ezbass

I used to go and see Be Sharp when the late Andy Brown played bass for them. Initially, I was blown away by Jerry Stevenson’s guitar playing (quite rightly too, he’s very, very good and I was a guitar player at the time), but eventually, it was Andy’s playing that became my focus (probably adding to the desire to move over to bass myself), he was great and had a great voice too. Be Sharp’s version of Green Manalishi remains my favourite by anyone.

Mine was still expensive second hand. However, because of that, I didn't lose much when I moved it on.

@HazBeen is spot on with Aria. SB is playing his signature Aria (he later moved to Warwick IIRC).

I had an early run McCarty once. Without doubt, the best sounding humbucker equipped guitar I’d ever heard (even with me playing it). However, I ultimately didn’t get on with the ergonomics and it went in part-ex for my first quality bass.

Enjoyed that. I do like the way that Guy acknowledges his influences.

Well that’s poor. ☹️

@5:05 Oof! It's getting a bit dusty in here.

Quality. I’ve always liked this tune since I first heard Larry Coryell play it on the Guitar Player album. This version does not disappoint at all. 👏👏👏

We’re going to try one of those live stream thingamabobs in July. Set up in the drummer’s garden (suitably spaced from a social distancing perspective) and knock out an ‘unplugged’ set. It’ll be nice to see the band again and just play.

The weather here is so variable and my stuff is just in an ordinary room with no climate control (never had such a luxury) that some movement seems inevitable. It’s never more that 1/8th - 1/4 turn at most for me. Anymore than that and I’d have concerns.

That is a heartwarming end to a long journey; glad to hear it.

Mark Feltham’s solo @3:16 always raises the hairs on the back of my neck. The drumming by Jeremy Stacey is pretty epic too.

Ooh, that’s lurvley, what is that fretless beauty? EDIT, oh, hang on, I see the logo on the pickups now.

I did not see that coming, at all.

Ah, my save it from a burning house would be my Rob Allen MB2 (it was a tough choice picking my Elwood over the MB2).

My old, ‘63 P Bass was previously owned by Bruce Thomas. It was sourced for him by Barry Moorhouse at the Bass Centre to replace his stolen, salmon pink, P. However, it seems that it wasn’t for him and he eventually sold it back to Barry and thence to me.

Are you happy with the sound?

Sunflower oil or peanut butter do the trick.

I have some basses that seem to always seem to need a tweak and others that don’t. Providing it’s not massive adjustments, I wouldn’t be too concerned.

Ooh, I like that.

Ooh, exciting times! Pics ASAP!

I'd always start with pickups, if the they have no character you're asking what should be just a boost/cut circuit to add this, which isn't really what it's there to do (although some do seem to have certain characteristics that are pleasing beyond the +/- dB). Play your pickups passively, if they're not doing it for you then you're going to be rolling a turd in glitter by changing the preamp. IMO. I would say someone who has changed their pickups a few times, only to go back to the originals, didn't really know what they wanted in the first place. Again IMO.

I can't argue with that. Even the surround on mine wasn't straight (about 1mm on the wonk). It's sad to say, but the hardware does seem to be just thrown on.

My 4003s was like that. Get a bezel and then you won’t see the assembly behind. Plus, it helps cover the sharp edges of the surround.

Well done, Sir. We do this in my 80s band. I’ve taken to playing it with a pick recently, especially as I’m trying to play everything on my fretless (it works quite well sonically). Madge could’ve done us a favour and recorded it in G though, I find it a bit stretchy in F.