Deep Thought

Ruby Turner on NYE Jules? Never!! I was in bed (between 0600 shifts).

Pretty much any Stranglers song, but I'll go with this:- [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNGdkR7lVSs[/media]

It's a shame, I really liked Kim Shattuck. I loved Kim Deal too back when they were in their heyday, but they don't seem to be able to function together. Apparently she just announced she was leaving mid-tour in a Café Nero in Monmouth! If it means they are writing new stuff rather than just churning out the old material, I'm not too bothered about Kim Deal leaving. I've just downloaded EP1 and I'm really enjoying it. I think they're still doing good stuff. Much as I love their music, though, I get the distinct impression that Black Francis etc. are a funny bunch of buggers.

Broken a couple, but only on my old noodler which I only change the strings on once a decade. I've seen a bottom E go mid-gig on a Gibson Explorer, which took the bloke ages to change. I was within earshot of JJ Burnel once, as he was telling Jason How, CEO of Rotosound, that if he doesn't change his strings after every gig, he will break a bottom E for certain.

I used to be all in favour of thick, heavy leather straps-until I owned one. These days I much prefer thin and flexible-much more comfortable and just as tough. Both mine are simple two-piece slotted leather ones with no buckles or plastic bits. My main one is a bog standard Fender strap, which suits me fine. I do like the Italia ones.

You can get Grolsch washers in other colours. Plenty of black ones on Ebay. I have blue ones from some posh water.

Ordinarily I'd agree, but actually there's been a much higher quotient of bands I've liked this series. Loved the Pixies (although I have done ever since Doolittle), and thought Tony Joe White, Gary Clark jr., and Barrence Whitfield and the Savages were all superb, and I've enjoyed Churches and Artic Monkeys as well.

I have a G30, had it a couple of years and love it. My minor complaint with the battery compartment door is not its flimsiness, but the fact that it's a sod to close when the batteries are in. The little latch never wants to slot into place without a lot of pressure on the door-it's not the end of the World, just a niggle. Can't say I've ever been miles from the unit, so can't comment on range issues-try a different channel?

TBH no, and this is what I was wondering-I'm only going on what the listing says, and I don't know enough about Jazzes. It's black with a white scratchplate and rosewood fingerboard, which leads me to think it's a modded standard Jazz, as the Deluxes don't come in the black/white colour combo.

As you were-I've managed to get hold of him, seen the Ebay listing, it's a standard Mex Jazz, but the pickup is an addition. Sold by somebody who bought it as a beginner, didn't get on with it and sold it on. The pickup is apparently 'the best you can get' but it doesn't specify what sort or who did the mod-Manson's, hopefully. He's picking it up tomorrow so no doubt I'll find out soon. It looks nice though.

Our drummer is getting quite keen on playing the bass, and has been asking my advice for several weeks on what to get. I said 'try loads and see what suits you.' I explained the differences, and he has been seeking my opinion on several he's been interested in. Being a Precision man myself, I have steered him in that direction, mainly so I can nab it off him cheap when he gets fed up with it. :-) Now I find the bloody traitor has bought a Jazz! I've owned two Jazzes, neither of which I kept long, because I don't like the slim neck or the offset body. His thinking is he's picked it up off the 'Bay cheap, and if he doesn't get on with it he'll move it on. I've not seen it yet, but he says it has a battery box on the back (I don't think he's actually taken delivery himself). He's also been told it's a Mex, bought from Manson's. I'm no expert on Jazzes, I know there are loads of different models, which ones are likely to have active pickups? It doesn't sound like it's been modded so I'm assuming a particular edition with active pickups.

I use a sheet of that rubberised mesh stuff (same as the Maplins stuff) which I picked up from B&Q or similar. Never had any problem with my Shuttle 6 migrating.

Had mine since 2009, absolutely love it. Apart from one slightly crackly pot, I've had no issues. Never had it above quarter to, and never needed to. Carry it around in a laptop bag. Always been happy with the amount of dirt I could get out of it too, never felt the need for an overdrive/distortion pedal.

