Stub Mandrel

G&L by Squier 🙂

Sounds like it needed a ⅙ turn to loosen the truss rod. My Fender Performer was exactly this after not bring played since high summer. The dealer let you down.

"One man's Bongo is another man's G&L."

That colour definitely looks better on my sock.

It is (D#m technically) We've settled on Bm 😁😁😁

Good rehearsal tonight. Boys of Summer requires a lot of concentration! I took a five string which was just as well as we ended up playing it in multiple keys. For the himass bridge fans my stock Flea Jazz had no difficulty sustaining the notes when we played Em. And for people who worry about flabby b-strings, my Harley Benton Marquess was sounding awesome. We ended up settling for Bm but I'll probably use an octaver (as does Tim Schmidt when playing it in Dm on a four string). Aside from four new songs, most of the evening was tidying up arrangements.

Apparently the original was in F#, but they re-recorded it a tone and a half lower, Don Henley would agree!

Big key changes. Tonight we will rehearse Boys of Summer. All straightforward except timing is critical with long pauses as a twiddle or two in the bridge. So it's all about tone. We've been debating... singer offered us two choices: A or E (in which case he sings an octave down). Original sounds huge in D# and even E sounds lightweight to me. I tjink A would be worst of all possible options. I want to dig my heels in for E at least.

Recirculating ball steering, 3/4" free play allowable at the MOT. Had a LDV camper (glorified Sherpa) with one, it was like steering a boat. On the motorway you'd gradually drift to teh right of your lane, correct and gradually drift left. There was no straight ahead, whatever you did or how well the wheels were aligned.

That's one for the climate change sceptics!

Who knows what the future holds... G&L basses with Fender headstocks?

"Dynamic pricing" All our clicks suggest interest and push the price up. Leave it in your basket and wait.

By what measure? Seriously what offends do much? The simplicity? Even though the G&L is seen as odd by many, due to it's prominent but functionless pip, that's still subjective.

How do they get away with using Fender logos?

You and the rest of us!

Just worried that you might be worrying about how to transport hem all, only to feel a little deflated if only a handful get all the attention. There's plenty of space, although you may need to squeeze up to create space for a latecomer.

I haven't got one!

Mine seems good, but the two ends are curled up a bit. Might try pouring boiling water over the ends if they don't flattened out, but currently it's in the lounge with a wooden cat on one end and a chair on the other.

Steampunk bridge!

After Friday's gig, I was hoping for a better one at my local club. I went with my usual Bass Terror/AT212 rig and decided to use my effects and my Fender Performer, which hasn't done a full two-set gig since the early 90s. Minor glitch... the power socket on my hpf had failed. Got a glorious tone, and exploited the capabilities of the Tbx more than in the past. We started messing round with killing floor (I had to look up the bass riff) and used it to soundcheck. Attendance was a bit low at first, but perked up for the second half. Apparently a big birthday do in town took away a chunk of the club regulars. But we got a good reception. We played well, I enjoyed the world of difference between flats and last night's skinny Roto 66 40-95s. Inspired me to some creative fills. Encored with Walking by Myself then Al launched into an unanmounced extended version of Killing Floor which turns out to be quite a workout with that burst of sixteenths in nearly every bar when played at breakneck pace. The Precision got the night off. My rig, again... Afterwards my partner said 'that was the first gig I've really listened to your bass all through the gig', and had a couple of compliments, which was nice 😁 so back on track.

Maybe it's a Drongo? Swap in Warman pickups?

Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons in Phil's hometown of Pontypridd on Friday. Gigging on Saturday. Simply Red in Cardiff on Sunday.

Last night I played a whole gig with my Fender Performer for the first time in three decades. It's 40 about now (actual dates are difficult but somewhere 85-86) do I say it's vintage. I've had it about 35 years, and the tonal range I could get, combined with the ease of playing (Roto 66 40-95 and whisper-thin 24 fret neck) made its an utter joy to play. I'm not sure what my point is, except having a long personal history with it adds to the pleasure, but it's rooted in the reality of the instrument's capabilities.

As an early 60s bass is beyond my means, I have Flea signature jazz and an AVII 1960 precision. The latter, in particular, is supposedly Fender's closest approach to replicating those early basses. Certainly the pickups are very close to the originals in materials, construction and sound. Some may disagree, but I think that, aside from the lovely played-in feel of a vintage instrument, the main appeal of vintage is the joy of owning something with a history to it.