Owen

Just to provide context, I am a tightwad. I could pick up a 2nd hand, abused P body for not much. A 5 string P body would mean spending proper money. By the time I have dropped £450 on a body, I am entering the world of spending what a decent bass could cost if I add all the hardware. I am more than capable of talking myself into overspending. I do not even need another bass; this would just be a fun project. And you know how I feel about you calling me Shirley.

So, this is sitting in the corner looking at me, saying "come hither". If I were to buy a 4-string P body, what would be the good reasons not to widen the neck pocket? I am aware that there would be an overhang on the G side. This would not concern me in the slightest. I never go up there. Are there any other good reasons not to do this?

Lots of good things happening there then

P bass vibes. I was hoping for Bravewood reliced goodness

Yeah. We will be needing a picture of that.

After all that thinking, I bought a Moog Sub Phatty. I am fully aware that it is WAY more expensive than anything I was considering in my post or anything else suggested here. Am I having a wonderful time? Absolutely. I shall never be able to play killer funky fills. I am just not wired up that way. But I can lay down big fat pedal tones and open and close the filter for different articulation. That is what I wanted. Doing an octave smear gliss to open proceedings makes me sound like a total boss and the portamento function gives me a veneer of smoothness I do not deserve. I was looking at cobbling together something which would do all that as cheaply as possible. Then I realised that it would be another 15 mins set up when I got there and it would all be relying on tiny conectors. The Moog cost me the same as a 2nd hand Mexican Jazz would cost and I am totally getting VFM for it. Will I keep it forever? A Subsequent 37 would be nice.......

Have you considered writing and recording your own stuff? Not for public consumption (necessarily), just for the craic. I started doing this a couple of years ago and really enjoy it. I am more than aware that the world is not waiting for what I have to say. But I am hugely enjoying the process.

Sad times

The line is now behind you Nancy.

It is worth persevering. In what must be 30 years of using them across more basses than I care to admit to in public, I have only had one remotely misbehave. And when it was lubed up, everything was great again.

While we are discussing these, they now make an addition, which means you can drop to 2 different predetermined pitches with one unit https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/hipshot-doublestop-lever/

Fairplay, there is a lot to like there.

That is fabulous!

I have them on literally everything I own. If they are set up properly they are rock solid. I cannot recommend them enough.