Happy Jack

Which bass would you be fitting them to, Mick?

Please gentlemen, let us not resort to violins.

That photo is dangerously close to being accurate, y'know. It somehow captures my smooth suave man-about-town air, my sense of being a Bond villain just out of his lair, and finally my complete and utter absence of hair.

If you're buying your first fretless, then I definitely recommend this approach. It's been used reasonably widely over the years - 70s and 80s Ibanez basses spring to mind - so there's a fair number out there. Alternatively, any decent luthier will be able to do this as a mod for very little dosh.

I thought I was the only one ...

I was rather hoping to find it written in thick black felt pen ...

And finally, with KING RALPH, the guy who originally got me into playing DB:

With DANI MOLINO:

With KARENA K:

With the LONG STRING HAWKERS:

With the JUNKYARD DOGS:

Long scale? You mean I can't bring my bass uke or my Takamine TB10? Nonsense! As far as I'm concerned a DB Bash is about the spirit of the thing, the sound and feel of DB. If it sounds like a DB and you play it with the feel of a DB, it's welcome.

Whether or not I watch TV when on stage depends on the match. For some reason, there has recently been a run of particularly entertaining Arsenal games, leading to major distractions. We played a pub on a golf course before Xmas. As we walked on stage to start tuning up, they went 1-0 down. Halfway through our opening number they went 2-0 down. As we started our second number they clawed one back for 2-1. As we finished the third number they equalised.

For God's sake, don't tell Discreet!

That's a relief. I no longer feel obliged to point out that Close To The Edge was not played by the original Yes but by a later incarnation. On no ... wait a minute ...

I believe that the word you are groping for (and I choose my words with care) is 'compliant'.

Can't agree about the Thomastiks if you have a heavy playing style (like me). Thomastiks respond well to a more delicate touch ... they're wasted on me. LaBella FLs are the best but they're bloody expensive. GHS Baby Boomers or the Lakland branded strings offer a cheaper alternative that's almost as good.

Ta ... good tip.

That's going straight on my Watch list. I may well be bidding for that ...

Sorry mate, as far as I'm concerned a "combo with a removable head" is called a bass cabinet.

WTF? How did I get name-checked here?

Leather. Just lots of leather.

I'm going to go right out on a limb and guess that's actually a Brook acoustic bass. It's far too nice to be a broom.