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I've been accepted now, the admin accepted me and now Mick's had his post removed but mine is up for all in the group to see/warn them away from Micky boy.

I have a bit of thinking and drawing to do on @Matt P 's singlecut before I do anything daft like cut or glue wood - working out control chamber size and position, weight relief chambering, back shape - so just to make sure that my hands don't seize up, a bit more progress on this. AHAH! I bet you thought I'd forgotten So, delving back in the memory, it was all about a potentially twisty neck. And out comes one of those tools that I rarely use but boy are they useful when you do. My mini hand router: What I am doing is levelling the tops of the rosewood packing/strengthening strips, flush with the top of the truss rod: Then I cut the free-bit-of-packing-waste rock maple to size: Then ran a thread of Titebond along the tops of them both and 'you can never have too many clamps': And finally, planed the strip flush with the top of the neck: And the neck is SO much more resistant to twisting So when I get another natural break from the single-cut, it'll be a refit of the fretboard - once I've worked out the best way to clamp it...

Very chuffed this week! I've wanted one of these for over a year. They allegedly only did 200 in this colour as a special run then discontinued them. So, when this came up I was very lucky. Took a chance and it arrived in unused immaculate condition, still with the plastic coverings on. The colour is stunning. Not obnoxious green, but not subtle! I have a fender player in sunburst so I knew what to expect, but the maple neck is lovely and bright and the whole bass is fantastically balanced and plays superb.

After a bit of a failed attempt of buying a Sadowsky MetroExpress I had some money burning a hole on my pocket. I’ve fancied a 5 string with a P pickup for a while but they don’t crop up that often so I just happened to come across the PMT sale and noticed they had this bad boy with £130 off. Off I popped to the shop and had a play, before I knew it an hour had gone by! The J pickup is a little underpowered on its own, and the sweep on the bass pot all happens in the last tiny part of the travel bit other than that it’s superb! I’ve never had a Jackson bass before and I’m not a huge Megadeth fan either, but this bass is superb! Really happy 😊

Ana Vidovic is quite good.

I visited a guitar tech in Denmark street many years ago which was down a narrow flight of stairs. While I was there Lonnie Donnigan came in and told the tech he was there to have a pickup fitted to his acoustic guitar. He didn’t have a guitar with him though which was puzzling — until a couple of minutes later when his missus entered struggling with a rectangular aluminium covered flight case containing the guitar in question. Perhaps you could keep your existing cabs and, like Lonnie must have done, tell the missus that you’re going to let her become your personal roadie.

But, did you see the same lad rip it up on a Zon? Both of you may have enjoyed it even more 🤷‍♂️. No disrespect, but this has been round the houses many times. Put a great player on a cheapo bass and he/she is gonna be great whatever. Put a crap player on an expensive bass and he/she will still sound crap.

Eddie Van Halen?

What irks me about articles like these and 'who's the greatest' polls is they assume there's no other music genre of note apart from rock. I could name scores of steel string acoustic, jazz, country, Flamenco and classical players off the top of my noggin who could've played the @r$3 off Prince, Hendrix or pretty much most other rock players. For starters let's go with Segovia, Paco de Lucia, Tommy Emmanuel, Albert Lee, Danny Gatton and Joe Pass.

It's a crowded field, but I've vote for Peter Green. In the early days he could make time stand still.

Did you have a gig in a quarry?

