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I've finally accepted that the fine people at Fender are never going to call and offer me a signature model, so I've taken matters into my own hands: I've gone for a "what if Jim Root played bass?" kind of vibe. Allparts body EMG JX pickups LHZ preamp (just a fun experiment as they usually go in Spectors with PJ pickups. Sounds pretty good though. Way more natural and "woody" than I was expecting. The bass and treble controls are on the stacked pot in between the two volumes. It's in that position because I accidentally enlarged the wrong hole, but I quite like how it looks and have convinced myself that it's a logical place for it! Hipshot Kickass bridge and ultralite tuners. The neck is a Fender Player 2 neck. Lovely rolled edges, but came with lacquer all over the frets. I've done a level crown and polish, so it's all gone now. Tuned to BEAD. Discovering tapered B strings has been a revelation to me. It sounds and feels great, even at the standard 34 inch scale length. It's bothering me a bit that the pickup screws, jack nut and saddle springs are not black - might have to sort that out in due course!

We organised a 4 band gig at Whiskers in Newquay on Halloween. It was a bit of a shambles, but turned out alright in the end. First up, the sound guy was meant to arrive at 5. He showed up at 7. We were expecting the first band to go on at 7:30... Everyone says that this guy does this all the time and it's to be expected. He runs on "Cornish time" 🙃 This doesn't happen in Bristol! Punters were leaving because it hadn't started. The first band finally started at 8:20. Then, you know, we're alll running late, you'd think the bands would try to keep to time, right? Nope, the first two over-ran by about 10/15 minutes. Changeovers were SO SLOW. I never understand why it takes some people so long to get off stage. Everyone says it's "Cornish time", we call it unprofessional. It was just as well that the venue had a 2am licence. We had planned that we'd be on at 10:10. Didn't end up going on till 11:45, finishing at 12:40. To their credit, a fair number of (very drunk by now) punters did stick it out and seemed to really enjoy our set. We even had our first mosh pit! I did struggle a bit with fret markers while wearing sunglasses for my costume though. I used to find it alright in the hip-hop covers band. There were also a few mistakes, but I'm putting that down to tiredness. I'd had a few late nights trying to finish mixing our new EP and then early mornings because I have a 3 year old! Gear was Dingwall Combustion -> Boss GX-100 -> Laney Digbeth DB-500H -> borrowed Vanderkley 210. Got some shonky phone videos too. WhatsApp Video 2025-11-01 at 11.21.17.mp4

Another moment of madness, never mind. A November '63 Jazz. Refin at some point in early '70s. I believe it could have been CAR originally. Apart from that all looks good. I had it taken apart to confirm (photos to follow later on this week). Rusty strings, frets aren't great, sounds superb plus some provenance.

Popped out to see some old friends at a new venue - the Millhouse in Thatcham (near Newbury). Jam night, up for three songs including Let’s Dance / David Bowie. I love playing that song. Enough to make a howler happen at the start of the second verse haha I think I got too into the vocals 😂

Now about half way through. Holes and battens done. I've glued two sides and the bottom. Its now clamped very tightly. These are clamps I use from making the guitars, never thought I'd use them for real wood working. The only reason for stopping was the temperature was falling rapidly and the glue was thickening. So took the whole unit inside the house overnight. Not allowed to do things like this inside the house. Somewhat surprisingly most of the panels seem to fit. Not sure what happened there, normally I'd be out by 10mm or more Its pouring with rain here, enough for waterproof trousers, so I can build and glue in the garage (assuming it's above 5C) but that's it.

