team about their poor website security. No response as of yet.

For me, a lot of it is being 'triggered' by the kick drum and playing a line that i sympathetic to the overall drum pattern. Over time you get to be able to read the drummer and you play the songs almost as a duet.

It's good to improve technique ... but you don't need to listen to many isolated bass tracks to realise that what sounds good in the song and good in the mix may not be technically perfect.

I think I might win the award (if there was one) for tiniest touring rig? Elf plus 2x8 cab and Uke bass. In fact my pedal board is almost the same size as the cab Deeply impressed but this little setup. Band isn’t too loud (folky esque stuff) and this reslly holds it own!

You are definitely doing the right thing trying different approaches, 2 years ago I decided to really improve my muting techniques and switched to the’ moveable thumb’ technique and it really works for me, just find what works for you 😀

White socks jazz funk. I have the same sort of feeling listening to Vulfpeck and the whole host of revisionist funk bands out there. There are no new ideas here, just old ones imitated averagely. In this instance however, when I was teaching at a music college one of the kids asked me to transcribe a SZ line and I had a lot of fun. He really does work a groove and they are very musical, and highly lyrical in their approach. I retain the right to be wrong at any point, and the freedom to change my mind.

Sounds like a plan! But you still need to pop in for a go on the Wals @Grangur

Stop the press . Stuart Zender on Twitter said Paul Powell played bass on the the version of Space Cowboy

Hi, thank you so much! cheers.

I'm happy to give our Canadian friend a free hours tour of London in my cab. Just PM me and hopefully we can sort it out a convenient time.

You've done a fabulous job. That's come together beautifully. I'm sure a lot of us have been scratching our heads wondering what you were doing throughout the build, but in your hands it looks a beautifully crafted bass. Well done!

Aren't we being a bit condescending and dismissive of the general populace assuming they haven't a clue what the bass does? After all everyone from a young age is accustomed to having a knob called Bass on most sound reproducing equipment which can be twiddled - and even the daftest of people know what effect turning it up has. So in a band most people assume the 'bassist' plays the bass. Granted that these days there seem to be drummers and sound engineers in cahoots to make it sound like the drummer plays the bass - in fact to make the drummer the most prominent of the whole thing sometimes it seems 😂😀 But seriously, I don't believe most people are unaware of the bass - that's why it should be nicely prominent in the mix, the notes should be clear (so as to provide the link between melody, harmony, rythmn etc etc) - and should not just be a subterranean amorphous wash of noise at the lower end...

These two opinions are not mutually exclusive The things that struck me about the list were: * Only 22 of the top 50 billing artists were Rock, of whom 14 are legacy acts - Springsteen, U2, Metallica, etc. Most of the 'newer acts' date from the late 20th century or the early noughties while only two could be reasonably described as 'new'. Further evidence that Rock is curling up at the edges like a stale sandwich. * The highest billing act U2 grossed a mere $1.7m in recorded music sales but $52m from touring. This sort of disproportionate ratio seems to be the norm all the way down the list and - given that tours are now basically greatest hits packages - suggests that the real money is in hawking one's back catalogue round the boonies rather than recording new offerings.

These should be available on prescription from the National Elf Service 😎🎸