Burns-bass

Unlikely these guys are above the threshold…

Looks a lot like my Ibanez Musician

There are os many variables at work here: instrument itself, playing style, amplification etc. that it's impossible for us to second guess. The only way is to A/B test them I guess. I've got a fair few Yamaha basses (5 I think), and I love them all (apart from the 35" scale TRB which is too unwieldy).

The truth is you won’t go wrong with any Yamaha instrument.

I’d be one of those. The TRBX505 is phenomenal instrument for the price

It’s beautifully made. I’m very much a fan, although I don’t like the helicores

This is a god point. We have a dehumidifier for use in the winter when our house gets to humid. Condensation on the windows is a god sign...

The older ones are modelled on double bass tuners. They went to manufacturing their own tuners presumably to save money. The klusons also dig into the back of the headstock whereas the Fender tuners are flush to the headstock. The klusons are a better performing tuner too. In fact, I have them on my FSR pink jazz bass (https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/190301340085008-3410303--fender-fsr-american-pro-jazz-bass-shell-pink-rosewood-n) which is a spectacularly well made bass.

Yes that’s a good book!

They’re called Kluson tuners and are indeed bigger than the clover leaf style tuners they went to in 1966/67. There were also transitional “lolly pop” tuners too, only used for some of 1966. God I’m boring.

It’s absolutely packed! I used to go pre covid. Now I imagine much of the bidding is done online. The guys there are good and you can travel down the street before to check things out but you’ll have to take their word for the condition of internals and the integrity of an instrument and its components because understandably you can’t take things apart! There are lots of dealers who attend, but also some members of the public who want to buy stuff. One guy dressed as a cowboy bid on (and won) some sort of Les Paul which cost him £5k pre commission and he was shouting like he’d won the lottery. That was great to see! Even if you don’t end up buying or bidding it’s still a great day out and some lovely walks and pubs nearby too.

I’ve been to the auction a few times and a lot of it is junk. Caveat emptor indeed!

Love that track. I’m sure I’m bored of telling people but Norman was a lovely chap when we met. I was doing my first ever gig supporting Wilko Johnson and he was very nice to me as a nervous chap who overplayed for the entire gig…

There are some nice Jaco licks there.

Take it to a pro

I have headless basses, headed basses, old ones and new ones, upright ones, shirt scales one, acoustic ones and even electric upright bass ones. I am a lover of all things bass!

Yep. The newer pickups are great. I recently bought a 2019 jazz and it’s an amazing instrument. It’s one of the limited run ones I think and it’s fantastically made!

The 60s pickups are weak and never seem to cut through. Call me a heretic if you must, but I sort of think instruments have progressed and while I love it for what it is and it represents, it’s far from the holy grail. In fact, it’s a step backwards in many ways.

As soon as I told one person I was learning DB I got offered 3 gigs. I’d love to learn how it groove like that, but easier to play simple, tasteful and elegant lines like DT. Pays more too!

I didn’t like headless basses and now I do. I play an 80s Yamaha headless on my party band and everyone LOVES it. Did they care when I was playing a 60s jazz? No. 80s headless bass? Yes. Does it sound better than the 60s jazz? Yes.

Used to be £100 and we’d strip out the Partridge transformers and sell them to the US. Used to do a roaring trade in old Sound City and Hiwatt amp spares in the early 2000s. Always found the SCs to be a poor relative of the Hiwatt DRs. Used to gig with a DR103 and two 4x12 cabs with another DR103 in reserve if needed. Absolute total and utter madness…

Great player and a fantastic educator. He seemed to have a wonderful and rich life. Loved some of his music too.