I've been a bit worried walking home late at night with a £4k+ Dingwall strapped to my back so I got a cheap bass from a kindly basschatter to use when I know I'm going to be walking the mean streets of New Cross in the dark (it's not bad around here to be honest, it's just I've never carried anything this valuable around before). So, I met up with Paul walbassuk in a service station on Saturday (as I've done so often before) and handed over some notes in exchange for a bass (great transaction, lovely guy - huge thanks!) It's A BASS! First impressions. The output is HOT. I mean, you could power a light off it, very very hot. Heavy but comfortable. Neck is quite nice, but chunky baseball-bat like while narrow string spacing. Frets good. Nice satin feel. The finish is horrible. I HATE photoflame but hey. doesn't really matter. Tuners are fine. Bridge is fine. Action is high, will probably take that down a few notches. Strings are fine. Should have asked what they are but it doesn't really matter. Tone is pretty Musicman like, but blimey I need to back off the active. I mean, the centre detent is higher than I'd ever use for bass, mid and treble. Taking it down to bass 2/10, mid 2/10 and treble 5/10 and backing off the volume gets you a rather pleasant sound. This is just the job. More than adequate for any of my needs. BUT that means the one-in, one-out rule will be put into action this weekend. My '89 Stingray will be going on the market. I'll miss owning it, but I won't miss the bass itself.

I did see it in the video, but part of the problem as it was getting colder was me slowing down and thickening up. There wasn't a bowl big enough for me to stand in

Just got in from my penultimate Spacewasters gig at the New Cross Inn, SE London, last day of the 3 day Psychobilly Freakout. Reasonable sized crowd for a 5:50 set - some people had done all 3 days! Played well on our 40min set, and in our new matching rock n roll bowling shirts looked the part too. Audience was very appreciative. Back line was provided, a TC amp of some sort into an Orange cab, was easy to get a good sound with my JMJ Mustang. Footwear was DM Dealer boots. I’m going to miss this gigging lark, but sadly it just does me in now.

Supported the Bluetones in Brum on Friday and at Hangar 34 in Liverpool yesterday. Great room sound in Liverpool. Absolutely freezing loading into the house at 3am this morning but nice to be still doing gigs like this occasionally, worth savouring

It's a bit late to worry if you've already done the trade.. If the bass does the job for you, just enjoy it.

I'm coming up for 52, and I sometimes regret not having gone further with music in my life (whatever that actually means in a practical sense I don't know). But lately I've realised that actually not being obliged to do it for a living is what has kept it still being fun. It's my little thing, my way of regulating my emotions, meeting some cool people, having little musical adventures and friendships etc. It hasn't had all the joy beaten out of it. And that's what keeps me in the game. I still find it interesting, I'm still learning new things and being curious. If this had been my job, I doubt I'd still be getting much enjoyment out of it. I'd probably be some bitter old bloke. Instead, I have a lifelong companion as long as I've got an instrument to hand, and doing that with other like-minded people is a great feeling.

If I brought a motorbike in and dismantled it on the kitchen table, I suspect parts of my anatomy may be dismantled as well and distributed far and wide. The ply is nice ply (in my limited experience), the two things I've done differently are: Buying a guide rail for the circular saw. Massive change in cutting wood and it's now simple. Buying an 80 tooth circular saw blade and putting it in the right way. You can actually burn your way through plywood with it the wrong way, so I'm told. I of course didn't do that at all. Nope not me. Also moving the saw blade up so it's only cutting 12.5mm makes it a little friendlier and I can use some old wood as a base rather than my 40 year old Workbench. The second cab will be better again. Also the weather forecast is for six days of constant rain 🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️ so this is likely to be the only can this week Rob

OMG.... just watched ST2.... what a blast. OK, so I'm a spinal tap fan, so this review should be taken with that in mind. Cameos... far from distracting from the premise I think it brings a level of authenticity which adds credence to the whole proceedings. The drummer interviews particularly but also Elton John who is marvelous. And the 'one on ones' with the cast are like the original and brilliant, especially the Nigel Tuffnel cheese bits! And then there's the occasional moment of honesty and tensions that happen in a real band situation. I was trepidatious of this movie but it's a worthy sequel and also a catch up for the fans which, for me at least, far from disappoints. PS I've ordered my 'Tap' water and offered Thomann a half wheel of cheese for a PRS as they're about the same weight.

Had our first gig at the Walthamstow Trade hall last night. Odd one. Great crowd, dancing all night. A few minor mistakes, and two big ones (singer couldn't pitch Valerie and stopped the song saying the bass player was in the wrong key lol). My IEM set up was problematic, but im glad i took a lot of extra gear to ensure I had what I needed. Hopefully going back next year.

A couple of pics by the audience from Thursday...

