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I've shared a few of these over the last couple of years and been humbled by many of the nice comments you have made. My duo "Deadlight Dance" is essentially two old friends who met in Sixth Form in 1989 and wound up in a fun but (if I am being honest) slightly dodgy Sixth Form Goth band. Fast forward to lockdown / Covid and we decided to have another stab at things. We are two weeks shy of releasing a 5 track EP (streaming free everywhere, so I'm not asking for your money!) via Ray Records. The EP has a running theme of characters from books (Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Orwell, for example). We really mixed up the instrumentation this time so there is only conventional bass guitar on two tracks - this one is bass vi. "Montag" is the conflicted fireman from Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451", which is what inspired this track. The guest star around 1 minute 55 seconds might make a few of you smile. Anyway, have a look. Whilst I'm not asking for cash (there is a Bandcamp page, in case anyone is worried I'm skipping meals though!), I'm more than happy to put this out for likes, subscribers and shares! 🙏😺

I saw one that had been modded with a Tbird pickup and really liked it. So when I found a local used one I snagged it and planned to do the same. Might change pots and tuners , but I like it.

I was a big fan of the Smiths when they were a going concern. If you had asked me why he was important back then, it was that he was represented empathy and a special concern for the shy/lonely/misunderstood etc and they had some great tunes....it was all good... But when he went and revealed himself to be an intolerant shithead, it immediately de-vibed the whole shebang. Sucked the fun. Poured piss on the bonfire etc He was too personally entwined with what made him 'good' I think. There are loads of musicians (writers/painters) etc who are loathsome personalities but their music is not bound up tightly with what they are like at home. With Morrissey, it's all mixed up. So the more he reveals his grimness, the more it devalues his work (Obviously the swan dive began in the early nineties as well...)

My band Erronaut has released there new album today. Have a listen and see what you think!!

I've not played both so can't really compare for you, but I followed this thread with interest. I got very close to pressing the button on the Squier VI until I fell down the YouTube rabbit hole of just how dreadful the bridge is and the amount of work needed to make a brand new instrument playable. So last week I bought https://www.thomann.co.uk/harley_benton_guitarbass_vs_vintage_series.htm It arrived yesterday and the first thing I needed to do was to tune it. Then ... well, I played it. That was it. Straight out of the box it was exactly what you want from a new instrument, everything as it should be, set-up perfect, intonation perfect, no dodgy fretwork or crackly pots, very nice sunburst and very nice tort for the p/g. It feels light (actually 7.5 lbs but it feels lighter somehow), hangs well on a strap, and in the hands of a good player - not me, the guy in my soul band played it all last night - it's a very competent bass as well as an excellent baritone guitar thingy with all due allowance for the tuning options. And it cost £185

Google "free PA hire" and see how many (actual) results you get...

I used to and I think some of the problem was using my eyes to set the EQ etc. I had preconceived ideas of what the EQ should be for a certain sound. Then I saw a guy on youtube who purposely turns away from the controls and tweaks it all without looking, forcing him to only use his ears and nothing else. I've been doing that ever since and it has really helped.

Nice to see one in a colour other than sh!t brown.

Personally I don’t understand why fans want to see bands that were really important and relevant in their time reforming and creating some pale middle aged interpretation of their youth. I can get it with blues, reggae, pink Floyd even (like a decent red wine they age well) but personally I don’t think music written by angry young guys translates well when rehashed by comfortably off middle aged guys to an audience of comfortably off middle aged guys, largely because of the payday. Plus Morrisey has always been a tw@t, he is now just a cantankerous, dissatisfied caricature of a tw@t (on stilts).

I find it amazing that Mozza appears to turn this on Marr, whose restraint and humour in response makes Mozza look even more pathetic. A good mate of mine summed things up rather nicely after Rock Astley’s Smiths set at Glasto ‘People love the music of The Smiths so much that they’re prepared to watch literally anyone but Morrisey sing it…’

