Leaderboard

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And the final verdict is, it does work. The B string does not thunder like the 64' stop on a church organ, but in my heart I knew that would be the case. It will probably be a string for special occasions only. But if nothing else, it will remind me that I am now more used to a 5 string than a 4 string so muscle memory will not have to adapt The original preamp sits nicely with the pickup filling out the lower register nicely. In case anyone has ever had any doubts about Jez's abilities, the man is a wood whisperer.

Similar story here. We should have bought a Basschat bottle and shared it around.

My latest guffing-about-with project thing, a Westfield 'Bird-shaped thing. Bought for next to nothing on my local Farcebook marktplatz. Was cheap because it's scruffy and was missing half its knobs and had really awful strings and is a Westfield, most of which is easily sorted. The fingerboard is filthy and cleaning it is the first thing on the list... well the 4th thing, having already 1) binned the old strings, 2) chucked some temporary knobs on, and 3) fitted a black bridge. Some black tuners will be in the pipeline too I think, probably a full electrics overhaul and maybe even new/different pups depending on what it sounds like. The action was surprisingly low and the neck felt really good to play in the quick blast I gave it. Inevitably there will be massive neck dive but I will cross that bridge when it comes along. I'm not expecting it to be any great shakes really, I only got it for the look... as deep as a puddle, me

It might be from their Irøningbörd range?

Classic StingRay (think it’s a 2014)

I'm pretty certain it's IKEA, from their carpoultunnoul range

It went well!. Reasonably quiet, and the Elf/,One10 did the business easily. There were many Telecasters!

And who can forget Vim Fuego?

… and finally this Classic JR for the Soul/Funk/ Motown stuff I also will hopefully get back to soon 👍🏼:

..then this one for my church stuff : .. the Beta is a lovely pedal, should be great when using IEMs.

just sneaked another under the radar I see ! have a look here

New board to accommodate the Barefaced Machinist I won in their recent Instagram competition 😎

Not for sale, unfortunately.

You are John McVie and I claim my five pounds...

I would go so far as to dare suggest that without either a decent singer or a tight drummer, you're knackered.

I was invited to audition for a band once, over in Oldham and a guitarist that i knew was putting it together. We all learned a few songs in advance and had goes on the night. I was a known quantity to the guitarist and was sort of 'in' as a result, but he was very keen on this keyboard player. The keyboard player was really good (apart from her having a proper strop at me for not knowing Riders on the storm by The Doors off the top of my head, as it wasn't actually one of the songs we'd been asked to learn). She was reliant on the guy who was singing that evening for transport. He couldn't carry a tune in a paper bag. Listening through the evening, I seemed to be the only one who was distressed by his warbling. I rang the guitarist later - he had serious designs on getting this excellent keyboard player in and if the singer was part of the deal... well, so be it. He was mortified when I told him that I couldn't be in a band with someone who couldn't sing in charge of the lead vocal. They lasted another two rehearsals. The singer and keyboard player started to haunt a number jam nights in our local area and, while she glared at me, he insisted on getting up singing and trying to chat people up into taking him on. It sadly never worked. A band is only as good as the people in it. If you have a lead singer who can't sing, you're knackered.

HX Stomp has been my only pedal for the past year (well, the Stomp and a few utility pedals to control it). It's a great platform, and it's really flexible. I'm moving on to an HX Effects as of this week, because my primary need these days is something to go in front of my amp, and I want more footswitches and easier programmability, but I have nothing bad to say about the HX Stomp. The main downside is its lack of switches, which is why I've had to expand it as much as I have, but if you can live with that and create cleverly designed presets and snapshots, you're golden. Here's my pedalboard as it stands today, and is getting ripped apart and rebuilt with an HX Effects within a few days. I'll happily claim that you can't beat this amount of flexibility in such a compact setup.

