Leaderboard

This irrational dislike of Markbass based on the look is not shared by most bass players, 99% of bands and 100% of audiences.

The best advice I've heard on auditions was from Juan Alderete and it's something that seemed obvious to me, but apparently not obvious to a lot of people who've tried out for bands I've been in: If there is a recording of the song - album, demo, live tape, youtube, whatever - learn the part as it was recorded by the old guy, irrespective of what the band say about your artistic freedom. You can change it later if you get the job and you're more likely to get the job if everyone is hearing what they recognise as being right.

So, here is a Mexican Fender Jazz, I'm not sure of the model, or year, probably not important. I bought this a couple of years ago to relic, as I always wanted a '64 Burgundy Mist Jazz with matching headstock, but Guy seems to have the only one, so this was the next best thing. Edit: Since listing, I have been advised this is a Factory Special Run (FSR), very few in the UK, 60's Classic Series reissue, Limited Edition (Oh, and apparently listed too cheaply!), this range spurned the Roadworn series that came after, apparently. I didn't like others that I'd seen, like Limelight, because the burgundy mist colour was completely wrong. Its stock, except for the addition of some Seymour Duncan (So i was told) pickups (Unsure of the model, so attached a pic), replaced before my ownership, and a mint green guard. There is also the original white guard, so you can take your pick, its pictured with the mint green. Virtually unmarked, previous owner tried to remove the Mexican decal from the back of the headstock, leaving a small mark, didn't bother me, and the lamination is lifting slightly on the front of headstock, as is often seen, see pics, again, not an issue for me. These are getting hard to find now, it took me a long while. No case, so initially cash on collection only, if it doesn't shift then I may consider putting in a non-Fender tweed case and shipping, but not for the next few weeks, sorry about that, but don't have the time. Fender Jazz Amber aged neck (See pic of tuner removed), with slab rosewood board Metallic Burgundy Mist custom colour with matching headstock Threaded saddles Reverse, vintage tuners Mint green guard Seymour Duncan pickups Not sure what else to say, pics below Reason for selling: Too many basses, and another Project build on the go, and something has to give. Collection from Northampton, so pretty accessible to many places. Thanks

I had a band called Not the Hoople once. We did two gigs. We were not a Mott the Hoople tribute, it was a silly joke name because one of the local bars had tribute acts with really lazy names that may as well have been "not Queen" and so on. We were an acoustic duo. We did have a Mott the Hoople fan arrive who thanked us at half time before leaving saying "it's good but not what I was expecting". To be fair, it wasn't even good.

I've used Jacks Instrument Services in Manchester for the occasional oddity. He's pretty good imho.

Chrome bridge and knobs. And swap the scratchplate - still for a black one, but with the Black / White / Black construction so you get the outline. Would be perfect then.

Or a chrome bridge and knobs. The “all black” look is a bit too rawk for me...

And finally, it lives!! (Minus some knobs, I need to order those...) I set it up well, and I now have a low action and good intonation. It’s very, very light and is obviously quite neck heavy. But the strap I’m using is really grippy so it’s not really a problem. The Wilkinson pickups are a revelation; for twenty quid they’re incredible - all the thud you’d expect and really punchy, but if you turn the mids up on the amp it gets honky, almost Jazz bridge pickup like. I’ll definitely use them again. Brilliant. The only issue is that the output jack is intermittently cutting out, there must be something not connecting properly so it needs sorting before I gig it, but I’m going to give it a go at band rehearsal tonight and see how I get on with it. I’m really pleased with it. There are things I’d do differently next time, but that’s all part of learning isn’t it? I’ve leaned a lot, surprised myself and really enjoyed putting this bass together. I wonder what’s next?

This is a great distortion, just not needing my army of dirt in current bands.. This has great low end and biting highs, sounds incredible and cuts through any band mix.. £125 Price includes postage to EU / UK Bank transfer or PayPal gift payment.

