tauzero

Musikding suggested I email Julian from Schalltechnik.

I wouldn't want to wear a matching dress with my bass stand.

Followed the instructions and... it doesn't work. Haven't got a schematic to trace the signal so I've emailed the creator to ask for one.

As it's a forward bow, the truss rod needs tightening, not loosening.

VVV along the top row, TBP along the bottom where P is piezo tone. https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/srf705_1p_06.html - map of controls is partway down. I had to do a fair bit of setting up when I got mine second-hand, including balancing up the piezos (easy). My EHB1265MS has had the Barts replaced by Aguilars which adds to the clarity, but I'm not sure it would be as good a mod on the fretless. Must have a listen to the crustacean.

I have encountered an issue. The grill is held on with clamps which have a quite large offset, so the grill will only be held on by them if the speaker is on the front of the panel rather than the rear. I'm getting a bit of a buzzy noise which I suspect is air going through the speaker screw holes. So should I put the speaker in its proper place at the rear of the baffle, and find some way of shimming the clamps, or should I just fill the holes? I realise that having the speaker on the front of the baffle has changed the volume, but will this have had a significant effect on the cab? Other than the buzz, it's sounding fine, powered by a Tecamp Puma 900. I would have used a Hotone 5W amp but it's been so long since I used any amps that I've lost track of my jack-Speakon lead.

Well, that's it all buttoned up (remembering to solder up the connections to the speaker first, of course). Now for the first test.

Might be worth a polite email to them, just to clarify the position. They may have forgotten the refund or they may have had to pay the courier - in the former case, you should get the £8 back.

Arrange for the fight to be in a remote and secluded place that the drummer doesn't know, and give them a map showing them how to get there. After all, it's always best to avoid a fight if you can. If you value the drummer, put a tracker on their phone. If not, some hikers may discover the body in a year or two.

Very near the end now. Put in some acoustic wadding (left over from the BC112 mk3 which is still awaiting completion) and mounted the speaker and grill. The front panel doesn't bear close, or even medium, scrutiny, but it's all valuable lessons isn't it? I haven't put any wadding on the rear panel - I may be putting a mini power amp in there so I didn't want to put wadding on until I knew how much space there would be. Waiting for some screws to arrive to fit the rear panel on, and then it'll be all systems go.

Also, the transition from 4 to 5 takes a little time but you get there. If you're not sure about it, I'd suggest getting a cheap 5-string to get used to it before investing much money in a 5-string Warwick.

If you get on with the NT, I'd go for that - neck profiles changed through the years so it does help to try before you buy. My 1987 JD Thumb NT is fine, as is my similar vintage Thumb 5 NT. I've also had a bolt-on Buzzard 5 and currently have a Corvette 5, and have a Thumb 4 NT that started out as fretted but I had the neck reprofiled to be the same as the JD Thumb and also had it defretted.

If you also play that between every song for no apparent reason, I saw you supporting The Who.

That's an admirable feat of carving and a very distinctive bass stand. A bit bulky to carry to gigs though.

In time with the drums? That's a bit advanced, isn't it?

Remembering that partially shredding a Banksy doubled its value, sticking a Precision in a wood chipper would not just double its value, it would also improve it.

Ah yes, you're new. It's easy to tell.

Reassuring - did it take long to arrive though? It appears to not have got out of Germany yet, having got as far as the parcel centre in Ebermannsdorf on the 14th.

That's what I've got incoming - did you get yours from Musikding, and how long did it take?

I've also bought a box of electronic parts which could be assembled into a HPF/LPF pedal, so doubly out. I trust that if it takes me till 2024 to complete either or both of these, they will still only count in the 2023 abstinence.

Well, I could get to try an Ibanez headless fretless.

I've bought two pieces of wood, five tuners, and a bridge, that if I ever assemble it would make a bass. That'll be me out then.

You have realised that the only true bass is a headless bass.

Relax by Frankie, so I can get a pint from the bar with my left hand.

I mostly play with fingers, but due to a slightly wonky right hand due to having a bone broken which has resulted in my index finger being slightly shortened and lowered relative to my middle finger, I use a pick for rapid successions of notes. I did try switching to mainly pick playing when I was in a Marillion tribute band, but went back to fingers when they decided to dispense with my services.