Maude

I've found that effects really seem to to just work on the Eastwood Hooky 6, and probably all bass vi's. I don't know why but there's something more appealing with an effect on the Eastwood than on a regular bass. With that in mind, and the tighter string spacing to make using one easier, the thought of an Ebow came to mind. I went to see how much they were now and had a shock, £100. Then I found that a few companies were making similar effects now. Joyo do a very similar copy for around £70, and TC Electronic make one in a different design and Gear4music were doing them for £25. One is on the way. As an aside, while I was there I saw the Eden Glow Plug tube warmer was only £50 so bagged one of them to try as well.

I was on Gear4music's website looking for something else and saw the Eden glow plug was only £50. I wasn't looking for anything like this really but I think it will be be a really handy pedal to take to practices where I'm not taking my rig, just a bass and this pedal in the pocket. It's meant to give some valve warmth back to solid state and class D amps. Contains a 12ax7 valve. Watched a few reviews and liked what I heard so ordered one. At that price it'd be rude not to, right? 😉 I'll report back when it arrives. G4M linky

Moley Crue

Seems odd but I'm not doubting it. Maybe they don't like wood or the slightly tacky nature of not fully cured wood finishes. I've never had that issue in the automotive world.

What a lovely piece of wood. I like big, wide grain like that.

Excellent write up as always @Andyjr1515, and it always amazes me the finish you can achieve without 'professional', so to speak, finishing equipment. Have you tried using tackcloths for dust control? Starchem ones are pretty good, and cheap. Should be able to get a ten pack for a fiver or 50 for around £15. You can use them over and over if there's little contamination, just pop it in an air tight bag ready for next time.

No problem. But isn't the 350 J pickup'd? Or is there a sneaky P conversion going on that we need to see? Or I'm an idiot who's got his models muddled, which is probably most likely. 😁

Do you mean the oversized rounded ones on the newer range rather than the older style squarer type? I'm assuming this one. If so, no problem. PM me your address and I'll post it off over the weekend.

I'm Cold - The Cure

I made the cheeky bid mistake. Well it was more of a placeholder actually. There was an amp I was after on ebay. It was an auction but had a buy it now as well. I put the starting bid in to get rid of the buy it now option, I could then decide if it was feasible to arrange collection or a courier. No bother if I decided I didn't want it as it would obviously sell for way more than the starting bid. It didn't! Courier was too pricey as it was a head unit and a pair of cabs, so I ended up driving from Cornwall up to Belper in Derbyshire between Christmas and New year in the snow. Due to weather/road conditions and a toilet break each way it was over a thirteen hour round trip. 😂

Yep, 1mm. But why do they have to be black. You put it down for a second... gone! I used to use the .73 years ago when I was predominantly a pick player. I might try one again.

There's an update in the thread.

Finally, a bit of of bleedin' progress 😁. After shamefully ignoring this for a while, persistent quizzing by @andy67has guilt tripped me into making a bit of more of an effort. This was all your fault to start with anyway. 😂 I'm joking of course, but thanks for the nudge, I need it sometimes. Well the issue was that the contrasting end grain woods in the body sides would look terrible if the back and sides were just stained. It would be far easier to just go for a solid colour for the back and sides, but I wanted the wood grain on the back to be visible. Lots of scenarios to run through, not least was I going light or dark wood. Although I liked the light colour in the previous pictures my original plan was dark wood. I'm sticking with dark because the pink sparkle is a lot darker in real life and the darker wood goes better with it I feel. The sparkle is rose gold and has more gold/brown tones to it than silver, which would work better with a light coloured back. If you imagine bright silvery pink with white and chrome, compared to darker coppery pink with brown and gold. I masked the back with foam about 5-10mm in from the the edge to allow me to prime the sides and slightly onto the back to cover the different grains on the sides and the edge of the back piece. The foam tape gives a softer edge to the primer so as not to get a step. I used black primer as that should work best with what I have decided to do. I'll stain the back wood to a colour I like and then spray a sunburst effect with a paint that matches the stain, then lacquer it all in. Foam masking and primer. Once demasked I gently sprayed a slight sunburst with the primer to further soften the primer edge. The easiest thing to do now would be just black ink to stain the back and lacquer it but the black is a bit harsh for what I want. A dark brown just works better. Primer flatted and ready for stain. I'm using calligraphy ink, @Andyjr1515's recommendation which I really like using as you can re-wet them and work and blend them, even remove them to a degree. This had a wipe of sepia ink a while ago but it was very brown with no gold tones to it, so was wiped off with a wet cloth, which has left it slightly darkened. Below is around a 50/50 mix of sepia and yellow ochre. The wierd patch is a mix sunlight and the ink drying. Then a wipe over with just the sepia. It has a more golden hue in the flesh. I did toy with the idea of rather than trying to paint the sides to match the back, doing them a different colour like bronze but I think it would start to look tacky if there's too much going on. Next step, match the sides. 🙂👍

Don't know, it's only ever been used for The Foundations.

Embarrassingly, no. I might actually make a concerted effort to do some on it tomorrow as I have an unexpected day off. I'm still just not sure what I want to do with the back of it. I don't just want to do the easiest thing and then regret it.

Incoming! Not in my sticky mitts yet but soon will be. An '85 BB1100S fretless. (Sellers pictures) Very kindly @Len_derbyoffered to go out of his way and collect it for me from Coalville. He's heading down my way(ish) in a weeks time so I'll drive up and meet him. Can't wait. 😁

He has! He did them last weekend. 😂

Ray Spex, or X-ray Sex

Ting New Oder (I know it's spelt wrong but it sounds good/bad) Ex Pistols The Damed The Lash

Tube it is then if you've already got some. I do like the idea of an old crate/cage being a cab. Definitely do a little build thread if/when you build it. 🙂👍

If weight isn't an issue then go for solid bars if you're worried about them being hollow, I can't imagine hollow would cause a problem though. Solid bars are quite possibly cheaper than pipe due to being less involved to make.

The nut looks to be wider than most on the Musicvox, it might not be but the neck doesn't appear to taper hardly at all. I'd imagine that would make it harder to play if the three stings in each course are spaced wider.

The string courses are reversed from most 12s aren't they? It's hard to tell in the photo but it looks like Eee rather than eeE.

Right, last attempt.😁 Cut the top of the headstock off just above the tuners, glue on a pair of triangles and cover the entire face with a black pickguard to get the Hamer headstock shape. Cut both body wings off to leave a cricket bat style bass, glue two new oversize wings on and shape to a Hamer(ish) shape but with enough top horn to balance. The important central part of the Musicvox with all the hardware will be completely unchanged.