*SOLD* Trace Combo 7215 GP7 300W 1993 *£125* A rarity this, it's the wide-bodied variant (with the bigger enclosure, air vents and single rear port) made in 1993 (pre-Gibson era) which means it's one of the very last Series 6 combos ever produced. It's rated at 300W (with extension cab) and 180 - 200W using the internal driver (the stock 15" Trace/Celestion job). The myth is that Trace watts are somehow louder than other watts - I can tell you that it's absolutely true, this combo is punishingly loud and you won't want for power or headroom in any situation. The power stage is seemingly bulletproof and the amount of pure slam on tap is more like a large all-valve amp than a solid-state combo. This 'compact solution' was made way before lightweight gear became the norm, and it is relatively chunky. But the fitted castors go a long way to offset its mass and the two side handles make it easy to lift into a vehicle. Just don't try to take it on a plane as a carry-on item. It's in a very reasonable and clean condition given its twenty-five years of service. There are the usual bumps, dings and scuffs that you'd expect (see pics), but nothing major and certainly nothing structural. All knobs and controls are present and correct and everything works as it should. These were built to a high standard and made to last. In general it's thought that Trace gear has its own baked-in tone, and there is something in that, but I found persistence and patience with the graphic EQ can produce pretty much any tone you could want, from urgent rock to an almost B15-type Motown warmth - especially if you cut and not boost the EQ to preserve that circuit's headroom. Modern amps seem to be designed to sound good with all controls set flat, but some just don't seem to have the same sonic options that are available here. Very small adjustments to the graphic can make a big difference, and time spent with the Trace EQ is very well-spent. This combo may be getting on a bit, but it's still Pro gear and makes for a useful and very reliable gigging tool. Internally it's all very clean and bright with no obvious wear, burn evidence or any other anomaly. In fact it looks like it was put together yesterday. Way to go, Tony! It's proper kit. Obviously I won't be posting it - the combo is located in south east London close to the A205 South Circular. I'm sure I could get more for it on the Bay, but I thought I'd list it here first and see if there are any takers. I paid £150 and would like to get £125 for it. So if you want some early 90s non-Class D heft for very little money, get in! NOW SOLD. I thank you!

Guys.... up for grabs a stunning Ash / Maple Lakland 44-02 deluxe with a gorgeous quilted maple Top. The Bass is brand new and still has the plastic covers on the machine heads !! I took this bass out of Guitar Guitar as I had a credit note for something I returned. The bass was listed at £1500 and I’m prepared to let it go at £900 for a straight sale. Massive Price Drop to £800 !! Possible trade with black / Rosewood Musicman Stingray

