Cato

Before about 5 minutes ago if someone had asked me if fancied a pink 51 style P bass, I'd have given a polite but firm 'no'. That's stunning.

I avoided p basses for years because I thought they were boring. Then , like a lot of others, one day I tried one just to find out if I could see why there's so much love for them and I finally got it. I still prefer my P basses with an extra J though.

The Fender Deluxe PJ was the answer for me. It's probably the closest to a 'best of both worlds' solution.

I'd guess the focus will be on their online content. I'd bet that these days their online readership absolutely dwarfs their physical sales and targeting advertising to local regions won't be a problem.

Impressive stuff. Although I do now feel a bit dizzy after watching that clip.

I know what you mean, but I also get really strong Roy Orbison vibes from the vocal which really raises the song above the rest of the current crop for me.

I always listen to Radio One in the car. Every now and then I hear something I really like. This one has turned into a bit of ear worm recently (but then it is getting a lot of airplay) and I'll probably listen to his album at some point. Radio 1 is a lot more diverse now than it ever was when I was a kid. They cover a lot more genres nowadays than the manufactured chart pap which defined the station in the 80s and 90s. I suspect today's yoof have less restrictive listening habits than my generation did.

'Derriėre or donkey?' has a nice ring to it. It would be good name for a game show.

I'm singing backing vocals along with about 100,000 other people on Iron Maiden's 'Live at Donnington' from 1993. Not albums but I was also at the Birmingham NEC gig where Alice Cooper recorded his 'Alice trashes the world' live video and at the Chili Peppers gig at Slaine Castle which was released on DVD.

I've seen the Foos live twice, once supporting the Chili Peppers in Ireland and again headlining Hyde Park. Both times I was really impressed. I've tried to get in to the albums, but never have, but live they are superb.

It was Axe as advertised on the back page of Kerrang when I was 15. When I upgraded a few years later I defretted the Axe with a pair of pliers. As far as I know it's still lurking in an eave's cupboard in my parents house.

Any of these any use? https://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/search-results?i=1;q=Guitar+Sheet+music;show_all=products&gid=&owner= Although even some of these are being offered at several times their original retail. It might be worth having a look in a few other charity bookshops though.

The most local music shop has really scaled back on it's electric bass and guitar stuff in the last couple of years, basswise they only really seem to sell entry level Ibanezes these days. I still pop in occaisionally because although the guitar range is also fairly limited they do get some interesting stuff in from time to time, at the moment they have mid range Yamaha Revstars and a couple of really nice looking Washburn Archtops, but in terms of price there's nothing I've seen that isn't cheaper online. A few years ago the shop was mostly electric guitars and basses, everything from starter kits up to limited edition USA Fenders and Gibsons, now they seem to be focusing on acoustic folky type instruments and a few high end electric pianos, I guess that's what sells for them these days. I also live about ten miles from Bass Direct, but I've never been in. Maybe one day I'll get round to popping in for some strings or something.

Four basses and three guitars. I reckon I've got room for at least another 3 of one sort or the other.

Even for an acoustic that action is getting towards unplayable territory. As a general rule of thumb, once you've got the basic technique down, playing barre chords shouldn't require any real physical effort. On that guitar it looks like it would require a fair bit of downwards force even quite near the nut, let alone further up the board.

The only store in UK that I've seen that regularly has US G & Ls in stock is the Great British Bass Lounge, even then it only tends to be one or two at any one time. Other than that you really don't see them around very often in the UK. My impression is that their US production output isn't large enough to export many instruments outside the US

For me the pickguard is part of the classic '51 look. I think the white just about edges it over the black, but both look fantastic in those pictures.

I suspect it's all down to individual experience (if that's the right word). At one end of the spectrum you have people like guitarist Eric Johnson who can apparently hear minute differences in equipment and set up, to the extent that, according to some rig run downs, when recording he uses nickel plated jack plug guitar leads for ryhthym and gold plated for solo work. I'm guessing he could probably hear significant differences between bridge types. At the other end of the spectrum you have people like me. I have changed a couple of bridges out because I like rock solid units with no lateral movement in the saddles and no sharp edges. There may possibly have been a change in the feel of the bass but I've never noticed a change in the tonal character of the instrument .

The trem/tuning thing is a problem on much more expensive fender strats than the Squier. It's just an intrinsically flawed design. Good to hear that you're impressed with the rest of the guitar, I think Squier have really upped their game in the last decade.

I lasted 57 seconds.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I have to say that's a lovely looking instrument, your pictures show it off better than the ones I've been looking at on the Thomann website. I normally buy myself something new around January and next year, at the moment, I think it's going to be a Barracuda.

I read an interview with Chas ( or possibly Dave) a while back. Apparently they have another song ready to go should Spurs ever reach another FA Cup final. I believe that would be their 5th Spurs inspired song?

I like that a lot. But then I'm a sucker for a repetitive catchy bass groove and a funky dance video.

I've got a V7 fretless. It sounds and plays exactly like a fretless jazz should The knobs and tuners are perfectly functional. The only part I might consider changing is the bridge, it's not quite as rock solid as I would like, but then neither are most factory fitted bridges. I like my saddles with absolutely zero potential for lateral movement, even though 99.9 % of the time on most basses it never causes an issue anyway.