Leaderboard

So I spotted this on Guitar Guitar second hand page. Looked nice and I have always missed a black and maple one I bought in new 2009 and foolishly sold. It arrived today and it`s a Z8 serial so 2008 - 2012. The thing is it`s like a brand new bass, not a mark on it anywhere, it still has the original film on the pickguard that looks kinda yucky to be honest, the case is mint and it has all the goodies inside which is very unusual. There is a tag in there from a different UK instrument shop price marked down from £1343 to £1103. I paid £1099 which is around the going rate but like I say it`s mint. I wonder what happened with it? Did it sit in the back of some store forgotten or did someone buy it and stick it under the bed? At the end of the day it`s just another P bass but I`m well happy with it. Anyway pics or it doesn`t exist!

First Gig of the year for our six piece, centre of Hull. we have a residency there- once a month ( residencies have changed over the years ! ) Our Dep drummer did great and was a great change having a drummer that actually speaks. My thoughts were that it was going to be a quiet night but seems most of the punters in the Town centre noticed we were on and a full house was experienced by the band. We all played great and after a good soundcheck sounded spot on. Some good comments on my Bass tone- first gig with my Origin Bassrig 15. Sounded epic with my fender Jazz Ultra 5 string. Should be a good gig this one, easy to load in and park, which after doing this for 40 plus years is a real positive!

We played Bootleg Social Club in Blackpool on Saturday. It's a very cool venue. No other drummers so I could leave everything set up, which is always a big bonus for me. The two acoustic acts were ace! I was a bit worried 'cos I've not been playing at all. I am not gig fit! I warmed up for hours before but still ended up with cramp towards the end of the 20 song set! It was great to be back out gigging anyway. I'll do my best to take photos and keep up to date on here

Great first gig of the year for me last night. New venue for us, The lion at Cas Vegas (Castleford), a well known music venue in these parts. Known as a bit of a rockers venue so booking a glam band was a bit of a punt, however it was banging with a full house and happy smiling punters. Booked back in October and already looking forward to it.

Our first gig of the new year. We played with a dep drummer on New Year's Eve, as our own drummer had a long standing arrangement for a family party in Wales. I turned up a bit frazzled after having forgotten a couple of things and having to go back home for them. The parking was difficult. We had people shutting the rear door of the venue as we were loading in which didn't help and a couple of people were getting in our way. We were a bit loose in the first half. The second half was a lot better.

Simple but with a lot of thought going into it. Peterson Strobostomp HD - Mojohand Cream Pie - Beta MK1 - Subdecay Noise Theory - Bright Onion Patchbay - Darkglass Element. This was basically my gigging rig until I got the Anagram, it’s just so blissfully simple, sounds great, easy to dial in, everything stacks. I have an effects loop where I can drop a filter or modulation after the noise theory and any other gain or octave pedals just slot in before the board. Gigrig Generator into a Cioks 4 gives me the ability to power the board with IEC or Usb C, also I can use the power out of the Peterson to power anything I add in the patchbay. Board is also tall enough that if I ever wanted to add something, the Element fits underneath. Very pleased with how this has turned out.

Electrik Soup, at The Beehive, Brentford that London Saturday's gig. When we were offered it, we said about possible low attendance due to it being early January but they were up for it, and fortunately there was an audience. We brought a few people and the pub was full, without being packed. We were set up in a corner, but the pub extends around the bar, so we could hear applause from people not in front of us, who we couldn't see. Our 90s and 00s indie classics went down well, even though one of our guitarists was peely-wally. Fortunately adrenaline kicked in and he was glad he made it. The bar staff and Guvnors were all lovely, and we've been offered follow up gigs. Gear: Shuker 3 is at the menders having some DR Neons fitted (Xmas gift) so I used Camille (Shuker 1) -> Getaria wireless -> TC Electronics BH800 (DI out to PA) -> Orange isobaric 2x12. My opinion has changed about the BH800. I previously thought it only sounded good if using the tone prints, but it sounded great FOH on the recording even when I wasn't using FX. Footwear: Blues ASICS trainers.

Of course, the staff will think you’re likely to bump into something so will instantly give you their attention.