I've had my Mex Precision for a few years now, bought as backup for the US Precision I had at the time. Bought it from the For Sale section here, from Platypus, and I was fortunate in that it had done the Basschat rounds a bit, and was generally regarded as a good bass before I got it. Build quality wise I have no complaints, I changed the tortoiseshell scratchplate for a black one, which I lined with copper foil, and I changed the bridge for a Gotoh 201, although that was only a whim and there wasn't really anything wrong with the BBOT it had before. It has a Wizard Thumper in it, which isn't as hot as the pickup in my Shuker, but that's a little unfair on it, and no fault of Fender's. I didn't feel it compared unfavourably with the US, either.

Lovely bass. Are those the cast resin lightweight tuners, as seen on the new 'lightweight' chambered JJ bass, or are they just black ones? Look fantastic anyway.This dream bass thing is all very well, but life gets dull when you can't think of a bass you'd rather have than the one you've got, which is what happened to me after I got my Shuker JJ.

This problem usually comes up with straplock buttons. When I was using Schallers, I did all the matchstick/cocktail stick things, to little effect. I drilled out the strap buttons slightly so I could use fatter screws, which did improve matters. The only one I didn't do was to drill out the hole completely and glue in a dowel, and then screw into that, which I understand can work well.

I fully concur on the Grolsch washers (they can be found in other colours too-I have blue ones from some posh water). I used to have Schaller straplocks and got fed up with the way the strap buttons kept unscrewing, and the fact that the screws they provide with them are too thin, plus all the rattling, and yes, I'm not keen on big bits of metal swinging around near my bass either. I spent ages using various methods to keep the button screws tight (cocktail sticks, matches, drilling out the buttons so I could use thicker screws), and finally got fed up and got shot of the straplocks. Other brands may be better, but I decided I'd had enough of straplocks. I've had the rubber washers for several years and swear by them-only minor disadvantage is that you can't easily remove the strap with them on-so I don't. I use plain, wide, slotted leather two-piece straps with no padding and no buckles, which fold up flat inside the case. I had a big, heavy leather strap once, looked nice, but find the thinner and more flexible ones far more comfortable-never felt the need for padding personally. My main bass strap is a Fender, but many companies make them-I've often been tempted by the Italia ones from the US. I won't touch anything with a buckle, particularly plastic.

John Entwistle [quote name='Jimryan' timestamp='1377715671' post='2190830'] Pino Palladino Andy Fraser Stuart Zender. Nick Fyffe. Paul Turner Sting Geezer Butler John Deacon Jean Jacques Burnell Paul McCartney Lemmy Jack Bruce Steve Harris Dougie Poynter Norman Watt-Roy Boz Burrell John Paul Jones Rick Laird Ric Grech Percy Jones Roy Babbington Boz Burrell Dave Holland Jeff Clyne Mo Foster Hugh Hopper [/quote] John Entwistle, Chris Squire

I found out yesterday that D'Addario have been making Fender strings for a few years now-same coloured ball ends-so if you like D'Addario's, buy Fenders. I will be, the Fender ones are cheaper in my local emporium.

I put a SD Quarter Pounder in my '07 P after the useless S1 pickup packed up-definitely sounded way better. I put a Gotoh 201 on my Mex P which is a nice heavy bridge, but I can't say it's done much for the sound. I also copper shielded the control cavity, which got rid of the buzz I was getting, so that was a good mod. Oh, and changed the white scratchplate for a black one, huge improvement.

I generally stick to D'addario nickels these days, having gone through most brands, including DR's. If I couldn't get nickels I've bought D'addario's stainless jobs, but TBH didn't find they kept their brightness (what I look for ) any better than the nickels.

I think the album is cracking, best I've heard in a long time. I'm quite annoyed that I won't be able to catch them on tour this year. That is one of the better tracks, although 'My God is the Sun' is my particular favourite.

JJ Burnel certainly plays his signature Shuker, exactly like those Jon sells-the one he's currently playing is a new, lightweight version with chambered wings and lighter hardware, which he had Jon make for him when he started getting back pains. I always thought my Mk.I version was pretty light, myself.

You can buy black chinos-and they don't specify any requirements for other items of clothing, do they?