Hi All. Up for grabs is my Sterling By Music Man Ray 35, awesome bass, but the project I was going to use this for has fallen through so i'm letting it go as I already have 3 other basses. Basses from Sterling by MusicMan are perfect for players seeking the MusicMan vibe at a more affordable price. These instruments are accurate versions of popular Music Man guitars and basses with no compromise on quality or materials. Sterling by MusicMan pledges to make a bass that will deliver the performance you need. Each instrument is inspected, setup and played. I have done some significant upgrades including changing the stock electrics out for much better quality gear. This includes: A Nordstrand MM 5.4 pickup & a John East MMSR 3 Band/4 Knob Preamp. I no longer have the stock electrics, but I firmly believe that the upgrades wouldn't require you to ever need them anyway. This was all professionally fitted by Matt Bascetta at House Of Tone and it truly is a beast of a bass. It kicks like a mule and is super versatile and adaptable with the upgraded Preamp and Pickup. These are circa £950 brand new and that's without any of the above changes/upgrades (which in total cost over £400), so come on & grab an absolute bargain. Make me an offer, worse I can say is no :-) Will come with its gigbag. Shipping included in price. Any questions, please feel free to ask away. Make me an offer, the worse I can say is no 🙂! Techy stuff: The BTB-MMSR 4 Knob, including Mid Sweep, has been designed with characteristics very similar to the original MM Stingray© 2 Band EQ, but is not a copy of the original circuit. The original used a single op-amp chip (single amplifier stage in the form of a chip) for both bass and treble circuits, whereas this unit utilises a more modern dual op-amp chip (two amplifiers stages in a chip). The bass and treble are stacked which allows inclusion of a mid sweep, along with original MM style bass and treble, on a 4 knob plate. When the mid boost/cut is centered, its effect is neutral and the EQ is purely late 70s MM style. This unit is supplied fully wired, including 3 single pots, 1 stacked pot, knobs, jack and battery clip, which may be spliced into an existing battery box, as would be available, in most cases. · Single Knob - VOLUME · Single Knob - Late 70s MM style TREBLE · Single Knob - Late 70s MM style BASS · Stack Knob - MID / MID FREQUENCY SWEEP (Mid Sweep 01) POWER REQUIREMENTS: 9-18V, 2.5mA Technical BASS & TREBLE CONTROLS The design of the 2 band EQ in the early Stingray© basses is unusual in that it does not follow the types of topologies around which the majority of equalisers are designed. It would seem that Leo Fender designed it to create a particular sound rather than follow any conventions, such as symmetrical EQ curves. Consequently the figures shown may appear unusual to those familiar with such specifications. In fact it's not easy to portray what this EQ does with a few numbers, but in any case some figures, based around a flat response input signal, are quoted as reference points. NOTE: Like the original Bass/Treble EQ, this circuit does not have a flat response when the controls are set midway. This unit is not designed as a clinical tool, where what goes in, comes out at some reference setting. However, the Mid Sweep circuit does have a neutral setting in order to preserve the original feel of the Bass & Treble EQ. TREBLE (+20dB / -16dB @ 10 kHz) There is more boost than cut, giving rise the characteristic 'sizzle' associated with the Stingray© style of EQ. BASS (+14dB / -7dB @ 40Hz) The bass control has a little more boost than the original. The boost curve continues to rise towards the lower frequencies, without flattening out at any frequency within the normal bass guitar range. Conversely the cut characteristic is shelving, having an essentially flat response from 30 - 100Hz, when fully cut. MID LEVEL & FREQUENCY BOOST/CUT (+/-12dB) The upper knob sets the amount of Mid boost or cut at frequencies according to the setting of the Frequency knob. The midway indent is the 'flat' setting. FREQUENCY (100Hz - 1kHz or 200Hz - 2kHz) The lower outer ring sets the continuously variable Mid frequencies for boost or cut. DIL switches on the circuit board allow low or high ranges to be set. Both switch sections should be set to ON for the Low Range and both set to OFF for the High Range. VOLUME Sets the level from the bass and treble section of the preamp feeding the mid section. This means that the pickup feeds the preamp directly, allowing the best possible transfer of signal, and full interaction of the pickup with the preamp. Since the mid section is after the volume control, it feeds the jack directly with a low impedance output. Nordstrand MM5.4 The MM5.4 is the 5 string version of the MM4.4 and is split in similar fashion, except that it has a 2 string coil (B and E) and a 3 string coil (A, D and G). The pickup can be split and remain hum cancelling in any configuration. Front coil, rear coil, series, parallel... This pickup has all the basses covered, and is particularly suited to a Lakland installation where the 3 way switch selects front, rear, or parallel coils.

I have 50p riding on this, don't let me down!!

'Oh, it's a lot harder than it looks says guitarist'

I suppose so, but would never consider myself anywhere near that level of expertise! I think he also plays it very lightly whereas mine is more of whack, hard to explain but it involves much more movement of the finger and I keep the finger almost straight. I also switch to playing with a single finger when I do it. The obvious song that jumps to mind is teenage kick where it gives a much brighter ‘twang’ than I usually want (play GibsonThunderbird with rotos, so pretty dark sound usually).

