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I don't consider a "supportive" partner to be important. I certainly wouldn't tolerate one who was actively opposed to my playing (and would not hang around if that turned out to be the case), but I'm happy for me to do my thing and for her to do hers. My late partner would occasionally come to see me play and I would occasionally go to functions, etc at the university she worked at, but we didn't feel the need to be in each other's pockets the whole time. Keeps you more interesting to each other when you each have your own lives/passions.

Just before he died, guitarist Paul Fox used to play drums with my old band. Just get up and guest but he was a cool character. One night him and a few mates got up, turned the amps up full and blasted out Babylon's Burning. It was an amazing experience. His settings were basically on full for everything!

@Silvia Bluejay isn't just supportive, she's an active and essential member of the team. I quite literally couldn't do what I do without her ...

So a bit backward compared to normal build threads but here's a couple of pictures of the finished bass that I'm going to dismantle!! And the neck removed I've measured everything up and will need to make a new neck template as the new one will have a zero fret and a scarf joint on the headstock so the dimensions from my previous template are slightly different. I will also need to make a second neck template for the fretboard as this will extended to include the thumb rest. I've also ordered a router bit for cutting the slots for the graphite neck rods (not something I've used before but we'll give them a go on these builds) as that is one of the next jobs.

All starting with a flat EQ, Rock, low mid boost plus a bit of overdrive. Spandex advisable. Funk, low mid boost and clean. Wah thrown in to taste if needed. Something sparkly a necessity. Jazz, high mid boost and clean. Black turtle neck and gaulois. Slap, low boost, mid slight cut, high boost plus compression. Very short strap. Punk, low mid boost plus a bit of overdrive. Very long strap. Motown, low mid boost and a foam mute. Shit man, wear what you want, you'll be the coolest mofo in the room whether you or anyone else realises it if you're playing bass to Motown tunes!

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My wife is supportive of my musical endeavours - she has attended gigs, puts up with late dinners twice a week due to rehearsals and when it comes to gear acquisition she has been known to utter the phrase in the guitar shop "if you like it then you should get it". It makes me sad when I hear of people with unsupportive partners, tales of hiding new basses from them, suspicions of cheating just because they're out playing a gig and other stuff. It's vital to me to have a supportive partner because frankly I'm a weak, passive person who would probably quit playing to keep the peace.

Yeah, I had just turned 14 when this was released, moved to a new house, new school, parents divorcing, trying to grow my hair - it was a tough time 🤣. This song felt like it meant something to me then. It's never been my fav. Maiden song, but it's always had a special place in my heart - and now the Eddie from the single is tattooed on my wrist. I was amazed by the change in dynamics of the song, the space-age sounding guitars and the almost euphoric chorus, which was a total change from the Maiden i had been listening to since I was 12. I felt the same excitement at 49 when I logged on to watch the premier of WOTW - its a cool song, nothing amazing, but I enjoyed it and it's Maiden. I'll always love Maiden.

Coming together….. slowly

Yes. 100%. She’s always supported me in personal and musical matters. has booked rehearsal rooms and arranged bands around me. unbelievable lady.

If it is of any interest I have been working on a new model specifically for this type of thing. I will be starting the prototype fairly soon. alan

Example one. Girlfriend - was a fan of the Genre I was playing. Hated the band, hated the band members, hated the band members girlfriends. Was wildly jealous of the band (like it was another woman). Hated me rehearsing, hated me gigging. At gigs she would go sit away from the "band table" so I had the choice of sitting with her or the band. Thought I should "grow up, sell up and spend more time focusing on her" (we rehearsed once a week, gigged about twice a month...). Example two Current wife. When I lost the will to play again and sold all my stuff to pay some debts she went ballistic and bought me a bass. Has been 100% supportive of anything I've done, never complained about rehearsals/gigs/gear purchases. Paid towards a 50th Birthday present for me of a bass - which I didnt get on with, and she was totally fine with me selling it and buying something else. Jokes about me buying and sellinbg gear, and I know if I asked within reason she would let me did into the savings to get gear (I dont.). Says it makes her "hot" when I play.. what more can you ask for.

Fender Japan every time. Build quality is top notch. Personally I would change the pot etc for CTS and change the pickup but the instrument is a brilliant platform for such changes. Your cheapest option and the best value by far.

I can't believe I'm the first person to post this:

I’ve been married for 22 years now. we met playing in the same band, and I have a free hand to acquire whatever gear catches my eye- she has also acquired stud to give to me !! it’s absolutely vital that I’m not having to sneak about smuggling gear in and out. A relationship cannot survive in that environment. my three kids are all proud of what I do for a living and have told their teachers on occasions that I’m a rock star 😂😂 I had a once in a lifetime opportunity come in last week, and when I told my son, he said that I HAD to do it- no alternative! my boys have never seen me in a 9-5 role and understand that my days can be rather fluid- whether teaching in school or driving abroad to tour or staying away to record. I could not do what I do without the support of my whole family, and they make it easier for me knowing that they do. I consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed

I’ve been trying to play it since 1982, so that would be me out 😄

Clutch's Book of Bad Decisions is the first one that comes to mind.

