Leaderboard

This is the bass I'll never sell because I absolutely love the way it plays and sounds, and musicians who I work with and respect, say I play better on it than any of my other basses.. It's a passive 1984 BC Rich Eagle. It can been in the two pictures below.. Thanks to Andy for modelling it so well for me at the 2019 South East Bass Bash.

Mine has to be the Alpher Cobia I got myself for my 50th, Chris even used my birth date for the serial number, to me it`s perfect in every way.

The SimS switches are the SimS switches...they have the printed circuits on for the pickup options and the clever volume compensation so they are what they are. But the temporary knobs are black But actually, I will be checking with @Jus Lukin whether he wants the nuts and washers in black (same with the nut and washer for the inset jack plate) - the sticks will be chrome whatever. When I say 'clever volume compensation' , seen on @TheGreek 's Silk Bass then what SimS have achieved is actually very clever. In electric guitar circles, multiple coil switchings are common, but most suffer from a common challenge - that when you switch from a 'humbucker' to a 'split (single) coil' option, there is a major volume drop. With these pickups, there is almost no volume change whatsoever between the three options. You can hear Nick demonstrating this on @TheGreek 's bass in the Basschat video at the beginning of this thread. These are the printed circuits attached to the chrome switches (you can see why, at least for the stalks, that they will have to be what they have to be @BassTool ) : This, by the way, is the neatest this will get - there are three 12-wire looms and the standard wires to fit in here yet! It's why the hatch may well need to be fitted with screws rather than magnets... This is how the whole thing is starting to look (presently with chrome nuts and washers for the micro switches): Now all the controls holes are there, I'll start sorting the shielding. The end is in sight!

My US 2015 Fender Precision. I’ve done so much with that bass, recorded the last three albums, did my first Rebellion Festivals, first European Tours. It has so much sentimental value that I won’t gig it or take it out of the house as I’d be heartbroken if it got nicked. Here it is (and me) in action at Rebellion:

I don't think I'll ever part with my cherry sunburst '81 Precision even though it weighs as much as a small planet. I bought it new in 1982 when I was 18 and worked all summer in bejams, hating every second I was there, to save up the £260 it cost from Rockbottom in Croydon.

His music may not be to everyone’s taste, but billy Connolly deserves a mention - a phenomenal banjo player. it’s also the same with Steve Martin. Again a brilliant banjoist

This is a real marmite bass. I definitely love it and always wanted to get my hands on one. I held onto that desire for over 30 years and finally I have one. Its in pretty good nick apart from some wear on the pickup paint (easily fixed). A lot of people are very snobby about these but it's very playable, sounds just fine through a decent pedal and amp and it's light weight and uniquely cool 80s look is a bonus in my book. My only bugbear is that the fret markers are dark red on rosewood so impossible to see them under stage lighting, so I needed to add stickers on the neck for that. Anyone have one of these?

This is THE one. It will never ever be sold, and as you all know I buy and sell too much. This is the Lakland Bob Glaub owned by Nate Mendel. As seen on the Pretender Vid, live at Wembley 2008, album recordings etc...amongst many other appearances. Obviously being in a Foos tribute I had to have it but it’s more than that. It’s an absolutely amazing machine. So well built, I mean flawless and is easily the best P bass I own, and I have a lot! The sound with the Fralin pick ups in are mega and it plays amazingly well. Looks class, loads of mojo, sounds great, nice history and provenance. It’s lush and it’s mine 🤘 Couple of pics from Foo Fighters 606 Studio.

The Acoustic 371 system was my dream rig in my teen years. I had a catalog pic of the on my wall like amp porn. I purchased the 301 cab new in 1973. I was 11th grade. All original. It has a single Cerwin Vega 18” rear facing speaker. 4 ohms. The head I got a few years ago. I refurbished the head case with Duratex. It’s a 1974. It can use two cabs and will do 365 watts at 2 ohms.

Of my 4 electric basses, 3 fall into this category. My Aria SB700 - my first bass back in 1982. An 18th birthday pressie from my mum and dad. My 1985 Wal Mk 1 Custom. Bought in about 1992 and my No 1 ever since. My 1979 Wal Pro IIE. Bought in about 2001 and a lovely bass. My other bass is a Frankenjazz and I’ve no idea if anyone would ever want it. Fab bass too, though!

Yesterday the COV002 trial 'unblinded' me -- i.e. I was told whether I'd been in the vaccine group or the control group. Turns out I had the vaccine. Still no long-term side effects to report. Apart from growing the flippers, and the extra head.

I will never, ever sell any of the basses that I haven't yet sold. Until I sell them, of course. 😉

Bill Bailey's musical output is always worth a look. Makes up a fair chunk of his stand-up shows, so he puts plenty of effort on to it. If you haven't seen it, his Enter Sandman is a work of genius, and his take on the Match of the Day and BBC News theme's are splendid.

We're going for an oval jackplate, set into the body. It's 6 of one and half a dozen whether this is best done before or after the main finishing. For gloss, I tend to do any holes and cuts after because these kinds of features can tangibly change how well the coats go on the way I do it. If I was doing a spray finish, I would do it before. It never ceases to amaze my just how big a hole you have to drill to fit a standard jack plug! 20mm is pretty much the minimum and even then you often have to taper it to allow the tip contact the required movement: And these jack plates don't have a lot of leeway: A carpenters mallet and two or three different radius curved chisels around the periphery and I can start paring away the wood with a standard chisel. The criss-cross formed by the chisels is useful because it prevents chippings getting too large and deep: And happily, no slips. In the morning, I'll tidy up the edges with some fine emery and finish off with a quick sealing wipe of tru-oil:

Before: After:

To come back to Macari's moving away from Charing Cross Road. It's just another nail in the coffin of Soho. Crossrail was so keen to get people in to Central London they destroyed all of the reasons anyone would want to go there. Its not to visit Primark or Pret that's for sure. Now that no one needs to come in to London at all, the whole episode is looking very sad.

I’ll probably never sell my little Tanglewood mini P bass, for two reasons: 1) I’ve used it on records so I know I can rely on it for sessions now and again, and: 2) It’s the cheapest bass I’ve ever owned (less than £10) and nobody in their right mind would ever be daft enough to want to buy it off me 😂 I’ve never been sentimental about gear, it’s just gear to me, but I totally get why some folks hang onto things. 👍

My two Franz basses are absolute perfection in every way. I've owned around sixty basses in over forty years of playing, but to me they are everything I want in terms of playability, build quality, and above all tone. The fretted bass has a chestnut top from a tree that grew in my parent's garden, so that makes it extra special.

Decided to have a bit more of a bash... second application on the back View from the workshop! ...and a first application of the blue to the front. My sanding of the initial black coat seems to have been more successful... we'll see how it looks once cured.

Really ? I was more curious about your reasons for having a keeper, but seeing as you asked... Somewhere down there, I'm playing my Fame 6 string. Loreley 2017. Yes closed the festival that day. That's why I'll never sell that bass. But what about your stories. This is the bass. I'll have it forever.

Well after all that negativity in my earlier posts I got an email from the keyboard player form Hurtsfall saying that we have been asked to contribute new a track for a compilation album coming out this summer. This was accompanied by an MP3 with his initial ideas for a verse and chorus. Looks like I might be playing again.

His wikipedia entry mentions an A-level in music. If that's synonymous with Young Musician Of The Year then my CV is about to look a whole lot more impressive 😬

Mini stereo rig and stereo wired p/j bass

His comedy is not to everyone's taste (I like him) but when he did this song as a BBC red button extra I was very impressed by Stewarts performance and also by the guy with him. So, any opinions on this track.... and/or can you post have an example of some good music from a comedian?

This came up on YouTube looking for something else. They seem to be playing the tune in triplicate at break neck speed. The bassist really goes for it on that Mosrite, love the cool dress code too. Bring back matching jackets and guitars 😁

David, I had a Wal Pro Bass around 1990, really didn't gel with it and took it back to the shop and the boy gave me credit on the amount I'd paid for it, which bought me a new Hohner Jack. Cost £350. I'm that craddock that did that , that everybody hears about. I then chopped the Hohner in for an old Fender Jazz in Daphne Blue which I eventually sold for £650. Go and look up what years they made a Daphne Blue jazz with non painted headstock and consider that I selt it for £650. Another instance when I was a total fud.

what could possibly go wrong?

It's the anniversary of the MH/GS collaboration:

Time to post mine here This is tge best fretless bass I ever laid my hands on I ve played few fretless but this is something from another world I know it's no everyone cup of tea but....

The control chamber is now copper shielded: And I've worked out the heights of the pickups to work out where - and what height - to put the fixing screw blocks. Once I've installed those, I can copper foil the bottoms of those chambers too. I won't need to do the sides as the carbon cases are also earthed through the looms. All of the copper will be electrically connected with a wipe of solder across any joins between the different pieces within and across the multiple chambers and earthed to the same point as the SimS switches.

My MIJ Fender Jazz is the bass I'll probably end up being buried with. Perfect feel, action, sound and looks. I fitted a set of pickups from a Roadworn Jazz, which I picked up on Basschat into it and they sound just perfect. J Retro was the finishing touch.

I saw them several times from around 1980 onwards. They were a fantastic live band.

After many years of debate, (with my inner voice). Ive think I've decided? Great Disco/Funk intros where the bass just drops in and all is well in the world. This is very Herbie H inspired? Whats your contenders?

I actually really only have one bass that is not going anywhere: My Spector Euro 4 Mike Starr Limited Edition. Big AIC fan and this bass is probably the closest I will ever get to a US NS-2 as it also has solid maple wings, EMG PJ pickups and the HAZ 9V preamp. Killer bass 🤩

I hang around shops that sell plus-size leather trousers and ask the punters if they've got any basses to sell.

Old school Portastudio, nice.

Here’s my two... The Japanese Foto Flame Precision I’ll never sell because it’s ‘the one’. Weight, balance, tone, neck profile - it’s just perfect for me. I’ve had it 25 years. ‘76 Gibson Ripper - I picked this up for a daft price (about £300 if memory serves) a good few years back off eBay due to its condition and the mods it’s had. I fully planned on getting it back to ‘normal’ but quickly decided I wasn’t going to do that. It’s not a looker, it’s not pretty, but it’s a one of a kind, plays great and has the hottest damn pickup I’ve ever had in a bass. YOB bass for me too. And as battered about as I am.

I believe Phil is making good progress with the cabinet, which will be our starting point, and I'm expecting to see the cab assembly details on here before too long. The 10" driver we'll be using is the Celestion Pulse 10. I gave it an hour of 30Hz sine wave in open air to soften the suspension, but my first efforts at measuring the Thiele Small parameters were thwarted by the cold weather. I've had the driver warming up in the house for a day and will try again later.

It is strange that when the masses are angry about something their way to make it right is destroying other hard working people property, not to mention the inevitable stolen trainers & widescreen TVs that come with that. Poll tax, police brutality, you name it a new pair of Nikes and a 56 incher makes it all better.

A bit more progress - the garage is about 3-4 degrees C at the moment, so metal bashing/drilling/filing occurs in short sessions. David

Going back in time, Mike Harding.

Cats and basses don't mix. In fact cats don't mix with anything. I've tried. I blended one once and all the catty bits just floated to the surface.

On it's way, just a couple of holes to cut and the edges to be routed off, then finishing. Anyone know where I can get some grille cloth to match? Can't decide whether to go for Tolex or Tuff Cab, I prefer Tuff Cab but I have a roll of vinyl roughly matching 70's WEM. It's not a great match but it is vinyl. Ho hum????

I think it is illegal to do any of those to cats but I can see the attraction. I am JOKING!!!!

I’ve got a few friends who play in surf bands and it’s amazing stuff. One of my fave bands is Man or Astroman.

There doesn't seem to be much discussion around the slowest, nastest, fuzziest, most stoned form of metal here. Are there any doomers here? I play a lot of Sabbath, Sleep and Down and really enjoy just cranking up the fuzz and just making stuff up.

New video from my Bass Concepts Series. This lesson features an exercise based on the major pentatonic scale that will take you from low G to the top of your fretboard. This exercise will help you become more familiar with the pentatonic scale and also help you explore the fretboard. There is a free pdf download with the video.

Moody Blues was good, wasn’t it. Very interesting how they progressed.