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Following on from last weeks 1970's quiz, here's one for the 1980's. Same format, one line per year. The playing should be better as I didn't attempt it all in one take this time, but the volume dips for 1982 for some reason. And I got my fretless back from the practice room, so that gets a few lines. Answers at the end this time. Hope you enjoy it!

Well. Sat in my garden having a bit of me time. Recorded some ideas yesterday and The Sadowsky was in another room... Cannot believe this bass. Still punching way above its weight. And the Sadowsky is nowhere near ten times as good for ten times the price. In saying that, the 1024x wasn’t twice as good for twice the price either. Happy Orange Monday.

After my clear-out of what I deemed non-essential Basses (Blueflower and Player P, then Gretsch Electro) I just happened upon an ebay ad for a Korean Pro Series 4 String Warwick Star Bass. I'd seen it for some while, so made a cheeky bid, had it rejected, then we settled on a mutually beneficial price and it arrived today. It dates from 2012 and is totally immaculate, strung with flats and although missing the strap part of the strap locks, the seller is forwarding them on. It comes with the case candy and in a Warwick gig bag too. I traded a Gold Coloured 5 String version a few years ago and was toying with buying a new one, but they are Chinese and the 4 stringers, unless the Lee Sklar version at £930, are all 32" necks. I've been a bit influenced by watching LS do his thang on YT every night, but the sound is every much as good as I can remember, and the construction is first class. Here's a picture lifted off the ad, as it's too hot to go outside and get snapping at the moment!

It depends on your outlook. If you consider any bass with a bolt on neck inferior to an equivalent set neck bass, then yes. If not, no. If you want as close a copy as possible to a Rick then you'll want a set neck, but that doesn't bother me. If it's old and the action needs attention then a set neck can be worse. You want low action but the saddle has bottomed out, with a bolt on you can shim it, with a set neck it could be pop it in the bin time. It all depends what you want.

The TCE BAM200 arrived today. This thing is tiny! Tiny, but oh it gets loud! It's definitely a clean amplifier, not like the Elf that you can get a bit of grunt from as you turn up the gain. I was playing it side by side with a MarkBass LMIII, and I have to say I prefer the MarkBass, the BAM200 appears to have a bit of a mid-scoop going on and enhanced lows, with the EQ knobs all at 12 o'clock, but if I turn the mids up a bit and the lows down a bit, it gets to the same ballpark as the LMIII. I am amazed at how loud this thing can get. It may not be my favourite amplifier, but for £119 you get a perfectly useable amplifier that is powerful enough to save a gig, in a package that is barely a bit bigger than a couple of Boss pedals. What's not to like? I think sound-wise I would have preferred the Elf, however the fact that the BAM200 stays clean means I have access to clean bass at any volume and I prefer that. If I want a bit of dirt, I have a selection of pedals I can use for that.

Evidently not far enough 🙂

I did and moved to Scotland to get away from the noise.

I love it when you talk dirty @stewblack

The Doobies sounded pretty fine with two

Chatting with a consultant friend of mine over the weekend, and he's on alert for a big spike in July/August.... I'm not planning on going anywhere in the near future. Gigs can wait.

One of my band leaders is fully intent on going out the moment the pubs open again. Suffice to say they will be using a dep on bass 🤣

Hey guys, during a rebuild, I stupidly lost my intonation screws and springs for my A style bridge. I e-mailed Hipshot and got a speedy reply. I was prepared to pay any price but I didn't have to. The parts all arrived from America to N.Ireland today, free of charge. Brilliant service, so I thought I would give them a mention. Regards Michael.

There’s enough Cummings and goings on here as it is Mickey.

Exactly... Others can do as they see fit, the government tacitly condones it anyway. Me... I'm staying home a while.

That’s what my sister in law said no more than two hours ago. She bought the boys over to see my mom and dad, they just sat in the garden for half an hour, maintaining social distancing, she wore a mask too. She’s a doctor, she’s expecting the big spike much sooner. Gigs and travel can wait, I’m definitely in no rush, I can’t work out why people would be. There’s a friend of mine from university who’s been in hospital for the last five weeks with Coronavirus. He spent four of those weeks in a medically induced coma. I only found out last week, he posted a video on Facebook. It’s a horrible disease. You might be lucky and just have mild symptoms, then again it could kill you. Those it doesn’t kill are often left with life changing health problems. Why take the risk is what I think.

You’re getting about a bit, old chap. Can I claim my fiver by identifying you as Dominic Cummings?😂😷

Why two guitars, or two (or more...) singers..? Why so many fiddles in orchestras..? Some bands have one too many drummers, though (Cream, anyone..?)..!

This could help.

Just think how poor live music will be for the first few months lol.

To paraphrase Jeff Goldblum in the Jurassic Park: Just because we can gig, does it mean we should?

I have a custom made acoustic bass, based on a Gibson J 200 body shape, so I guess very similar to a Guild. It puts out plenty of volume for acoustic sessions. I could comfortably hear it playing with a group of 3 or 4 mandolins for instance. I think it is important to get an instrument with a big body, and then get the strings right. Mine currently has la bella gold tape wounds- nice fundamental and midrange. Phosphour bronze are sometimes the main issue with acoustic basses I have found- too many other harmonics and overtones that swamp out the fundamental. Too much scraping noise as well. PB strings are also fairly useless playing with other acoustic instruments, again due to the overtones, noise, and a tonality that is too similar to instruments such as acoustic guitars and mandolins. There is a reason why most acoustic groups such as folk bands make use of a double bass- you get a good solid fundamental and very little else! I like playing acoustic bass because it suits the sort of music I play and compose. I also like the physicality of it, the fact that I have to wrap myself around it. When I want to record it I just put a microphone in front of it. But I would agree that for playing live you really need to put it through an amp. However, there is nothing negative about that, and those that say you might as well use an electric, well, electrics don't have the tonality that I am after for acoustic based music. The sound jumps out at you because it is obviously electric. Robbie

Another important point is to listen to the other fretless players like the real pioneer that Percy JONES was and still is, or the terrific Mick KARN who was the greatest slider ever as it was part of his sound, or Jack BRUCE with his classical background and veena playing knowledge (amongst others), or any other non Jaco related players. These players are my main influences and the ones that decided me to play fretless instead of fretted bass. Even Jaco was impressed by Percy JONES... because he was there before him pushing the limits of the fretless bass to such a high level. Of course, don't forget Michael MANRING and Pino PALLADINO (with Paul YOUNG), both great Jaco fans. Again open your ears !

I'm sorry, I cracked, I just couldn't take it anymore. It's OK now, the lockdown Police arrived, gave me a sedative and removed my amp and bass, for my own safety.

We all now know to buy from you for a good deal! 😂

Not until there is a viable treatment without sedation and ventilator use. If I get replaced, so be it.

Hi guys! Well - it's been a ride... I started playing bass October 2018 after a long time playing guitars. Because of this, I am used to 'good gear' and knew I wouldn't settle for bad quality or an uncomfortable bass - I loved bass so much I ended up selling all my guitars and guitar gear to fund basses... The list has been long! I've had Spector, Stingray Specials, a Sandberg, Lakland, a Sadowsky MV5 and a couple of boutique basses like the Merlos I presented recently, a Sei I got in a trade or my ex-mine beloved Alpher. It's been a total of 9 basses in about 18 months, Jesus! Of all the basses I've had, the Alpher Mako (Jazz) and the Stingray Special 5 (Cruz teal, lovely!) have been my favourite tones and basses; I love a good punch and fat tones regardless or the genre but still with some zing and growl on the highs. Now that I am opening up to play not just my neosoul project but also want to get into an alt/hard/rock band, I ended up with this as my 'only' bass - and here it is! It's a Sandberg Grand Dark from sometime March 2020 equiped with the Darkglass Tone Capsule - this has the new pickups (TM plus, probs made by Delano?) that do give it an extra punch compared to how I remember the VM5 I had about a year ago. It would initially put me off to have a hi-mids / mids / bass preamp with no highs but to tell you the truth I don't miss them! I push them a tad bit in my amp to get my fundamental tone and I'm ready to go - boosting the preamp on hi-mids is plenty to do slap but without the 'hiss' or extra noise so I'm well happy - also banging feature - same volume either active or passive. Lastly, the musicman pickup splits to single coil. The wood department is alder body, hard rock maple neck and a gorgeous, nice chocolate streaky pau ferro board. Coming in at 4.15kg so defo well manageable! For obvious reasons I haven't tested it on a band environment but I do have to admit I love it, I feel at home with it's tones and should be one I'm planning to keep for a while! the finish is perfect and it is plek'd and all that - you know how Sandbergs do, I feel like this is a tier up compared to the regular sandys with the revisited pickups and new preamp...! With this, I am retiring off the marketplace for a while now (gosh, believe me it's been draining!), focus on playing and learning more. That doesn't mean I don't need a Line6 HX Effects to cover compressors and whatnot but hey, amp and bass is settled at last! Best, Ander.

Bought an Ashdown ABM 500 IV head, for £134, about a year ago. Sounds great.

Yes, bolt-ons are worth less than a thru-neck.

Nope. An EQ pedal doesn't work in the same way as an hpf. The MXR won't cut as effectively in the sub sonic (20Hz and less) space as the Thumpinator, so you won't remove low end "crud" as effectively. The MXR does, however, give you a lot more tone shaping options than the Thumpinator, no question.

I have never met a musician who has less chops than he knows how to use.

C'mon... this is 'The Bass That Refused To Die' I reckon Stew should do what he can, no matter how much superglue is involved... Worst case he takes the truss rod out and puts it on the marketplace (or saves it for his upcoming scratchbuild!) and starts looking for a cheap neck... There's nothing to lose except time (we all have plenty of that right now) and glue...

I saw what you did there! 🤓

You've got some nice basses.... DIBS!

I think this is something that would be best addressed by in-person lessons (pandemic permitting). Lots of women play double bass. I have have been taught by two female teachers in the past, and they had no problems at all playing a 3/4 sized instrument. One was average height, and one was very short, probably about 5 foot tall. Some good points have been made above. I would add the following: 1. Your hands get used to the stretch over time and you will be surprised, if playing with good technique, of how well your hands adapt to the full tone they cover in half position (in Simandl terms). 2. The strength in your arms, shoulders and back takes a few months to build up. This too will help. 3. The set-up of your instrument is key. A teacher or luthier can advise on this. It makes a huge difference. 4. Get a teacher, if only for a handful of lessons (once lockdown is over) - this instrument requires some formal instruction in the early stages. Some do without, but the easiest, quickest and most effective way is to have someone observe you and give you real-time pointers.

I'd just like to say 'Thank You' to everyone who has shared their knowledge and their time with me in this thread. 🙏 I was initially interested in buying a Tele bass because I thought I would never find a Bullet bass to replace my old beloved USA Bullet that I'd had to sell a couple of years ago. But then @gareth gave me the heads up that he had a spare one he would sell me - fluke or what?!! 💥 So yeah. Massive thanks to everyone I've interacted with here so far. I'm never usually much of a forum person but this place is awesome. Cheers - Lee (ps: I'll most likely be doing a NBD soon, you have been warned... )

Because they sound epic..... especially the Doobie Brothers and Allman Brothers Band!

Picked up a Performer Jazz a wee while ago in Sea Foam green, 74 pickups a KickAss & one of John's looms = much brawness 😁

The wooden block shown in your picture is 100mm tall by 40mm wide by 20mm deep. I've spaced mine 400mm apart.

Exactly! And I should have pointed out, that we laughed ourselves silly after his comment.

I recently watched Steve Lawson's masterclass on fretless in SBL and both he and Scott counselled against this, as 'slide and find' quickly becomes an ingrained sloppy habit (their words, not mine) . Their advice is to teach your fingers where the note is and hit it first time.

Cheers chaps! As Mr Lowdown alleges a fix I am forced to issue a strenuous denial and point out that I have an alibi, and that the fingerprints found on the envelopes stuffed full of cash in the possession of those who voted for my ditty only bear a superficial resemblance to my own... 😁 Now before the rozzers turn up, who should I send my pic to?

And the winner is... Leonard Smalls..! Here, then, is your Winner's Certificate (download and save as pdf file, then proudly print and frame...) ... BC_Chal_Cert_2020_05.pdf ... which looks like this (but bigger, of course..!)…

I think you'll find that the notes are in a slightly different order on the Jazz neck compared to the P, they're slightly more random as I understand it, hence the 'Jazz' name. Maybe ask at your local music shop about this, I'm no expert.

P necks are thicker, so they need to use more wood. That stuff doesn't grow on trees y'know.