NancyJohnson

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB0wi5-5wNU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB0wi5-5wNU[/url]

I just cannot understand how they can just stand there, straight-faced, and say 'Hi...we're from [i]Behold The Octopus[/i] and we're going to play [i]Alcoholocaust[/i] from [i]Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning[/i].' Each to their own.

My old shortscale Squier Badtz Maru Bronco is fast turning into something akin to Trigger's Broom. I just bought a Mustang bridge for it (so at least it will intonate), but it requires through the body stringing...went on evilBay and bought some ferrules for the back of the body, so a question...do I drill the same size hole(s) right through the body to align with the hole in the bridge? Do I need to do anything under the bridge? Thanks P

[url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/gibson-thunderbird-bass-2012/1082851407"]http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/gibson-thunderbird-bass-2012/1082851407[/url]

I've used Hartke HyDrives for five years or so. Chance meeting with LH in New York and I was offered an artist deal. They sound great. The only reason I'd change is if I could get the same handling out of a smaller enclosure and less weight.

...as is this limited edition Japan-only blue Thunderbird owned by my mate Crem (from Milan based punksters The Full Treble). And no, he is not Jim Carrey. P

[quote name='gadgie' timestamp='1411906519' post='2563716'] Over recent years it has surprised me why Gibson have made so many different models of what is basically the same 2-3 guitars. [/quote] Every manufacturer is sooooooo guilty of rehashing their core models. Fender and Gibson have been doing it for 50+ years. Ultimately the whole guitar gene pool can be broken down into a handful of models/configurations and no one is really doing anything new. It's just shapes and colours. No innovation. Again, as I've posted previously, Gibson are guilty as hell of providing a fraction of the choice to bass players that they do to guitarists and I doubt they really give a damn about that. I posted a couple of weeks back that I trawl through a lot of forums/ebay/online stores and see nothing that really excites me, and put it down to my overall contentment with the gear I run...in my heart it's the lack of innovation that is at the root of this. P

I'm a recent Ric owner...the strings on mine sit pretty much dead centre of the mute cavities (as PigBass's photo). Do the strings align over the pickup pole pieces? P

Can we just put one persistent complaint to bed here. I (and probably every Thunderbird owner) am sick and tired of the neck-dive complaint. Can we please just stop now. FFS (I'm not swearing Sean, just getting passionate) you play the instrument with two hands, yes? One of these on the neck while doing so, yes? When you're playing it, it is in balance...OK, take both hands off and yes, gravity will take over and the neck will cause the headstock to go south. So what? If you're unhappy, stick with your Fenders, get a wider strap or move the strap lug! I admit, Thunderbirds are not to everyone's taste, I appreciate that, but as I've posted previously, I am a chubby guy in my late 40s. I strap on one of my TBs and I feel like a skinny 20 year old rock god. These basses make you play and feel better. They sound awesome (well for my purposes they do). They're like magic.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1411830432' post='2563143'] Ahh, Gibson, bless 'em - not giving a flying f hole about what bassists want since 1953 [/quote] Why doesn't Basschat have a 'like' option?

If you know me, you'll know I've been using Thunderbirds of various guises for a while now. I just checked the Gibson site and the 2015 offerings - basswise - are again fairly underwhelming and pricewise are fast approaching Lull territory. The Thunderbird is still there, although Gibson have seemingly dropped the EB series pickups in and offered coil-tap/switching option, but the big change is the three point bridge has gone (yay!) and been replaced with a Babicz unit that emulates the three-pointer but does somewhat more. Once these bridges become available, I'll retro-retro fit one and report back. On the additionally disappointing front, it's only available in vintage sunburst. I mean, effing hell, old Henry has [i]pillaged[/i] the Les Paul heritage left, right and centre with different top/colour combos, what do we get? Vintage Sunburst. Anyhow that's it. I'm off my soap box and going to get some breakfast. P

I've been fortunate I suppose. Got a few nice basses (several Thunderbirds/a Ric) and a rig that a few years back I would have sold a kidney for, but I just keep looking. I can't quite put my finger on the feeling. I guess if Gibson stepped outside the box and did some better coloured Thunderbirds I'd feel a little more excited, but now I just feel a little meh. Edited bit here. I went on eBay the other night and just sorted the bass content by selling price...there's some lovely vintage stuff that (with little fear for my testicles), I could easily buy right now, but I'm like, 'what's the point?'

I spend a lot of time looking at gear online...basses/amps etc. but nothing really excites me at the moment. I suppose to a degree I'm pretty content; I'd like a lightweight amp, but that's pretty much it.

I've got an Aria ProII Primary bass...it came as part of a job lot of three guitars and a practice amp for £50. I tend to gig it in venues that I don't know and it does the job. Sure I'd be pissed if it got lifted, but more so if one of my Thunderbirds got stolen.

Not me, my mum. She just said she needed something, a reason to stop. When I got engaged (28 years ago!), she stopped there and then and put her fag money in a tin and gave us spending money for our honeymoon 18 months later. She said it was the reason to stop. Set yourself a goal (new bass!), and try...every time you would buy a packet. Me? Never even tried!

Jasper Fforde. Thursday Next series. Toby Smith. Space Captain Smith.

Do Fender read these forums, I wonder?

Bwahaha.

I'm just resurrecting this thread, simply from the perspective that I bought the book a couple of weeks ago, started it at the weekend and am about 300 pages in. Let's get the preliminaries out of the way. I was a huge fan of Japan pretty much from that first single, many gigs attended, much vinyl (and CDs) purchased, blah blah blah. My fandom waned when Tin Drum came out; the band had changed/evolved(?) to such a point that they were unrecognisable from the band I loved just a few years before. That said, I'd still cite Obscure Alternatives as one of my top five albums (despite it being far from a band favourite). After everything finished, I followed David Sylvian's solo output almost exclusively, I mean, why would I need solo LPs from bass players or drummers? Given everything, aside from a small pile of print cuttings and Paul Rymer's (quite excellent) Nightporter website, I can honestly say I don't really know much about the band beyond the specifics. It's been an interesting read (so far). The book is a bit erratic in as much as it jumps back and forth rather than being chronologically correct, so each new chapter requires a bit of a headwork to know where you are. There's a few eye openers...failed marriage (who knew?), the lack of money, naive contract agreements, poor touring decisions and the obvious David Sylvian references. In these 300 or so pages, I really do feel for the guy, in as much as one can given his circumstance. It's probably easy to say he was effectively living the dream, our dream, of being a musician in a well known band (and various collaborations) and an in-demand session player, but in truth he was bearly making a living; I find it staggering that he was getting less than £15 a week in the early Japan days and at one point he writes that Japan royalties barely covered his council tax or car insurance, but not both. I'll grind through the last 100 or so pages. I suppose the one thing to come out of this is that you just don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. P

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1410294091' post='2548001'] Nancy, you are not a big fan of Mr Clayton....I can sense these things! [/quote] Sense you well, young padawan.

Bleurgh. I rest my case. I'm going to bed.

I just don't get it. Clayton has whored his name round so many bass manufacturers, I've lost count. I really just don't like the guy, met him once and he was thoroughly unpleasant. He's not that good a player and (go on, do this) a quick search on his name in Google images just seems to show hundreds of the same photo...the same smug look on his face, a la; [i]I'm-not-looking-at-my-bass-and-you-know-I-think-I-just-cracked-out-a-very-smelly-fart-as-well[/i]. Right place, right time I suppose. Dee Dee? At least the guy played and effing Precision. Maybe I'm just tired. P