I don’t use nails (barely have any), I stroke the strings through to full on pluck depending on the sound I want. I also play so as to almost tap the strings on the way through (quicker action as opposed to smooth pull through if that makes sense) for a punchier sound when I need it.

Interesting, as I said above, instinct is quite a powerful force isn't it

I was in a band that never got going on full, sadly. Good singer, very good leader player, we worked well so we auditioned a drummer. A guy turned up and he could talk and talk and talk... Nice enough bloke in that his heart was in the right place, but just not very self aware. He had a billion suggestions for everything, even down to the way the lead player played. Alarm bells should have rung when he talked about how many bands he'd fallen out with, but his reasoning being that if you don't like suggestions you talk about it and agree or compromise, which sounded sensible. His playing was ok but not spectacular. A few errors but ok. He had spent an age faffing about asking for specific weird drum bits from the rehearsal rooms and making a fuss now I think of it. Anyhow, we've all worked out that he's ok, talks too much but we could get used to him... No. Last few songs and he's giving us all orders. Including that at our first gig the drum kit shall be at the front and singer and guitars at the back. We make our excuses and we are trying to get out the door. Oh and he's decided he should lead sing on a few tracks. Then as we are desperate to run away he slams the door shut, lights go off and he gets out his glow in the dark drum sticks. It seems the gig with him at the front of the stage, singing, with us as his backing band, shall also be played in full darkness apart from his sticks. We put it down to excitement and think we will bare with. Then he emails us a thirty song set list that includes Robbie Williams, the Osmond's and other caravan park karaoke classics. We were playing talking heads, etc at the time. Robbie Williams was the final straw for him. Drummers, eh?

Any bass with the Sadowsky name on it will be the best bass you can find at that price point, and now there are 4 price points rather than 2. A lot of manufacturers should be very worried.

The drummer sounds like I do whenever a girlfriend says to me "we need to talk" I don't think he's expecting it to go well for him. From my own experience, most of the niggles in your original post are exactly the sort of things that I can generally put up with if everything's going brilliantly, and immediately start to grate as soon as they're not. And from my own experience, the others will have no idea that they're doing anything wrong - people who are always late simply cannot understand why anybody gets upset about them being late all the time, etc. From an impartial point of view (well, impartialish) the one red flag in what you said was that the drummer is still making mistakes on tempos and endings, etc. I'm a bit unclear on how long the band's been together but these things should be nailed after a couple of rehearsals, not continually making the same mistakes. No advice from me on whether to stay or go, but if you're not enjoying it and you're not getting anywhere, why would you stay unless things change?

Hot damn! Free bump for your gorgeous bass. Wish I could afford it.

Ain't that the truth. I've been permanently put off quite a few bands/artists I'd previously liked only to find they were utter tools.. Viz the 'The' thing I have a particular loathing for anything classified as 'indie' after about 1988 and lo and behold most indie bands, esp the toot derided as 'landfill indie, have had 'The as a prefix e.g. The Cribs, The Kooks, The Automatic, The Libertines, The Kaiser Chiefs, The Wombats, The Fratellis, The Pigeon Defectives, The Hoosiers, The Libertines (these need repeating), The Enemy, The Maccabees. I rest my case. . Admittedly there were also dire landfill indie bands without a 'The' prefix e.g. Scouting for Girls and Razorlight.

That’s not bad at all is it a great looking, playable bass for just over £200 who needs the big brand labels!! Can’t wait to see what the next build is gonna be!!

I shouldn't beach...but that doesn't mean I won't! One of our previous singers was technically excellent: great ear, plenty of power huge range, but...she used to insist on singing everything like she was Shirley Bassey belting out the theme from Goldfinger. With subsequent singers, obviously we'd use the studio recordings as a reference, but always with the subtle hint of, "that was her style, of course, but feel free to put your own spin on this one..." The improvement was remarkable...

