Misdee

At my age they need to check I'm still breathing.

I think the bubinga body adds a degree of compression to the tone. Don't some of the Moon Jazz-style basses have pickup placement similar to a Thumb, with the angled neck pickup? They definitely sound nothing like a Thumb. A more comfy Thumb would need a bigger body with a longer top horn, but not a Corvette, because they are uncomfortable in their own right.

There's some synergy between the combination of very dense hardwoods used on the Thumb that gives it such a unique raunchy tone. It's nothing like Spector, that's for sure. The pickup placement must contribute a lot, too. It would be great if Warwick could somehow get that same sound with a bass that's more comfortable to play. I'm sure it's not beyond the wit of mankind to come up with such a design. Just a thought.

FWIW, I played and owned a lot of high-end basses over the years, and I'm in total agreement with all those who say that the Thumb is one of the best-sounding basses ever. It's a unique tone that makes a lot of the competition sound gutless by comparison. I think the five string version sounds even better because of the slightly different neck pickup placement, maybe. However, I'm also in agreement with those who can't live with the ergonomics. What's a comfortable and easily playable bass varies from player to player, but it's fair to say that the Thumb is very much a niche product when it comes to playability. If you're a big guy(or gal!) with long arms who does weightlifting then your going to fare better with a Thumb than a five foot five weakling who is used to playing a Fender-style bass. I can play a Thumb bass sitting down okay,but standing with the bass on a strap I struggle. That's why I haven't got one.

It had ridiculous prices, I seem to remember, even for London but they had lots of media types and celebs ect as customers who had money to burn. It was the late '80's, and if you had it you were encouraged to flaunt it. I just had a quick rummage on the internet and I'm pleased to report that American Classics is still going and, yes, everything they sell is still ridiculously expensive and over-priced for what it is, just like it should be. I expect that nowadays middle aged men going through a fashion crisis are their customer base.

Don't worry, your processed meat in tubular form encased in pastry is safe on my watch.

I used to go to America and buy vintage clothes back in the 1980's and bring them back to flog. It was a lot of fun, and a nice way to subsidise my holidays. There was a shop in the Kings Road called American Classics that was very trendy (and very expensive). I could get most of the same gear half the price. However, even in those days in the States no one was giving the stuff away. All the shops selling secondhand clothes knew the value of the American market for classic and vintage gear.

Regardless of current turbulence, the pound is unlikely to recover historical strengths against the dollar. It might be a bit better than piss-poor, to use a technical term, but no one will be filling their boots with cheap American luxury goods in any foreseeable future. Trade deal or not, American goods such as musical equipment will remain priced at a bit more than they are actually worth. Just an aside, when you see the state of some of the people dining in Greggs nowadays , I think accepting American chlorinated chicken as part of a trade deal is the least of our worries. We've already accepted far worse in terms of diet and food habits.

The golden age of buying from the USA was in the late 1980s when you got about 1.8 dollars your pound and shops in the States were packed with great gear. Nowadays the world is a smaller place, and international shopping is far more common. . Give the potential pitfalls, it makes no sense to save a couple of bob buying equipment from the USA unless it's stuff that is otherwise unavailable in the UK. There's more to consider than the sticker price on the goods, and so much hassle it would have to be something special to peak my interest.

I was there in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Everything and everywhere seems to have got way more expensive in America, not just Colorado, I expect. It used to be British people were shocked at the lower cost of everyday items over there like food and clothing. Nowadays I am shocked how expensive it is even compared to the rapidly rising prices in the UK . I'm surprised so many people are attracted to relocate due legal weed, though. I suppose some folks have strange priorities.

I'm from Yorkshire in the north of England. It's the British equivalent of Texas, both geographically and culturally. I really like Colorado. I was in Denver for a while and then Estes Park and Loveland. It's a magnificent part of the world.

I've got a couple of Sadowsky basses and the preamp is indeed very good, but as with most active basses, I mess about with it for a bit and then set everything flat.

I remember during my time in Colorado the locals had a lot of antipathy for Texans, who gravitate to southern Colorado in large numbers apparently. I always think of Montana as fairly progressive state, what with it's proximity to the Pacific northwest and all that.

EBMM customer service have always been very helpful, in my experience. I'm sure they will get it sorted.

