Jean-Luc Pickguard

Thanks Al!

I built a sunburst bitzer fretless precision over twenty years ago, using decent parts. Over the years I have tweaked it slightly, changing the bridge, pickguard etc. As I don’t really need a fretless, I recently bought a Fender precision to jazz bass conversion neck for it, and already had a set of hipshot tuners to fit the neck in my bits box. whilst it was at the gallery having the nut cut, I ordered an EMG GZR pickup, aged pearl pickguard, a pair of lovely callaghan knobs, a fender thumb rest and a set of cobalt flats for it. I fitted these parts yesterday and now it is like having a new bass. I then realised the only parts that remained from the bass I built all those years ago were the body and ‘F’ neck plate. I quite fancy buying a black painted body for it, and it struck me that if I did I would be able to rebuild the fretless from all the spare parts I now have — I’d just have to find another neck plate in my bits box. Then I could start the cycle again. Is this the perfect way to bring a new bass into the house without alerting the other half?

Mass Of A Graviton — Izabella Khalo

Yes (no pun intended),I read Trev's autobiography. The Yes/buggles connection came through them having the same management.

Poor Old Steve Howe looks like he turned up for the wrong gig but they let him play anyway.

A Good Year For The Roses — Elvis Costello

The bit with no red under the pickguard isn't faded, the red never used to be sprayed in that area as it wouldn't be seen.

Whole Lottery Rosie — AC/DC

I was intending to add a vocal to my track, however on re-reading the lyrics I decided it was better left as an instrumental. Drums, percussion, electric piano, & twinkly sound are from Logic Pro as are all amps and FX, B3 is my Yamaha Reface YC, Bass is my Ric 4003 recorded onto two tracks via the ric-o-sound output.

I probably answered this already, but mine are First Bass: 'yamato' Jazz bass copy (£75 from Soho Soundhouse in 1979) Go to bass: Fender JMJ Mustang bass (I liked my first one so much I bought another two of 'em) 'Your' bass: At the moment my 2024 Rickenbacker 4003 — I've been having a lot of fun recording using the ric-o-sound output to put each pickup on a separate track.

I swear by Grolsch-type rubber washers and the various versions made in other colours by Fender, Ernie Ball etc.

No, just a stereo plug into the ric-o-sound output to a stereo socket into which I plug the transmitter of the Lekato WS Stereo wireless.

I've not used ground/pressure wounds as far as I remember, but Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats are way brighter than D'addario Chromes, and they stay bright. Maybe not as bright as fresh rounds, but certainly a lot more so than all the other flats I've used. I love 'em and so do my 4003 & thunderbirds. I have not tried them on a precision yet, but I have a set on order ready for when I get my bitzer back this week from the gallery where it is having some work done.

I have now fitted a nice chrome 'spaghetti' Fender logo which I made using my cricut machine.

Krafty Cheese — The Residents

I like Johnny Cash's original, but I also like Slim Harpo's take on Folsom Prison Blues

Smear Body – Nitzer Ebb

Less expensive squier instruments, such as the mini precision bass and older affinity series, have a very plain looking black silk-screened logo. I have discovered that this logo is very easy to remove using a little acetone (aka nail polish remover) on a piece of kitchen towel. My Mini-P took about five minutes to debadge and is now ready for a custom decal which I will attempt to make later today.

Sharttered — The Rolling Stones

This is very much like a similar cable I put together, but using stereo components to enable me to mount a stereo wireless unit on the strap when using my 4003's rick-o-sound output.

Cut Off My Right Arm — Johnny Copeland Listen out for an absolute honker of a bumnote on the bass at 1:19

I had an unlined fretless precision bitzer which I build over 20 years ago. The neck was really nice with a dark ebony board, however I never really took to fretless and I have not played it for a long time. A few weeks ago I fitted a Fender fretted neck to it and it is currently at the Gallery having the nut cut. The fretless neck is now packed away safely in a Fender neck box while I decide what to do with it.

I put together an unlined fretless precision bass bitzer about 25ish years ago. I used top quality parts, but none made by Fender apart from an ‘F’ neck plate. I did however put a 70s style Fender decal on the headstock as I like the aesthetic — there has never been any intention for me to to sell this bass. A couple of weeks ago, after not having played this bass for a long time — due to losing interest in playing fretless, I gave it a neck transplant using a (fretted) Fender Precision to Jazz bass conversion neck (just a jazz neck with a precision decal) It has also acquired a Fender hi-mass bridge. The bass now has a Fender serial number, so is it now a Fender bass or is it still a fake?

Whiskey In My Whiskey — The Felice Brothers

Christ Hamster — Melvins