[Sound engineers yacking on a Bass players forum, not a sound engineers forum alert!] Ideally a boundary mic (My preference is a Shure Beta 91a) inside the shell, and a second mic (Audix D6 all the way, it has such a nice punchy smack to it!) on the outside of the front head [/forgiven!]

I think you've nailed it right there. I have so far tested them with my phone (Samsung S8 - No noticeable difference between M6's and ZS10s here at all), my studio interface/mixer (KMI K-Mix - with a slightly higher headphone gain, they are definitely working better!), but not with my IEM gear yet.... I'll try and do that this evening! The low end issue... there's plenty there, I just expected more... for testing bass I used Boz Scaggs - "thanks to you" and my current fave PA setup test track, Umphrey's McGee's "Booth Love" ( https://youtu.be/3SwFSAGPgWw - if you don't know it). both of those will cause serious issues with crap gear! Yup, same here. I am still totally in love with my Markbass Multiamp, and it lives in a 3u rack with my G55 and LD MEI1000 (still, for the timebeing!), add a midi pedal, a bass or two, and I'm done! Straight into the PA, I rarely take cabs out these days!

Sounds like you've already made a decision and I can't say that I blame you. Good luck.

Well, you've got to pretend at least you know what you are doing when you are trying to get your kit over the volume of a backline of amps all running full tilt. Screw everything else! :-p

I'm not sure of best advice here, but I would personally be speaking with eBay or PayPal to make sure you are covered if there is any doubt. I had similar thoughts to you, but ignored them. Won't make that mistake again!

As @PaulWarning says you get used to bad band names after a while. Arctic Monkeys is a terrible name, but once I'd heard it said a few times you forget how bad it is. it might sound silly, but i can put off a band by the personalities themselves. I used to really like Pearl Jam until i saw an interview with Eddie Vedder, who just came across like a complete knob. I still like their music, to a point, but I can't hear them without thinking 'what a ****'.

+1 and add CPC - same company as Farnell but prices sometimes cheaper and free delivery over £5 if willing to wait 3/5 days. Albeit Product info' / datasheets etc sometimes a bit minimal . Check their Bargains / Clearances too. Bitsbox handy . Switch Electronics (from memory) For larger orders Digikey ( and maybe Mouser) can be better - good UK delivery times. I was checking some Neutrik connectors prices out at work the other week and the difference was BIG.

Great job Bruno! Really like that colour on a P bass. Suits the maple board really well too Fab job. Well done EDIT: The black scratchplate is the right one too

Oof, bit sparse, but if it feels good keep it! best wishes for your little one btw, i’ve had one newborn be seriously unwell, not fun.

500 Watts, 37 lbs, never skipped a beat in over 3 years of gigging. VLE control to provide a more vintage sound, if desired. It is indeed an excellent combo. Two points to be aware of / take into account: Markbass cabs tend to roll off the high end a touch. Gives a more rounded / mellow tone than some of the flatter response cabs eg BF or VK. But works a treat with brighter, more aggressive pups eg the Nords on my Ibby. The LM3 heads have a gap in the EQ in the 3kHz to 5kHz range, with the treble being centred at a higher than I'd like 10kHz. Something very easily sorted with an EQ patch on a Zoom MS-60B (or an EQ pedal), if this is a concern. But you can pick up one of these, second hand, for around £600 and, remind me, just how much are Aguilar asking for one of their cabs?

+1 To the above - sounds like a lot of aggro, and life's too short to do something that isn't working when you've got the wrong people on board.

Excellent point. I, being a product of the 60s would have a hard time with youngsters who's funk reference is Bruno Mars. Our band leader is half my age and we play several vintage 60s rock songs. These songs are a part of my history. When I perform them ,I know and feel these songs different from some born 40 years after the song. BTW, I'm a huge Sly Stone fan. If I mentioned the song "Dance To The Music" and the band response was " what's that?" It would be a deal breaker. On the other side of the coin, I wouldn't fit in with youngsters that want to play Ed Sheeran. The point, a significant age difference can be an issue and something we might want to think about. Blue

In that case, it sounds like you're ok as far as everything being in the same key is concerned. You're in the key of B major and implying these chords: E* | B/D# | B | F#/A# B | * If you've got E and F# as the only notes for this chord then you could call it a couple of different things, but it's functioning as an E major chord.

I cannot answer that at this time... I will do once the poll has closed! My own position on this has been lodged in a secure and trusted brown envelope, in safe and trusted hands, to be shared publicly tomorrow evening! Glory or humiliation, public either way! All I can say, by way of explanation, is that between Devonians and the Cornish, there is an ongoing argument about the correct way to present scones for a "proper" cream tea! In Devon the clotted cream is put on first, almost like butter some would suggest, followed by the jam. However, in Cornwall (weirdos), they put the jam on first, followed by the cream.... Who is right, who is wrong, and why.... More importantly the betting world is watching! However, I would request that this is a poll about FOH PA, not scones, or the bitter and sometimes violent rivalry between the good people of the South West corner of this fair isle! We can do a poll about that tomorrow evening, but keep this Music based please!!

Despite suggestions that Mr Henry Juskiewicz may continue as CEO one hopes that whoever assumes control will sideline Hapless Hank into a powerless 'continuity' role, wrap him up tight in an NDO and pay him for a year to keep his mouth shut, at the end of which period they fire him out of a howitzer into a barbed-wire factory. It's a tragedy in the truest sense of the word. A man sets out to do good, succeeds for a while then succumbs to hubris and madness. Fate beckons. The cannon roars. Curtain. One of the most piquant details of this sad drama: having tried - and signally failed - to thrust auto-tuning upon guitarists, Gibson now finds itself being sued by Tronical Systems, the license-holder for the much-despised digital Min-e-tuners. Indeed, so loathed are these excrescences that there is actually a land-fill the size of Wolverhampton comprised exclusively of Robo-tuners removed from Gibsons. It remains to be seen why the Hamburg-based Fritzes at Tronical have it in for Hank but being sued for $50m can't have helped Gibson in the last week or so. Juskiewicz: victim of circumstance? Or just a hopeless tw4t?

Yeah yeah yeah - tuners, string anchors, blah blah blah. SHOW US THE WOOD!

No, no, no ... it's tone perspex.

Still for sale ??