I think most stars fear obscurity more than they fear death. However deprecating they are of fame and all it brings, they couldn't cope with not being somebody special anymore.

I've spent a bit of time in Montana over the years (it's beautiful). I used to think there were lots of gays there, until I realised they were real cowboys. I went to a wild party after a gig in Missoula back in the 1980s and all I can say is the locals were anything but conservative.

All of these bands should have packed it in decades ago. Surely they could pass an Act of Parliament or something. How long can the agony be allowed to continue? It's like watching a geriatric Arthur Askey break his hip trying to disco dance for the amusement of his fellow care home residents. Would be nice if they replaced Zak with Dr David Starkey, right-wing constitutional historian. I don't think he can play the drums ( that would probably Daltrey fine) but he could give the audience some very insightful observations about the cultural context of songs like My Generation and Won't Get Fooled Again while Roger and Pete have their Tena pants changed during the interval.

Neither a DJ or L2K will sound like Justin Chancellor's Wal, if that's what you are after, but they are both great-sounding basses in their own right. The DJ is essentially a passive Jazz Bass, so expect a slightly more modern rendition of that tone, depending on the pickups installed. The stock Lakland/Hansen pickups are great, kind of a combination of vintage-sounding Fralins and the more modern-sounding Aero pickups the older DJs came with. The L2K is a unique-sounding instrument. It's got a slight scoop in the mids, but nothing like as pronounced as a Stingray. In my opinion it's a much better bass than a Music Man, but that's a separate discussion. I've read a lot of folks on forums ask if it will substitute for a Wal, and I suspect the reason might be that the G&L has a reputation for powerful output, and the pickups look a bit reminiscent of those on a Wal. However, that is the only similarity. If you're looking for classic Wal tones from a G&L you are going to be disappointed. The good news is an L2K is a wickedly good bass in its own right, with a big sound that is very suited to any kind of modern rock music I can think of. Just be careful what neck profile you are opting for. Mine had a vintage P Bass style shape and was too wide at the nut for my modest mitts. They come with various neck profiles, so make sure you know what your preference is. An MM-J Lakland with the LH-3 is another terrific bass, but in my experience it's a bit more polished and refined a sound than a G&L L2K. I've never adjusted the dip switches on mine however, so that might help a bit. It's a great all-round bass, but it lacks the unique personality of a bass like a G&L L2K Justin Chancellor famously uses a Wal and has given that brand a lot of publicity due to Tool's popularity , but if it's any consolation to you or any other would,-be imitators, I've never thought he had a particularly Wal-like tone on any recordings I've heard. You could get a good rendition of that sound with a whole host of modern basses. Geddy Lee on Power Windows could only be a Wal, same with Alan Spenner on those Roxy Music albums from the late'70s/early 80's. To my ears Justin Chancellor has a more generic tone that would be relatively easy to emulate.

FWIW, I think the Z3 sounds much more like a vintage Stingray than the current Stingray Special. Amazing bass for £400.

Good luck with finding "flat" on the original 2 band EQ! No doubt about that. The 2 band is indeed a very different proposition. I was referring to more modern versions of the Stingray, should have made that clear.

I've got an EBMM Reflex bass with active/passive switching. It's an HH with a humbucker in exactly the Stingray position. When I switch it to passive I don't really hear much discernable difference to the tone in active mode with the E.Q set flat. It's still got that distinctive Stingray tone. On the basis of that, I think a passive Stingray would sound just like an active 'Ray with the EQ flat.

Would look good with a black scratch plate, too, if you fancied a change. Lovely bass, enjoy it.

I have no idea why Marillion aren't more celebrated on Basschat, but I've always thought Pete Trewavas had a great sound and a really nice feel to his bass playing.

Prior to GAK and BAX going bust, in recent months I've noticed a renewed vigour in the marketing strategy of certain UK retailers. They're trying to reach out through social media, YouTube ect, and create a sense of community and to enthuse their customers. Maybe these shops are experiencing similar pressures as GAK and are trying to be proactive. Good luck to them anyhow, I hope they prosper. The more shops the better, as far I am concerned.

Indeed, how the world has changed. The skinheads and heavy metal fans are now teachers and social workers.