SpondonBassed

You're welcome.

What was I thinking? I'll get my hair shirt out and wear it all day as penance. Heeheehee Even a strap isn't wide enough to deliver the full fat chequer board motif successfully though. I suppose it's in line for a pick guard if you want to be completist about it. Personally, I like the contrast between the natural finish bass and the three decorated ones.

You are welcome. The biggest problem with Allen headed bolts is that you tend to get poorly made Allen keys. It is possible to get high quality keys that drive from the flank as opposed to the points of the hexagonal cross section. They will prolong the life of the internal wrenching surface of the bolt. Such keys are expensive. Even if you have a set, it just takes one slip with a cheap key to compromise the socket in the bolt head. This is called camming out as mentioned in the extract below. With Torx fasteners, the socket shape is complex and both the bolts and the keys are made to tighter tolerances. That is not to say that you can't find poorly made Torx keys. It just means that you are less likely to find them than with Allen keys. In this application the bolts will be used time and time again for string changes hence my recommendation. From the Wikipedia description: "The hexalobular socket screw drive, often referred to by the original proprietary brand name Torx ( /ˈtɔːrks/) or by the alternative generic name star drive, uses a star-shaped recess in the fastener with six rounded points. It was designed to permit increased torque transfer from the driver to the bit compared to other drive systems. The drive was developed in 1967[44] by Camcar Textron.[45] Torx is very popular in the automotive and electronics industries because of resistance to cam out, and extended bit life, as well as reduced operator fatigue by minimizing the need to bear down on the drive tool to prevent cam out. A tamper-resistant Security Torx head has a small pin inside the recess. Owing to its six-fold symmetry, a Torx driver can also be used as an improvised substitute for a hex driver, although careful sizing is critical to prevent stripping the socket."

Puckering is a major problem with vinyl. Have you considered a zip-up solution?

Do we get a prize for spotting the odd one out? You need a black and white chequered strap like the one in my signature photo for that one.

May we know what that is? I'm keen to hear how you get on. Great post.

Ignore >>>this<<<. >>>This<<< is interesting, although it is a commercial message in essence. It's nice to hear that the woodwind section has a solution to shrinkage. I looked up some of the suggestions for the types of oil used and generally the feeling seems to be to avoid petroleum (mineral) based oils and use one of several suggested vegetable oils. Apricot and Almond Oils were among them. It appears that untreated, moisture can escape from a timber surface and cause distortion and shrinkage. A finish coat or a regular light treatment with one of the recommended oils helps to prevent such degradation. It looks as if fruit and nut oils are the way forward.

Did I see Torx bolt heads? Good move. Allen headed bolts are not durable in high torque situations.

Please don't take my comment the wrong way. I don't use smilies* but if I did, there would have been some sort of cute little cartoon face winking at you. One of the reasons I enjoy your posts is because you see things the way you do. It is different from how I see them. That's most definitely a good thing. It's been said already and I agree; you've put up an admirable number of projects in a relatively short space of time. You have a style that is apparent throughout. One of the things that makes musicians stand apart from the main stream is the willingness to see things from interesting points of view. Yours is such a view. Don't ever lose that my friend. * Yes I know they're now called emojis but I am old school and my nurse hasn't arrived with my noon bedbath yet so I'm quite curmudgeonly about them right now.

On my kit build, I used lemon oil and rubbed in three coats. I remember thinking at the time that the fretboards on factory guitars must be unfinished else it'd be pointless recommending periodic treatment with lemon oil. On my Vantage, the fingerboard is finished in black. Beneath it appears to be rosewood as wear and tear has revealed. I don't need to refinish it but I wondered what was used at the factory as it seems to have no thickness to it at all. It's probably just a light spray coat of paint. Now that you've asked the question, I realise that I have never applied lemon oil to the black fingerboard. All my other basses have had some. Hmmm. Dang. Now I'm going to wonder about this for at least the nest five min... Oh! Look at that cloud. It's shaped just like a Rickenbacker.

Seeing it is much better than trying to visualise it. It's not as bad as I thought it might be. (Ducks for a moment. Sees no blunt heavy objects incoming. Proceeds) Actually, it works well.

No. This one.

I've got an underutilised RB3 combo. It's the version with the 12 inch driver and no tweeter. I used it for practice and once took it to an audition in a community centre hall where it performed well (I got offered bassist). I didn't take up the offer. Shortly after I got a beefier Ashdown combo that I use for practice. I haven't had that out and about yet. The Ashdown has a 15 inch cone and is a bit of overkill for practice but with the 18 inch extension cab it becomes ultrakill. It's not a problem because our workshop is at the far end of the house. The poor old Laney sits in another room in case I want to practice in there. It's handy if my housemate wants to use the workshop, I can plug into the Laney in the old dining room. It's a bit plasticky with its nasty chrome-on-plastic knobs but I still like it.

Excellent name. Great photo.

I've always liked orange or strong yellow against black I like black. Any highlight colour looks good against black.

Misplaced post - apologies.

Trojan Whale Shark?

Maybe she'd like the "one trick pony" mentioned in the Is Rickenbacker a dirty word..........? topic?

In days of yore, Ford salesmen were known for saying things along the lines of: "You can have any colour you like as long as it's black." What happened? I blame those Tango ads* from the nineties. *Contains traces of cordenite

Ah so it's my remark that provoked you. Sorry about that.

Okay The OP isn't disagreeing with you... I am not sure who has provoked the comment. I can't see a single recommendation for Rotosound strings in this topic so far. Just to justify your comment though, I have a set of Rotosound 88s on my fretless and they have made me enjoy playing the confounded thing for the first time in its entire life! The issue I've now got with Rotosound is that they're forcing me to improve my intonation, despite my fat lazy fingers.

Aw. Are you sure it isn't a case of you being quietly appreciated?

The Norrisbacker? Yes, why not? This is how I feel. Good words to live by generally too. Then again, I have been called a tool on occasion.

It was only a matter of time before this discussion disappeared up its own orifice. Heeheehee I've always liked the look of a Rickenbacker. They've got an instantly recognisable visual impact. You could say the same thing about Fenders until you realise that you are probably including numerous other branded clones. Squier is an exception since it is licenced to be a clone. I've never tried a Ricky. Instead I read about them and the baggage is enough to put me off. Technically, they have some interesting ideas like the ability to bi-amp and the twin truss rod thing. In practice though, I'd have to be in a rick-bass based tribute band that was earning well enough to be able to afford a good one.

Welcome Hugh. I'm confident that your basste buds will be stimulated here. There's lots of inspirational stuff going on.