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Mrs S made the basic error of leaving me on my own with time to kill in Nottingham for the afternoon. I made the even more basic error of nipping in to Hotrox in Sneinton. They had this.... I wasn't going to buy it until i realised; a) that it is medically necessary as the binding on a 4003 is a bit sharp on the forearm, and b) that it will annoy Young Teebs. Oh, and; c) it is bloody lovely. Mrs S did the rolly eyes thing until I mentioned (b) then she understood why i had to get it. Of course, I've broken my one-in-one-out rule so expect some major activity in the marketplace shortly. Or I have a kidney if Raymondo's interested.....

I went out today, ostensibly to check out a MusicMan Cutlass bass, in Diamond Blue, with maple fretboard. But with a whole day at my disposal and visting a shop run by a friend, I had to check out a few alternatives. My 2 main basses at the moment are EBMM Stingrays. A classic and a special. So the Cutlass seemed a very nice alternative to the Rays. I also played a mapleglo Rickenbacker 4003s, which despite it's rediculous hardware (bridge & string cover-rest), felt very nice to play and was a nicely built bass. But I didn't like the sound of the pickups at all, thick, harsh and a little crude. I had a quick go on a couple of 5-strings, an MTD Kingston and an EBMM 'Ray. Neither convinced me to have another go with a fiver. Alao had another try on a Marleaux Consat 4-string, I'd played before, but still didn't gel with. The Cutlass was pretty much exactly what I expected. Like a passive Precision but IMO, better. I was close to saying I'd have it, when Gary, the shop guy suggested a Jazz Bass. Now I've owned/played a load of Jazz basses but had gone right off them, about 3 years ago. But he pulled out a real nice one, although my intial comment was "not a pink bass!". It was indeed shell pink, with an off white (mint?) scratchplate, being a Fender Limited Edition American Pro Jazz Bass. But what grabbed my attention and got my juices flowing, was the all rosewood neck. A thing of beauty that played as well as it looked. But it had the narrow nut of a Jazz and it was pink! I plugged it in and was surpised at how much I liked the tones available. I mainly settled on middle pickup up 100%, bridge pickup and 75% and varying the tone from 100 to 75%. Then I said to Gary, this would look much better with a tort scratchplate. He agreed and produced one. We slid it into place and it transformed the looks of this bass. Wow, now I was really interested. So Gary said he'd replace the plate and put some Elixirs on for me. Yes please! Trouble was the plate fitted everywhere, except there was a small gap between it and the chrome, control panel. stinky poo! So the original went back on, with the Elixirs and Fender are sending a tort plate for this series, for me to put on ASAP. Got it home and have been blasting along to my tunes and loving it. I've been playing actives for years but my ears are enjoying this passive bass. And my hands are feeling very comfortable on this lovely neck. Just need that tort scratchplate, to perfect the aesthetics.

Hi Folks, This is a bit of a feeler really as I have my eye on something else.. So, this is - as far as I can tell from the serial number - a Made in Japan Fender Precision bass, circa 1991/2. I'm looking for £750 or very near offer for this beauty. It sounds and looks great, has a beautiful Ash body and a slim, almost Jazz like maple neck and is in brilliant condition for a 27 year old bass. It's everything a 70s P Bass should be IMHO ! 😊 Full disclosure ; there's one tiny ding on the neck which I'll try to photograph tomorrow when there's hopefully some decent light.. It has been set up professionally and is currently strung with a set of Rotosound steels. Comes with a functional hard case. As ever, I'd prefer to sell this to someone who could come and try it out in person here in Littlehampton West Sussex first however, I am prepared to ship it at buyer's expense by insured courier service. If you've any questions, please PM me or ask away here and I'll try to get back to you ASAP. I am away in Birmingham from tomorrow afternoon for 3 days , so please bear in mind that I may not be able to answer certain questions.. Thanks for looking as ever! 😊 Nik

