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I have just received this, as part of a trade for my Steinberger from 'Three' of the BC community. I have always wanted one of these but never got round to sourcing one. The condition of this thing is truly outstanding, it looks almost unplayed. It also only weighs 8 pounds and 9 ounces, apparently they normally weigh a lot more anyway, enjoy the 2 photos I currently have

The advice is fairly clear. As a band, continuing to gig which by it's very nature involves drawing together a large group of people who have all had multiple contacts with other people is just highly irresponsible. The people who are likely to still want to turn up to these events are probably not distancing themselves socially and probably of the "it's all scaremongering, I'm relatively young and healthy, I don't know what all the fuss is about" sort of people, and that makes these events even more dangerous. Just stop. Now. Anyone who has booked you and is unhappy that you won't play is an idiot. And that's without the "Go on, we're paying you a lot of money, it's us helping you keep earning a living, let my son/daughter have a go on your microphone, they're really good and it's their birthday". Good luck with that. I'll say it again: just stop. Now.

Now in our 27th year together

On the basis that a repetitive exercise with weight strengthens muscles, just at the moment I am using my newly acquired 'Sprackenbacker' as much as possible to build up the specific muscles that I need to support my back when playing this. It is much heavier than I usually play but I just love it to bits. Might have to restrict its use to short bursts!

From our eBay friend who shall not be named 😂

I have to say, this bass was terrible out the box. The fingerboard was the driest I have ever seen and the frets needed dressed as there was ridiculous buzzing everywhere. Got it playing very nicely now. The pickups are very "meh". Feels nice to play though.

This beaut. My Am Std precision is my love. I have a mustang and recently acquired Sire P7 (which I love) but this is the one that made me fall in love with playing a p bass and rekindled my joy in playing bass.

One of the SVL Reserve basses. Had them just a year now and they are simply perfect (for me).

Here's Brucie!! Bruce Thomas Profile P bass from Bass Centre

Plugged-in noodling: Unplugged noodling:

Currently waiting for @Cuzzie to send me my Go To bass 😉 In the meantime, mostly running things through my Yamaha BBP34/35. 😍

Still my £60 pawn shop special. Best neck on any bass I've ever played. Admittedly it didn't come with the DiMarzios, Schaller bridge, stack knobs or vulgar scratchplate.

1978 Tokai P bass with flats. My go-to for everything. Best p bass ive ever played and i include vintage Fenders in that

Plywood, one video about manufacturing:

15 years as my #1. In that time it’s seen off Alembics, Marleaux, Smith, Fender, Bossa, Bacchus, Musicman, Fender, Pedulla, Carvin.. even other Vigiers!! It’s comfy like an old jumper.

Would I gig for free at a venue who have booked me regularly and treated me well, sometimes for years, in order to help them get back on their feet? Absolutely and without hesitation. Would I take a booking from a venue that I've canvassed on many occasions, given them CDs, sat their with my wife and bought a few drinks, been to watch other bands, you know the score, never managed to get a booking, and now they'd like me to play for free because "we're all in it together": not a chance.

90% of the time this

Look, I know these threads are a show-offy, vanity thing, but honestly, if I had to call on one bass that would be the go to, do it all instrument, it's the Lull. It's a forking monster, even more so since I installed the John East.

I think one might have a less sore &rse if one used sandpaper than the stuff I carry ,,,mind you if people got really desperate I do carry 26000kgs on the trailer ,,,,,,,

I did it myself

Sold a bass today, so I have a couple of thousand pounds burning a hole in my virtual PayPal virtual. Being in this challenge and with having all my gigs cancelled through to the end of April, I really shouldn’t be able to justify ordering a new bass. I really really shouldn’t.

Play it like this and you'll be fine! 😁

🙄

I started blog a while ago. Covering everything from music to photography and art, basically everything I love. My latest one includes links to free music making apps and software. Some of it is for students or educational staff, but there's other stuff for anyone to use too. https://mostlyaboutsound.wordpress.com/2020/03/20/strange-times/?fbclid=IwAR3VaUU-iwFGtWMKNBMbklpujAAVRec_nzIxDyPkXAUS8wVnsXzBrIIbMwQ

And before I did stupid things like Weather Report and Mike Stern in a fusion band, I spent forever in Genesis tribute bands. This was "fun", especially from 5m25s onwards. However, here demonstrated by the best "Rutherford" to do the job, Lee Pomeroy. Don't bother trying to cop his licks, he's playing upside-down lefty.

