Petey

Yes Staggering on - that's where I ordered mine from.....($50.00 USD - yes, but obviously depends on the exchange rate) - the foam on mine is a bit pitted, its black and have played it on all 3 of my basses - the acid test comes in a performance or recording neither which I have done recently

They are 50 quid plus duty and shipping = about 80.00 quid in all - they do alter the tone its just if you like it or not...I have persued at home and a few rehearsals on my playing on my Eminence and KK Bass baby and like the affect a lot...

the type of writing I want to do on a chord chart is - chord subs, what key a piece is in (charts can change - lots), words like scale choices and general notes to myself - I understand that this can be done with an I-pen (it's about 100 quid) its just finding the correct programme and a tutorial on how to use it

Hi Stew, Thanks for your reply - i'll check Musescore out. I heard someone sometime ago talk using an apple I-pen and another programme, where you dump the chord chart into it and can annotate it using the pen on the screen, but i'm stumped as to what to do next . I don't have a problem with notation only the technology, ipen and using a programe

Like the drum shield - more drummers/bands should use them = it'll save everyones hearing in the long run

I'm at a stage where I need to write some notes for myself on ireal charts and wondered if anyone could shed any light on how I would go about it - thanks

I have just purchased a secondhand copy of Jon Liebman's Blues Bass - The Complete Method (part of the Bass Builders series). Although it was advertised with the CD - it didn't arrive with it (long story wont bore you). Rather than send it back I was wondering if anyone had a copy they could burn off for me - happy to pay for services (CD, postage, time etc) - thanks for reading- Pete

I bought mine second hand from Bass Direct about 5 years ago and love it - it was almost brand new. It has a different sound to my 90s Classic and V4B heads - but IMHO a better tone. For me I am coming to the point where I will sell my Classic and use this one when a valve head is needed.

I think the Hal Leonard Bass Builders are an excellent resource covering lots of different aspects of Bass Playing from Bass Fitness exercises upwards via Pentatonics, Fingerboard Harmony and different styles - praise to Ed Friedland, Jon Liebman and Gary Willis

Thanks for your comments guys. A friend of mine (recently deceased) had a '64 strat that the same thing happened to him. He purchased a replacement (same material) from a guy over in Canada some years ago, but I think that he has had to stop trading reasons - as mention above....and he had the luthier screw his original onto a piece of wood to stop shrinkage - again as mentioned above. So, Spitfire seems the place to go - thanks again for your help and i'll contact them later this week Pete x

I have a 1961 P-bass and the original scratch plate is doing the usual shrink and crack thing that they do. I was wondering if anyone knew of a company that offers a replacement fit and made from the same material - thanks x

I was thinking of investing a few pounds in purchasing a some Abersold books and wondered what the general feeling was towards his delivery style (although I feel his writing style is a little dated - music is music). They would be used for learning some Jazz improv ideas and applying theory to practice - does anyone here use them - if so which books?

All gone -

Over the year I have found the best way to train your ears is to start playing familiar melody lines that you already know - even kid tunes, the National Anthem, etc - this way you will get to know - intervals - and how they relate to each other (then try the melody line starting on another note = its called changing Key, you'll get to know your fingerboard also , and then try to play along with the radio as has been said and your favourite recordings. Check your results with a decent on-line source (Bass tab site) that you got it right....it can be slow progress but you need to stick with it and it will come to you and you'll get better and quicker ...

I bought mine secondhand (just over 10 years old) in January this year and it almost feels as new....I've gigged it several times and must have put in over 70 hrs practice at home both with and without the extension. We understand its purpose but I now hardly use mine as I can get that much closer to the fingerboard and it makes playing that much easier for me