For sales - my lovely Shuker 5-sting single-cut. I bought this from John in December last year, and he had just taken it back as a part exchange. It’s a beautiful bass to play, the neck join is exquisite. Pretty wide-range of sounds available from the Aaron Armstrong pickups. I’ve currently got it set as E-C but can put back to B-G if wanted. It’s great either way. Some more details below. Happy to ship local and international (buyer pays) and it’s got a lovely Shuker hard-case (made by HISCOX). I’ve just bought another bass (Ha!) so don’t really want trade. Anything that looks like a scratch or a ding in the pictures is just a trick of the light - there’s none! I live near Reading in the UK if you want to pop round and have a slap. :-) 34” scale 24 frets Maple / black veneer laminated set neck Palmwood Fingerboard Stainless steel medium frets Black walnut headstock scarf Laurel Burr headstock facings front and rear Brass nut Gotoh GB707 tuners Two way truss rod, carbon fibre reinforcement Laurel Burr curvetop and rear facing Black Walnut body Polyester basecoat Polyurethane wet look gloss top coat Schaller 2000 bridge Black Hardware Aaron Armstrong pickups. Blackout pre-amp with passive / active select (volume knob pull / push)

is that like a drive thru plane wash thing or are you really a pilot.

I recorded the bass part for this in my home studio (Bag End). I roadied and did the lights for this band in the 1980s and always wanted the gig but it never happened (the bass player they had was perfectly competent and I moved on long before he did ;)). In these days of email and home recording, it became a possibility. An old dream come true. It is off Multi Story's forthcoming album CBF10 (I am only on this one track). The whole track is recorded on my Wal Custon Fretless 4 string.

Another satisfied Ashdown customer here... Ashdown do not get the recognition that they deserve IMO. British built, well priced, great Customer service and VERY under-rated gear - seems like a not very closely guarded secret that should be more acknowledged.

Here for sale is my Stingray 3eq from 2010, it's in immaculate condition throughout. In Tobacco Sunburst it looks wonderful and plays superbly with a low action. Bass weighs 8.85 lbs or 4kg on my digital scales which is very good for a Stingray. Also the straplocks will be back on too. Comes with the EB hard case too. No trades thanks. ***forgot to mention you can have either the scratchplate that's on or the original black one* Price is posted to the UK.

Reluctantly putting up for sale my Barefaced Six10. Looking at buying a house this coming year and need the money (also will need the space) I'm sure everyone knows what these are all about and the wording on the Barefaced website is better than anything i could write: https://barefacedaudio.com/products/six_10?variant=13875021119546 I've had this since the start of the year (arrived 30.01.19) and to be honest haven't used it as much as i wanted to. (band hasn't been giggin enough!) It sounds amazing and come with barefaced protective cover. Could be tempted with a swap for a barefaced two10 with some money my way! Collection only as i don't fancy putting this through the post Will put more details pictures up if needed! Cost £1359 new with cover so i think £900 is a fair price for one in this condition.

I joined the yamaha BB club last week... genuinely blown away by both the build and tone, at any price point let alone a smidge above the price of a mex fender!

So I guess your (or someone else’s) mass purchase distorts the market? I’m not phased by this, although the high numbers available could compress the price. Perhaps delaying selling or buying so many would have an effect. My theory is a bit loopy, and echoes previous comments however. Sorry

Great! I've got some strap buttons with no bass attached. I'm off!

The rig looks really happy about the whole thing!

I did this on a semi pro basis for 6-7 so... framing, framing, framing - move your focus point so that the entire subject is the frame, headstock, the lot. You can always crop afterwards Spotlights *will* cause over exposure and lens flare so watch out for that and roll the exposure back a touch You'll need at least 2 bodies - one with either a short prime or a short telephoto - I always took a pair of Canon 1D's the 35-70mm f2.8 L on the 1st body with the 70-200 or a 300 2.8 LIS f2.8 on the 2nd. Sometimes I took a 3rd lower spec (20D) body with fisheye/semi just in case. Shoot like crazy - 7fps min, pref 10+ Anticipate - know the material (if possible) so that you know if there's a solo/vocal section/whatever coming up

Thanks! I only made pickguards out of necessity, as nobody was cutting PJ Mustang pickguards when I got my white one. Prior to the tort I made a white pearloid one for my original blue Mustang bass. It isn't easy or quick work and you could do it much quicker with a router and template. I got it down to about four hours per pickguard, but I've not done one for a while! I'm pleased with how close in around the neck I was able to get: I also hand cut the pickguard for my Rick: I only put the subtlest of round-overs on the 4003 pickguard. The stock pickguard had no bevel at all, but I put a soft edge on it to smooth it into the bass slightly. Final pickguard was a red Stingray pickguard that is out there somewhere in Glasgow now! This was hardest as it had to be totally symmetrical!

