HowieBass

I've got a few tuners, a very old non chromatic tuner (with an analogue VU style needle indicator); the chromatic tuner built into my Zoom B9.1 effects unit and I've also, for fun, been trying a free Android app on my phone; seems to work quite well... https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bork.dsp.datuna&hl=en_GB

Hmmm. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...

If you get chance have a look at something like a Cort A5 (Cort have a very good reputation for build quality and you'll find many big name brands coming out of their Indonesian factory).

These are Matsumoku built aren't they?

Well, as the YouTube comments rightly say, cardboard and epoxy, meaning it's composite... I would imagine the glue helps with the stiffness somewhat (goes off in search of some epoxy for the weekend... )

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1453889993' post='2963771'] Here's the extended version of Tony Visconti dissecting Heroes. [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03g18sx"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/p03g18sx[/url] [/quote] I'm glad you posted that, I'd noticed it linked to on the main BBC website the other day but hadn't watched it - love seeing stuff like this.

Hmmm, I suppose I'd have to say 'Hatful of Hollow' by The Smiths if only for the fact it's got 'How Soon Is Now?' on it!

This reminds me of the times I used to hang out next to the sound engineer's desk at the gigs run by my local music collective - we had one band who prided themselves on being the town's loudest and in particular the bass was way over the top one particular night (and he wasn't about to turn his backline down either) so the engineer just killed everything coming through the PA for the bassist and it was still TOO LOUD...

You're assuming the father asked for the bass back knowing it was already with the shop and up for sale. It's possible that he only discovered it had been sold after you'd bought it. Can you contact your local CAB to ask for their advice?

If it's a bass that turns out to have been stolen there are certain steps you need to take https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/if-you-think-youve-bought-stolen-goods/

[quote name='Tvrtastic' timestamp='1453324767' post='2958535'] Not many reports here or talk bass on the quality of the Chinese ones. Only time will tell..... [/quote] With any luck the Chinese built basses will be decent - the Squier Classic Vibes get made there and most owners seem to really like them!

Demand that the courier puts a card through the letterbox if you manage to get them back for a third attempt as proof they've called? I've had people phoning me telling me they're outside my house when in fact they were outside another house on the next street... so you might even have to offer your partner's mobile number to the courier firm.

Nice looking fiver there... and I wonder what the neighbours thought when you decided to take your new bass out for a breath of fresh air?

Those floorboards have some nice patina...

If I were paying some premium for a good looking top I'd always go for book matched.

Try swapping the strings from flats to rounds before you try modding the instrument... unless you've already had rounds on it and changed to flats on purpose. If you like how flats feel then you'll probably like nickel rounds over steels.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1453066812' post='2956154'] At 4mm action nothing should rattle no matter how hard the string is hit, something is wrong! [/quote] I'm pretty much thinking the same thing... I wonder if setting the relief from lack of fret buzz along a neck is really the best way to do it? I always go for the conventional gap under a fretted string method so maybe the rattle PaulWarning has is because the neck's a bit too straight?

This is looking really good - the bass equivalent of Brian May's 'Red Special'?

Grabbed this link from a previous thread on here about this type of bass, made by lots of different Japanese manufacturers; often badged as Silvertone when sold in the USA. http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/catalogs/75_aria/75_aria_catalog_pg1.jpg.html It's obviously missing the neck pickup and the upper horn scratchplate.

I struggled to get the B correctly intonated on my Curbow 5 and since the screw 'disappears' into the saddle I had to use a hacksaw to remove a few millimetres off the intonation screw to get it back far enough... hopefully you won't need to do something quite so drastic if removing the spring works.

Looking good... as ever! So when this one's finished how many basses will you have?

I suppose that even when you go for the same action across a few basses they would no doubt feel different were you to have instruments with different fingerboard radii, string spacings, height of fingerboard above the bass body... what might be easy on one bass (say slap) wouldn't necessarily come easy on a different instrument. As you say though, an evolving technique might mean it's taking time to home in on your ideal setup.

Too many to choose from, but I never tire of hearing 'Changes'... apt for him too.

One of the most magical moments for me at a gig was when someone in the crowd nearby set off a rocket that somehow was timed to the second with the countdown sequence in 'Space Oddity' - pretty certain this was at Milton Keynes Bowl in 1990. Odd to think that Bowie has now left Earth and won't be coming back. RIP.

Hmmm, I thought you were going to say that once you'd put both basses inside it you didn't have the strength to carry the thing!