These are the bass related NAM captures I’ve found on Tone3000. I haven’t downloaded them all yet, and this is copied straight from my ‘Notes’ app in my phone because that’s what I do in my spare time 🤦 haha. The Avalon VT737 sounds really nice on a clean tone, just adds a bit of sheen and depth - really nice, but I thought it might be easier just to list them all here with the links as I had them saved anyway: @tayste_2000 Tone Pack (Punchline, Beta, Cranbourne et al): https://www.tone3000.com/tones/steven-taylor-tone-pack-41791 Ampeg B15-66: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-b15-66-31103 Sushi Box Finally v3: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/sushi-box-finally-v3-41381 Ampeg B15-64: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-b15-64-33702 Sadowskyw Preamp: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/sadowsky-sbp-2-bass-preamp-32439 DCX Bass 1: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/origin-effects-dcx-bass-28027 DCX Bass 2: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/origin-effects-dcx-bass-43362 GR Bass One 800: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/grbass-one-800-48257 GR Bass One 1400: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/gr-bass-1400-5840 Genz Benz Streamliner 900: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/genz-benz-streamliner-900-47263 Audio Kitchen Fake Plastic Trees: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/audio-kitchen-fake-plastic-trees-2715 Full Rig - SVT/Pultec EQ/Cab: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/bass-full-rig-pultec-svt-4x12-cab-re20-mic-55 SVT/Pultec EQ/NO CAB: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/clean-pultec-svt-no-cab-30 SVT/Pultec EQ/Sansamp Drive/NO CAB: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/bass-chain-pultec-sanamp-ampeg-svt-no-cab-drive-59 GK RB800: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/gallien-krueger-rb800-070-2694 Ampeg SVT-PRO4: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/aaf-ampeg-svt-4-pro-6629 SVT Hard Rock: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-svt-hard-rock-28715 Various Power Amps: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/slammin-poweramp-mega-pack-5688 Ampeg B-18N: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-b-18n-portaflex-fliptop-43868 Benson Preamp:https://www.tone3000.com/tones/benson-preamp-pedal-2078 Way Huge Pork & Pickle: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/way-huge-pork-pickle-bass-overdrive-fuzz-36541 JHS Colourbox: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/jhs-colour-box-v2-anniversary-edition-37335 Jule Monique:https://www.tone3000.com/tones/jule-amps-monique-31287 Trace Elliot GP7SM: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/trace-elliot-gp7sm-26545 Eden Glowplug: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/eden-glowplug-2025-47312 Ashdown CTM-100 DI: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ashdown-ctm-100-pre-eq-di-47287 Ashdown Triple Shot: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ashdown-triple-shot-30523 JPTR FX Jive: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/jptrfx-jive-30514 Earthquaker Plumes:https://www.tone3000.com/tones/earthquaker-devices-plumes-40366 Earthquaker Plumes (Switch 3): https://www.tone3000.com/tones/earthquaker-devices-plumes-switch-3-pack-1853 Jam Pedals Rattler: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/jampedals-rattler-base-mk2-49462 Ampeg SVT-CL (Cln/Lo/Med/Hi): https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-svt-cl-bass-head-45809 SVT Fuzz (Blend with clean): https://www.tone3000.com/tones/svt-fuzzedup-5509 Ampeg SVT-Pro6 (Cln w/mids): https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-svt-6-pro-di-clean-sound-with-tasty-mids-42667 SVT (Hard Rock/Pick Rock): https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-svt-hard-rock-28715 Ampeg SVT + 410 (Cln & Pushed): https://www.tone3000.com/tones/ampeg-svt-ampeg-4x10-47165 Tech21 VT Bass v.1: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/tech-21-vt-character-series-37097 GK MB Fusion 500: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/gk-mb-fusion-500-di-mark-settings-42577 Kasleder Albatross Fuzz: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/kasleder-albatross-30490 Avalon VT737: https://www.tone3000.com/tones/avalon-vt737-for-bass-guitar-052-2056 Hope that saves a few of you some time, or gives you some ideas for downloads 👍

Moral of the story? Always wear sunglasses when you go to a music shop.

Just back from playing at the (mostly) annual Let’s Play Bowie tribute gig at Leicester’s International Arts Centre. My first gig of the new year, this time as part of a multi-band afternoon gig, playing bass on a six-song Bowie set (Ziggy Stardust, Starman, Moonage Daydream, Boys Keep Swinging, Andy Warhol and Queen Bitch). The gig was a sell-out and nicely full by the time we played just before 5pm. Lovely to play a gig where someone else is sorting out the sound (very good it was too) and I just turn up with a bass and a cable. Took my red/tort Squier Bitsa P bass project strung with GHS Precision flats. Provided bass rig was a Markbass LM2 into an Ampeg 2x12 (I think). I got to catch up with other local singers and musicians, one who had brought his genuine 1971 P bass for the gig, which was splendid. What a brilliant afternoon out and a lovely thing to be part of.