Thanks all, think Im going for.the mint U5

71, the good gigs always give me a burst of enthusiasm, excitement, youthfulness and energy. The bad gigs make me wonder why I'm still gigging. Daryl

At 65 now i've suffered back and shoulder issues over the years. Last 4 yrs going to gym has definitely helped but you need to find out what exercises will help your issue. The gym Personal Trainers have all been very helpful in the small family run gym i use. Weight training in past 6mths has been a godsend for me. Not rapid movements but slow controlled weight lifting with 3 second negatives. I still won't use a 10lb plus bass for a full gig but prefer my Sandbergs which are a good easy weight around the 8.5 lbs. Pretty sure i've had this conversation with @Lozz196 before and he's been down the fitness route too but obviously not resolved his own back issue. Dave

A lot of it is about contact and connecting with people. My band did a charity gig last weekend. It was a great gig, we were buzzing. It was really good to see some people I hadn't seen in a long time, made some new friends and we raised several hundred quid. It was better than a lot of the paid gigs we've done.

Prior to the pandemic the band I was with had got quite sniffy about how much we felt we should be getting paid for gigs etc. But when lockdown allowed it, me and a few mates put together a classic rock cover band and did some free gigs primarily to help some struggling local venues. Made me realise how much of it is actually about the human contact, not just money.

Just had one of those rehearsals that keep me in the game.

Fender should actually make something like that. A more vintage-modern version of a Hotrod Jazz. I like it a lot.

I had periods where playing gave me the adrenaline rush of playing to a crowd and getting approval, validation and praise, along with a decent financial reward. Then for a short while I did it predominantly to money and wanted to be suitably rewarded for my time to leave the house and play. I had fun and played in a good band, but it had to be financially viable. A few years back, I took about 2 years off from playing as I found it stressful and I had a young family who I would rather spend time with. I got asked to help out a friends band which the. morphed into a new band with some lovely people and good players, and before I knew it I was gigging a dozen times a year. What keeps me going is the social aspect and my mental health. I work a lot from home and noticed how isolating it can be, so practice and gigs gives me night or two away from the house and family to jus have a laugh and enjoy some music and forget about life for a few hours. Don’t get me wrong, a few ££ in my pocket is nice and I love a crowd that dances and claps an that feeling, but it’s just really helped my sanity for the most part.

I have the same attitude about my two main hobbies - photography and music. When I worked, they were my escape and stress busters and while both have earned me money over the years, I made sure that neither became sources of income that I relied on. This has meant that I can still enjoy both today and I can choose the projects/band/assignments that I get involved with.

… and a Sub Phatty should now be heading over by the weekend, will be good to compare and contrast the Sub 25 with it 👍🏻

I get it, and major props for choosing to set it down instead of pushing through until you wreck. I'm only just hitting my 40s, but the difference in my tolerance for late nights and the crap surrounding gigs is dramatic compared to even five years ago. There have been a few nights recently where I found myself thinking "Do I actually enjoy this any more, or is it just something I've always done and I don't know what else I'd fill my time with?" I'm choosing to scale back a little bit and pick my gigs because ultimately I do still enjoy it, even the 2am finishes, but knowing when your health takes precedence is important. Ironically I think I would actually prefer to get back to proper touring - the hours are still tough but at least you're fully committed and on a tour schedule every night. It's mixing the day job and late night gigs which is finishing me off at the moment. Best of luck finding a solution for your back issues, but either way enjoy your downtime!

Opened my board up last practice to find it was all loose and messed up! Don’t know how! Probs getting the guys in the band to help me load out at last gig and they might have been a tad violent! lol any ways I had a few things to put on! And before you all say the ashdown bass exchange is a vibe and I love it!! And I’m fully aware how extra it is!!!

Elon is part of the problem and not the solution. His involvement in other countries politics is frankly terrifying.

But if it includes 40s RnB and jazz it's double weird. Ska and blue beat evolved from RnB and mento being squashed together. I bought the book anyway🙃

American Specials were a mix of parts manufactured partly in the USA and partly in Mexico. . They used to be called the Californian Series and then changed the name to American Special, then to The Highway One series. Fender do this from time to time. They were sold for a price somewhere between the cost of a MIM and USA bass. I have a friend who owns a Californian Series Strat and it plays and sounds great.