Is it an unlimited TLRT update? 🤞

I had a partner in the past who made me wait in Oxford Street M&S for an hour while she looked at the same few rows of practical underwear then as soon as I walk in to Bass Cellar or whatever its "right, you've seen it, can we go?". Amazed that lasted 8yrs. She didn't support my music which was majorly in the back seat to my sporting endeavours. She attended one game. I got to the semi final of the national cup, played alongside and against international players, got man of the match performances in games to keep my side in the tip tier of leagues in the country... And she was coerced in to attending the one game she did. All the time I was a "study widow-er" if there is such a thing, her academic pursuits dictated almost everything in our lives despite nobody getting any joy from it. Fast forward a few years... My wife however is AWESOME. When we got together I'd been in bachelor mode for a while and booted the TV to the side of the living room for a modest bass amp and a couple of basses. Hadn't been in a band for a few years. When things got serious she said to me "why have all this kit if you don't use it? You should join a band, fill your boots before we have kids..." so I joined a decent band. I have footage of my pregnant wife dancing with her parents at my 2nd or 3rd gig. She makes sure we have the option to visit Denmark Street if we are in London and has even TOLD me to buy guitars that I like (in a supportive way, meaning "you really like that style, if there aren't many about you should get it. It's your money..."). Now we have two kids I did a deal on gigs, the gig money goes in the kids savings account. They had a few good years before covid. Now for rehearsals I can't go out until we've got both kids asleep. In my main band three of the others have kids, luckily older than mine so they fully understand that sometimes I'm not going to be there to set up for gigs but I'm always on time to get the gig started. In my new venture the singer has a kid younger than my youngest, so the pair of us are often rushing to get to an 8pm rehearsal. Everyone understands and nobody is a n0b about it. Put simply, my wife is AMAZING. She is supportive and every single parcel that arrives raises a shout of "is this another guitar bit?!" She doesn't understand the constant buying and selling but she knows I won't spend money I don't have and I sell stuff to make the cash to buy new stuff.

I know I shouldn't, because although myself and @ambient have had bad experiences with Craig's Music I'm sure plenty of others have happily dealt with them. They've been there a long time so must be doing something right. But... get an image of Ricky Gervais' David Brent in your head and then watch this. I really can't work out if it's a genuine worker trying to promote the stock, or a guerilla mockumentary.

My wife's the singer in my band. So I'm pretty much covered.

And I'm even happy to talk valves and tone caps! Isn't that going above and beyond, huh? 😎 Seriously though, it's good to have the same hobbies and interests and be able to pursue them as a couple.

...where all the instruments are blue with a chrome scratchplate because, let's be honest, the magic disappeared once that bass got painted white with the WHUFC logo 😂

Another one here who kind of stopped listening after SSOASS, there's quite a few of us it seems, we should start a band I think Maiden have always been a live band, which is backed up by their relentless touring schedule in their 'heyday' years. (YMMV) I've never been one for listening to recorded live music albums, there's one exception though and that's 'Live After Death', which is quite frankly an awesome album, and an excellent chronicle of a band who are on top of their live game.

None of my wives or long term partners has been that excited by my chosen lifestyle. I don't blame them at all. One came to gigs in order to prevent me murdering the singer en route to the venue. So in a very real way she kept that band alive. But I have led a self centred life, selfish in my indulgence, myopic to the needs of others. Which is why I will, deservedly, die penniless and alone. I am a feckin awesome bass player though.

They broke up after a few years, I think they must have got fed up with audiences constantly shouting out for Killing Joke songs when they played. I saw them three times in the 80s and that was the case at each gig, when I saw them at the Ace in Brixton the singer was so fed up with it he walked off after three songs. They started up again in 2014 and are still going, I haven't heard any of the new stuff though.

My wife is hugely supportive. Unfortunately my talent doesn't rise to the challenge. And with GAS it can be an issue. A typical GAS conversation may take an unintuitive turn: Me: I could do with a new (bass/sax/head/ amp / mouthpiece). I need this because... Mrs Lownote: Not need to justify it. If you want it, buy it. Me: I can't. We haven't the money and there are bills to pay / rainy days to forfend/ etc.. . Mrs L: No really, buy it. You come this way but once. Me: Nnnnnoooooooo......

My wife seemed to like the idea of being hitched to a musician. She loved the gigs, the parties, the +1’s to events, the access all areas passes, and festivals etc. And as she rarely drinks she would often drive me to local shows, which is brilliant. Or was brilliant, I haven’t done a gig since Dec 2019. She didn’t mind me cluttering up our place with instruments of all types. 1960s Hammond C3 and Leslie speaker cab? No problem. Fender Rhodes and other vintage keys? Recording equipment? Amps? Dozens of stringed instruments? Drums? She was fine with all of it, flightcases and everything. Totally supportive. The only thing she’s never been keen on is me being away from home for too long when touring. When we had a mortgage I paid it with gig money, but there were times when I was away for up to six weeks at a time. Then home for a few days, then off out again. She was hospitalised after a car crash one time when I was away which was grim. And we were made homeless when a bent landlord changed the locks on our rented place another time. I came offstage in France and found 25 missed calls on my mobile. When I got back to the UK a day later, I had to meet her at a hotel and she was pretty shaken up. That was awful too. But it was like when my Dad worked on the rigs in the 70s when I was a kid. He’d be away for a bit, then home for a bit. And it paid the bills. Sometimes stuff would happen but it’s part of what I do, or used to. Now I have a much smaller collection of gear and a more sedate (or flatlined) gigging schedule I’m under her feet a lot and she’s begging me to do stuff 😂 Please please go and play some gigs!

Be bop deluxe bassist Charlie Tumahai?

These are a few of mine

I like scientist et al, but my judgement is always coloured by 'would I use this tune on the show' ..... If you follow my once a day posts you get the general idea, add in some decent funk and disco & with the right audience, it's all good ... 😎

I shall be resuming my cross-stitch map of Wantage.

I’ve never been in a relationship long enough for these types of things to emerge but I do recall a drummer in a previous band saying that his girlfriend had told him he no longer needed to be in a band as now he had her. For me that would equate bin, and bin now. In fact I don’t think I’d even respond I just would cut someone with that attitude from my life completely.

My partner was going out with the guitarist, in my then band, when I met her. So she knows the score. She's a professional sound engineer and has been away on tour for weeks on end, in the past, where I've been the one sat indoors watching Love Island. My sister, who is married to the guitarist in another of my past bands (there's a theme developing here), hated the fact her husband played in a band. She wanted him to get a proper job, like collecting trolleys at Asda. It was only when he started to make decent cash, after slogging away for years playing toilets, that she started to support him and now she's his biggest fan. My niece has her own touring band and her partner was never supportive of her choice of career (although he used to be a bass player himself and met her at one of her gigs). She's toured the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia, played big festivals and supported bands like the Foo fighters, yet he wanted her to give it all up and get a job in a call centre or something. He's history now.

EXACTLY THIS!!!!! I think a lot of music fans have that one band that transcend 'just' being music, there's a connection because of your age and what you were going through, and that stays with you for life. They're still the one band that I get genuinely excited about a new release from.

I’m away to get a new car so if the salesperson does a decent discount I might pick it up on the drive home 👌🏼

not something to buy, but I would learn how to set up a bass much sooner. I had owned my precision for 20 years before I was brave enough to adjust the truss rod

Best thing today was putting a fan in the workshop - made it nice and comfortable to get on with a few things. First up was cutting the truss rod slot - took a little longer than I planned as I made a new jig for holding the neck. After that, cut the neck to size and trimmed the edges with the router. All went well, no issues so that puts me back to where I was a couple of weeks ago but this time I have a neck without a hole in it!!

Mine began to take shape today 15mm scrap ply from a friend, so I've had to tweak dims a bit to keep internal volume correct. If it's a winner, then i'll probably make a couple from 12mm Will probably end up carpeting it and fitting an aluminium grille About 4 hours into it so far Minimal tools - speaker hole cut with router on an arm pinned to the centre of the circle. Will also use router to radius the edges of the cabinet before carpeting Horn and port holes cut with a jigsaw with a normal blade. Take your time and you'll be fine! All panels cut from the best bits of the scrap offcuts with a worx mini circular saw. Did the job a treat. All panels and battens PVA glued (lots of) and pinned in place with a cheap silverline air powered brad nailer. They only hold the pieces in place whilst the glue dries Easy! Small! Fun! Measure twice (or more if you fancy) and cut once. Have a go! Thanks for all the shared information on here. Jon

Just for completeness I thought I would post a picture of mine finished ... ish. I have never actually been able to play out loud since I started learning in February and have always used headphones and my audio interface, I completed most of the build a while ago but wasn't able to try it out until my amplifier arrived a few days ago (I ordered a Warwick head unit which took 4 weeks to arrive). The build quality / finish of my cabinet is not that fantastic as I am not really a 'detail' guy but its certainly sturdy, e.g. I just bought a can of black paint and went mental on it and there's a few sharp bits. Obviously I don't have any reference for comparison but for my small room it is very loud and I had to turn everything down a lot (I think I am on the lowest volume the amp will turn down to) , my left ear is still recovering from the test, lol. Its also interesting, playing through a speaker seems a lot more forgiving, I sound better out loud than I do through headphones! Overall I am pretty happy, I don't know how it would compare with an off-the-shelf unit but I enjoyed the build process and learnt some stuff. Thank you to the peeps in this thread who provided the design and the guidance, much appreciated. 😎 J