Spoombung

U2 are one of those bands that won't go away - a bit like REM or heart disease. The Irish boys in Stump loathed them and when we released our first indie album they insisted on the catalogue number '[b]STUFF U2'[/b] (a little joke, y'know). Unfortunately, the band (or someone representing the band) noticed this and it had a somewhat detrimental effect on out Irish press because unknown to Mick and Rob, U2 held some sort of vested interest in [i]Hot Press[/i], (the main Irish music mag), and their publishing - and we didn't get the usual double page spreads. It didn't matter, though, as we still sold bucket loads.

Cor, that looks well tasty.

Simply wonderful.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='423525' date='Mar 2 2009, 06:53 PM']I was going to bring that as Kev (Spoombung) wanted to try it, but when I realised that we'd got our bashes mixed up I didn't bother as I thought it would probably be of little interest to anyone else. I was obviously wrong.[/quote] ...funny that Paul is also very interested in this bass. Did you go to the Notts bash? From the pics and video it looked like a bunch of blokes slapping and clanking away on Fenders!

GAS, GAS, GAS

GAS, GAS, GAS...

[quote name='BigRedX' post='166622' date='Mar 30 2008, 10:04 PM'][/quote] This thread has given me rampaging GAS

Jesus! [i]"Fluffy - € 1.200,00 While walking through an IKEA store (I'm married... ;-)), I saw this rug. My brains only computes how specific things an e used as a bass. I found a possibility.This is a real party bass. Women love it, and men want to shave." [/i] This guy is a [b]GENIUS[/b]!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='420781' date='Feb 27 2009, 12:03 PM']Sorry about that bit of misunderstanding... I'd probably go to one in London though[/quote] Yeah I probably wasn't very clear about it. I look forward to meeting you in london, then. BTW the Bass Extravagnaza site is very interesting. I really liked this:

[quote name='BigRedX' post='420658' date='Feb 27 2009, 10:10 AM']I'll be at the Nottingham one tomorrow, as it's about 20 minutes walk from where I live, which was the one I though you'd be coming to. Did I get that wrong?[/quote] Yes, I'm afraid you have got that wrong - I went to the Harrowgate bash. Would have a liked a chin-wag with you....

[quote name='BigRedX' post='419710' date='Feb 25 2009, 11:15 PM']Seen something you like? Or completely horrified?[/quote] No, I'm fascinated, this is a great thread and has the mark of [b]BigRedX[/b] all through it. PS. How come you didn't get to the Harrowgate Bass Bash?

[quote name='BigRedX' post='89917' date='Nov 17 2007, 03:58 PM']Todays basses are from the Czech Republic [url="http://www.avbasses.cz"]AV Bass Guitars[/url] Here's a 3-string bass [/quote] Good grief.

This 'un: [attachment=20918:Fvkingscore.jpg]

[quote name='Golchen' post='414723' date='Feb 19 2009, 08:42 PM']I asked why we needed more than one kid? We have 4.[/quote]

And this is Steve starting to shape the neck:

Clamp city: I'm assuming this is the fingerboard being glued on: And this must be the headstock plate being glued:

I have some new pics of the progress over at Zoot HQ. The neck being glued together:

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='408372' date='Feb 13 2009, 11:07 AM']It's important to bass players and a handful of other musicians. Not to normal people though.[/quote] I thought Jaco played at the same volume, anyway? Burp Burp, then a bit of mwah. That puts you on a par with him. You've got a lot in common!

Oh wow, that looks really nice! I look forward to playing it (not keen on strings high above the body, though). I demand a 12.5% discount if i buy it!

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='408114' date='Feb 12 2009, 10:53 PM']I think its sh*t. Don't mind "Come on, come over", but the rest is rubbish. I don't like solo bass though and I think Joni Mitchell is a f***ing whore.[/quote] You'll enjoy this if you haven't seen it before: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKCwH3amLaU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKCwH3amLaU[/url]

Yes, I think so, although I prefer his compositional style, ie, '[i]Three Views of a Secret'[/i] to his improvisational stuff.

[quote name='pobolycwm' post='407958' date='Feb 12 2009, 07:49 PM']nah mate they picked the records up for 5 p in oxfam to turn into plantpots[/quote] I'm sure plants are rarer than women in that windowless workshop of theirs!

I had a long discussion with Mike this week about the best way to construct the neck. At first we were going to go for a single piece of maple - mainly because I'm not keen on the stripey look of purpleheart veneers - but after a lot of reflection, I've decided the neck [i]does[/i] need to be laminated afterall, especially given it's narrow width at the nut (34mm). So we're going for a 3 -piece maple laminate with black veneers separating the woods. He's going to use an old technique (a boat builders technique, I believe) were the wood grains run in opposite directions minimizing any chance of warp over the years. Here it is in bits. You'll notice, in the background, that Mike and Steve just can't stop listening to my stuff; they've moved over to '[i]Whispering Foils[/i]' now. This will be the angled headstock: Funny business, isn't it?

Some more pics from Mike. Here's the body woods all glued together: You can now get vague impression of the swirly patterns. I must say, speaking as a punter, I'm amazed how crude the first stages of the process are; getting big slabs of wood, planing them down, wacking glue on them and clamping them together. Hard to believe they turn into these shining, polished instruments in the end.

That headstock is lovely.