None of the Specials songs have any time to relax or anywhere to hide. And being a ska band, our set is full of 'em. The first verse to Concrete Jungle is another one... it's so atonal and weird, when you practice it at home you think "nah that can't be right". Oh yes it is. And as for Little B!tch...

Revelation P bass clone, unlined fretless. Under £200 new, with quality and sound not far off Squier, even Sire, 2-3 times the price.

Hat's off to you Sir, I can't even play it in my front room under no pressure, I gave up just not good enough even after 17 years of playing Bass lol.

I usually do deps, and when I get the set list I'm looking out for four numbers that will always immediately have alarm bells ringing for me This is because with these, although I can nail the bass lines, I'm absolutely relying on the band playing the song as the original, and not their own awful bastardised version of it (wrong chords, wrong tempo) - which can throw me completely. Sir Duke Forget Me Knots Rhythm Stick Do I Do

Pray tell us about this mystical 7th fret. I thought that there were only 5.

I just checked the invoice and it’s been 4 years since I had this bad boy built... Maruszczyk Elwood L, fretless, 33” scale.

Lakland USA 5594 Deluxe. A bass that will keep me happy for a very long time..

I'm attempting this:

I'm thinking about throwing a list together of covers with synth bass lines. Stuff that a gigging bassist might play.

I was given "Wuthering Heights" by a visiting caberet! Very scary,brilliant bassline though. "Spain" by Chick Corea and "Rhapsody in blue (funk version by Bob James I think). Whenever an operatic act came on,I'd be sweating too 😂 I played for a Singer calked Elaine Delmar who did a bass and vocals version of "Summertime" it had an ostinato figure, that was fairly simple, but had to be played so slow. I used to get sweaty palms prior to that one 😂

I've had a few with varying degrees of quality! I'm usually so delighted not having to hump gear that I don't mind if it's a shoe box with a drawing of a cab on it. The most shocking one was a lovely looking old Carlsboro combo. It kind of looked a bit like a cross between a rolltop desk and a cooker and either would have sounded better. I assume I was the last person to use it before the trip to the skip. Again my gear was in the car but I was out of there so easily and quickly. Get paid, get out and don't hurt your back!

What long term damage is this is going to do for live music in pubs, social clubs etc? Are we prepared to gig for less money or even free for venues that will have lost so much revenue by the time this is all over? It's possible that the damage done will reduce further the venues available for bands, I don't have a good feeling about any of it.

One of the smaller jobs is to secure the jack housing. I'm using these teeny 2.5mm inserts and machine screws. The inserts are fine threaded but the recess should be taking the bulk of the strain. If there is any issue when I try it out with a jack it is no problem to fit larger screws and wider-threaded inserts. For added security, they are screwed into a cyano-gelled hole: And fitted:

Have you seen a tapered tenon cutter? That's really like a giant pencil sharpener.

Not rolls of paper that serve a more basic function? If they were, you'd be a very popular chap right now 👍.

General noodling bass for 5+ years now is my ACG J Type, passive with a relatively lowly spec but a cracking bass.

My new SIRE M2 bass, been playing it every day since it arrived

Probably Birdland (swung like the version on 8:30), or Mike Stern's Chromazone. (Tom Kennedy is awesone btw)

Depends which room I’m in! Basses strategically spread around the house - my bargain G4M semi acoustic in the loft room with my lecky drum kit, EB3 in the corner behind an armchair in the lounge, etc, you get the picture.......

I depped for a band last summer and the song that gave me the biggest challenge was Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. A classic James Jameson work-out. Luckily, I’d got a copy of Standing in the Shadows of Mowtown with notation, but phew, the bass is prominent from the start and defines the song. Just about got away with it.

Try humming the theme tune to Last Of The Summer Wine in your head while your guitarist starts the intro, that should completely ruin any chance of getting it right. In a band a long time ago I used to play Last Of The Summer Wine instead of the proper bassline to wind up the singer/guitarist.

What is Hip? With a jazz big band. Just to make it even more challenging they have changed the key which means I don't have the benefit of the occasional open string.