Stub Mandrel

Who needs fake shite when you can have real shite?

Incredible! 😲 Great story, thanks 🙂

I think Basslab instruments prove the point. They won't admit it but their USP is as much about the look as anything else, they could be just as (more) ergonomic and look far more conventional.

It's worth reading what Neil Young says about playing with Crazy Horse. There are deeper, more primal forces at play - the ones that bonded our deep ancestors together through music. Is it a coincidence that the most powerful parts of a good gig are when the audience sing, stomp, headbang, clap or dance to the music, no matter how well they are 'in the pocket'?

Some might say what's the point paying £££ for a '63 bass if it looks like a 2019 bass? Relicing is all about image both to others and the owner, but surely we ALL worry about what out basses look like.

I could go fretless

Or the studs on your forehead when you are playing with your teeth...

The problem is the edges of the flaking lacquer stick up and if I pick it off it's going to look like that patch at the bottom. Temptation is to pick it off then sand down the edges, but then it will look like a bad relic job! Trouble is I don't play it enough to wear it down!

How can I say no? I live in the ultimate good-taste postcode - DE14: Bass, Marston's, Marmite and Branston Pickle!

Doesn't take that much pull to deflect a string like that, try it. It's mostly showmanship, he isn't hitting the other strings ridiculously hard.

And the great thing is that it's actually playable by mortals!

What would you do with this Maya P-Bass (other than put it on eBay as an overpriced 'lawsuit era Japanese bass')? I've added ashtray and a new scratchplate since this picture and they look great, but the lacquer has cracked and flaked really badly in several places, not just te two spots in the picture. In a few places I glued great chunks of lacquer back on with PVA! It's tempting to crack off the broken lacquer and sand the holes smooth to get a relicked look... the alternative would be a complete respray which might be beyond my skills or more than the bass is worth. To relic or not to relic.

Thanks for so many positive comments folks. I'd been looking at the emails and website for months, when I went into the shop without making the connection! The proprietor seemed to have the gift of the gab and talked me into it and I got home and signed up. Now it's suddenly very real and I feel it's time to put my money where my mouth is. Ridiculous thing is I reckon I'm a vastly better bass player now than when I was in early '96 when I changed jobs, met the SO and stopped gigging. I'm pretty sure I can be in tune and tin time, even if I don't quite nail the details; so i'm just going to play this for the hell of it, and who know in 2029 we might be doing stadiums for Saga Holidays 😉

I think the 'Abbey Road Army' is the direct descendant of 'Weekend Warriors'. Our gig is at the Boat Club too - now I know the history I'm really fillin' my boots 😲

I've been learning this from tab after re-hearing it on Planet Rock a couple of times. Check out the intro 🙂

Quite a few forum members seem to be actively plugging bands - some of them are even members of these bands!

Apparently one of my brothers is about to combine a ukelele neck with a metal santa claus selection box 🙂

I've been lucky. All the bands I've been in have had good drummers. The first (definitely the best musician in the band - started off playing side snare in a competition winning marching 'jazz band') and last were particularly good and gave me lots of good advice. Between the drummer and keyboardist of my first band I got syncopation beaten into me 🙂 But where would we be without drummer jokes eh?

Oh I did say some, but my beautifully finished 'made in Japan' (genuine) Fender Performer probably came out of the Tokai factory in 1987 along with many other 'real' Fenders...

More than I paid for this Kay, which is probably even more basic... (apols for reposting this pic!) Also see https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kay-K2-T-Vintage-Guitar/264225371338?hash=item3d850f34ca:g:58sAAOSwAEFcWWCi:rk:10:pf:0 " I have seen that these guitars sell for £250-£300. No silly offers please " Another one is listed at £57 which is probably greatly over-valued! And everyone thinks they are 60s when they were late 70s (and barely more than entry-level toy guitars).

Thanks. It seems each 'band' will have a leader who does all the coms, but I think the choice of songs will be 'democratic' rather than imposed, which is good. Funnily enough that reminds me one of my brothers (guitarist) did a 'mixed bag' charity gig last year - wasn't keen on the songs he got but he enjoyed it. I think one was Black Night and his attitude was "I just noodled around in a harmonic minor scale". I honestly hadn't considered the similarity in the situation, although its a long while since I played with anyone other than family.

Check for broken wires. Try switch cleaner... otherwise get new pots.

Crikey, they were known as crap even at the time!

Thing is if you sue someone for the lawsuit bass not being a lawsuit bass would that make it a lawsuit bass? To be fair, some of the MIJ guitars/basses from that era varied from very good to better than the originals (especially Tokai).

Something I want to avoid if at all possible... I can just about sing in tune but not much call for Paul Robeson covers...