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Seeing as we're offering opinions here, In my opinion I think you're daft to "shave" the saddles instead of using a shim - non-destructive always trumps destructive as far as I'm concerned.

A drunk punter came up to me once at the end of a gig and siad 'you've got a great moustache'. In the absence of anything else, I'll take that

Here’s some of my work if anyone wants one done 😁

This gem moved in today; I bought it from a friend... Mensinger Joker B6, 35" and 3/4" (19 mm) spacing...

So was Page on a bit of a downward heroin spiral at the time?

Who cares.

Posts like this always remind me of the words of wisdom I got from Martin Ace, long-time bass player of the Welsh band Man. His philosophy of bass playing in a band was, “if you’re bothered about being unappreciated, overlooked or misunderstood you’ve probably chosen the wrong instrument.” But we know, don’t we 😉

So it was my big boy 50th birthday this year and thought I would put together a decent bass as I couldn’t afford a 1980 walnut precision special (£3000) and didn’t feel confident enough skill wise that a self build course would give me the quality instrument I wanted. So I decided to put together a tribute, rather than a copy of said bass. I asked Walshy to build me a custom body (which in the end never happened), so in the end I bought one he had made previously from Chris/beedster. The neck is a roasted maple jazz neck with chrome hipshot tuners. The pickup is a fender custom shop 62 precision pick up going through a Kiogon cloth wired cts, top of the range loom. Currently has a fender bbot bridge but I have got a hipshot A style bridge to go on it a later date (possibly, but I quite like the look of this one). These parts were all bought from people off of BC. Needs a pro set up but even now sounds great to me. Think she might be a keeper. Thanks Basschat!

Well, Been a month (just over) now since discharge from hospital. Have picked up a nice CS fretted Jazz to fill the fretted hole, but the Uberhorn is still the Bass that I come back to time after time. It gets at least some play time every day - even if it's just 10 or 15 mins. I still feel like I'm getting to know it each time I play it, and it feels like more and more of a friend every time as well. I think it's rare to find any instrument that you really connect with.

I love John Taylor. I think he's a great guy and I've had enormous pleasure listen to and playing Duran Duran songs for decades, but, I wouldn't put him in the top ten of any year - let alone 2021. I do wonder what the criteria is. Do they just have to be alive? Or must they have gigged or released material in 2021?

My 80s alternative / Goth duo played the local open mic. Set 1 is us doing Cure / Sisters of Mercy etc on folk instruments (mandolin, bouzouki, mandocello) and then onto the electric set with our drum machine / keyboard programming. We wound up doing a third set completely acoustically in the bar afterwards. Busy day at work and when the night ends with the landlord wavering drink charges, I am reminded that I am not 22 these days!

I play with a really low action and I’ve shimmed many basses successfully, it works perfectly if done correctly

Shims are fine if done correctly.

You agree that John Taylor is the best bassist in the world for the year 2021?

Got my knobs out for @Hellzero Yeah - slight mismatch but close enough for me and given the total cost of the bits was £3.50 then I'm more than happy!

Spector fans, Someone over at TB posted this and I immediately thought of @cetera 🙂 "A long awaited limited run of Spector's fabled X Bass! One of only 40 in the United States!! Originally designed for one of Rock's biggest Bassists, Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, the X Bass is now available as a Euro Model for a limited time only!! This one has a Gorgeous Flame Maple top with a Blue Black Gloss Finish!" https://reverb.com/item/47547314-spector-euro4xbbg-black-blue-gloss-killer-flame-maple-top-limited-edition-authorized-dealer

Hello all, Reviving the thread since my search has come to and end SO! Long story short I was in a hunt for a "p51" (slab board) bass for years, did quite a research, looked for builders, luthiers even looking to mod a cheap Harley Benton or a Squier. My price range was around 800-1200 usd, so options like Fender Custom shop were out of the range. Also another thing that I really like is the "worn" and "relic" look, therefor the "crafted in japan" model, which is great, also fell out of the choices. I was looking for a true passive, "first electric bass", no frills like Leo would have built it bass Finally... my eyes fell on this luthier from Rome (Italy) called Luca and his ALNUS Basses. He runs a Reverb shop. Does all the wood work himself, all the relicing, the hardware is from Korea (which the relics by himself) and also wires the pickup himself. The bass sounds GREAT. Has the true vintage tone and feel. When the bass came I have to make a little setup since it was BRAND NEW, after that and after I put my trusted Thomasticks flats on ... BOOM ... true 50s fender bass. I invite you all to check his Reverb: https://reverb.com/shop/luca-1 There are some really nice basses. Hope you like it as much as I do

Nothing wrong with a board that does all you ask of it. I admire anyone who can stop buying pedal after pedal, board after board. I am hopeless.

My SR5 Special. And it really is special; by far the best Music Man I've ever played

Snakes are sleeping - cardiacs

I just read a comment on FB where this list is also posted…. ”#1 in the world? He’s not even #1 in Birmingham!” 😂

I guess if JT is your number one player in 2021, he's probably your number one every year regardless.

I reckon more like a centre-back or something, in that the non-footballing public have a reasonable understanding of what the goalie’s role is, even if they underestimate the importance. In that sense the drummer is the goalie.

Phil Lynott documentary 10am tomorrow BBC2.

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Pickup covers have turned up - they do appear to match the knobs @PaulThePlug !

Why do you care what anyone thinks? Do you enjoy playing bass, does it move you? If so, continue to enjoy it. Just the feel of low frequencies rattling my rib cage takes me to my happy place. I get lost in the enjoyment of the subtleties of our wonderful instrument. If others don't get it, it's their loss. Or, in another way, it's not you, it's them. 🙂

Stanley Graham Larry Clarke

I've been setting up instruments for more than 35 years including a decade as a professional, so it means thousands of instruments, and sometimes a shim is needed for two main reasons : - The neck tilting, as there must be one to allow some dynamic. - The break angle at the saddle, as there must be one otherwise there won't be enough pressure meaning the string will get out of the slot very easily and the string will sound almost dead or really dampened. If these two points are met, no need for a shim, just remove it and set up the instrument perfectly.

Was it a Mayones guitar?

@Duarte I have had a Sterling 5 in HS. Good bass but the volume drop on the single coil neck pickup (position 5) was not convenient. The HH has all positions with the same output. The HH Ray (Standard or Special) is very nice as well, but the Sterling with the series routing adds extra bief to the sound.

Or a skeleton w*nking in a biscuit tin.

The picture of the Scorpion that Hacksawbob is showing has a hole in the rear magnet assembly. On my Scorpion that was filled with a foam plug to prevent debris from falling in. The issue is that after 20-30 years, the foam disintegrates on touch and "becomes" the debris. Hacksawbob's may have already disintegrated since it looks like nothing was there. Progress on my combo to head/cab has been slow. I was back at work and also applying for a new role (which I did not get after a month of interviews, grrrr!) I did get the headshell glued up and just sanded down the finger joints over the US Thanksgiving holiday. It looks like this now: I need to pull out the router table and mount my 1/2" Bosch router with roundover bit. I'll be moving the work instead of the tool this time and hopefully have an easier time than I had routing the finger joints. Even with the finger joints and clamps while gluing I had a bear of a time trying to get this to come out square. I was not entirely successful. My cabinet will be larger in depth than my Porter Cable dovetail jig allows, so when I eventually get to the cabinet, I think it will be butt joints.

Absolutely mint, only downside, the timber is a bit bland.

Unless they were in the Zombies!

I heard a rumour the band was beginning to fall apart.

Me too, at a club in Newcastle, The Mayfair? They got back together recently to do a couple of great albums, 'Soulfire and 'Summer of Sorcery',. They toured the UK to promote of them, and released live albums from both. I had the good fortune to see them a couple of times each tour, in 2017 and 2019. Steve has a new book out too which is great, 'Unrequited Infatuations', and we went to one of the official book launches where Steve was on great form. As you've probably guessed, I'm a massive fan.....😆

While I completely agree about often being overlooked, it's the out of the blue compliments that keep me going. I remember my first gig with an old band where once we'd finished a punter came out of the blue and said "I just wanted to shake your hand and tell you you're a fantastic bass player". It made my year. Similarly, a landlord once came over and told me I was head and shoulders the best musician he'd heard for quite a while. Again, makes enduring all the guitar solos worthwhile...well, it certainly helps. In the words of Sir Richard Francis Burton: "Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from none but self expect applause"

As I wrote, it all went wrong in the 90's and don't talk about social medias, shows and store since the 90's. I was so fed up by this really bad slap everywhere that I stopped going to the shows in the late 90's and just couldn't keep my mouth shut in the stores. I hate slap because of all these abuses, but when it serves the song, it can become really interesting, but it's so rare. Only a few players have the ability to turn slap into music and we all know their names.

I have a Vigier Excess that had a shim inserted in 2016 for the same reason. I got the bass in 2004 and while I really liked it, I always like something with it wasn't quite right. The neck was either installed or had been adjusted (or had moved in transit) at a very slightly 'wrong' angle, so the action was a bit 'spongy' in the upper frets even when the bridge saddles were at the lowest setting. Owing to the lack of truss rod, I couldn't adjust a truss rod to compensate as the neck is almost dead straight. My tech installed a shim and it made a massive positive difference and much easier than having to try and file bridge saddles. I just wish I had done it sooner. That is the only instrument I have ever had to shim.

Very educational - there were a number of players that I didn't know about as well as highlighting some who get lots of hate. Some homework to do....

I'm not in a band ATM but if I was I'd be pushing hard for Transfusion by Nervous Norvous.

That’s a stunner! A few years back I built a jazz version very similar. Sold it to pay my credit card and have regretted it ever since. Enjoy it 🙂

Matte guard fitted and looks the part!