Not mine, but if it's still unsold when I get my income tax check... This is a custom model based on the Jaguar bass. The body is made of ash, the fingerboard of rosewood, and the neck of maple. It features both a PB-type pickup and a Music Man-style. Controls include a master volume, pickup balancer, and tone knob, allowing seamless blending between the PB pickup and the Music Man pickup.

Remarkably, quite a few people made their way through the frozen snow to the Cannock Social Club to see us on Saturday (including us). And an hour or so before we went on, Jayler's guitarist[1] rang up our BL and asked if he could come along and play with us. He said yes, so we had a fairly full stage. All went well - James is an excellent guitarist and proved adept at picking up songs he'd never played before. Admittedly this is mainly 12-bar R&B but there are a few more awkward songs and he picked those up OK. We also had our regular interval singer Amelie along. Sei Jazz 5 -> M-Vave wireless -> Zoom MS-60B+ -> Tecamp Puma 900 -> GR Bass AT212. Velcro fastening trainers replacing the usual Caravelles. [1] Young rock band, will be supporting Guns N Roses and Deep Purple this year

board I’ve made for a gig this weekend. octave and moog sounds from the MXR, 2 levels of dirtiness from the 66, EQ from the AMT and mild chorus plus tuning from the GP5.

My gig on Thursday at a local social club saw Otis Jay Blues Band play to an audience of just 15! Storm Goretti didn’t really disrupt Bournemouth, but the combination of strong publicity and gusty wind kept people at home. Never mind, we have been rebooked for April. And we got some good practice… some photo ops too. So an ill wind didn’t spoil everything.

Finally got my hands on the Anagram! Been a HX Stomp user since 2018. This thing feels like the Stomp but on steriods!

Thinking about it I could probably take the A ,D and G string off and still be ok 😁

I am building a replica of the Audiovox 736 and have got it to the roughly to shape stage, whilst I test set up and get the pickup to fit properly. It is a through neck with side wings glued on in Sapele Mahogany with a side wheel type truss rod and an Indian Ebony fretboard with stainless steel frets. Machine heads are Hofner violin bass type and the unorthodox arrangement takes a bit of getting used to whilst tuning. The graphite nut is 38mm wide and the strings are only 13mm apart at the bridge like the original. This is wider than the Fender Bass 6 do not impossible to get used to. At the moment, the pickup is an Artec 30k mudbucker under the scratchplate which will eventually be fitted with a bar type polepiece through the scratchplate like the ones Paul Tutmarc used. Action at the 12th fret is 2mm at the moment and it plays very nicely although quietly with the big string/pickup spacing. I fitted a jack socket where the cable comes out on the original and fitted strap hangers, so there is no neck dive and with a right angle jack plug, the cable is no problem. Still needs final sanding and finishing with tung oil.

I bought my BBNE2 from BD. I got a very good deal and they entertained my then 4 yo son with a half size bass whilst I was making frantic calls to my bank to make room on my cc after realising I couldn’t use their interest free credit thing. I haven’t managed to get back there since but they did great coffee too from what I remember.

Use three in your ear and, no matter what chords you start with, you will end up in A&E!

I just saw that Ancoats Guitars are gearing up to start making basses. Rather nifty looking things. I've been seeing this company's guitar designs popping up on social media here and there, and they look interesting (though I've never played one). They're a small custom builder in Manchester, I think, with a very agressive pricing strategy (basses starting from £1k, which barely gets you new strings these days).

Excellent service from Bass Direct Decided a 212 cab was more to my liking and at 8ohms 800w it suits my TE1200 nicely as a single use cab and weighs 17kg ! Deeper tone I think compared to my smaller MB58R 102 cabs although they are pretty amazing too especially when I use two of them Will decide if a single 212 8ohm cab is sufficient and run it loud at rehearsals!

Just wanted to introduce my bass in case there’s any interest! I bought it 14 years ago after searching for a USA made Lakland in the UK - unsuccessfully! I was on the verge of importing a new 4 94 from the USA when this popped up on eBay from a collector in Chicago. It’s a one off 4 94 made by Ed Reynolds from parts supplied by Dan Lakin. Ed was luthier consultant to the fledgling Lakland operation. It has a chambered body, pre-CBS Jazz pickup in neck position, Seymour Duncan MM in bridge position, nitro paint finish (lots of dings!) and fabulous neck. It’s been my go-to bass since I bought it and I love it, though very few bass players I meet in the UK seem to know much about USA Laklands, let alone a one-off like this!

They probably make more money off their utube channel than from sales now anyhow, so they don’t care.