A long, long time ago, I bought several Antoniotsai basses. The first was my first really playable 5-string, and that was my main bass for quite a few years (and still gets outings). The second 5-string had through-body stringing and a not terribly good bridge, and a rubbish preamp, so I decided to replace that. I took the bridge off, unscrewed the pickups, took the rear cover off, made a terrible job of filling the through-body holes, and then put it on one side for rather a long time (since 2012, to be exact). A few weeks ago, I finally decided to do something about it. I'd bought a Schaller bridge a while ago in anticipation of overcoming my executive dysfunction, and back in the mists of time I'd picked up a Warwick Just-A-Nut I off Ebay which I'd put on. However, mislaid at some point were the assorted screws and the back cover. The original preamp was a five-pot job with a front jack socket and a further hole that I can't remember the purpose of. I decided that I'd replace the electronics with an Artec SE3 (which has the requisite number of pots) pending any decision about the future, and I would keep the original pickups. From 2012 - first, foiling the control cavity (at this point I left the preamp in situ). The atrocious filling of the through-body holes can be seen. This got the cat seal of approval Sadly, the cat didn't last to see the bass finished. So, fast forward twelve years, and I finally lined the Schaller bridge up and screwed it into place: The rear cover is somewhere in the house - I have no idea where, so I bought some 2mm ABS sheet and cut the cover roughly to shape, then sanded to a pretty good fit. Holes drilled in almost the right places, then I managed to drill straight through with a countersink. Sod it, it's on the back and ICBA to do it all over again. Note careful placement of cover to conceal the atrocious filling in of the through-body holes. The front of the body is spalted, and a chunk had fallen out right by one of the control holes (the one closest to the top in the below photo). I used some hard wax filler to fill the divot. Next step - use some heatshrink to tidy the battery wires, and put the preamp in place. Next - the gut shot prior to the pickups being wired in (the unconnected plug is the one from the blend pot). Finally, everything in place and the bass strung up. I'd bought a string winder bit for the electric drill and put it somewhere safe, so of course I couldn't find it, so it was strung up with my own fair hands. I put a DFA switch in because there was a hole - I would have put an active/passive switch in but doing this is rather complicated with the SE3. If I upgrade the electronics, it will become an active/passive switch. Still to do - tidying up the filled holes, fret levelling.

Not sure there is a thing as an easy Motown bass line., Even the simpler ones have to be played with conviction and a fine touch. Took me decades to get Jamersons feel right, fun trying tho.

Another update. The scratch plate arrived today. I couldn't help but put the pieces of the body together to get a feel for how the final product will look. I'm very much enjoying the combination of anodised scratch plate and metallic finish. Very excited to add the neck.

Markbass Little Mark II Preamp:

Ah, allow me... Shoegaze - when you are tying your shoelaces and your shoes look back up at you because they don't want to go for a walk, they want to eat chips, sit on the sofa and watch Casualty. Dreampop - that awful moment when you are finally about to engage in tongue Kung-Fu with *insert attractive celebrity here* and you are woken up by the fourth slash of the night. Thanks enlarged prostate. Hardcore - broken bricks, rubble, or similar solid material used as a filling or foundation in building and nothing whatsoever to do with Pr0n M'Lud. Post-Punk - a service whereby pink-haired thugs gob through your letterbox. Sludge - an obscure animated character who appeared in only two episodes of the 60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon series The Flintstones. He was a bouncer who worked the door of the club where Fred and Barney attended drunken parties held by The Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes. Stoner Doom - a term used in dry-stone walling circles in North Yorkshire, essentially a wall collapse due to furtive sheep action or drunk-driving veterinary incidents. New-Wave - the latest type of wave employed by any of the younger royals upon their inaugural trip in a carriage. Midwest Emo - the initial name for the act that subsequently went on to great success renamed as Rod Hull and Emu. Indie - Short Stop's nickname for Doctor Jones as used with annoying frequency in the 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and played by Vietnamese actor Ke Huy Quan. Alt-Rock - a sugar free vegan tofu alternative to the teeth-demolishing confection sold to unwitting children on Blackpool's 'Golden' Mile and certainly not a county lines soubriquet for crack cocaine. Yes.

The guy must be worth squillions. But he sold his mansion and lives in a flat, travels on public transport (and, when he flies, usually flies economy), and spends his money on "nice", relatively simple things, like a Ducati motorbike or a Fender Custom Shop bass. He's also taken pay cuts on films so the crew can get paid more. He seems like one of the world's few genuinely nice people, who seems to use his considerable wealth for good.

Just reinforces my negative view of Morrissey and positive view of Marr.... I don't think I could share a tour with a Gammon who doesn't eat gammon either....

Is it a multi band event. ? Over here venues generally only hire a PA and lighting themselves when its a multi band event to save swap over time. We've been asked a few times with the punk band to do a support slot for well known bands and after we agree a fee the organiser comes out with the "can you bring your PA and the headline band can use it too". At that point we say NO THANKS. We're not giving a free PA hire for another headliner band meaning we need to hang around all night and do the Sound Engineering bit until they finish. I have no issues if we are headlining and on last and support band wants to use our PA. It just comes across as a very sneaky manoeuvre. Dave

I have the Legacy 500, I didn't read the specs before buying, but the price was too good to pass up. The power rating was a bit of a surprise, however, I've found that it is way louder than similarly rated amps. I put it up against a well known class D amp rated 500w at 4 ohms through a 4 ohm 4x10, and the GK's 300w at 4 ohms was significantly louder and had way more to give too. GK rate their specs at 1% THD which I believe is about as honest as this stuff gets these days. I expect most class D amps are rated at higher THD meaning that their useful output will be smaller...

