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HB PB-50 - v3.0 Becomes v4.0... *AUDIO CLIP* You'll be pleased to know that this will be the final reincarnation of this HB PB-50 Precision Bass. Yes... I know I said that last time - but Shoreline Gold, though a very nice finish, isn't really my thing. My thing is basses that are white. Or cream. Or aged Oly White. Or yellow, basically... you know what I mean. I was particularly taken with the new Player Series 'Buttercream' P bass - hence this refinish and reworking - saving myself £649. This one has a custom handmade Herrick dual-coil pickup in it - and very nice it is too... warm, taut and punchy, with the mid-range push typical of a 57-type split-pickup, but in a 51-type four-pole format. It's a beast... check out the audio clip. https://www.herrickpickups.com/ The previous version 3.0 bass is here. Now read on. Body refin in TV Yellow nitro Pickguard in Acrylic White Fender American Deluxe Bridge, Top-Loading or Through-Body Herrick Dual-Coil Telebass '51' pickup overwound to 11k ohms CTS solid-shaft pots, Chiclet cap .047uF, Switchcraft Jack in cats-eye side plate Fender Chrome '51' Pickup Cover Fender Tug Bar Fender dome-top knurled control knobs with grub screws Wilkinson WJBL 200 tuners La Bella 760FS Steel Flatwounds 45-65-85-105, Through-Body Stringing Is this really the final version..? I hope so, because I just don't have the time (or disposable bass tokens) for any more finishing shenanigans... I thank you!

Just getting through the post show let down after a very busy week.I was playing in the orchestra(yup, we had strings) for an amateur production of "Chicago" and although it is a slimmed down and cleaned up version of the Broadway show and is referred to as the "High School Edition", the music and orchestrations are for the most part exactly the same as the Broadway music.Luckily the musicians(14) are experienced players who have played many shows and some play in bands I am in and did a fantastic job with some very demanding music. Listen to the movie soundtrack if you want to get an idea of the level of playing demanded.Last week was three days of rehearsals and three shows.Of course the band had rehearsed a number of times before this. I was a last minute addition to the band when some extra money became available and I was asked to play...are you ready...tenor banjo!Almost 40 years ago I was very busy gigging with Dixieland type bands in Toronto but I haven't really played any serious banjo music for a long time so the last couple of weeks were real a real workout for me trying to get back some of the licks that I needed for the show and to get back into reading a banjo score instead of bass music. It was a great experience to do the shows and I had a fantastic time playing some good arrangements with excellent musicians.Three nights of full house with standing O's for cast and orchestra all three nights.On top of that I got back into playing banjo and even had couple of little solos in the show which I managed to play OK. I guess the point of the story is that if something that sounds interesting is offered to you,go for it because you might not get another opportunity like it again. Swing band rehearsal today playing bass and also a few Dixie tunes on banjo.Love it. As I have said on here before, we are so lucky to have music in our lives and be able to share it and have fun with others when we are playing. I have been gigging for 56 years and still get a thrill.I better go practice now...

One of our gigs last weekend was at a pub whose landlord, Phil, used to own a different pub. We used to play regularly for Phil at his previous pub but the new owners cancelled all the bookings when they took over. At last Saturdays gig two minibuses turned up full of locals from Phil's previous pub who'd come especially to see us, a thirty mile round trip. Money in Phil's till and two fingers up to the new landlord at his previous pub. We were delighted to see them

And we forgot the great Carles Benavent with Paco de Lucia (everything was played fretless !!!) He even played with Miles Davis and nowadays, he's been playing with Chick Corea... Listen to this and his amazing style of playing :

It depends what kind of look you’re after. I originally planned to clear coat and polish mine but in the end I just applied the amber nitro and left it to age and wear naturally. I lightly sanded with very fine paper, 2000 grit I think, to smooth it. I’m happy with it.

I have listened to a bit of Joe Bonamassa and I don't quite understand why he is the big thing; no doubt he can play but it all sounds a bit blues by numbers. Robert Cray is a far more interesting guitarist imo. Also has a great voice.

Most of what is happening now is what I call "smooth blues" which is main stream blues for the masses. Like Joe Bonamassa and Gary Clarke. Blue

OK - slightly different answer to my earlier post. The single cut above, which is actual Camphor, wasn't actually very holey. As such I got away with just creating a slurry by sanding with wet and dry but using Tru-oil as the wet (basically a variation of the 'slurry and buff' approach). Also, the slurry is the sawdust of the predominant wood - and this camphor was similar hues all around so filling small voids with that lighter slurry didn't detract from the darker burl This one below, was Camphor Laurel (it is actually a type of laurel as far as I understand) which was holey like yours: And this one, yes - I mixed ebony sanding dust with epoxy and filled it with that. This gives a true black fill of the voids: This one below was the same Camphor Laurel, but this time I did a tru-oil slurry and buff. Bear in mind this is not full gloss finished, but you see how the lightness of the slurry tends to soften the burl effect: So, I would say for maximum effect, mix epoxy (Z-epoxy would be my choice) with a decent amount of a very dark sanding dust, for a lesser effect, you could slurry and wipe. Or - you could opt to leave unfilled, as I have for @Len_derby 's very recently finished burl poplar lightweight bass:

An option would be or could be rather, mix epoxy with black powder paint and really bulk it up with brass or bronze dust to give it a polished metal effect. There was a furniture maker on the Scottish borders who did that on Elm burr table tops and it was sensational. Just found a video to give you an idea

The real deal!

Mind set - interesting. I was thinking that a few weeks back. Turned up to do a festival on a pretty big stage and the sound man took one look at the pedal train nano and the K10.2 and said "er, is that it? where's the head and cab?" After explaining, he mumbled something about weirdness and plugged into the through port on the QSC. Afterwards he wandered over and said he liked the bass sound very much and found mixing the FOH bass much easier as there wasn't a massive big cab blaring it out which he had no control over. I had my onstage monitor, rest of the band was happy, soundman was happy. It's a mind set.

@jrixn1 - the quality of the venues you play are much better than the ones I do!! There's no sawdust, puke, spilt beer or blood anywhere!

@jrixn1 - good to hear your experiences. So then, agreed, your best rig ever? And by some long shot I'm guessing? The speakers in PA cabs are just far better than the ones found in your standard offerings... and with the DSP, any inadequacies in the cabs are catered for digitally. What's not to like, right?

I've been working as a volunteer at my local Drug & Alcohol service delivering groups. I decided to run a group where the members would learn to play "The Chain" - easily recognisable, not too difficult to play. I took in two basses and an amp. A number of the group had a go - remember that recovery is about perseverance and obstacles as is learning to play bass. One of the group was left handed so I was given the challenge of playing left handed - you know what? - we take our normal dexterity and muscle memory for granted - I was making loads of mistakes...if I practised left handed I think I might get the hang of it but I got reminded how difficult it was when I started. Playing bass is a lot harder than you think...

I ought to do you under copyright laws using an image of my missis without her permission LOL. but I suppose I would have to sue 98% of wales.

In the loud band, when I owned Bergs I used 3 112 cabs, then a 212 and 112. Now I'm using BF cabs I always use 2 SC's or lately 2 Two10's. The guitarist uses a Fender Twin which he sometimes links up to second combo. I could use 1 cab on the "regular" gigs, it's loud enough, but I've used 2 cabs (BF, Bergs, Mesa Boogie, Ampeg) on most gigs for many years because 2 just sounds so much better.

I agree FireDragons or Ddraig Dân 😀

A bit of extra sawing, carving and lots of sanding this weekend has resulted in this. You can clearly see the saw marks on the angled side but, like I said before, I've made it a few millimetres over-sized so it should sand out.

FireDragons sounds great!

crazy

Two more jobs - soldering the wires and fitting the strap buttons. However, took the advantage of a little bit of cloud (not often in the UK we say THAT!) to take the arty-farty shots - taking photos in full sunlight is not an easy thing to do! Before those shots (and forgive the self-indulgence!), someone asked me why I've started scooping the back. Two reasons that can be seen in these two shots: It takes out a LOT of weight. Just look at how much wood has been removed - and this is a relatively thick body this time: It allows a superslim transition of the neck to the body. Again, this one has been made a little deeper (this one is 30mm at its minimum - my last build was 25mm where the body was basically the same thickness as the neck!) but still retains those pleasing lines at the transition. I've also left the transition relatively modest starting with a taper just past the 13th fret - I can always get the surform out if, after he's had a proper play with it, @Len_derby wants it slimmer further up Anyway, enough of the technicals - here are the fancy shots: As always, many thanks for sticking with yet another tortuous thread and for your kind words and encouragement - always HUGELY appreciated Andy

We call them 'paid rehearsals'

I know:) Blue

Massive +1 for Matt Schofield. Eric Gales is pretty cool too. If you prefer something a bit more acoustic, Martin Harley is great :

Those numbers (97/100dB) are sensitivity figures. Not output - max. SPL. They don't tell you how much juice you can feed it, before it runs out of excursion and farts out.

Talk to Andy...

Do a search for Eagle 1 hovercraft and loads of pics come up. All my pics are on old fashioned film unfortunately. They are a great and cheap way to get into hovercraft. You could build one for £300-800 depending on your DIY skills. Nothing is complicated at all. It took me about 120 hours in total but I bought a ready cut skirt. To make your own skirt would add another twenty hours at a guess.

Must be a typo; the text should read, not 'Pick', but 'Pig in a poke'.

This guy was doin' summat similar back in the mid 80s wouldn't you agree?

As do most instruments full stop. The entire music industry caters for GAS, like the new Stingrays there was no intrinsic need to upgrade/update the old. But let’s not get caught in yes/no discussions, Stingrays are quality instruments and for those who feel they are the right decision I am sure they will happily pay the price associated with them.

Both the bands I play in are 'on hiatus' for various reasons, giving me time to play around with effects - choices, signal path etc. As usual there are compromises - currently I can't switch the synth sounds in and out with one tap, but I've got maximum flexibility in terms of the drive part of the synth - Pork Loin/Gated Fuzz/Bitcrusher. The Manta is semi-benched, due to the size of the Moog. I can still run it off the board in the spare LS2 loop (i.e no rewiring required) and I need to get my head around all the options it offers first. It makes sense to exploit all the weirder filter options rather than try to beat the Moog at it's own game. MXR BCD is also off the the board since I add chorus directly to the Flashback via a tone-print and I don't tend to use chorus as a standalone effect. I still need to sort out the expression control to the bitcrusher but if I'm using the Manta, I still have the option to take the CV output from the Moog, so I can get control of three pedals from the SA Dual expression controller.

I doubt they'd be allowed left handed violins in orchestras, you'd be poking eyes out left and right!

It looks awesome! Nice one

The Midlands country is where you normally find bushes (ok, I'll get my coat).

I'm not even thinking about which Midlands Bushes you will be visiting.

I'm beginning to feel with pines like those you won't be allowed at next years Midlands Bash 😛

Do it!

Happy to oblige! I actually got it from a gentleman of this parish, who contacted me, having ordered it for a project of his own, which very sadly won't be going ahead.

Last night my blues band played the town's Art Centre. This may not sound a particularly big deal but for me it was one off the bucket list. The venue isn't big, but it has a good reputation and has had some very good artists and bands play there...the likes of John Martyn (obviously when he was alive), Andy Fairweather Low is there again soon. The first time I went so see a band was at this venue, I was in my teens and went to see a band called the Cult Maniax, ironically last night, my first time playing there, our guitarist was in the Cult Maniax. This was a ticket event, we didn't sell all tickets but the venue were very pleased with the turnout, I think we out sold a much better known blues band a few weeks ago. It was a great gig. When we finished the first song we received a massive cheer. I think this really spurred us on and gave us confidence to not just play the songs but to entertain as well...if you get my drift. Post gig I had people come up to me and say how good they thought it was, never had that before. This was the first time the band had played an established venue having to sell tickets (we usually play pubs) and we were all really chuffed with how it went.

No, the invisible bear does not count. That was not dancing. Blue

They make money being sexist. If you're OK with writing a song that's sexist, performing that song, making money from that song. I mean, just Google 'Steel Panther sexist' and you find that, in fact, they are perfectly happy to be offensive. From LA Weekly: Further to this point: The singer doesn't even understand that they are a problem. Typical successful, white, American male, thinking that he can make fun of everyone and somehow that's A-OK because nobody else has ever asked, because sexism and racism practically define the American way (I'd know, I'm from the US). They even said they would have played Trump's inauguration: What does all of this say to me? They're a bunch of entitled white guys that think it's cool to make racist and sexist jokes with no consequence. And remember, there are going to be lots of audience members that don't get that it could be understood as parody; to them, it is funny and it is true to their life experiences because they are blatantly sexist.

I think part of the issue that is that some people find it difficult to see the subtle but important difference between 'P*ssy Power' & 'P*ssy Melter', therein lies an issue of a wider understanding of gender issues. It's worth highlighting that it's almost certainly not the word 'P*ssy' that is 'offensive' to people, it's the aggressive nature of the full name (backed up by the tone prints description). Now, of course, Steel Panther are a complete parody, they very much subscribe to the South Park/Team America ethos of 'as long as you take the pee out of everyone equally, you're fine', which actually I'm fine with.....they're fully aware that they come across as sad, washed up old rockers with outdated views on women....that's the point, it's a commentary on the 80's & 90's rock scene......just so happens they can shred too. Without knowing any numbers, I suspect SP have as many female fans as they do male fans, because everyone understands the parody, and they like the comedic music. If there is a lack of understanding as to what the band is exactly, again, that's a damning indictment of a wider lack of education around gender issues. Again, it's important to re-iterate that SP are characters, when Satchell responded about the TC thing, that was Satchell typing from his account, not Russ Parrish, the married 47yr old dad who plays the character. However, take Steel Panther's approach out of context, take it away from the show and the fans and the bands self-effacing ridiculousness, and it starts to hit a little bit close to home for a lot of women's everyday experiences. Parody is a fine line, and it requires a fair amount of set-up and context in order to work, which is why I suspect TC took it down......should someone at TC have figured this out before they posted it like 2 years ago? Probably, how many females are working in their marketing department I wonder, let alone their engineering team?! (Women in engineering is a whole other discussion). But as this, and the few other examples of mildly misogynistic names highlights, the gear industry has had some catching up to do. Fortunately, the prevalence of things like 'booth girls' at NAMM and other such shows being something that has (thankfully) decreased as manufacturers realise that they are simply alienating potential customers (Fender cite that 50% of their new customers are female: https://www.forbes.com/sites/petercarbonara/2018/03/28/for-fender-guitars-the-future-is-digital-and-female/#1f1f3d7e4a37). Names of products I feel are simply on the company, if they want to alienate and exclude certain potential customers, fine, if they wish to attract the wrong type of male customer who misunderstand the 'joke', let them, it's their livelihood. Again, I suspect that's why TC took it down, not because they felt the need to censor after a petition forced their hand, but because they feel they made a mistake about something and would prefer not to lose customers over it. As to why people have picked up on this as opposed to focussing on sexism in rap music? I suspect it's because for female guitarist who's onto rock music, this is in their back-yard and one that has been difficult enough to get accepted by as it is. If they have no interest in rap, they're probably not going to jump in on issues within a world they don't understand, especially if they're white. However, if something becomes important to them within the world that they reside (the guitar gear world), they're going to jump on it as something they're directly involved with. It's a massive discussion, and clearly goes much further than just women who play guitar, but with this forum being overwhelmingly made up of what I suspect is to be white men, it's worth us checking our understanding and approach before crying 'the worlds gone mad' (not aimed at anyone, just a general statement). Si

I suspect it's all down to individual experience (if that's the right word). At one end of the spectrum you have people like guitarist Eric Johnson who can apparently hear minute differences in equipment and set up, to the extent that, according to some rig run downs, when recording he uses nickel plated jack plug guitar leads for ryhthym and gold plated for solo work. I'm guessing he could probably hear significant differences between bridge types. At the other end of the spectrum you have people like me. I have changed a couple of bridges out because I like rock solid units with no lateral movement in the saddles and no sharp edges. There may possibly have been a change in the feel of the bass but I've never noticed a change in the tonal character of the instrument .

This thread is getting me thinking that there might be value in having a subforum of this site dedicated entirely to identifying which venues are good and which are bad. If there was one thread per venue, it would be a very useful resource when trying to decide whether to accept an offer or not. S.P.