Soledad

OK, so what is the point? I totally accept that a proper Fender has dots (or blocks) on the board - even though they are utterly pointless. But it's a kind of homage to Leo so it's OK. Side markers good, board markers useless clutter. Although the side markers need to be in the right place, so at the 'fret' position on a fretless. My Mayones fretless has no board markers, I know Warwick tend not to use them but some makers go bloody silly. I have a side interest in acoustic guitars and was looking at a Larrivee acoustic (quite a high end one). I mean, how do you get a tune out of that. Actually it's kind of OK cos the player can't see it. Total mess mind. Basically I like blank boards, bit of a minimalist... moan over.

If Adam Clayton is so bad, I've spent many years just not getting what a good bass player is. Go back to New Years Day - AC drives that song - with precision, authority and above all good taste in note and phrase selection. Then take a look at City of blinding lights, live Chicago (on the tube). He so completely fits into the sound of that 4-piece and does what really good players in great bands do - locks into drums and builds a rock-solid foundation for the track, with added good taste and groove. His control of power and dynamics is a key part of how he drives a U2 tune along. We may not love the music, but a very lot do (including me) and he does an excellent job in that band... IMO.

Ross bought my Darkglass comp - fast payment, excellent comms - a really good guy to deal with. Trade with absolute confidence, and thanks Ross for a very smooth transaction.

Just heard (accidentally, in car) Bowie Space Oddity - and I need to offload this. Had to check for a bass credit - Herbie Flowers indeed. Talk about over-playing. What a complete effin' mess of pointless notes. Utterly horrific, a thick lumpy soup of sound. Personally, I'd be really embarrassed about that. So my point would be, knowing when NOT to play a note. Space, dynamics and all that, the art of silence. I mean, Jamerson played a lot of notes a lot of the time, but the fit into the track was bloody perfect. There's saints, and there's sinners.

Wil bought my Jazz fretless - a really top man to deal with. Quick decision, good communications and paid in advance of shipping (I do appreciate the way all the BCers I come across are honourable and trust each other - an important part of the community). Trade with Wil with absolute confidence.

My first experiences with a Faith guitar.... Went to PMT Romford yesterday to A/B compare the Faith Venus Bloodmoon with the Hi-Gloss variant. Followers of what's going on in electro-acoustics recently may notice that the Bloodmoon is a fairly hot ticket - PMT reckon it's a best seller (with a list over a grand and their price 719 maybe no surprise). I was keen to compare the two because the 'Hi-Gloss' is right up my personal street, on paper at least. So, the Bloodmoon is a real looker - a warm honey burst over Javanese trembesi (never heard of it either, apparently a member of the mahogany family, quite streaky grain pattern). The Hi-Gloss is altogether more polite, classier and much more traditional in build - Engelmann spruce top, rosewood back and sides... my cup of tea. Both have ebony board, bridge & bridgepins, ebony faced headstock, even ebony knobs on the Grover tuners. Build quality is really superb - stunning detail, precision everywhere, tasteful (like the fingerboard has side dots but just a Faith 'F' at the 12. It's all you need and looks fab. SO, I expected to be taken with the Bloodmoon looks, but realised immediately it isn't my kind of thing. Visually it's a bit shouty for me. They had got one Hi Gloss in for me to compare, and luckily it was a cracker. The rosewood backs often have a central flare of sapwood (lighter) which people seem to like the look of, but acoustically it's not good being a lot softer. And after all, the back is a key contributor to the bass sound. The sample they got in was excellent, consistent density rosewood, bookmatched back (in 2 halves), bookmatched rosewood sides (all solid of course), and a very close and straight grain bookmatched spruce top. Ebony board is lovely, again a dense (closed grain) near solid black. High quality wood and it will wear in and age very nicely. So, how do they sound? The problem with trying acoustic instruments is the projected sound is out front, so I got Matthew there to do some chord and single note stuff for me. I'd already wanted to like the Hi-Gloss more, and was pleased to hear a significant difference. The Bloodmoon is more forward, kind of dramatic but with some blurring between the notes on a chord. The Hi Gloss is more subtle, better mids I reckon, better bass definition, crisp tops... just more articulate I felt. I also think it will play in well as the woods are excellent samples of long-proven tonewoods. So that was it, the Hi Gloss. Got it home - it is a really stunningly nice guitar to look at, examine closely and pick up. The bass side isn't big but the sound is great - and I'm sure a good playing in will improve things. Summary (one day in mind) - how on earth do they make this guitar in these materials for this price (£740 at PMT, with a very good hardcase)? It sounds fab (to me) - clear, precise, excellent sustain, intonation really perfect all the way up, set up lovely out of the box, amazing detailing in the build. Right up my personal street. It's a thing of real beauty and that matters because if you love it you'll pick it up more and that's what they are for, right?

Yes, sounds sensible. Interesting emailed Rob Allen the other day (just maybe an MB2) - he has a batch of 40 MB2's on the way, only 2 of which will be unlined. So it's really just a 'me' thing then !

Very good indeed (IMHO) to see a maker doing UNLINED necks. Personally I don't see the point at all, from a normal playing position I can't see the lines... and they do look a bit naff anyway. Love a nice unlined board, with dots at the main fret positions of course. Looks really good, maybe could do with a logo on headstock just to fill the space a bit👍

I think a one and only, a few UK dates, me and mates heard about it in MM (I suspect) - 'Alone Again Or' live was amazing.

Here's a weird one and showing my age. Leeds University, around '68... Love with Arthur Lee. They ended the set with a very long improv and I had to get a last train home. I still think Love were even cooler than the Doors back then. Still are.👍