Frank Blank

Likewise with Tina Weymouth, she's superb. I don't know what the thing is with big basses, I struggled for years and just thought it was my lot to struggle because I have small hands for any instrument let alone bass, what I really meant by my boys with big basses comments was that you need to try stuff out without the burden of thinking you need big (or small for that matter), try everything without preconceptions is what I mean. When I went into my local music shop the chap who usually serves me and knows my particular tastes in instruments just pointed at the Taylor and said Tried one of these? Be careful when you pick it up, it's as addictive as crack. I did pick it up and I only put it down twenty minutes later in order to pay for it. Try everything.

So, having mused over the replies to this post, I think I would like some bass tuition. Do you know of, or are you, a bass tutor in Essex? What I'm looking to learn really are scales and some basic theory, I don't know an interval from a segue! I have some idiosyncrasies to my playing but that can be discussed but as I'm thirty years into playing I doubt I'm going to change my style. Any offers / recommendations?

Just as a comment on this, my main bass is now the Taylor Mini-e Bass, obviously it's a bit niche but it exactly what I need for my current band. The scale of this is actually 23.5 inches and, despite it being a huge change from my bigger basses it was an instant and significant improvement for me, so much so I had one of those Oh dear, I should have been playing short scale for the last thirty years! I would suggest getting to some some shops and trying differing scale length basses out but most importantly, don't be put off by the It's too small / short / looks like a toy brigade, it's a boy thing, I'm sure Freud would have an answer to why men need big basses, same reason they need fast cars I expect.. just try everything rather than thinking to yourself that's not for me. The neck on mine is tiny but it has improved my playing hugely.

Well I have the SWB Pro on order but I won't be ordering the fretless SWB-1 until I've sold my Fender Modern Player fretless on here. As soon as I have the bass I will be straight on here to let you know.

Are you still avail for tuition? I’ve emailed a couple of people in Southend but no replies.

I prefer the look of a lined fretless for some reason, good job as I couldn't manage to shift mine on here so I best get used to looking at it as it doesn't get played.

I have many more adjectives for such an event, none of which are printable here.

Second line of my CV there, currently entering a ‘futility loop’.

The good thing about your backside is that it seems to understand that all humans are different. More power to your backside Sir.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was such a mix in everything in the world?

Oh yes, I wholly agree, it would be foolish not to try all methods and see what works best for you, especially methods tried and tested by others, all I’m saying is that there won’t be one method that suits everyone.

We are all different so we should do it whichever way feels most productive, no one way is best for everyone.

Apparently so.

Toyah on OGWT. I managed to gob on her at the Rainbow on 21st February 1981, punk my ar**.

Peter Frampton on The Old Grey Whistle Test!

Can I just share that eureka moment, I thought the dots on an unlined were in the same place as a fretted!

Here's mine, still for sale for silly money, lined and lovely...

They are expensive but they are built to last, cheap laptops are a false economy IMHO.

Man I’m enjoying Tune Yards at the moment...

MacBook with the discount and get an external drive. I run Logic Pro X on mine and it’s fine.

Billy Easter - Wetdog

Sorry! And cheers.