A recent NBD but it also deserves to be in this thread. An Ibanez G105 Grooveline.

Happy Memories of The Muppet Album. I played it to death as a young lad. 👍

Midwest Emo is so 2023, it’s moved west since 👍 BTW when I was a kid and first came across the idea of ‘West Coast Rock’, with my Anglo-centric view of music I assumed it was a product of Cornwall, Devon at a stretch. I used to look at pictures of Stevie Nicks on Mac albums and long for my family to book a holiday to Penzance 😆

Are there such a thing as a decent over-ear noise defender for musicians i.e. one that basically keeps stuff sounding the same but quieter (rather than muffled)? I have ACS custom earplugs that I'll still use for live stuff, but using them for weekly band practice sessions there are a couple of issues: They are a bit of a faff to get in/out (and need lubeing up!) and cleaning, and I've lost one pair so far, whereas over-ear are immediately straight on/off and a bit more tricky to loose, and for the second time in recent years I have needed to get my ears un-blocked via microsuction with different ear specialists telling me that regularly pushing the ACS earplugs into my ears is probably causing the issue (best not to push things into your ears if it can be avoided). Over-ear defenders tend to seem to be designed as workplace ear defenders, or for children - rather than for musicians and preserving the sound. Perhaps the Alpine Defender? Or, perhaps a good passive noise isolating headphones, the types Drummers tend to use , perhaps Vic Firth isolating headphones? ...I guess if they are too good at passively isolating stuff I could plug them into the mixing desk to monitor.

That's it really, Andertons have a sale on with some interesting reductions. A few RCF speakers (RCF 735 for £839) £200 of a couple of A&H Qu mixers, Loads of Behringer stuff cheap including X18 for £399, XR16 for £322, X32 Producer for £999 loads more too. https://www.andertons.co.uk/browse/offers/all-live-pa-offers/?page=2 Does this make me an influencer?

My first bass build was an adventure! lol My second DIY build bass project was scuppered by a fire in my flat. I set out to collect the bits and bobs needed to start again. Over the past few months I've been pondering how to move forward with Phoenix (Yes, a rising from the ashes reference lol) I've a block of wood (Idigbo), headless tuning system, pickups, truss rod, yada yada. My aim is to go for a 30 inch 5 string fretted neck ... but building this is way beyond my skill, I could find nothing suitable on the internet (I seek a 18+mm bridge string spacing) and the cost of a bespoke neck is beyond my reach (I checked!). Stalled! But then I got to thinking and realised that were I to get a Ibanez TMB35 I could use the neck as the basis of a mod (Is it a mod!?). A couple of days ago this arrived ... And so ... the plan (As it is) is to use just the neck, modify the headstock for the headless system I've got (NOVA system from @Andre_Passini) and build a body from scratch. I'm still toying with how I can convert it to a zero fret setup. I'm writing this "diary" is for a couple of reasons: 1) To share what I do in case it may be of interest to others. (If only to warn against what not to do!) 2) As a place to ask the the many (many) questions I have around this journey, to seek the wisdom and experience of the BC collective mind. This project is likely to take a long time as this year I have been experiencing major fatigue issues, but it has started! And so to my first question ... How to determine if a bass will be well balanced? The stock TMB35 has hideous neck dive! The one I've acquired had some lighter weight tuners fitted, but she still dives. Using a headless system (And some neck reshaping I plan) will reduce the overall neck weight, but I want to try to use the lightest body weight I can. When I 'hang' it from my finger on the top horn the TMB35 is body heavy, but with a strap on it is not. How does one figure out the balance of a bass before building it? Sam x

So my mate has this Warmoth Strat neck, and wanted a body with just 1 neck pickup and hardtail bridge. Needs to be light, just wants an oil finish …… and importantly wants to do all the sanding and finishing himself. Those happen to be my least favourite activities…. So said sure… I ordered some White Limba, I quite like that as a body wood. Very close to alder in tone (also relatively soft) but with nicer grain. The entire process only took a few hours, so just posting a few pics of “my bit”, and will post once my mate has finished things.

Well, that was unexpected. At 2.30 I dropped off three basses at the luthier - this thread's XB925, to ask them to price up the work; another XB925 with a stripped strap button screw, which needed a dowel in the screw hole; and a friend's Fender with the strings flat on the fretboard. The Fender needed a truss rod adjustment (5 minutes, 5 quid), done on the spot. I took that bass back home, went to the osteopath, visited my dad, and at 5.30 called to ask when I could pick up the bass that needed the dowel. "It’s already done. £10" And the other bass? "We priced up the respray, inserted 4 ferrules into the neck, reinstalled the bridge, cut the nut, did a trial fit of all the bits..." Happily, the total cost is very acceptable, and I want them to do the rebuild and the setup - I am very pleased with their previous work. As for the respray, the luthier will get someone called Toby (Diggins?) at T Dog customs to do it on their behalf. Suddenly, I need the Washburn logo and the S.I.T strings!