This is a real shame. Particularly considering Mesa had left their previous distributor and it appeared that prices for Mesa gear were going to be considerably more affordable. Alas, while it appears that the the gear is going to be more affordable it appears that the gear is not being made for anyone outside of the US for the foreseeable future. I'm conscious that there are supply problems, however there are several other US manufacturers who are still exporting products and Mesa are presently the only company I am aware of who are deciding to simply not fulfil any international orders whatsoever. However, the position taken isn't actually as bad as the complete lack of communication to Andertons until such time that Andertons had probably secured a whole host of orders worth presumably tens of thousands of pounds going back the previous 6-7 months since the new distribution model was launched (amid a certain degree of fanfare). It appears that there has been a complete lack of transparency to international dealers like Andertons. I'm conscious that we are still in the process of coming out of a massive global pandemic with shortages to all manner of materials (I struggled to find concrete and sand to build a patio!) but the approach by Mesa is particularly poor. I am sure that Mesa have underlying reasons and that the parts shortages issue is a real issue, but the way in which the reasons were communicated (or rather not communicated) is disappointing and frankly, a bit Gibson-esque.

I've used my Trace Elliot heads with a variety of cabs - TE (obviously), Mesa, Schroeder, Vanderkley and Glockenklang amongst others. I can't remember being disappointed with any of them. If there is a Mathematical equation it'll probably be: TE+ anything = perfection

It's a fine pick up. Sounds like a P and doesn't have the mid scoop of 1/4 LB'er. One of the original replacement pick ups for the P bass. I'd be more than happy to have one in a p bass - in fact I did for a few years. If in doubt a Model P is a solid bet. If you want to agonise over marketing spiel and pick up's you 'think' you should have go ahead but when jamming with the band you really want the P bass character and the Model P will deliver. Telt!

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Status & Trace were a classic 80s combination. Mark King springs to mind. I had a Washburn Status geat bass ,sadly sold. Status necks always felt a little chunky for me. I have several Trace heads, which aren't too heavy. I only use with lightweight Vanderkleys of Barefaced. A well preserved Trace Head is the way to go.

I have a stage name and have been using it since 2006. initially it was a device to help me deal with shyness, but has since become a separate thing. When I joined Thunderstick, I suggested I use my real name, but it was decided that I keep my stage name as it ‘fitted’. I’m registered with prs etc as both my ‘born’ name as well as my stage name

Well at the risk of causing further upset, lets recap and see what we appear to be facts: Oiling your fretboard can make it look and feel more pleasant. Over oiling can cause problems by softening the fretboard. Oiling varnished fretboards can cause unpleasant streaking. Then some points which are matters of opinion, but less contentious: Sellers of fretboard oil emphasise the benefits of their products to help drive sales, which may encourage over-use. Significant damage is rare and moderate use of fretboard oil doesn't seem to cause problems. Custom fingerboard oil isn't significantly different in performance or effects, but smells more pleasant. My personal opinion: More instruments are ruined through over adjustment of truss rods and clumsy customisation; no-one is going to say 'stop adjusting your truss rod' or 'don't fit new pickups'.

Originally Alice Cooper was a band name. Same as Sade, with lead singer Helen Folasade Adu sharing, then taking over the name. Blondie could possibly be put in the same category, as the name was the band, but was pretty much a nickname for lead singer Debbie Harry.

Long story short : I once sold an early Squier Vintage Modified 70's Jazz Bass to a friend. It was really excellent sounding, way better than a lot of original ones. He started to use it in the different bands he was in and at the conservatory where he was studying. People were always telling him to get a decent bass : Buy a real Fender was what he was always told. So one day he put a fake Fender logo on it and a different pickguard (scratchplate for the others) : Suddenly it became an astounding bass and he got complimented for his sound. 🤦‍♂️ Sad but true.

Get your money back and buy an Ashdown.

got any for @such? He will be getting about a billion notifications... some useful stuff, some folks shouting "1meg" at each other. Anyone would think we had all been locked inside all year or something

I do exactly the same jonesy, I played my P for years then swiched to jazzes and the P went back in the case for about 2 years, then I got it out one day and loved it again now I’m liking both 😁, and looking at steinbergers

Japan - The Very Best Of... Tend to get old CD's from Music Magpie via eBay for a few quid... Not really my thing back in the 80's, couple of mates were in to the weird scene... i was more Motorhead n Zep n Gu!tarz... Mick Karn's name cropped up in another thread so i thought id give it a whirl. Saw Sylvian and Fripp 20ish years ago...

