Maude

Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top

Pug In Baby - Muse

I Wanna Be Your Dog - Iggy & The Stooges

Gay Bar - Electric Six

Out In LA - RHCP

I was holding off posting that as it didn't seem in keeping with the thread. But you have, so thanks 🙂. I first heard it on an album of covers I bought as a teenager called 'We Do 'Em Our Way'. I always loved that album as it had a cover of 'Friday On My Mind' by a local band called The Golant Pistons. They were kind of the Sawmill Studios house band, if you could call them that, fronted by the glorious Al Hodge. A tale I remember, which I hope is true, it that a band were recording at Sawmill Studios, which is only accessible by boat, and needed a really good guitar solo. The engineer suddenly decided to get Al Hodge to do it, and as luck would have it he was in the pub in the nearest village, Golant. After staggering down the railway track to the studio, the quickest way of getting there on foot, he arrived well inebriated with his guitar in a black bin bag. He pulled the guitar out and layed down a blistering solo. He then put his guitar back in the bin bag and staggered out without saying a word. Big enough thread derail? As you were. 😁

For a bass (or guitar) body I can see epoxy helping. The white areas of this slab are very soft compared to the darker areas. Not soft enough to be an issue for my needs but I don't think I'd trust a bridge or neck screwed into it. The dark areas, on the other hand, are rock hard.

Lady Maude is happy with it, so I'm happy with it. 😉

Surprise! Your Dead! - Faith No More

I Am The Sea - The Who

I'd Rather Go Blind - Etta James

See Her Pee - NOFX

Well, after a couple of tests of oil and ink, in the end it turns out that just plain old polyurethane lacquer brings out a nice amount of colour in the wood. I have lots of solvent PU lacquer here so didn't want to have to buy in any water based lacquer, and the worry of an oil finish softening PU if not thoroughly dry wasn't worth the agro. Slightly darker would be nice but indoors it appears darker and time will play a part. 'In the flesh' different angles bring out different grain. It needs a good few more coats of clear and a polish but it'll be lovely. Thanks for all advice offered, and about wood in general. Now back to those builds everyone. 😁.

D'ya know, it almost sounds too good to be true!? 😁

She Hates Me - Puddle of Mudd

Unfinished? Well why'd you put it out then?

I Hear You Knocking - Dave Edmunds

I'd also add that worrying about what brand a faker is is fairly pointless. Where it was built is more important. Modern Chickenbackers are obviously Chinese, and generally all use the same hardware, bodyshape and wrong scale length. The neck profiles all tend to be massive as well. The older (better) ones are generally Japanese, there are a couple of other locations as well. With these the factory that made it is the important factor, any brand is just applied to it afterwards by the importer or company that ordered that batch. The early 70s faker I posted above is an Aria, but as I bought it without a trussrod cover, it may as well be any of the other 'brands' that were sourced from the Matsumoku factory. The most important factor in perceived quality is that it's a Matsumoku, not an Aria. For instance I recently bought a Gibson Ripper copy branded Kimbara. After some digging it appears that there is a Shaftsbury and Kimbara Ripper, both built in the Matsumoku factory. If my Kimbara had been imported by Rose-Morris then it would have been a Shaftsbury, but it was imported by FCN Music so it's a Kimbara. Both the same bass.

I was about to say the obvious Chickenbacker giveaway is the Cuban neck heel. You can change the hardware but that monstrosity is there to stay.

Whirlwind - New Model Army

Skinny Sweaty Man - RHCP

"Innkeeper. MORE LIQUOR!" 😂😂😂

My tailpiece was lifting so I put two countersunk screws through it. The tailpiece was lifting and is corroded/pitted anyway, and I use 50/105 half round strings so can't have it lifting anymore. It's a player and needs to suit me or it's pointless.

I feel the same every day... ... for about five minutes just after I wake up. Once the disorientating "Where am I, what day is it?" feeling wears off it's business as usual.

Similarly there's a certain bass in The Bass Gallery I have absolutely fallen for, but it's way overpriced. Stupidly I don't even want to highlight it here in case someone does buy it. The bank card is at the ready and I'm about to start drinking. 😁