prowla

I don't buy this idea that the bass & equipment doesn't make a difference; it's baloney IMHO. Chris Squire is being used as an example of a case where the kit is irrelevant, but he had a finely tuned ear and there's a video of him saying that the Rickenbacker CS tribute models sound "nothing like" (sic.) his original. So no, the idea that the bass, amp, whatever is irrelevant to the sound is just bunkum. Many musicians look for a sound which differentiates them; why would they do that if it made no difference whatsoever? Of course, if the greats had chosen a different sound, then there is a high likelihood that they would still be the greats.

Oh lawd - now you've said it out loud!

I am looking at buying a barebones bass which was originally a custom-made 8-string but has been changed back to a 4; I surmise it had the issue.

You've now got me thinking about another barebones bass I've got... I had been looking at making this one brass finish, but I've been dithering about routing it for the Kahler trem; however, I have always fancied an 8-string, so that might be an alternative plan...

I haven't done an 8-string bass conversion (yet), but... Here's a 5-string bass. And a mandotar.

What - being stuck in the house 24x7 with a load of musical instruments looking at you...?

I have 3 essential instruments: My white Rickenbacker 4001 bass, which my dad helped my buy. My fireglo Rickenbacker 4001 bass, which I bought with the money my Grandfather left me. A Fender USA Strat I bought with the money my stepmother left me. (My ex-wife gave me a hard time for wanting to waste my money on that when things needed doing to the house or whatever - she's gone and I've still got the guitar and the house...) I've got one or two others which are keepers: My black Rickenbacker 4003, which seems to be my go-to bass. My Strat partscaster with a Warmoth neck. I've also got about 50 others, which I quite like having about the place.

One of my Warwicks is my favourite 5-string; nothing too fancy, a German bolt-on neck passive model. The grey tiger-striped one in the front row. The SUB5 and RockBass are gone, but I also have a 5-string Steinberger Spirit with EMG pickups, which has a good sound.

I suppose harpooning some lentils might not be so fulfilling. 🙂

Could double up as a harpoon, if you prefer your tuna fresh...

Still no bids.

I don't think Heart could work without them.

I would like that, but won't be able to go Brighton way for the forseeable.

I respect your opinion. The fact cannot be denied, however, that Squier is Fender’s budget brand and they’ve designed a price/product hierarchy around that. The bass in question here isn’t a hallowed JV, though, anyway.

Haha - your one quite nice/superb Squier doesn't invalidate the substance of my post and doesn't validate the expectation of excessive prices across the board. 🙂

But if you're wearing platform shoes, presumably it won't hit the floor!

It seems to me that generally people are trying to "enhance" the value of Squiers. OK, maybe there are some particular ones which may be quite nice, but the rest are just Fender's budget brand.

I've just spent £180 on a couple of cases of wine.

£1k is a bit too much for me.