Norris

I used micromesh pads, cut them into strips as thin as I needed with scissors and didn't worry too much about sanding across the grain. It would have been nigh on impossible otherwise. Then a good polish with Meguillar's ultimate compound (T-cut would probably work just as well) and I have a nice shiny fretboard. It's not a bass though, which is why there's no build thread on here

I might just have to take my 1980 SB-1000 out one of these nights. I've never gigged it since it was refinished a year or two ago. It was my only bass for about 10 years, so it did a few gigs back in the day

42 gigs, all with the same covers trio, ages 51-66, usually £300 per gig

That sounds spot on @HowieBass. A fret dress and setup will help get the action lower

The last chord of the song

It suits some basses... I thought the original chrome tuners looked out of place with the brass nut and bridge so went for gold when I had it refinished. The old chrome tuners were really manky and pitted anyway, so refitting them wasn't an option

It will have paid for the repair after 2 or 3 gigs. Think of it in those terms and get it booked in!

Fabulous

We have a very varied list of songs, which comes from years of playing in various different bands. We usually describe ourselves as 70s pop, rock and prog. But then we'll play stuff from the 50s to 80s, occasionally dragging out the "sick list" (yes we call it that) if the occasion demands - think 10 Guitars, Come on over to my place, Sweet Caroline, etc. As you're starting out it might be worth considering some sort of theme tailored to your singer. Over time you can stretch it a bit. For covers try to stick to songs people know but that are not played by every other band around. They don't all have to be number 1s though. Natural turnover of songs will keep the ones that you do well and discard the ones that don't work so well

Lovely work and some beautiful attention to detail that takes it to another level!

Which spark plugs are best for a metal engine?

A reasonable controller will have 512 channels, which is more than you'll need but will support pretty much any light you might want to add in the future. Chances are you'll want several lights assigned to the same channel anyway so they are synchronised. Each light will need a certain number of channels depending on capabilities - an RGBW scanner will need a lot more to control the individual colours and X/Y movement then a more simple fixed RGB flood. I don't use a foot controller, it's a box with buttons and sliders. I have created a couple of programmes - a changing 2 colour wash for while we're playing and a single colour dim wash for the breaks. The controller has sliders to control the cycle speed and cross-fade time, that I ramp up as the night goes on, or a sound to light mode for the more frantic bits towards the end. It also has a blackout button. It works quite well especially after I added another light that shoots beams of light around the stage - which gives a bit of movement even if we don't have space to jig about much ourselves

It's a Santi (Barbie) Claus gift from the secret Santa. "Tradition" is to set it as your avatar throughout January

Lovely work. I don't think this will ever be reverted back to the old body - who would be a pauper again when you've been a prince?!

Beautiful. I love the way the paduak neck laminates blend into the volute

You can't beat a bit of Shinto action. Lovely work!

I've already cleared the random offcuts of wood, tools, strings and other paraphernalia off the dining room table. Before I've even been nagged about it

If you still have plenty of lacquer left in your can I'd be tempted to knock it back now. Go steady though and maybe do it over a couple of days. Knocking off the surface will help to release any trapped solvent. Once the bloom has gone give it another round or two of spraying Edit to say that a cold or damp garage is obviously not the best environment for spraying. Try to do it at the warmest part of the day.

I've broken a few in my youth. I don't know if the quality of strings has improved over the years or I take more care cleaning them at the end of the gig, but I haven't broken one in decades. E would be most inconvenient as it can't be covered by any other (on 4 string)

Has he posted them in the basses for sale forum?

Definitely. I even prefer sanding end grain to lacquering

Beautiful!

Very nice and clean pup securage. It's looking fantastic

You only need to key the surface. Anything coarser than 600 grit will show scratches that you then need to build up the nitro to fill. 600 is ideal for flatting off between too. Give it two or three light coats at least 30 minutes apart and then leave it 24 hours before flatting before applying the next set of coats. When you get the last coat on leave it for 4 to 6 weeks before flatting and buffing

I'd be tempted to use 600 grit aluminium oxide (a.k.a. sterated aluminium) rather than wet and dry. The wet and dry can shed some abrasive which then leaves little black bits embedded in the finish. Also you probably won't want to use it wet anyway - that will lift the lacquer on any edges