My non-binding, totally unauthoritative view would be this is like for like (or as close as you can get) so would count as a repair. If, however, the new pickup has additional fancy features like making the bass groove so much that girls notice and want to snog you (isn't that why people change pickups?), then it counts as an upgrade.

My hearing protection is white. Last week I received my new IEMs and they are purple and have my initials on them. Love it.

I do the set list and print them out for each member so that way we are all doing the same set. Until one night I decided not to wear glasses as I was trying to be cool, mis read the list and started one song whilst the rest of the band started the correct one. Glasses back on

I`ve played ac/dc stuff live for the last 10 years and the G string is somewhere on a beach, under a sun shade with a pina colada wearing Ray Bans!

Genuine and common sense tip. You want something that can be easily found on a dark stage floor/ back room. For something so expensive, they’re easily lost.

Just a quick post to entertain and inform . Had an idea of building an EUB . Had one before and liked the general idea . I have played a doghouse bass before and love it but the practicalities , storage and transport of it have put me off . That , and the fact I would have to leave home at the age of 58 and start again in life cos the missus would not be too happy . And the tiny little micropub that we often play in is not ideal for double bass , as most of the customers would have to be outside on the pavement . So this idea was born . The plan was some sort of electric instrument , to be played mostly with a bow for long drone bass notes to accompany some irish music . After some refreshment (ahem!) , this plan was born . Neck/body is 1 5/8in aluminium tube with 1/4in wall thickness . Fingerboard is some unknown ( possibly sapele ) hardwood from the garage , machined to fit tube and given a radius . Tailpiece made from the same . Single bass bridges used as string anchors . Hipshot tuners . SBW weedwhacker strings . Endpin is most of a telescopic walking pole . PIckup is electro acoustic guitar piezo . I was going to have onboard buffer/EQ but decided to go passive in the end and feed it to hi impedance buffer and EQ pedal . Still need to finish it , just side markers on figerboard and a final polish and wax and we are done .

Spot on re the neck profile @Misdee, the 08-12a were flatter in feel, in comparison to the much chunkier post 2012s.

I've got an identical Am St P that I bought new in 2009 and I would never part with it. One of my favourites basses ever. Mine doesn't have the Custom Shop pickup that came fitted from 2012 onwards, but the standard pickup it came with sounds good to me so I've never bothered changing it. I think the post- 2012 basses had a bit chunkier neck profile too, but I could be wrong about that. I know that my 2009 model has a perfectly-proportioned neck for my tastes. It's just like a classic and very playable late '60's/early 70's classic Fender "B" neck with the nut width halfway between a vintage P and a Jazz, and a fairly slim front-to-back profile. Anyway, I've got Thomastiks flats on mine and it does the classic P thing to perfection. Enjoy your lovely new bass. I hope it's a keeper and that you get as much enjoyment out of it as I've had from mine over the years.

You may as well take the mid and treble knobs off your amp while you're at it.

The rules: "- Maintenance/setups that only involve work on existing aspects of your bass (ie no purchasing a preamp to add to it) - Breakages. If something breaks through no unusual intervention of your own, and is unable to be repaired, you may replace it." It seems to me that repairing the pickup would be maintenance; buying a new pickup would fall under the category of breakages. Interestingly, the rules set out no limit on the cost of the replacement, so @neepheid needn't restrict himself to something cheap. No need to wear the hair-shirt. By way of a precedent, in 2023 I purchased a Washburn bass in bits, without a finish, and with a twisted neck. The new neck (fretless, with the old one being fretted) and the refinishing and the rebuild were all judged to be repairs, in a previous challenge.

Much better with the vintage tort guard (and the Elixirs!)

Did you know the pickup was knackered when you bought the bass (presumably not in the last 12 days)? If not then definitely allowed. If you did, then a heartless judge could argue it has a working bridge pickup and you should just play it. Regardless though, this jury tends towards leniency and is letting you replace the broken pickup so you can be a complete babe-magnet on stage. Though once they have seen THIS image they may change their minds 😉 Until then, you're still in.