First rehearsal with the new LaBella low tension flats. At home i thought they sounded a bit dull and thud sounding. Today in a band setting they were absolutely perfect. They didn't have the attack of the rounds i was using but it wasn't overly noticeable in most songs. Most enjoyable part was no sore fingers on my plucking hand and no blisters. My fingers glided along the strings which was an unusual feeling when playing in earnest but really pleased with them. Think i'll need to fiddle about with my EQ to get just right with a bit more mid to top end just to clarify things. At times i found the bass getting a little lost in the mix. Not a big issue and can be sorted i reckon. Tension on the strings was pretty close to the rounds i normally use but the other thing i noticed was no fret rattle. I quite enjoyed not hearing as much rattle from the strings. All in all i think i'm pretty happy with them. Dave

Just got one... pretty useful tool when you're playing about with a bunch of effects and wondering how to power all the pedals. Not much more to say... it just works... plug it in, see the reading, make a note. Here's a handful I just checked... First, a digital pedal that I thought was very power-hungry. The Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter... wasn't as bad as I thought, at just 120mA. Then, the EXH Bass MicroSynth... I had no idea how much current it required. I thought it would not be a crazy amount, but I was not sure. Now I know. Just 40 mA. How about the little Caline Reverb "Snakebite"? 33mA And what about an overdrive? A lot of this kind of pedals are between 10-15mA, so how about the Valeton Tube Refiner (which sounds GREAT on bass)... just 10mA. Cool. And finally... a monster. I got this valve overdrive pedal. It's a really strange thing, but sounds really nice. It's a Nobsound (yes, I know) G3 Little Bear that cost something like £35-40. A battery cannot power it. It's just very bad. It recommends a 500mA supply, if I recall correctly. I plugged into a 250mA supply and it worked ok, but it does work a bit better with a bigger supply. So, what does this one measure? 343mA!!! Makes sense.

Picked up this beauty last week. Needed a decent setup and some fresh strings but man its lovely!

For anyone interested in the origins, history, technical specs and model variations of the JV Squiers, this website and the attached forum should tell you anything you want to know. It's particularly recommended for anyone labouring under the bizarre and baseless delusion that MIJ Squiers, and the JV models in particular, were some sort of cheaply bodged-out, corner-cut borderline knockoff aimed at beginners. Read and learn. http://www.21frets.com/

Time for sanding. A lot of sanding 🤬 Started with 80 and ended with 2500. On with the tung oil. I'll leave it overnight then rub another coat with wet/dry paper first thing.

Very pretty SkinnyPeeps. 👍 Just sayin'

Very short review: It's very good. Closest to the VTDI from the existing lineup, but with a darker speaker sim, tighter lows, more low mids, and a lower frequency on the treble EQ. Very flexible control of the mids and very punchy. Sounds more like a real amp than the other pedals.

Just noticed the herningbone pattern on the skunk stripe on the Powder Blue Sterling. Beautiful.

I’m not really one for short scale but they certainly look the business 👍 Price is not surprising if they are fully built in the US. Costs money to make stuff in countries you have to pay people a reasonable wage.

And another vote for the headless conversion. Looks waaaaaaay better. Great job.

Forgot to add that with my current band a lot of people (women) want their pics taken because of the Glam outfits. This was something new to me and never been asked for after show pics before this band. I def like that part even if i am soaking with sweat they just love it. Dave

Weeeell….I MIGHT be! Ya see the problem is there's not much call for Kidney these days. Besides it's the wrong colour....Now if it wor orange then maybe I could go a bit higher but as it is pall yud ave ta pay me tu tek it off yer ands.

I'm the same. I periodically think I CBA with it any more, then get there, get all set up, start playing, and it's good again. My most recent extra smile was on Tuesday, when we did a guest slot at an open mic night with an eye on getting a few gigs at the pub in question. Our percussionist normally does a harmonica solo in "Three little birds", but just as he came up to it, realised he didn't have the gob-iron in question with him, so I stepped in and did a kazoo solo.

And Seventh Son, and writing the keyboard parts for someone else to play on a few albums, then playing keyboards on the last 6 Iron Maiden albums But you are correct, he is better know for bass playing (no sarcasm intended here)

@Ashdown Engineering get him!