It’s time to listen through this month’s fine selection of toonage folks, based on the picture chosen by last month’s winner Mr Smalls ( and …. Ahem …myself!) This picture then , chosen by Lenny himself, in his usual eclectic taste, offers a little insight into the image. "A Zulu delegation who came over to the UK to honour those who'd fought at Rourke's Drift, one of whom was my great grandfather (whose grave you can see in the pic).." . 1. @xgsjx I took inspiration from the pic, listened to several Zulu songs & then got the vocal samples from Splice. 2. Lurksalot I've gone for a simple tune this month , I couldn't really get my head around lyrics for it, so I've left it quite empty deliberately, but tried to get the feel. 3. @Dad3353 A solemn occasion, so a sombre mood seemed appropriate, to commemorate the Fallen. A tribal tribute, with a military tinge, and weather to suite. Not really dance-hall stuff; more for reflection on the wisdom of taking the Queen's shilling, or following the Witch Doctor. Sad days for all; there are never any victors. 4. @Nicko I had to look up the battle and when I realised it was what the film Zulu was based on I couldn't get "My Name is Michael Caine" by Madness out of my head. That lead me to doing something vaguely inspired by the UK Ska sound - not sure whether I got there or not. There are two famous paintings of the battle both called "In Defence of Rorke's Drift" which have both been criticised for glorifying empire. I've tried not to make comment on the rights and wrongs of the battle. 5. @Leonard Smalls For some reason this made me think of all the tiny wars going on in our cities - where kids feel the only way they can survive is by carrying a blade... 6. @lowdown I have always had a fascination with the defence of Rorke's Drift, along with the punch up over at Isandlwana earlier in the day and have read dozens of accounts, watched various documentaries and generally, been curious about the whole episode that happened over those two days. This goes back to when my Dad took me to see the opening of the film 'Zulu' in the West End, back in 1964. KwaJimu' is 'Jim's Land' in the Zulu language.. 7. @upside downer The title translates as "Thank you, my friend". The few words are along the lines of "Hello again" and "Thank you", taken from an online English to Zulu site so I apologise if the quality of the translation isn't up to scratch. 8. @Nail Soup I abandoned early on any attempt to incorporate Zulu-based music. Also abandoned an idea to have a narrative based on Leonard's Great-Grandad's story. But two ideas did come to me ...... the "Zulu" in the phonetic alphabet and the reconciliation process which the UK and Zulu descendants have been involved in. These combined to lead me to the young persons word of apology, which in phonetic alphabet is Sierrra Oscar Zulu Zulu. Disclaimer: I didn't, and haven't, checked that those are the correct words for S, O or even Z! One word from Leonard's GGD's life story survives in the lyrics - Himalaya, the name of the boat he sailed to Africa in. Well there we go , another fine selection Voting closes at Midnight on the 30th April ,

https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2021/04/22/old-school-1986-westone-the-rail-bass/

Andres Segovia, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Chet Atkins, Larry Carlton and Steve Howe

Good that he’s out working again and has a legitimate way of repaying everyone what they’re owed! 🙂

I just joined that group as well. Noticed a friends band has put themselves forward. Have messaged him to delete it.

I've requested to join the group and will be posting the link to this thread and the shared posts from Facebook in to the group. Hit him in his pocket before he hits someone else in their's.

Agree, over the last few weeks I’ve sold 3 basses and 2 guitars, only took a hit on the one that I bought new, the rest all went for approx what I paid for them.

Personally I have found if you buy stuff secondhand and at a reasonable price you will get back what you paid for it give or take a couple of quid. Over a long period you may even make a fair bit. Compulsive buying particularly new stuff on the other hand is another matter.

I’m out 😋 After many years fantasising about getting back my old StingRay, I saw it on eBay and just won it back. Huge sentimental value, bought as an 18 year old and was my first proper bass, used for 12 years with loads of good memories. Sadly sold in 2009 when I was having a hard time and made one or two bad decisions. I hoped to last the year in abstinence, but couldn’t be happier now 😁😁😁

No such thing in any sphere. Ludicrous notion. Individual favourites, yes. Oh hold on....news just in...my wife is the greatest wife of all time.

There can be no one greatest of all time IMO. However, there can be those who are great because they changed the guitar playing landscape. For me these would be: Les Paul, Jimi Hendrix & Eddie Van Halen. This is not to say that others weren’t doing what they did before them, or did it better. But it’s these guys who influenced a bigger majority, altering the way the instrument was played and/or perceived on the wider stage. That said, if the greatest guitar player of all time (to date) was someone who could play in all styles and could leave you slack jawed, I’d have to say it’s Guthrie Govan. Obviously, he’s not a household name, even amongst those who play, but he is truly amazing in his technique and wide ranging abilities in so many styles.

I don't believe Stingrays are made by a small tight-knit team of highly experienced craftsmen. Apart from the size, Fender's Corona plant and EBMM's SLO factory are surely pretty similar: semi-skilled, low paid factory workers building the same sort of products out of the same materials, using the same machinery and techniques.

Lots of bits of electronic music in a film about pioneering women in electronic music: https://sisterswithtransistors.com

I’ve only had one, a red Forty-Eight. It was great sounding and beautiful to play, but it felt odd to play standing up. I’d love one of the MM/P models one day!

I started out like many, playing on what I could afford in my early twenties. My second bass was a Japanese Fender Jazz, better then my first (which I believe was a Fernandes). Long story short, after 30+ years of playing and trading up I now own instruments said to be top notch. Brands are Fodera, Zon, Sadowsky etc. I like to think I have a good idea about the quality of instruments BUT... I saw a young lad with lots of talent totally rip **** up on a cheap Squier Jazz the other day. He sounded awesome and I was loving it. So are we simply spoiling ourselves for no real good reason when moving on to "better" instruments? Are the most pricey and iconic brands of instruments for lawyers, dentists, IT folk (me) and alike who pretend to be musicians? I wonder what would happen if I would switch to the cheapest of basses right now. Could I come to terms with playing those again? Has anyone tried this? When thinking back to my early gigging days, I do not think I was having any less fun with those cheap instruments then I am having right now with the pricey ones... Have you ever thought about these things? I am wondering if I am the only one. Any response is welcome.

Hi! I’m Dave, It’s about time I joined in with all this malarkey. About me: I played my first gig in 1968, aged 15, at the local village hall with my school buddies. We did terrible covers of Small Faces, Kinks, and The Kingsmen. My bass was homemade, cost 5 shillings, and sounded like a dying cow. I quickly learned two important advantages of being in a band - 1. girls were suddenly very interested in me, and 2. I didn’t have to dance. I’ve been at it ever since, both pro and semi, touring here and abroad, and have also worked in many different areas of the music industry. I play any style and have been fortunate to be playing mainly originals, although I’ve had several stints in covers bands. I’m an ear player, not much formal theory, read charts but not dots. I’ve managed to get away with it somehow at all levels. Gear-wise, I currently use a Fender Aerodyne jazz, a Fender Custom Shop ’60 jazz, and an 80s Danelectro longhorn. Amps are GK: MB150S with extension cab, and a MB210, plus a Sansamp for when going through the PA. I have bad tinnitus, and generally my ears are shot to pieces. Still at it though. That’s it. Cheers!

Speaking as an IT guy who pretends to be a musician 😉 I freely admit that I’ve thrown too much money at questionable upgrades. As a result, experience tells me that a Sterling Ray35 can sound miles better than a ‘proper’ Stingray 5, that a MIM standard Fender P can have more tonal variation in one passive potentiometer than a MIA deluxe P manages with a spare J pickup and a full onboard preamp, that you can have a bass made for you by a very well respected luthier which is an utter disappointment, and that you can pick up the cheapest Ibanez in the ex-demo discount pile and find a genuinely nice instrument which weighs less than a Sandberg SL but has been ignored just because it’s finished in what Dulux might call ‘gravy brown’! Go on an open-minded cheap bass hunt - you never know what you might find! 🙂

Sire... or possibly a Sire... or, if not, a Sire. Punch way way above their weight for the money, which bobs around the upper reaches of what you've got to spend for the older and/or cheaper models. Squier.. used to be the mutt's go-to, but IMHO not a patch on the Sire since the latter made its debut. Other ideas include the Revelations, great basses for less than your budget new. A lot of people swear by the Yamaha BB series. I've personally never liked or had any joy of them but I think I'm in a minority of one. For a tad more than your budget you might be able to get a Made in Mehico Fender. I bought a MiM P bass for £300 and it was a quantum leap away from all my other basses. Well boss.

Ana Vidovic is quite good.

We'll have none of that finger-chopping talk here- inspiration only.

Hendrix for me too, maybe it's age related, saw him a few times live, long before anybody had even heard of Prince 😎 Playing 1983 a merman I should turn to be just a few minutes ago 🎸

Looks like it’s been wrapped in gaffa tape and thrown on a barbecue. I wonder if Fender Custom Shop relic’ers could replicate that... could start a new fashion.

Allan Holdsworth is my personal favourite, closely followed by John McLaughlin and Shawn Lane. Prince was evidently very good indeed and also pretty good on Bass. Then again he could also call on people like Mononeon for Bass duties.

Try the Laney lightweights. N410. N115 N210.

I use a Boss WL20, depends what your priorities are, I chose that one because it doesn't need a power supply when in use (both transmitter and receiver use rechargeable batteries) and both ends are the 'bug' types (saves messing about with the transmitter attached to your belt or the bass strap), never had any problems with it , but some say they've had trouble using it with active basses and the transmitter bug doesn't fit all bass sockets apparently

I always loved The Smiths but thought Morrisey was a bit of a tool. I really gave up on him when reading his autobiography. How many grudges can anyone hold for so long? It was when he was whining on whilst living in LA having bought a house that I think belonged to Clarke Gable or some other silver screen mega star that I just didn’t want to hear anymore from him.

I don’t think you can have a bass that is too good for you, if it’s something you enjoy and you can afford it and it brings you pleasure, then why not own nice instruments , I’m sure there’s people out there that can play them better than you and I tegs, but it wouldn’t stop me buying what I want 🙂

The voting thread is up and running , how is that for efficiency

Something like this, perhaps? 😎

Given the circumstances I’d be after as light as possible, so from the ones I’m aware of it would have to be Barefaced. My actual faves are the Ashdown NEOs but they are a few KGs heavier. But of both of these two you get a UK based company with good customer service. Always worth having.

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance

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I’ve always found Roto B strings to be awful. Daddario steels and Dunlop flats are my choice for B strings.