I'm local to Andertons and do use them on a regular basis and some of the service I've received has been a bit hit or miss, probably 60% good to 40% bad. The last time I was in there was to collect something I had ordered online. Went to the desk to collect and the young guy said I'll go and get your order, I just need to find someone to man the front desk as it can't be left unattended. I thought ok, fair enough, I understand. Lots of employees walked past and he asked if they could help and cover the desk as he needed to grab a customers order but they all said they were too busy. I thought fair enough, they are busy. So I'm waiting there for about 15 minutes and the guy kept apologizing but I said its ok, you're busy. Then an older guy, in his 60's, walks into the shop and stands next to me, blonde spikey hair, shades on despite it chucking it down with rain, for then out of the blue, three of the busy employees suddenly appear behind the front counter and gushing over this customers, just chatting to him about what guitar he has in his case, and would he like a new lead and basically all bending over backwards so serve him which was just mostly chatting about nothing. All the while, this poor young chap having to keep apologizing to me for making me wait and looking more uncomfortable and embarrassed. Other times have been fine and some occasions, depending on who you get, the customer service has been excellent, but then again, on other occasions, depending on who serves you, the customer service has been rude, nonchalant or disinterested, it really is hit or miss.

Actually my V10 fretless came from Andertons. It was very well packaged, but was totally devoid of set up, was 2 years old (if i decoded the serial no correctly) and had a dud E string I contacted them via email several times listing everything that was wrong and even said you could have offered a set of strings (which I would have turned down as I doubt they would have stumped up a set of Cobalt Flats) by way of apology and they didn’t even bother replying to the last email. I told them i am a serial guitar/bass buyer and that this was my first and last purchase from them.

One jB per bean, but they work on the same principle as dBs, so you’d need 3 for double attenuation

I'll be about £5 for a pre-cut pack of 24 but I'm pretty sure I can scrounge a 2" offcut from Mark at Bonnywood. Was fixing a butchered Concord started me off building and repairing basses 🙂

I have one, and love it deeply. It is thumpy, particularly with my TI flats, but I use a high pass filter/splitter to get acceptable brightness... I also added a 'bridge' pickup to get tighter tones, and now it's a monster.

Very sad about your friend, but nice to have a memento like this. So yeah - these are thought/assumed to have been made by Sakai Mokko but like most things vintage MIJ, particularly regarding those manufacturers active in the 60s & fading away in the early 70s (which is when these were from) it's unclear & sometimes contradictory. These turn up with a million different names (& no names like yours, & my guitar version) one of which is Sakai, although there's reason to believe Sakai Mokko the manufacturer was gone by '71-ish which about when these first emerged. Like other 60s brands that became well-known domestically (like Teisco & Guyatone) the name may have just become a headstock brand - there's reason to think this as the Sakai name appears on mid 70s instruments known to have come from Moridaira. That's further complicated by the fact Moridaira also operated as an importer/distributor and even used their own Morris house-brand on instruments that are assumed to be from Sakai Mokko. It's very confusing. And I can make it even more so, if you want. Or even if you don't... Look - it's Sunday, I have important things to put off so you should probably make yourself a brew & strap in... That cool/weird German-carved SG body isn't exclusive to these - it also turns up on a late 60s thing called an Excetro - made by Teisco Gen Gakki. TGG was set up mid-60s as a manufacturing subsidiary of Teisco to make necks/bodies, but after Kawai bought Teisco in 1967, TGG continued independently as an OEM manufacturer TGG went bust around 1970, so what looks very much like the same body on a different instrument from a different source could be for one of two reasons. Or three. Or random combinations of the three. Or something else altogether that I don't know about. Leaving aside the fourth (and arguably most likely) reason, No.1 is salvage. In the febrile 60s & 70s Japanese guitar industry, manufacturers came & went all the time, and those that went bust would typically have quantities of unfinished components lying around, which would simply get sold off. So a year or so later an existing or new manufacturer - maybe Sakai, or Moridaira, or whoever - sticks out a bunch of SG-ish guitars built on old Teisco Gen Gakki bodies. Or reason 2 - someone liked it & made a straight copy, or perhaps the TGG fire-sale included all the templates & tooling for making this design, which it almost certainly would have. Right - anyway - possibility No. 3, Matsumoto Gakki Seizou Kumiai - the manufacturers' collective with their parts-book system of ordering, where customers could choose components & have instruments assembled to their spec. Not so likely IMO as they'd need to have a huge stock of these bodies, considering these SG types were around for maybe 4 years, sold all around the world with a plethora of brands and 50+ years later, still turn up regularly. And that's it really. You won't get drivel like this off AI, I can tell ya. Pickups in the bass are Maxon bass humbuckers - they may have a serial on the back to give a date for the bass, if it's pre '72 they won't as it looks like Maxon introduced seials at some point in '72. The knackered nut's an easy fix as there's a zero-fret, meaning it's just a string guide, and I'd recommend not just whacking the 22nd fret into the empty slot - necks taper & unless you cut it to length you'll make a mess of that nice fretboard binding, and have the mother of all rough fret-ends to boot! Wonder how much a tech would charge to stick in a replacement & give the remainder a dress/polish?