Hello All, This really is an initial feeler. I picked up this wonderful Moon JJ 4 from the Bass Gallery in Camden in August this year and I’m only considering trading/ selling it due to financial reasons. its an incredibly lovely sounding bass guitar however it is pretty heavy. It was set up with flats upon purchasing and they are now worn in nicely. in truth I don’t know too much about it, when purchasing it the guys at the Gallery believed it was old (80’s) however not too much more info than that. I am interested in trading for a lower value Jazz Bass (4 strings only please) and cash my way. Interested to hear offers and happy to answer questions!

@Dood is looking old and tired. 🤣

@Pea Turgh I can definitely recommend the Eden WT amps. I had a WT400 for many years and it was wonderful. They're classics.

I was on a cross-channel ferry many years ago where the on-ship entertainment was a duo with either a very limited drum machine or very little knowledge of music, who did "Delilah" in 4/4. I listened to it with a sort of horrified fascination.

Go for a new one if you can stretch the finances that far. However a used alembic in good condition is a great investment in your bass playing. The reality is that whichever route you take, they are not gonna come around cheap and just like all other things to do with music, we don't all like the same things so whilst I love them to bits, I appreciate the sound of them is not everyone's cup of tea. There are however quite a good selection of alembics around for sale these days on ebay and reverb, more than I have seen in a good while.

I must say, I really do like the colour of this. I noticed when they released these new Vintera's and was immediately struck by the colour. Looks great with the Maple board too GLWTS PS. @karlfer - we all promise to let you out from under the stairs once this sells

I'm in the process of getting the store page updated to show a few page previews, it should be up in a day or two. EDIT: Sod it, I'll attach some here rather than waiting for my website guy to do it

Which bass is best for metal... the eternal question 🤔

They seem to be “desirable” but always come up for sale...weird.

Just ordered a Helix FX. As much as the Stomp is working for me i was struggling to see what effects were on or off when controlled by an external foot switch. Lack of LED's and the small screen made it a bit of a distraction. The FX will be better for me on stage. I spent most of the evening at rehearsals using the BDDI sim, just to make sure i can give up the Amp sim, and i can, very easily. using the BDDI sim was like coming home.

Like all of us, you are entitled to your view, but I’m not quite with you on the inferiority complex bit?

These look nice but not £1.8k nice

A friend wanted my USA Jazz offered this as a straight swap. It owes me £700, hence the competitive price. You know what it is . 2010 weighs 8lb 4oz. £700 in very basic Ritter gig bag (not the hard case in background of photos). ONLY trades I'm looking at, straight swap for; Maple boarded US Precision or Road Worn Series Sunburst Precision If you wish to organise & pay for your own courier, happy to box it up, just let me know the day it will be collected, thanks for looking, Karl.

Nice work. You should go into business, building old school sleeves/cases for those of us who use modern class D jobbies and want the vintage look.

Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh are easily a step up from London in terms of class and have as many options for culture and entertainment. (plus the 'locals' aren't londoners so are much more likely to smile and say hello).

Well the yellow strat has been finished and has been delivered and the fella is really happy with in fact he paid me more than the agreed price so that’s s bonus!! The skip find is almost ready for spraying, and on a side note I’ve just started making a Les Paul/Tele hybrid (which is for me) it’s going to be orange and it will have a Maple tele style neck and black hardware............. 😀

That's some ambitious flipping!

Good (from a blagger's POV) to see this sort of thing still happens! I've had more than my fair share of very, very silly Ebay bargains - typically when the seller had no idea what they had, or from errors in the listing making it hard for most people to find. Really very unusual these days.

Maybe that's an adreneline rush thing if its affecting you in so many different areas of the body. Do you tighten up with stress when playing ? I'm 59 and being in a 70's Glam Rock covers band so platform boots etc but only pains i get are sore fingertips by playing too hard at times. Not every gig, just the ones i'm really getting into. I have heavy amp and cab plus its usually me that helps the drummer with his flight-cased gear. I'm no fitness fanatic but i do walking every other day for 5miles or a little bit of cycling maybe. Someone on BC posted an exercise regime while back that was pretty simple to do and strengthened the core ie stomach and back areas. Sure you might recognise him below but i found this quite helpful.

Time for the yearly airing of my DIY support strap. It started life as a padded tool belt. I velcro-ed on the end of a spare shoulder strap I had, which attaches to the bass with a strap pin in on one of the neck bolts. You can't see anything from the front, and the shoulder strap is there largely as a balance aid. The waist strap takes 80% of the weight. Supports your beer gut too. I'm no spring chicken - 62 years young.