Paul S

With much thanks to Jon @Bassassin for all his advice, knowledge and patience. I've had the hots for one of the old, better quality Japanese 'SG' style basses for a while and this one popped up for sale on Reverb at a reasonable price. A Fujigen made, Antoria branded, short scale EB-3 copy finished in what I guess you'd describe as a dark walnut lacquer. It arrived a couple of weeks ago now. A serial number on the back of the front pickup dates that, at least, to 4th August 1972 and, apart from a few dings in the paint, it seems in remarkably good nick for a bass that is approaching it's half century. Lots of life in the frets. I believe everything is original and, more importantly, still works. It arrived absolutely spotlessly clean, the neck dead straight and the action to my liking so all I needed to do was tune it up and lower the bridge pickup a tad to balance the output. I took off the middle chrome hand rest that I found rather in the way and there was a (original?) foam mute under the strings at the bridge that I also removed. The bridge adjustment is crude but, then again, so is my playing Edit - re-strung it with my favoured TI Flats. Weighs in at 3.4kg and sits nicely on the strap, no neck dive. Slim, shallow neck with a nut width of maybe 39mm. Have to say I am really impressed. Build quality is everything you would hope from an early Fujigen. It is the tone I was unprepared for. The neck pickup in particular is warm with HUGE character, a million miles from the Epiphone EB-0 I had years ago, even with the industry standard Dimarzio upgrade. Wander up to the 7th-12th fret area and there is a hollow, almost choral sound - hard to describe but I like it lots. And that is just at home. I suspect that pushed it will break up nicely and growl - really looking forward to trying it in the context of my blues trio. I have one of the Gibson Les Paul Jnr DC basses and I love it to bits. But, big question, do I prefer this? Possibly. I like that this is old. I like the whole quality Japanese copy thing. I particularly like that it cost me well under £300.

The nearest I have come was that my blues rock trio were invited to play at the Stowblues Festival this year, an event organised partly by BBC Radio Suffolk and the gig was to be recorded and broadcast. Hopefully next year! I've been on the tele with my garden a couple of times, mind

I see a TV career looming, too. Bass off? Master bass? (steady...)

Funny how tree branches always look so much smaller when attached to trees. We have an ancient Lombardy Poplar in the corner of my place with lots of 'small dead branches'. One of the 'small dead bits' blew down earlier this year in a storm and it was 30ft long.

Sad and horrible to read. I have a tree surgeon live next door to me who does all my tree work for me and a few years ago he made an error of judgement. He was lightly pruning a tree, holding small branches and cutting them off, at the time roped up about 30ft into the canopy. However he misjudged how heavy a branch he was cutting was and once he'd cut through it the weight pulled his arm into the chainsaw. He had already taken his pressure off the throttle so the blade was braking - it only went through skin, fat and muscle but no further - but it made a mess of his forearm and kept him off work for several weeks. Made worse, of course, by the fact that he was way up in the tree and his buddy had to try and get him down. And that is a guy who spends all day every day using a chainsaw. Luckily there was no permanent damage other than some slight nerve damage. Mrs S won't let me anywhere near power saws.

I see where you are coming from. Once I discovered that occasionally T-birds came in at 8lb I suddenly HAD to have one for much the same reason. At one point I thought 'T-birds are a young man's bass, not for a thick waisted middle-aged man'. But now I'm a thick waisted old man I don't actually give a toss. So I got one. Just BC (Before Covid), sadly, so not even used it in anger yet. But I can take it out the case and strike a pose any time I like 🤘

There was what I think is sensible advice on the radio this morning. If in doubt ask yourself 2 questions. If I got stopped by the police could I justify my journey? If I picked up the virus, could I pass it on to anyone who is vulnerable?

Playing with a pick is a complete non-issue. Bassists have been using picks since there were electric basses and many of the most iconic and influential players use(d) a pick.

Sigh. if only it were a 4 string.

First time I saw Bonnie Raitt. Her voice, her guitar playing, both used to such devastatingly emotional effect. Never heard anyone play slide guitar like that. The control and subtlety, timing, note choices just blew me away. The way she slowly increased the vibrato in the note, the light and shade. But mainly her singing - it just made me cry. Only during the sad bits, obvs.

Probably the same sort of places and conditions that everything we all use, every day, comes from. Clothes, electronics - you name it, all cheap labour. I stopped wondering a long time ago 'cos it is a situation that has gone too far to be fixed.

Muchas gracias!

Could a proud owner please weigh one of these? Ta.

my ex band toyed with the idea of this but we never got round to it in the end:

I've used Essex Amp Repairs a couple of times and, tbh, wasn't that pleased with what they did. I can say the same for some repairs they have recently done on a couple of amps I know of that clearly had faults they were unable or reluctant to spend time identifying. I would unhesitatingly recommend Electronic Music Services They sorted out my Mesa Boogie prodigy 4:88 when it blew a fuse and took half the pcb with it. Cost me an arm and a leg, mind you, but that wasn't their fault. But recently I have become more acquainted with a chap called Leighton Jennings and he is now my go-to guy for everything. He is a one man band working out of his garage, makes guitars and amps, repairs them, top bloke. Also vintage record players! Both are nearer than Witham, too!

.... bridges, strap pins, sandpaper, masking tape, nice paint finishes.... What a mess!

Yup. Absolutely beautiful. Moved on a few times since now.

Maybe I have been very unlucky with Fenders and very lucky with Squiers but I have handled many, many Precision basses and the best three were Squiers. Two of them JVs, one a Fender logo one, the one I have kept (below) a bit later in '82. The other one was a medium scale A series. I have no agenda, no shares in Squier basses, no axe to grind with Fender - I just wanted to keep the ones I liked best. And they were Squiers. I would say to anyone who reckons JV Squiers are ordinary, just pop round here and have a go on this gorgeous thing

A new craft knife! How exciting. 😄 Be really interested in the weight of this one. Basswood, according to specs?