Happy Jack

Steady on, old chap, not all of them were crap - far from it. Futurama was not so much a brand as a description. There were a bunch of standard designs around in the late 60s and early 70s which were built in various countries, most notably Sweden (usually badged as Hagstrom) and Czechoslovakia where there was a very healthy instrument manufacturing industry. In those days IIRC the majority of their basses were shortscales intended to compete with Hofner and Framus. There were plenty of good ones - I've had some of them! The name never really went away and has been used over and over since then. Yours looks like a fairly modern copy of a Jazz bass design. If it doesn't play well, don't chuck it away in disgust. Have someone give it a good set-up first. There are really few genuinely bad instruments about these days, but there are plenty in need of setting up properly.

I've never actually used my headphones as a substitute for my crash helmet, although of course I have been tempted, so I can't really comment on the "sturdiness" of the PJB cans. But in fairness they do sound unbelievably good if you're a bass player.

I wonder how long that model would have kept it in her back pocket at 70 C ...

Trusted courier = contradiction in terms. Sorry.

This isn't getting any easier, Martin! Those photos don't provide any conclusive evidence either way. Your bass has a number of distinguishing features, none of which give a clear answer either way ... it could still be a genuine '66 with some after-market changes, or a more modern re-issue, or even a bitsa. Even the beautiful condition of your bass is no indicator of 'newness'. My '64 is hanging next to me as I type, and it is in a similarly impeccable state. If I were a gambling man (which thank the Lord I'm not sir), I'd say original '66. Hard to say why, but I've owned a lot of vintage Hofners and looked very closely at many more, and I'd be inclined to go with the little things. In that last photo, for example, take a look at the 4" slip of wood which forms the end of the fretboard and is glued in place as a dovetail. In any re-issue bass from the 90s onward that would be a nice, smooth piece of wood which matched the rest of the neck. On your bass it is clearly a slightly battered offcut from another piece of work ... which is exactly the sort of thing the guys at Hofner did in the 60s when they were trying to turn out hundreds of these basses in a hurry. I suppose it is possible that it is (i) a rare Spanish or Japanese re-issue from before the 90s, and that (ii) perhaps some of those re-issues were also built to less exacting standards, but I suspect that William of Occam would have a few things to say about that line of reasoning.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENDER-PRODEGY-4-STRING-BASS/173046108109?hash=item284a5a0fcd:g:SF0AAOSwNWxaPPvJ The vendor has done himself no favours by spelling the name wrong, mind ...

Bit of a thread revival to mark the appearance of a veritable Xmas bonanza from Revival Guitars of JapCrap on eBay ... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1970s-Teisco-Japan-MIJ-Audition-4-String-Surf-Style-Bass-Guitar/292379627295?hash=item44132f0f1f:g:VQ8AAOSwUwFaPCdP https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1970s-Vintage-Japan-MIJ-Grantson-Branded-Narrow-Necked-Solid-Body-Bass-Guitar/292379620273?hash=item44132ef3b1:g:YO4AAOSwSq9ZnJMM https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1970s-Vintage-Short-Scale-Satellite-Bass-Well-preserved-Fully-Functional/292379620256?hash=item44132ef3a0:g:03EAAOSwgYVZyV8y https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80s-Japan-Roadworn-Vantage-Avenger-Full-Scale-Bass-Duo-tone-Upgrade/302573870057?hash=item4672cedbe9:g:JLsAAOSwJwpZyV8v https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Early-1970s-Vintage-Japan-MIJ-Raver-Junior-Starter-Shortscale-Bass-Guitar/302573870034?hash=item4672cedbd2:g:zFoAAOSwrFJZ1-ZZ https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Early-1970s-Vintage-Made-in-Japan-MIJ-Grant-badged-twin-Pickup-Bass-guitar/292379620237?hash=item44132ef38d:g:CxcAAOSwm7RZnIrW https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-C1970s-Teisco-Silvertone-Framus-Solid-Body-Bass-Made-in-Japan/292379620290?hash=item44132ef3c2:g:DN0AAOSwTzlZhO-u

At least Feliciano didn't have a music stand ...

I didn't. Bwahahahahaha!!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum,_2016

Perhaps he's had the misfortune to meet Mark Zuckerberg.

Fascinating. Who was it who made the claim that you are refuting? As far as I can make out, several people have suggested that a connecting cable that worked some years ago will still work today. I'm struggling to see that as a logical fallacy, but I'm all ears - do tell!

This is a very tricky one, Martin. There are no photos of the back or of the neck heel joint, both of which are crucial, I can't see the pot codes, and obviously I can't feel the weight and balance to establish whether or not there's a 'sustain block' under the pickups. From the photos on offer, it would work as a 66 model except that those control knobs are all wrong and that doesn't look like 60s German wiring. Trouble is, there were so many subsequent revivals and reissues, all trying to recapture that 60s vibe, that it would also work as one of those. Reissues were made at different times in Germany, Spain and Japan, and for each of Hofner, Sorkin and Boosey & Hawkes. It's odd that you found this in South Africa since it's not a UK & Commonwealth import. That's a German and Continental bass.

"Best Album" ain't necessarily the way to go. Get a decent Motown compilation and - ideally - a copy of the original CD for Standing In The Shadows Of Motown. Get a good Stax compilation. Seek out individual tracks you can download if you don't want the whole album. A good example is Burlesque by Family; not my favourite album by the band but the title track is an absolute must-have, John Wetton in his pomp. Don't forget the obvious. All Right Now has been done to death, but the original remains a classic and very influential bass line.

Quality.

Lovely. How did the weight come out?

In truth, I'm not convinced that my DB can compete fully with two or more acoustic guitars. The players from the pre-amplification days really worked those strings!

https://www.hobgoblin.com/local/sales/products/GR36034/atlas-guitarron-bass-guitar/

My TB10 would never be able to compete unamplified with acoustic guitars. It's not just the fact that it's six strings being strummed vs one being plucked, it's also the register of course.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitarrón_mexicano https://www.hobgoblin.com/local/sales/products/GR36034/atlas-guitarron-bass-guitar/ I imagine these come up pre-owned on eBay occasionally.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-musicians-wanted/looking-for-a-bass-player-and-drummer-to-complete-the-line-up-of-an-electrifying-rock-band/1279546570 "We are looking for a bass player and drummer to join a three piece band". Erm ...

Have you been on SwissChat?

For clarity, I assume that no one is suggesting that the MU offer car insurance? If that assumption is right, then insuring your kit through the MU may well make sense, but that has nothing to do with whether or not you declare to your car insurer the purpose for which you are using your car. As I understand it, that's the main point of this thread.

Given the amount that I "earn" from playing in a pub band, I think of the cash as being a donation to cover expenses rather than income. Taken in the round, I doubt that I would have a problem with describing my journey (in the event of an accident/claim) as being anything other than driving to/from a pub. The issue that would concern me would be having pro-level gear nicked from my vehicle, or my vehicle nicked when fully loaded. I imagine that I would have some trouble explaining why I was driving to a pub for an evening out whilst carrying several thousand pounds worth of gear ...

Not for me, but might be for you: https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-musicians-wanted/bass-player-wanted-by-zappa-band/1279048902