Fixed

Really?

Yeah I’m familiar with the model - it’s just caught my eye, love the colour, the inlays are funny but not off putting. My limited GCSE French suggests he’s up for a change and open to trades with the figure listed as his starting point. I’ve no need for another bass but you know when you get a wee notion and start thinking.

Yea that's my take on it. Doesn't mean I'm not bricking it though 🤣

For those in need of a good set of piano instruments, here a good one only £8.95 https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/1-Instruments/64-Virtual-Instrument/4461-Essential-Keyboard-Collection - Steinway Grand Piano - Upright Piano - Yamaha Grand Piano - Rhodes Mark I - Rhodes Mark II - Electric Organ - Pianet - Harpsicord - Toy Piano - Clavichord - Harmonium - Tonewheel Organs - Church Organ

ebay seller LINKY in states with stock.... they appear like a lot of recent stuff to accept input voltage of 100V-250V without any specific differences, no voltage selection, nor different fusing

I have friends who both changed their surname to something new when they get married. Neither liked either their own surname or the one that their partner had, so they saw it as an opportunity to pick a new name they both liked.

I used to work with a chap who traveled a lot as part of his job, his name was Trevor Cunningham. His surname occasionally caused some issues in far-flung foreign climes, but the best was when he tried to check into a hotel only to be told there was no reservation in his name. After a few minutes trawling through the list, the receptionist found it; he'd been booked in as Terver Contninong. So far, so 'probably a language issue'. Except this was in Dallas, Texas.

Ah good. I shall play it just like I play piano…with heavy hands, little or no skill…and zero timing.

I'm here, I've brought an Epiphone, what you going to do, snobby sound engineer, cancel the gig? Thought not, now get back behind that desk and do your f'n job. I really don't see the point in putting a Fender decal on a Squier or other non-Fender instrument (which this disease seems to chiefly infect, with a side order of Gibson TRCs on Epiphone Thunderbirds). It is what it is - if you play well, most of the talking is going to be about how good your playing was, not what brand of bass you were playing. So I focus on that, instead of what a minority of people deem important. I think what this inferiority complex stems from is possibly justified snobbery in the 50s/60s when the Fender Precision was seen as the gold standard in the recording/session musician sphere and all other basses were deemed to be inferior (a lot of them probably were - everyone was playing catchup and getting it wrong) because producers either couldn't be bothered learning how to record/EQ other basses, or couldn't afford to take the time to do so. Those days are long gone now but some people still cling to the ridiculous and outdated idea that if you're not playing a Fender (and more specifically, a Fender Precision) then you're somehow a rank amateur/not serious/mentally deficient/a dangerous deviant (delete as applicable). Codswallop. Instrument manufacture has improved immeasurably in the last few decades at the cheapest price point. The diminishing returns of spending more on an instrument have never been so diminished. Play your Epiphones, Squiers, Harley Bentons and whatever else with pride, they're fine working instruments and if you play well, it really doesn't matter what's on the headstock.

Some people can't get over the 'embarrassment' of being seen playing a Squier. I'm fine with it.

This is one of those ideal small jobs for 'in between the bigger stuff' jobs. Well, mainly I say 'mainly' because I ended up spending most of this morning getting the finish off the fretboard!! Yes, you live and learn! Most builders will tell you that stripping finish off a modern bass body can be a nightmare - but necks and fretboards are straightforward. That's because, on a body, many modern makers put a viciously hard undercoat under their poly finishes and you would go mad if you tried to sand it off. Generally industrial-grade heat guns are the only way! On the other hand, necks are always lightly finished and hand sanding is a breeze. And even more so for fretboards where generally they are not finished in the first place. Or so I thought before today... Because Yamaha clearly don't play to the same rules. This fretboard had the viciously hard undercoat - and you can't risk dig-ins and burns on a fretboard from the fairly brutal heatgun and decorators scraper approach, so it has to be basically sanded. One hour in: One and a half hours in, realised it was going to need some help with the help of a razor used like a scraper: Two hours in...there's some wood showing! (but only at the edges so far) : Two and three quarter hours later - we're down to wood : And a quick damp cloth check to make sure that there's no residual in there: So that's the easy bit done, then