Kiwi

Going to be a bit of a walk for me this year.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1453393813' post='2959113'] As for the Caprice and Cutlass basses[/quote] Don't understand the logic behind using the Cutlass name when it already has a legendary reputation. Part of me is wondering whether its a fairly cynical attempt to take advantage of existing search engine rankings.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1452767762' post='2953186'] The BBNE2 is a fantastic bass - you should go for it. I deeply miss mine. The only thing on it is the BB EAST inscription on the 12th fret... unlike other signatures which have a cheesy signature on the headstock. [/quote] Yeah, I may keep an eye out for one in Japan where they're reasonably priced and get it shipped over to China once I have some spare cash. Until now, the Spector has been doing a pretty good job of filling that gap.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1452607902' post='2951553'] I'd have thought Chris Wolstenholme has been responsible for a few sales - although not sure if they would be of endorsement/signature items. [/quote] He's certainly responsible for the prices of second hand Deep Impact pedals... Endorsements definitely help shift product, no question about it. Especially for a brand that wants to establish it's credibility to a particular niche market. I've been reluctant to get a Yammie BBNEII even though they're cracking basses because of the Nathan East connection. The degree to which endorsements help varies greatly too I suspect...depending on the cult appeal of a particular bass player. King, Sheehan, Hamm, Entwhistle, Clarke, Miller etc. have all benefitted to a greater or lesser degree. But if the musician really likes the product, the claims in favour of the product aren't based on smoke and mirrors, and the player stays loyal then I don't see the problem. There are still some sales pitches out there which are bullshit, endorsement or not but the only way to tell is to play.

[quote name='bassguitarshow' timestamp='1452089910' post='2946262'] So we have three AWESOME announcements to make in three days - this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. [/quote] Unfortunately, it won't be me owing to yet another geographic displacement. Maybe next year...maybe not.

Feature wise some hits and misses for me. I like the eq curves but don't use overdrive and if it's going to feature two preamps, I still think it needs two individually controlled inputs. Not enough to make me give up the Shuttle 6.0's yet. They got it right first time IMHO.

He's a very nice chap and...pragmatic (a requirement in the music biz). I'm also a MK fan - he was a major influence in the early 90's. But the obsessive, sychophatnic, cultish L42 fanbois are just creepy.

Maybe there will be a bassbash on around that time.

Gospel players have been my inspiration for a few years ever since I saw Sharay Reed's first video.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1449580205' post='2924797'] Oh, I'm quite partial to a bit of parpy fretless. Which songs in particular exhibit this, please? [/quote] Dry Cleaner from Des Moines Jaco was a bit erratic at times but there's no denying how far he pushed musical boundaries. At the time, his technical facility and musical sensitivities (eg. Portrait of Tracey...or pretty much any track from Mingus) just made jaws drop. It's too easy to dismiss him now given how far others have followed in his foot steps.

Yes and they are sisters. CB is Ringos sister in law.

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1449237991' post='2921855'] Didn't know that Barbara's sister is married to Joe Walsh. Could make for some interesting xmas get togethers. [/quote] Do you mean Daisy Duke?

Any autographs?

My current rig is the best I've ever had. Articulate, clean, powerful and compact. Before then, the GK RB700 combo was the first gigging amp I ever owned that left me feeling impressed...apart from the rubber wheel tread breaking and falling off and the weight.

I like how it sounds. I'd buy one.

Me too - in fact the more functions I can cover with hardware, the easier it is for the computer. I think software based solutions are convenient but they also become redundant after a couple of years.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1448997478' post='2919971'] Arrgh. I've been trying to forget he exists, and was doing very nicely right up until a few moments ago. So, ta [/quote] Sounds like The Game.

There was one I had to endure before my band went on where clearly the song was all about catharsis. But his tortured performance style was an unfortunate mix of abusive acoustic guitar, anguished wailing and tortured posturing. The overall visual effect was something along the lines of a 6ft tall weasel repeatedly and intensely failing to climax by copulating with the space immediately in front of him...for 4 and a half minutes.

No name acts that stand out as bad for me but there a few amateur nights with solo singer songwriters that I'll never recover from. Surprised noone's mentioned Pete Doherty yet

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1448908051' post='2919104'] I'm not normally a fan of relicing (is that even a word? ), but that looks really rather good. Any numbers to go with it - time it took, cost, etc. From the text I'm guessing that the parts were sourced very specifically for this instrument...? [/quote] The build took about 6 weeks and the quoted cost was £650 but I supplied the sperzels and the pickguard so he knocked £30 off. He makes each instrument to order so yes parts were sourced specifically for this instrument. [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1448967129' post='2919594'] Nice tribute! Have you managed to source a genuine chrome plated brass pick guard? The only reason why I ask, is that they are aren't readily available... [/quote] It was a genuine chrome plated brass pickguard made by Kahler but sold as NOS by a guitar salvage guy on Ebay for £45. I didn't think much of it at the time but it sounds like I might have been super lucky? Al has someone who can make them for £60 each.

A couple of months ago I dropped Alan Knight a line and asked if he might be interested in making a replica...sorry, a TRIBUTE to Nile Rodger's original hitmaker guitar. You know, the white one that he's never seen without these days...? It's got an interesting story behind it - started off as sunburst '59 with a rosewood fingerboard and over the years it turned into Triggers Broom with changes that included an Oly white refin and maple fingerboard neck off a 60 strat, the plastic pickguard was replaced with a chrome plated brass job to screen EM interference, the Klusons were replaced with Sperzels for faster restrings and the top hat knobs replaced with Gibson Speed knobs. The wood for the body was from a batch of alder that Fender bought very cheaply in a remote location only to discover later that the cost of shipping was way more than anticipated. Apparently Leo instructed the mill to saw the body blanks slightly thinner than normal so that they'd get more bodies out of the shipment and cover their losses. Apparently these bodies were being used on instruments up to 1962 at least. Anyways, here's the one Al made. [attachment=206273:DSC03457.JPG] The attention to production details is very impressive. He made the body from scratch and I think the neck was licensed Fender as the profile is classic and chunky. The pickups come from a Russian supplier who can do vintage recreations at very reasonable prices. To finish, I put a Fender decal logo on it and added a few more key fob dents, scrapes and scratches. I'll stain the exposed wood a little to dirty it up in places too. [attachment=206274:DSC03464.JPG] Al mentioned that on the real one, the Fender part of the decal sits further from the headstock edge. However, on the custom shop Hitmakers, the logo is inline as on all the other Fenders. So if anyone ever needed a way to tell whether Mr Rodgers was playing the real thing on stage, this is how! Hitmaker OEM: Hitmaker CS: Sound wise, I didn't have high expectations but was stunned by how close it sounds to the records. Fender's custom shop reckoned the scratch plate changed the inductance on the original so it sounded mellower and slightly less spanky. I think the same has happened on this instrument too. There's a very distinctive chime to the muted notes which has been captured brilliantly. Really happy with how things turned out and Al's prices were extremely reasonable.

[quote name='Skezza' timestamp='1444040067' post='2879604'] 60s champ 70s vibro cahmp 60s vibrochamp superchamp x3 princeton reverb 2 deluxe reverb 2 30 75 x2 pro reverb twin reverb I now have a silverface delux reverb [/quote] How many of those amps had valve rectifiers?