Jean-Luc Pickguard

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

The only ones I can confirm are definitely genuine are Abraham Lincoln, Samuel Pepys, Glenn Miller, Jesus, and Paddington Bear

I've used routenote for some releases - similar to the other aggregators but they have a tier with no upfront costs.

I use my 4003 to record via the rick-o-sound output onto two tracks in logic so i can process each pickup separately, but with no variation in the performance. I use EB cobalt flats — the 40-60-70-95 set. It can be made to sound huge in the mix and I can fine-tune the amount of clank in the mix. I'm pleased I went for a 4003 rather than a 4003s - this technique has made the ric my favourite bass to record with, even if it has not dethroned my JMJ mustangs for gigs.

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us — Sparks

Albert Flasher — The Guess Who

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat — Charles Mingus

Bed Spring Blues — Blind Lemon Jefferson

You're right Lozz, the JMJs are supplied new with fender long scale stainless flats, however I'm led to believe that the cobalts are more fragile than steels and might not survive the winding going around the string post. Maybe if any of the sets I have on a thunderbird gets a bit dead sounding, I'll experiment with that set — I wouldn't want to risk it with a new set though. I've just remembered I have a set of 30" Cobalt flats which should fit my Sienna sunburst PJ mustang as the body isn't string-thru, so I can see how they sound on that bass.

Naked As We Came — Iron & Wine

Coffee Grindin' Blues — Lucille Bogan

I really like the lightest set 40-60-70-95 (blue on the packaging) of EB cobalt flats on my three epiphone vintage pro thunderbirds so it was a no-brainer to sling a set onto my Gibson non-reverse thunderbird. When I bought my Ric 4003 they were also an obvious choice, and they don't disappoint — they really bring out the twang of the bridge pickup and contribute to the 4003 currently being my favourite bass for recording. I'd love to try a 32" set on one of my JMJ mustangs if EB ever decide to make such a set.

The Hardest Fart — Coldplay (unfortunately recordings do exist of coldplay)

Titties & Beer — Frank Zappa

In The Subway — The 5,6,7,8's

The Clap — Frank Zappa

Only Women Bleed — Alice Cooper

That's a bit of a bargain. I though I got a bargain recently with a Mex Fender replacement neck from amazon at over five times this price. If only the Sire headstock wasn't such a munter.

In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) — Zager & Evans

These only work with tuners that have screw-in bushings as opposed to push-in bushings don't they? I'd probably try one if I had a bass thay'd work with, but I believe the issue they fix can also be resolved by leaving the cut string long enough to ensure that the number of winds around the post is sufficient to push the last wind as close to the wood of the headstock as possible.

I can see the point of a new mix/master if tracks were mastered for vinyl and the remastering improves how it sounds keeping the vibe of the original. For me, the PF's Animals '18 remix sounds more detailed as if it was painted with smaller brush strokes. Nothing has been made too prominent at the expense of anything else, but the '25 RL Trouble master sounds like every instrument is trying to be more upfront than everything else making it sound cluttered and fatiguing to listen to. One album that genuinely baffles me though is the stooges' raw power. I have a few versions of this album and all sound a bit like they were mixed/mastered by someone with cotton wool in their ears. The original mix sounds like there's a blanket over the speakers, the 1997 mix sounds like its being played too loud through speakers with ripped cones, and there's a 'legacy' version which sounds like the guitars are in another room with the door closed.

Just tried listening to the new 20th anniverary remaster (was it really released that long ago?) of Trouble by Ray Lamontagne. The only way I can describe it compared to the original CD is that if it was a photo, it has had the colour saturation turned up to make it resemble a cartoon version of the original with all the instruments clumsily fighting for attention. Some things should be left alone. Its not that I don't like change — I really like the 2018 remix of Pink Floyd's Animals which is a joy to listen to.