I saw a video with a plunge saw and thought wow, that looked the business and then saw the price of it. I think if I was making a dozen or so cabs, I'd invest, but for me, not sure it's worth the effort. Now I know you have one, I'll send future ply cuts to you

Maybe take away the loopholes that enable billionaires to hoard their wealth whilst paying ignorant flagsh@ggers to spread the idea that immigrants are to blame for all of the problems they themselves have caused, but don't want to help solve.

Did you have to get that wee lick in there at the end? That right wing sentiment rubbing off on you or something? Don't make me come down there and educate you about Scotland's net worth to the United Kingdom. I'm worth half of the Barnett Formula alone. But if you want me gone, just say the word.

4 pages in and no one has said you need more than just one P bass - one with flats and one with rounds. You're slipping basschat, up your game. 😂 I was against P's for ages, just because they're a bit standard. Then I got one for a blues band and it just clicked, they sit in the mix pretty perfectly without much faff. I've now got 2 and am eyeing up a 3rd 😂

Thoughts are with you at a worrying time Greg. Take care and hope you get the results we all want to hear. Dave

10CC are one of those bands that were so high profile during their time, but have been kind of air brushed from history subsequently. I remember well how important they were in their heyday, but they are seldom cited as an influence by musicians nowadays or feted in the mainstream media for their extraordinary talents. I think a lot of that has to do with 10CC being an unapologetically clever band. In their own way, they were a kind of Mancunian Steely Dan. Every track was an art project, and they tried to be playful and provocative with the pop music medium they were working within. Therein lay their downfall, because particularly after punk rock happened anti-intellectualism became the only acceptable stance for critics and the listeners they influenced. The fact remains however, that 10CC were a very popular mainstream band in the 1970's, just like ABBA and ELO. They had UK Number 1 singles when that was still a big deal. They were ever-present on radio, regularly on television, did big live shows, loads of people liked their music and bought their records. 10CC wrote great songs that really connected with people, not surprising if they've got people a songwriterwith pedigree like Graham Gouldman in the band, and they definitely deserve to be rediscovered and given the credit they deserve.

A couple of decent gigs….. loving the P bass and favouring the TC BQ500 & 4x10 at the moment. One night in Leeds…. and one in Stoke…. Both fun ones, and the new songs seemed to go down well.

Had a debrief on Saturday night whilst waiting for drummer to arrive - he’d warned he’d be a bit late. Took the Tokai and Darkglass Anagram and plugged the latter into the effects return which worked well. Only the second time in anger, but it’s pretty intuitive so adding effects and tweaking foot-switch assignments was a couple of quick clicks. Once we got started a couple of new songs mapped out and a few songs for Saturday’s set run through .

For context I bought an identical 2x10 cab for £40 last year, and the 1x15 for £50. Granted I haven't got that head, but given it probably will need some TLC I would offer £200 max for that - if you got it for £150 it would be a bargain.

Don't underestimate my ability to be fast and inaccurate with even a decent handsaw 😊 I'd much rather design a tool to do it properly rather than me cock it up. I know my limits and they are numerous and many.

I think pretty well everybody gets back problems at some time during their lives. Don’t let it stop you gigging. I’ve just turned 70 and I really wish I could do more gigs. I’ve signed myself up for New Year’s Eve depping for the 3rd year in a row. I guess it is perspective and you definitely get more time to recover when you have retired.

Looked and sounded good, shame it was a tad dis-organised, I hate it when that happens, it makes the whole evening feel "off" rather than enjoyable for me.

This is clearly pre-refin, the dark tone in a b&w is right for a deep red. Great to have such a record and his wife seems pleased it's gone to someone who cares.

Thanks everyone for your patience. The amp is now finished and working, and it sounds bloody great. The Bright switch on the normal channel didn't do much with a 120pF cap so I put in a 3-way switch to choose between off, 250pF, and 500pF. All the legends are on and I have made a fairly quick-release rear grille. I measured the output and with a 1kHz sine wave it is just starting to break up at 100W. I am kind of tempted to gig the amp tonight (45 min support slot at a blues club) but I should really give it a more extended test at a rehearsal before I take any chances. Following the Imgur debacle I have gathered together most of my build pics here: