bass_dinger

You are right - I retired from work as I no longer enjoyed the stress of deadlines, nor did I enjoy working on my keyboard all day. To go back to that stress ( and to pay for it too!!) is not what I wish for. If I am ready in June, then I will do it. Otherwise, I will wait for the November exam.

I like the idea of whizzing through the grades, but only for my own personal pride. That's not a good reason for doing the grades quickly. I like even more the idea of establishing my technique and building a repertoire - which means playing more, and longer, at the grade that I am at. I really don't like the idea of @Hellzero's serious injury - so, moderation in all things for me. I will, however, make better use of my practice time - more focused on working on scales and pieces, and with a sense of urgency and pace.

I am currently working through the ABRSM piano grades, having previously played a two-manual Kawai electric organ in my teens (40, 45 years ago). I can read the treble clef on a keyboard, bass clef on a bass. Started formal piano lessons back in August 2024, learnt proper fingering techniques. I found it hard work, as everything was new to me. But in March 2025, I passed Grade 1 with a Distinction (136/150). So far, so good! Next, Grade 2. I was aiming for the November 2025 exam season, aware that I would be fully familiar with the pieces and scales by then, and probably will have learnt four or five Grade 2 pieces by then (so, more than the 3 required). However, my teacher is pushing / encouraging me to go for the exam in June 2025. That 10 weeks feels very soon - but, in reality it is how long I had to learn the Grade 1 pieces. So..... do I push myself to do the June exam, or take the November exam? My aim is to be able to play the piano (rather than collect certificates).

I had my eye on the Umc404hd (same basic specification, but four rather than two input channels, £2 more expensive - and out of stock everywhere). I would be interested to know how you are finding the 204, especially as a midi interface.

I am okay with a 3+2 headstock, but I love the quirkiness of a 2+3 headstock. Offer it as an option, for no other reason than making me happy.

Done

Two votes, @NickA - in the world of Early Music, that's practically enough interest to commission a book on the subject! I look forward to seeing your thread.

I did a quick search but didn't spot a bas de viol thread. Would you like to start one? I am interested to learn more about the instrument.

Pop into B&Q and pick up a few paint sample cards. The "white" names tend to lend themselves to acoustic folk bands, so Dulux white gives us Rock Salt, Timeless, Porcelain Doll, Summer Linen, Vintage Chandelier, Letters Unread, Feather Flock, Celtic Cream. Green is more varied. Try prog Rock band Sophisticated Sage, girl-punk-band Overtly Olive, Bardcore covers band Antique Map, High School band Valley Rock. The variety is very wide - and I am amused by the idea that there are people who are professional Paint Namers.

There's another, similar, thread on Talkbass, and my own luthier tells me that they are good basses - but Washburn does seem to have slipped under the radar, when people are considering older instruments. I have never tried a Japanese Washburn, but have instead stuck with one model, and one string layout (Bantam 5 strings). One of the advantages of the Washburn is that they are so obscure and rare, that it's nearly impossible to amass a collection, even if one wants to. Well done for rescuing the two that you have. Looking forward to seeing your B20, when you get a better photo.

I read about your clever solution, and did consider doing something similar, but in the end I went for a new neck. To do that: I found the original Washburn Custom Shop luthier in the USA. Sent out the old neck to him, so he can decide if it is repairable. £60 A new one was needed - $450 Post the neck back to the UK, $100 Pay tax, VAT, And I also wanted to prettify the headstock, and spent another £28 on an original Washburn Custom Shop headstock logo. £625 bought me a new neck. That's pretty much what the entire zebrawood XB925 cost me. Labour of love - because common sense would have made me sell the bits...

Yeah - a few years ago, I messaged you, to buy it from you, but it was already sold by the time I realised that I wanted an XB925. Dodgy necks seem to be a theme with some of the later custom shop Washburns - one of mine had a twisted neck, and I needed to have a new one made for it. However, reading about your Zebrawood XB925, and hearing your enthusiasm for the instrument, made me determined to get one - and when I ended up with two, I wanted to keep the broken one intact, regardless of cost. So, thank you for encouraging me to get some XB925s. That Washburn Family Snap is partially your doing, but I am very grateful!

I had the same problem - a missing saddle, from the B string. My luthier suggested that I could buy one from ebay (link below), and, as @verb says, there are different sizes. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325082459218?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=MTGobot6TTu&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=N6aXlrGTR5O&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Perhaps sit the replacement saddle on a blob of blue-tak, to keep it from dropping out? Edit: I too struggled to find a UK stockist, and could only find a Germany-based eBay seller.

That works, as a band name. Simple, familiar, quirky without being weird. And a brilliant band name when it comes to naming your albums! Sock it to me - the funk album. Pop Sock - an album of chart-friendly tunes. Sock for Christmas - the inevitable Christmas album. Lost Sock - the collection of rare B sides, demo tracks and live versions.

Three Day Week The Spangles. Whizzer and Chips Tracey Island My Little Nest of Vipers Raleigh Chopper Vinyl car seats. Am I getting warm?

This works very well, especially using two words/three syllables as the basis of the name. Not too sure about "Away Bass", but I liked Friend Clinic. Excellent work @Jean-Luc Pickguard.

Very good indeed. I was very pleased to see that there is tab accompanying the video, which means that the resource is player-ready. No bass on the track? Nowhere to hide for the bassist!

I am sure that someone out in the land of basschat.co.uk will have a genuinely broken or gutted pedal that they will otherwise throw away. Let's see if something turns up. Wow. What are the odds of that!? Definitely worth....er....tidying up that box of bits.

Or, perhaps, 6 identically-namec bands each with one gig, one in each of the 6 States.

"I've been searching through these seed catalogues for an hour now, and I still haven't found what I'm looking for. "

You must be "Inside". Me, I am stuck beside the coat table in the hallway. I'll send you a photo of me, to help you decide whether and how you want to greet me