tony_m

Just reading through other people's experiences, looks like I've been luckier than most. Over the past five years, I've been in a number of false-starts which never went anywhere. Then a local bunch, who've all been in umpteen bands before and most recently were playing as an electro-acoustic trio + drum machine, advertised for a percussionist to fill out their sound once things kicked off again post-lockdown. Having found a suitable candidate, they then decided to go down the full rhythm section route so added a bass player they knew from a previous band. Sadly, said bass player fell seriously ill and passed away in a matter of weeks, but the drummer knew me from one of my previous false-starts so put my name forward, and the rest is history. So far we've managed a few rehearsals including a bit of recording, and things are going well. Unfortunately the festival at which we were scheduled to make our debut got cancelled, and the only gig we've got booked so far isn't until March 2022, but hey-ho. At least we're having fun getting a couple of sets of country-blues-rock covers together. Best bit is, the drummer has converted an old chicken shed into a tidy rehearsal studio, so we're fully self-contained and independent of any other facilities and the associated costs etc. Now, if we could just get the timing of the break-down in "Guitar Town" sorted... 🤪

Really sorry to hear this. All the best for the future. 👍

Reckon the original ad will be long gone now as it was back in 2008 when I first joined BC, but my persistent nightmare is the Fender Japan '65 Jazz Reissue, Oly White with matching headstock, tort guard, dot and bound neck, which IIRC was being sold by somebody in Scotland, asking price £450. I really should have bought it, and to this day regret not doing so... 😭

Yep, The Real People supporting Ocean Colour Scene at Blackpool Empress Ballroom. Watched TRP, stayed for the first couple of numbers from OCS, then went to the pub to meet my mates and play cards.

Haha, sadly the Keith Ferguson Tribute Throw went to the Great Home Furnisher in The Sky a few years ago... 😞

I won't be letting my mid '90s MIJ '51 Precision Reissue go anywhere anytime soon. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary maybe, but it just has the look, the feel, and the sound for me...

Yeah, can't explain why, but it just didn't do it for me. 🤷‍♂️ Might have to revisit it I guess...

Another one I definitely don't remember for some reason! 🤔

I'm one of those weirdos who actually likes "Another Perfect Day" (saw the Robbo line-up just the once, at Preston Guildhall), and ultimately stuck with 'em through every album and tour up to "Rock 'n Roll". "1916" just didn't do it for me ("Going To Brazil" aside), and that was the end of my Motorhead obsession. But yeah, hard to believe the "Originals" are all gone (plus Wurzel, of course).

My distinct memories of the Norbreck include Def Leppard, Saxon, Iron Maiden (with Di'Anno), Samson, Angelwitch, Witchfynde, Vardis, Magnum, Tygers of Pan Tang, Girlschool, White Spirit, Praying Mantis, Mythra, and Law (aka Blizzard of Ozz's not-so-secret warm-up gig), but I'm sure there must have been umpteen more whose names are now lost in the mists of time and my memory. I somehow missed seeing Budgie, Diamond Head and Limelight there, though did see Limelight at JR's (supported by local band Stallion IIRC). Happy days...

As far as I'm aware, the Sonic Blue + white scratchplate version of the Classic Vibe 60s Precision appeared first, and had the bridge cover fitted as standard. This was followed by the Fiesta Red + tort version, which didn't come with a bridge cover. I really fancied a Sonic Blue one, but by the time I'd decided to get one, none were available new, and everybody who had one wasn't selling them - I eventually picked up a 2010 Fiesta Red one on here, not my first choice of colour admittedly but with the added bonus of a Wizard Thumper pickup, which had been completely unmentioned in the ad! 😁 The original Sonic Blue and Fiesta Red models were both made in China - I believe the later Oly White and 3TS versions were made in Indonesia rather than China, no idea how they match up against the "originals".

All locked-up on the Skegness Riviera... 😎

May be of interest to any Spacemen3 / Spiritualized / Spectrum / Brian Jonestown Massacre / Dead Skeletons (and many more) fans, or people who like Gibson Thunderbirds. Will Carruthers has (finally) decided to sell the 1976 Thunderbird he used recording and touring with the above. Further details here... http://willcarruthers.squarespace.com/blog/2020/11/7/storied-gibson-thunderbird-bass-for-sale-one-careless-owner

Ah, thanks for the explanation - the only time I saw Hawkwind live was sometime in the early 80s (Preston Guildhall), and to be honest the only things I can remember are the lights and the labcoats, but never understood the latter!!! Just for the record, I'd probably have fit more in the leather (and denim) camp... 😎

The decal looked odd to me too, but the other examples I've found (both in Australia) appear to have the same style decal / finish on the headstock... 🤔

And another example here... https://stringswitchnoise.com.au/fender-jazz-bass-special-p-j-vintage-white-1984-vintage/

I'm no expert (I'm sure one will be along shortly!), but FWIW there's a similar instrument for sale in Australia on Reverb, and that has the same style tuners. https://reverb.com/item/7741620-1987-fender-japan-pj-455-precision-jazz-bass-special-mij-black-w-gigbag

Shortly after I joined Basschat in 2008, somebody was offering a white 65RI like that for sale. To this day, I'm still kicking myself for not buying it... 😢

That late, huh... 😳

Bit late to the party as usual, but I'm in! 👍

Should be just the thing for that first gig back at the Dog & Duck... http://www.guitarworld.com/amp/news/rolling-stones-bassist-bill-wymans-colossal-steel-wheels-bass-amp-rig-goes-up-for-auction More Wyman stuff up for auction here too... https://www.juliensauctions.com/about-auction?id=322

Sounds like we were at all the same gigs!!! And even after seeing Motorhead umpteen times (at least once on every tour from 1979 to 1984, plus odd gigs since), I still reckon Magnum at the Norbreck was the loudest gig I've ever attended... 🤯

Hah, I was just going to post about the Blizzard of Ozz warm-up at the Norbreck, but then saw you'd beaten me to it! Ditto the NWoBHM bands we saw there who then went on to bigger things (Iron Maiden with Di'Anno, Def Leppard, Saxon), and the ones who didn't quite make it but are still going, or have been and gone and come back again (eg Angel Witch, Vardis and Witchfynde). Oh, and Hanoi Rocks at the Bierkeller on the Prom. Happy, heady days... 😎

From the Lull FB page... https://www.facebook.com/mikelullcustomguitars/photos/a.194917233922362/2784997114914348/?type=3&theater

Yeah, my feelings exactly, on both counts! 😁