uk_lefty

It's hard to practice when your only free time is having a sh!t at work, and that's when smartphones buy basses all by themselves...

Well it gives time to learn the new material! I've been contacted by a band that needs a bassist, they play half the set of my existing band so my attitude was that learning the other half over the foreseeable wouldn't be too much of a task. Considering the state the pub trade will be in though I think after we are through all this there could be less paid gigs about, every penny counts for the landlords who will have shut for months, if they can even open again.

Ebay global shipping hub is a bit of mystery to me. I sold a bass to a chap in Belgium and he was very reasonable about it but ebay checked it in to their own depot then lost it for weeks! Eventually the bass got to the Buyer, everyone happy, but once bitten etc. Luckily the buyer wasn't a tool. He was very disappointed as he'd been after that bass for years and I was the first person selling one in the right condition at the right price but if it had got lost we would have both been miffed!

Who knows. The bass is good enough that I can let it slide. When the apocalypse is over and the government has finished printing money I'll pay the bargain 80 trillion pounds for one.

I've been watching 80s Lita Ford videos most of the day. For the music, of course. I mean working, I've been working...! Anyhow, that sir is an incredibly 80s bass and I LOVE it!! Well done

I just had a feeling that everyone was waiting for the little bouncy bass bit at the start so I had to bash something out! They're good kids, it was a nice warm up before my set immediately after. I maybe didn't help the tempo by playing shorter notes than I should have...

It's in the wrong octave but hey, if you know you aren't getting it 100% right why even try to get 90%?

Yes! I got asked to play it on a dep with naff all notice a few years back and I said OK if we miss the bass intro bit. They seemed to forget about it so I made something up there and then that seemed to pass... I am twice the age of the rest of the band, probably why I'm out of shot for the video! 😂

Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Not technically difficult but got to get the feel and timing right and remember the solo bits which one starts in where on the Fretboard. And hope the guitarist and drummer also get it right, or if we get anything wrong we all make the same mistake together!

That's a gorgeous collection

That's brilliant, thank you for the advice!

You're right. Looks like it needs some material underneath it.

I'm going to send an acoustic recording of me playing this to my band mates...

Anything at all! This isolation means that my kids make even more mess and need even more entertaining and looking after. My work has gone in to overdrive, mostly running around going "what do we do about this?!?!?!" so my free time to play bass has been even more limited than usual.

One more while I'm at it... This bridge is/ was brass. Its now tarnished and gunky. Any recommended products for removing the dusty gunkyness from it? Was hoping it could unscrew the bridge and dip it in some sort of cleaning fluid. That might be daft though...

It's been a while folks but the virus and other things, mainly me getting my finger out, has lead to me procuring a part that isn't expensive but I think I can't progress the neck repair and check of the electrics without it. So now I'm looking for someone who's been hands on with nuts... This was the only one I could get in the right size. Do I need to fit anything under the screws? All the slots appear to be the same width too... Any advice gratefully received!

I listened back to a gig I did almost exclusively with my first generation V7 Vintage 5er with maple board. Great sounding bass. Am really keen for another Sire, shouldn't have sold it. Luckily they look after lefties so well there's always loads around with loads of options.

I'm an Ernie Ball fan too. They do the classics like the Sterling and Stingray but then they push the boat out and dare to make something awesome like the Bongo.

I've by chance picked up a dep gig with a band nearby. I updated my band mix page with the intent of putting out an ad to form a new band but ended up being asked if I could join a covers band. They sent me a video and they're good! They have loads of gigs booked which I've been honest that I can't fulfil all of but if they don't find a permanent member I could dep. Their set is 50% what I play in my current band and 50% other stuff that I'm happy to learn while in lock down. If they find a permanent member no sweat I've just learned some new stuff, if they don't, I've got a load of dep gigs toward the end of the year playing some fun stuff. Now if only I had more time to play bass...

Believe me the black one with blocks looks nice... Yet I have FOUR basses on the go at the moment which is too many. The P is a joy to play, a really well made bass but the Stingray puts it in the shade completely. I have thought about adding a j pup to it to see if that satisfies me but I doubt it. I bet if I got a jazz though, with or without selling the P, I'd just be chasing something else like a headless Status or whatever...

Oh dear!

Part of my quandary. And I can't pretend that once my Aria SB Elite is fully restored and usable it is a P replacement because its not.

I'm not sure the neck is any slimmer, it certainly isn't a jazz neck. But it is the white body, rosewood board, black Pickguard "Sid Vicious" bass. When these were advertised they had USA electrics but mine has had a pup replacement. It sounds great with big heavy flats but the Stingray is really the leader of my pack now.

Yeah my P is an MIJ 1970 reissue. Alder body instead of basswood, hard to get hold of now but then again what's the point in just hoarding it? I'm thinking an Aerodyne jazz could be the way forward but they're going for nearly a grand in well-used condition where a few years back you'd get a new one for less than 600 imported so I can't get my head around it yet.

I need a pressure washer... I say need, my drive needs cleaning and occasionally a drain needs unblocking so I'd like one. If you're ever getting rid do let me know. I've got 2 kids in nursery next year. Got to work out if it's worth it for my wife to work at all!