For years I struggled with trying to get the bass sound on the "Histoire De Melody Nelson" album by Serge Gainsbourg. Before the internet and what was subsequently revealed in interviews I tried all kinds of different basses, different strings, different amps, but never quite got there. I could play the notes but the sound wasn't really there. Then two things happened. One, I saw the bass player in question, Dave Richmond, playing his dust covered Burns Bison with black nylon strings (which he reckoned to have never changed) through an Ampeg at the Jazz Cafe. And two, I realised there and then that you can get close, but unless you actually are Dave Richmond (with his flared slacks and scruffy slip-ons) and are playing the exact bass used on the record, it's a futile quest. I never bought an original Burns Bison but I did stay with flats and foam at the bridge though. That's a forever move for me. No pedals, just amp and bass 👍

Tell him to get to f***

Update….. The final touches are almost done. The Zero fret it came to me with, was pointless. It was some random, brass coloured fret, that had been stuck on there, very badly. It was also too small, and didn’t actually do anything. So I’ve fitted a jumbo fret and cut the nut down so that the strings sit nicely on it. I can actually tune the bass now. Speaking of tuners…. I hated the ones that came on it. So having found some 60s Teisco elephant ear tuners in the states, I bought those and chucked them on today and as I really hate the closed backs, I’ve converted them to open gears so that’s almost it…… I’m just waiting for a Teisco headstock badge to arrive from the US, and that will finally be that.

Has anyone noticed how much brighter a place BC is when Young Teebs pops his head round the door? Has anyone thought what a happy chappy he is and how he lifts the mood with his cheeky manner? Thought not. Me neither.

Ooh, that's a bit contentious, A Smith is better and more accurate. By the same measure, the Gallagher boys should be going out as Not Quite 'Sis.

Henry & the boys do travel light. Played with them a few times, great chaps but aside from guitars & plectrums they don’t bring anything, in my current they played with them and were even asked for drumsticks!

I have a pedal board with around 10 stomp boxes. So when I am starting with a new project, it can take a while to dial everything in. And it can't really be done at home at practice volume only in rehearsal at gig level. I take pictures with my phone to remember the settings once they are dialed in. After a while, I get used to everything and it becomes default. It also means things can be tweaked on the fly in recording sessions quickly. (It's been a long time since I've played in a non-effects heavy band so I kind of forgot how to do the plug and play thing for better or worse.)

Yes when it comes to effects. I love my basic sound, G&L ASAT and Markbass set up, got a good octave sound too, but drive and filters I can’t quite dial in. I’ve got a Stomp now and am edging closer but home experimentation and in context with band are two very separate things.

Yeah, that. Years ago I roadied for a reasonably popular death metal band (semantics, semantics!) and we played at a popular and now-defunct venue in Brum, with a big Swedish band headlining. We turned up with all our gear, got set up etc etc. No sign of the headliners yet, but no bother, early enough in the day. Eventually they turned up and said "We use your gear". I wasn't happy about this, as a) we hadn't been asked about this by anyone prior to the event, and b) they didn't even say please. I asked the band what they wanted to do, and they agreed to lend their gear (I wouldn't have done this, but they were in awe of the Swedes). When I say their gear, I mean all of it. This band hadn't brought any equipment with them at all, other than plectrums and drumsticks. We had to hang around until the wee small hours before we could load out and we didn't even get paid for the gig, let alone the hire. From that day onward I've insisted on knowing the exact crack with everything to do with the stage and gear before committing. I don't mind helping out when there's a crisis but I'm buggered if my band is going to be used as a fee-free rentals service whilst someone else takes the bunce and skips merrily off into the sunset.

I lived in London for most of the '90s, and you couldn't escape the Britpop Wars: Oasis vs. Blur, Norf vs. Sarf. At that time I was in to Progressive more than anything else, and it wasn't until years later that I got in to late-period Beatles. So it was no contest from my POV. I couldn't imagine Oasis making anything with the power of Charmless Man or the understated emotional punch of Coffee & TV.

Sunn Mustang

Not really a P player but I'm a sucker for black/black/maple, with a cream DiMarzio Model P for preference. Proper 70s rock machine look, & I'd definitely concede a JJ influence in there. Doubt I'd have picked up a bass without his influence. My one's a pretty rare 70s Japanese copy (Daion performer) which I paid about £100 for. It did need a bit of tidying.

I try and not get into slagging off bands, because I know they mean something to people whether I like them or not. Plus life's too short, I'd rather talk about what I do like. But then, Oasis fans might not make the most convincing case for taking that approach, when the brothers Gallagher will loudly have a go at any music that's not boringly dressed white men with guitars. They get hate because they give it.