INITIAL THOUGHTS When I first got this rig delivered, I just enthusiastically went plug and play, with little thought given to much proper adjustment to the controls. After an hour or so of playing time, I decided to sit down with the setup guide sheet that is provided. A few things made a little more sense to me after that. I connected the extension cab to the 500w combo with the XLR cable provided and set the volume to about halfway, for the time being, with the volume control on its rear panel. There are clearly marked cabinet connector sockets for the XLR cable. I then looked at the U500 top panel and its controls: Left to right: Input jack / -15db cut switch and clip indicator / Input gain / Voicing switch / Drive / Drive selector switch / EQ – low, mid + frequency, high / Effect switch / Response / Compressor / Compressor on-off switch / Master volume / Power LED. Using an active bass, the player should set the cut switch to -15db. Using a passive bass, the player should set the cut switch to 0db. I tested the rig with a Fender Precision Deluxe bass and a Rickenbacker 4003W bass To start with, I turned the drive knob absolutely flat to get rid of the overdrive effects for now and selected OFF for the CHORUS and OCTAVE effects. Then I adjusted the EQ. I found the LOW knob to be extremely powerful when the inboard effects were added in– to the extent that it shakes the cabs a bit, so I rolled it to about halfway temporarily. Without them – or with them blended in subtly, I am confident to have the LOW knob set full on. Then I set the HIGH EQ knob to full on. The MID and FREQUENCY knobs make the final fine adjustments to the sound. Selecting either the CLASSIC, MODERN or FLAT VOICING adds or subtracts body from your sound, to give you more tone. I selected FLAT, but that may change when the rig gets into a venue. CLASSIC and FLAT seem quite similar to me. MODERN boosts bottom ends and mid tones Heading to the RESPONSE knob, I selected 6L6 (which apparently replicates a 6L6 valve sound). I switched the compressor on and just engaged the COMPRESSOR knob a little. If you are going to use the Overdrive, Distortion or Fuzz effects, there is a little bit of adjustment to do. There are blend controls for both on the rear panel of the amp. They need to be blended in carefully against your regular playing volume, otherwise they just give you a terrifying and immediate leap in volume that could potentially damage your speakers. I suggest turning DRIVE knob right down and then blending the effects in to your taste. The blend is very subtle, so keeping the DRIVE setting low to kick off with is vitally important. Once that was done, the footswitch can be connected to switch the effects on and off. Button A controls whichever of the DRIVE effects (OD, DIST, FUZZ) are selected. Button B controls whichever of the CHORUS or OCTAVE settings are switched on. Combining the distortion and Octave sounds can give a very interesting and gutsy result (with very careful blending of volumes) and that will be really useful to the more metallic of bassists. I find the supplied FS13 footswitch that controls the effects a little flimsy and, as I just use a flanger on my line in, along with a tuner pedal, I am just filing the footswitch away. A cable is also supplied, to connect the footswitch to the rear of the U500 in the FOOTSWITCH socket. You can buy an extra FS12 5-way foot controller to control the top combo effects and provide a tuner. From there in, it’s just a case of experimenting with the voicing and response settings and setting your input gain and master volume and away you go. I notice that after being on for quite a while, there is no heat given off and no smell from the rig. It is also pretty silent when the jack is out and the master volume is left turned up. It’s a really solid sounding amplifier setup, well-constructed and really attractive. Not stupidly expensive and the rig could be extended with further ACT 250's that can be daisy chained together. It is feasible to have a pair of U500’s and a pair of ACT 250’s running, but the player would probably need to link the two 500w combos via a splitter box and then go to the two inputs. Last thing, switch the extension cab off first, as it doesn't like the combo being turned off first at all. i WILL POST ABOUT LIVE USE AFTER THE WEEKEND.

I’m still saying watch... (obviously joking)

I had a red Rebop 5DLX for literally 6 weeks when we played that gig (25th Sept 2009), that's what made me want a Euro neck through with black hardware (and proper EMG's to boot). Ended up selling it back to the guy I bought it off as he had made a mistake, went back to my green fretless NS5JHCM (which I sorely miss as I sold it to a young lad in California) until this bad boy arrived. I also sold my REX 2000/5 to someone off here, he was from the north east somewhere and I met him in Leeds train station - I often wonder about the fate of that bass as well. I remember that gig well as a load of people from all over the north came to watch it, Paul from Dawn of Chaos was there as were a few others!.A Turkish guy tried to buy a load of our merch with a £50 note and nearly gave me a heart attack as I was running around Leeds trying to get change. Good times! I'd gladly buy it back but I have to move house in 6 weeks so am absolutely on my derrière cash wise!

Does that make me a jazz drummer, then..?

Finished!! Well not quite, I haven’t installed the electrics or wired it up yet, but everything is together now and it’s looking awesome! I’ll replace the temporary strap buttons with Schaller strap locks, put on the string retainer and the tug bar once it’s strung. It’s the lightest Precision bass (or any bass for that matter) I’ve ever played. At just 6.5 lb it’s 3 whole lb lighter than my Fender Jazz, my shoulder says ‘yay!’ Looking forward to getting some flatwounds on it and seeing how it sounds!! Very pleased 🍊

The idea that you need 500 watts for a pub gig seems bizarre to me. What kind of pubs are these?

Personally I think the amount of power lots of people use for pub gigs these day is ludicrous. Back when I was gigging regularly and going to see lots of live local bands in the late 80's/early 90's nobody used anything over 150 watts for bass & I cannot recall anybody ever being too quiet.