Maude

Move on up - Curtis Mayfield

Well there's a coincidence, I was just about to post that I've always loved the bass tone, and how it sits, on The Cure's live Entreat album. I love the 'grindiness' of it. and possibly the best version of Disintegration recorded by them,

I am the resurrection - The Stone Roses

Pacific State (808 State)

Guitar man - Elvis Presley

Gary Gilmore's Eyes (The Adverts)

But do you like the Gretsch? 😉

Thanks 🙂. It popped up on Facebook only five minutes away for £69. I haven't played guitar for years but I just liked the look of it so grabbed it. It's nice and compact and plays far better than you'd expect, so much so I keep just picking it up and having a strum. The bowl back is very square like a traditional acoustic so it doesn't slip out of your lap like the rounded ones. It's not massively loud but I actually prefer that as I'll upset less people.

I've no idea. I bought this bass as my second proper bass twenty years ago, traded in a Yamaha Attitude Special for the BBG brand new. I had no idea what was what back then but just liked how it felt and wanted a five string. I've only just sold it as I haven't played a five for years but it was too nice to let go, but ultimately it'll never get played so it went.

Theory scuppered 😉. Here's my BBG5s. Sticker on back of headstock.

Mix 'n' match string sets a very common on doublebass and makes perfect sense really as some standard sets have a great E, A & D but the G sounds weak, whereas others have great sound top end but a muddy low end. Pick out the strings you like the sound of and make a mixed set. Folks even mix gut, or synthetic gut, and steel strings to get what they want. For some reason it just doesn't seem to be the done thing on electric bass.

I had a BBG5s which was active (with volume, bass, treble and pan controls) so maybe the 's' denotes active or not. No help to your original question though. 🙂

The Gretsch looks fantastic 👍. I came so close to buying one in GAK a few years back, it was hanging by the till and looked so cool, but I just couldn't justify buying it. It was a sensible decision but I regret it 😁. Enjoy 🙂.

I naturally tend to jig about a bit as I enjoy the music we play. After one gig I was told, "You've got all the Bruce Foxton moves going on", to which I'd still argue, if I could be bothered, that I haven't, but I can't, so I'll take it. I've even been known to bust out a bit of Northern Soul shuffling when we get to that part of the set. The jury's still out on whether it looks cool or just looks like I'm in dire need of a pee though.

About a month ago I picked up a black 'Melody' acoustic. Italian brand bought out by Eko and branded as Eko in the late 60s/early 70s, and then back to Melody in the early 80s until they ceased production in '89. It plays beautifully and has a surprisingly pleasing tone. The seller was told it was 60s but it's in just too good a condition to be 60s so I'm assuming it's an 80s one when the Melody brand was used again, although some oddball Eko's were sold as Melody's in the 70s. It's possible/likely that these were contracted to be built in the far east and some no name examples were produced and sold through other outlets. I'm also sure I've seen an Ovation with the three small holes under the strings and f holes, which this would obviously then be a copy of. A little about Melody guitars here, https://www.fetishguitars.com/castelfidardo-recanati/melody/