Bassfinger

MU is good.  Your arriss is covered, and it solves all sorts or arguments that arise when insurers try to argue you were still acting as your own free agent and not on band business at that precise moment in time.  

Of course, to satisfy the venue youd probably all need to be members. But my mob are all in the MU, so we're good.

They also give you 2 grand of free equipment cover, which is jolly handy.

8 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Surely that will just ruin the callous 

Not caused me any problems.

Thank you!

Ok, the no name jazz pickup for the bridge position is headed for the bin, as I've found the Entwistle pickup I knew I had somewhere.  I love Entwistle jazz pups, bags of volume and clarity with a tasteful touch of grit, so I am most pleased. Why people pay up to 10 times as much for something no better is beyond me, but hey ho.

Thinking i'll dispense with the neck pickup and replace it with a Retrovibe job.  I've Retrovibe pups in several basses, including the mudbucker conversion in my '54 CV, and have vnever been anyrhing less than highly impressed.

I want to to look, at a glance at least, like a real Rick-O so have ordered one of the made in USA stickers for the pickguard. It's for my own satisfaction, I won't be trying to pass it off as a real one and it's highly doubtful that anyone with functioning eyes would be fooled anyway.  Still, ill be using a sharpie to write inside the cavities and under the pickguard "THIS IS A FAKE", so in 200 years when Im gone and this bass crops up on the Antiques Roadshow no one will be deceived or ripped off.  It's a bit of fun for my own pleasure, not an attempt to cash in.

Now to let that well and truly cure for a few weeks while I start sourcing the other bits and bobs I need to finish.

A rub down with 0000 wire wool, and black bison wax.

Don't be alarmed. The camera shows differences in shade between the different pieces of wood that aren't actually visible to the eye.

When did the late 70's suddenly transition from merely "old" to "vintage"?  

It's an unremarkable bass, from an undesirable year of production, in an uncared for condition.

It's drying very, very nicely in my workshop/bike shed, which is always very warm this time of year.  Another day of so then I can reveal the next stage.

It depends on the piece.  I've done one paulownia body and it wasn't too bad for the pores.  It was a very attrective poece of wood once finished.

Wonderful patina.  Well used, but well cared for.

Oh. Not a thread about 90's Yamahas.

5th coat today. It's getting boring, I know, but the end result is in sight.

4th coat of oil today. No pics as still not much to see.

I love gigging. Ive been sensible and never tried to make any money off it, so never been frustrated or disappointed when I haven't. I get to play with my mates, insist on all the Coca Cola I can drink, and the boozed up groupies flash their thruppenies half way through a song to try and put us off. What's not to like?

While I'm in a position to treat it as a laugh and a social event then Im sorted.  I do quite understand how musicians quit big, successful, financially lucrative bands because of the pressures of touring - the cash might be nice, but the hassle of everything else that goes with it must be staggering.

Bench grinder does it for me.

Mrs Bassfinger is always for me buying a new bass, as it invariably means a quid pro quo for her, usually either sex or new shoes.

Itemised on my house insurance - Zurich - when at home. Not cheap, but with every item listed  and serial numbers recorded theres no argument about whats what if the worse happens. 

£2000 of free equipment cover from the MU when out the house gigging.

3rd coat of oil on. Not much to see beyond the last photo, so no new pic.

By kerrang, it's too hot to be in the sun wet sanding tung oil, butneven worse doing it in a stifling workshop. At least the oil is

drying quickly in this heat.

Entwistle forxa nice bit of bite, Warman for some real growl.

Well, on the bright side it'll be half the depth and a lot lighter when its finished.

Ive always got a lawnmower or two on the go. I have a Super Colt and a Punch in the queue after that one, all much the same other than the dimensions.  I don't keep many though, only currently have 2 plus my normal lawnmower.  You run out of room even quickler than collecting basses!

You can imaging Mrs Bassfinger's joy each summer when I get excited because the Vintage Lawnmower Club hold their annual rally not far from here!

Oh, before anyone asks that's part of my latest lawnmower resto in the background. This one's a 1968 Suffolk Colt that I'm going to give to my FiL as a present.

Meanwhile, I was going to dye the front.  However, after I'd applied one coat of oil to the rear I realised that the ash had some nice grain, do I decided to oil the whole thing.

2 coats in with the slurry method and it's starting to feel smooth. I'll let it dry for a few days and then crack on with the 3rd, and repeat until it's 8 or 10 coats on there.

If you join the MU you get 2 grands worth of free instrument cover.  Mine are itemised on the house insurance, but when out and about that MU cover leaves me warm and fuzzy inside.

Other than a tipple at christmas dinner, I don't drink so I am solely to blame to the parlous state of my playing.

I'm 5 feet 17, don't have a problem.