BillyBass

I live in North London, so they are relatively local to me, at least I can drive there quite easily. I used to use them to set up and mod my basses but they messed up with one bass and instead of apologising and getting it sorted, I got excuses as to why something I requested wasn't done. This was an employee mind, not Martin. Since then I decided to learn how to set up and mod my basses myself. I have bought from them before and I would buy from them again if they had something I liked, just be aware that, as per the OP's post, occasionally communication between them and you will be poor and you might have to chase.

I've bought a couple of Reverends from Merchant City Music; they seem to be the only shop in the UK selling Reverend basses these days. Let us know how you get on with the Wattplower. They are a bit neck divey, Mike Watt holds his bass with the neck almost vertical, which, according to something I saw on the internet, was to compensate for the neck dive on the basses he started out with (?) But they look great, especially the yellow one.

Nice one! I saw James Oliver at a guitar show last year and very impressive he was too.

No, there are no curtains or blinds. When both of us are out of the house I take the heads out and hide them somewhere else in the house. The conservatory is out the back though, so you would have to walk into my garden to see in, and I do have cameras.

Congrats on the new bass. I presume the pick up is a Delano? If so, how are you finding it?

Well ok, now you've cleared that up but in that brief period of time between my post and your reply, an innocent bass chatter, fully believing he was on the straight and narrow, could have pressed that buy now button and rejoiced in the fact that he was about to receive some new kit whilst feeling proud of his unblemished gear abstinence record...and you would mercilessly cast him out of the club? I think an erudite solicitor, knowledgeable in Basschat law might take you to task on that.

No, not really. I might have just been looking for a loophole, especially with a Dingwall D-Roc on Ebay at the moment.

So how does this gear abstinence lark work then? If you flog some bass kit for, say £500 and then buy a bass for anything up to that amount are you still in? Doesn't quite seem like abstinence to me.

Burgundy

Paul Del Bello is one of my favourites. I like his short clips about how certain famous bass players play, how their style fits their music/band etc. Very informative.

My missus had been after a conservatory for a while. I finally agreed when I realised that with soundproof (ish) glass, conservatories make great places for practising. In spring and autumn I leave a couple of basses in overnight but I can't do that in summer or winter. I mainly use my GK Legacy into the Super Midget, but sometimes I'll fire up the Fusion S through the Barefaced 10s

We had a gig at a pub in Watford that we had played before, in fact they gave us our first gig. The landlady booked us on a day that all the locals left to go to a golf tournament. We played to about 6 people! We then offered to take a cut in our fee but the bar staff wouldn't have it. The Load of Hay in Watford, good pub.

That's how I see it. I've never played Soul and Motown before and I was most certainly out of my comfort zone but I like learning songs so all is good. I tried to reign in my rock bassist habits a bit and I think I came across as a bit underwhelming. I lacked the groove necessary according to the feedback I got. Still, now the tone control is back on full, there is a pick back in my fingers and the round wound strings through GK amps can be heard in their full glory. I've been back on Joinmyband too, I've got in touch with a drummer and we have started learning a few 70s 80s rock songs before a meet in a couple of weeks; hopefully a covers band will rise out of the ashes. And I'm tempted to go to a local pub that has an open mic/jam tonight. Good luck with your search too.

There is another video of him playing this song at the Cavern no less! He messes up, starts again and the crowd give a big cheer when he finishes, possibly more out of sympathy.

Great YouTube clip that. So I watched one of the YouTube suggestions that appear at the end, one about a guitarist 's teeth falling out then this one below was suggested: