SpondonBassed

I've always thought that too. Isn't it the same with die-hard Harley Davidson owners? Image is all.

NOT You are but a nipper in comparison to many of the mature students here. Crack on with impunity.

...and you were pussyfooting about your demarcation lines. I bet you wish you'd gone for it now. Heeheehee. Of course, with the lay-up being part of the body and by taking an oblique cut across like you would on your own build might it make it look too busy as you suggested. They're looking good Jez. When the neck is shaped they'll have the effect of hand painted pinstripes of the highest quality. The bird's eye neck doesn't need them. That'll be a stunner as is. What causes those sparkly little whorls to grow in bird's eye maple? Does anyone know?

Spoken like a true defender of the lowlands. Heeheehee

Bass wall of the month!

You made me check. My SR605 hasn't got a convex surface on the back after all. It just feels as comfortable as if it had due to the shallow curve that takes the body shape out to a thin edge where the bass, my belly and my forearm all meet. Similarly the front isn't as fully convex as some of the Warwicks but it is enough to loose the sensation that the body was cut from a slab. For the LP body shape, I wonder whether the bass would hang in a way that makes the edge/forearm interface an issue for extended sessions. It may be that the carved top takes care of that issue.

I can almost hear you chomping at the bit mate. I am confident that the reward for your patience will be sweet.

I think you might find that 320 doesn't look as good as it feels once the finish goes on. Edges are unforgiving. If you are unsure, prepare a test piece to the same stage and apply the finish. You might find that there are finer grades of abrasive to work through yet. On the other hand, you might be happy with the finish as is. Now that you have power in your shed, It would be worth clamping a good anglepoise lamp to your bench. This will help when natural light is of poor quality. Maplin used to do a good one that had a ring tube with a large magnifier at the centre for less than fifty knicker. It gets lots of use. Good progress! From a standing start you've now got a lickle workshop and a taste for whittling. Just be aware that sheds can become storage bunkers during the colder months. If that happens, it is very hard to come back from.

My paddle bass would have fitted but you have to bear in mind that they were lockers in name only. Theft and vandalism was commonplace. None taken.

Why not indeed. If you get the sort of lunch break where you can. If you have a big locker or secure car park where you can leave your bass during the rest of the time. If you know your colleagues well enough and you can trust them. If you are not in a massive corporate workspace. Sure, no problem. Knowing you in so far as I do, I'd say that yours is the sort of job that lends itself to the idea better than most. I worked at a warehouse in Dove Valley where my employer had leased the mezzanine floor from Hayes as was. Because we were out in the sticks we got an hour lunch to allow for those who hadn't prepared and who had to go out for food. I'd have loved the idea of practice because an hour's lunch break was beyond boring and part way into tortuous. I'd sooner have a half hour break and go home a half hour sooner. That was not an option. There is no way I'd have kept a bass there during the daylight hours, let alone overnight! Many of the employees were familiar with Community Service and some with custodial sentences.

Is it too early to introduce a new member to BC's definition of GAS?

(Note to self: Next time I am offered a meat pie 'round at Andy's claim recent conversion to Veganism.)

Could be a good fundraising project for a charity favoured by BC...?

Option 2. With a reasonable mark-up to cover costs and finder's fee I am sure it would still be an affordable starter bass with the bonus point of it having been assessed by a player as opposed to a shop assistant. I mention the finder's fee because you say finance is one of your limitations and it is a fair charge to put upon an instrument that is ready to go.

You could well be right. My point was that the fleshy side of the thumb and its nail cuticle take a fair bit of punishment if you keep bashing them against the strings. I suppose it's another reason to consider ultra-light string gauges.

That sounds ominous. What sort of work is it?

To quote from an original lyric of Mr Bowie's; that is indeed a funky little boat race. Not being one for finger food, I have overlooked the latter half of your comment for my sanity's sake.

Welcome Borderlineblues. It sounds like you've hit the ground running, so to speak. Best of luck with the new venture.

I think a lot of older recordings feature hook (as distinct from Peter Hook's) lines that are played on bass but they're not immediately obvious as being so as the rest of the song has a proper bass line. I sometimes play from the twelfth as if it was the nut. I find consecutive semitones hard from about the fifteenth upwards. I keep coming back to it and always get something new out of it. As I have no tendencies towards leading a band it isn't a priority. Despite that, I'd like to keep improving. Good topic.

Cuh! I dunno. Musical instruments, toys and you hear of Bring Your Pet to Work Day too. I can't take any of that seriously, sorry. If you are at work behave accordingly. When you are at home switch off the work's 'phone. It isn't complicated. I have never allowed the one to encroach on the other. I have never accepted a job that requires me to answer the 'phone after hours. Responses along the lines of it's the way forward or think outside of the box will be met with a swift custard tart to the face. I mean... when home life stresses you out, do you wish then that you had brought your work home with you? That's probably not the best example to support my stance but it'll do.

"Clack attack" is the family friendly term for an infestation of crab lice I believe. I once thought about going to a fancy dress disco with my knackers made up like mirror balls but my other half said it was far too subtle so I went as Boris Johnson instead.

I've only recently been applying myself to double thumbing as a technique in itself. I've not yet got it down to my satisfaction but it helps me to get a better feel with some of the lines I practice. I'd imagine it to be as fast as playing with a plectrum when done by qualified adults under the guidance of the local safety elf just as soon as he receives the risk assessments signed off in triplicate. I can see why MK uses insulating tape. It's a technique that requires toughness and stamina when used consistently It's never going to have the clack attack of a plec but it's good to have the knack never the less. *Try saying that out loud with a gob full of granola. *Mild choking hazard and strong expletives to be expected.

I'll go with "carved top". I remember reading about the Gibson volute addressing a weakness issue with some of the LP headstocks on guitars. The removal of wood to accommodate a truss rod is partly responsible for such weakness. That combined with inconsistencies in grain encountered in volume production would make the volute an insurance against breakages where QC on individual necks is not great. Quite apart from that I found that I like it (the volute) as a tactile feature. I am not sure but I think it is giving me more confidence in knowing on which side of a fret my fingertips are going to land in first position.

Non-parent here. *gloat*

This is the first time that I have seen an arch topped guitar being made. I know it's not strictly an arch top because it's not hollow but the only other real example I could point to is @owen's recent acquisition. My last two basses have had tops and backs with a convex profile. I like them better than belly-cut forearm-carved bodies. Can it still be called an arch top if it's not hollow? I also found that I like a volute. Did that come into consideration with your necks? Thank you for sharing with such detail. Much appreciated.