Maude

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/

I have no problem with such things, if they serve a purpose, and look good as well, then what's not to like? I think yours look good. I'm sad enough to have put the pearl block stickers on one of my basses, but I like them and they're only stickers. They've been there long enough to have started wearing where my fingers touch.

yet there's no accompanying picture to drool over. Hopes raised and dashed in one swift post. 😉

That looked like something that could become catastrophic quite quickly. Nice work. 👍

Maybe you were but @madshadowskept that part secret. 🤔 😁

An absolute beauty, I love it 👍. One thing to be aware of as it's a bit heavier than a single longhorn is that those strap buttons are tapered plastic ones, knocked into a hole in the wooden frame. They have a reputation for working loose so keep an eye on them with the extra weight. The little wooden saddle is also only fixed in the middle, screwed from under bridge, in a longitudinal slot. It will move backwards and forwards, and pivot to allow for the best intonation achievable with a single saddle.

@Rich I'm sure I've got some black ferrules I don't need. PM your address and I'll pop them in the post.

One accidentally pressed button on the desk and this band are finished.

Finally getting her comeuppance for the carnage she caused in the Study with the lead pipe. About bloody time!

I keep a pack of cocktail sticks in my guitar/bass refurb tool kit for just this reason. I'll only use them if I feel the screw isn't going to tighten up nicely though. Also, cocktail sticks are usually hardwood where as matches are softwood so screws will tighten more securely in cocktail sticks.

I actually feel quite angry when I think back to my comprehensive school music lessons. From a young age I was passionate about music but those lessons managed to extinguish any smouldering fire I had burning inside me to actually learn how to create music. The teacher tried his hardest to belittle any music I liked and flatly refused that any of it was worthy of any musical merit. Well you can stick that guiro up your 'arris you pompous shite! It wasn't until a few years after I left school that I taught myself to play.

It doesn't state 'pain free', that's what's not to like! Have you tried vigorously clacking them together. 😄

I had a set on my main gigging bass for while, loved the tone but ultimately there were too low tension for me. I've got them in a drawer and they'll probably go on my fretless P when it's finished as I play fretless with a lighter touch. Great sounding strings 👍.

As for body mods there's not a massive amount you can do without drastically altering things, which IMO there's no need to. This is my 90s reissue, Stripped and lacquered neck, removed side tape and applied silver sparkle with black edging, refinished in mint green, reshaped thumbrest in matching mint green, custom mirror scratchplate and black rather than brown lower control knob (I left the top one yellowed white to match the tuners and strap buttons.

Thankfully you didn't say "which cheeks?"

David Konig (Retrovibe) has just posted his new Rickencaster Telebacker on Facebook. It's a one off but apparently he'll be marketing further ones. I have to say I like it a lot. https://www.facebook.com/groups/78514186083/permalink/10158238637951084/

It's all tongue in cheek you understand. 👍

I've been in a Mod/Northern Soul/Ska band for the last four years and The Jam usually feature quite heavily. Pretty much the entire pool of songs we compile setlists from is bass heaven. Some great basslines around in the 70s/80s mod revival period.

The body is basically a wooden frame with a hardboard panel top and bottom, but Danelectro call it Masonite.

You can get a bridge upgrade with adjustable saddles for intonation, should find one on ebay but they're not cheap. I have a 90s reissue and the pickups and wiring are fine, great actually. I don't know if the Dead On 58 pickups are different but before you replace them try wiring them in series, a seriously punchy improvement. If the control pots are the same as the 90s reissue then standard 6mm or 1/4" knobs won't fit, the shaft is smaller, also the lower knob fitting is different to standard stacked pots, they're more like an old radio knob fitment. If you fit new standard stacked pots then you can obviously fit any knobs you like.

😄

These have been around for years, Nirvana wrote a song about one. 🤫😉

I've used the Ammoon one with active and passive basses with no issues, apart from the latency which apparently I shouldn't be able to detect but I can, and it bugs me.

Yep, that's exactly what I mean. But I've paid my penance for disliking some popular basses by liking, and buying, some god awful shite. 😁