meterman

I do like black basses, here's my old partscaster Squier Mustang. I had a black VM Mustang and a silver sparkle Mikey Way signature Mustang and took the best bits from both and ended up with a one-off black Squier Mustang with matching headstock. It was nice for a short scale, but lives in a mate's studio now. And someone out there has got a silver sparkle Mustang with a maple neck. That was nice too

@mcnach I played one of those '69 Thinline teles in a shop and was blown away by how good it was. Amazing quality for the price. I bought mine cheap on ebay to use as a back up guitar but it was better than my Fender tele. Could have just been the setup but I was chuffed for £150.

Can't speak for the Harley Benton tele's as I've never played one but a second hand Squier VM or CV Tele will defo get you there. I have a used Squier 72 Thinline Tele that I use as a touring guitar, it's a fuss-free workhorse instrument that plays and sounds great as-is with no mods whatsoever. Vintage tinted maple fingerboard, old school looks. Not the most exciting guitar to look at, but the build quality is really decent. And it cost £150 off ebay 👍

That's a beauty! If you can live with the target 'burst then I'd say leave it. The wood grain doesn't seem too prominent, and stripping poly out of a German carve is No. Fun. At. All. Clean it up and enjoy playing it! :)

I wouldn't be surprised if it was Clive Hicks, but it could just as easily be Alan Parker or Judd Proctor. Similar wah vibes on the theme tune for "To The Manor Born" too, which sounds like the same player, whoever it is?

The Sweeney had some of the best of the UK's library music as it's soundtrack and it was one of my first major inspirations. I love this stuff, the basslines are killer. A couple of my mates made a film about library music and Dave Richmond and his Burns Bison are featured in it. 😎 It's a great watch, even if you're not particularly much of a fan of library / soundtracks and all that, it's just a great story about a mostly hidden part of the UK's music history that rarely gets a mention, and the interviews with many of the players and composers are priceless. And as a companion piece to @phil.c60 's link for The Sweeney soundtrack, here's a YT link to part 1 of a great funky, jazzy (and possibly a bit cheesy in places) 2CD compilation that came out some years ago. Some of it pre-dates The Sweeney and some came after it, but it's all ace: Enjoy!

Cheers Wotcher. Yeah I'll take pics and everything!

Welcome from Brighton 🖐️

I'd just like to say 'Thank You' to everyone who has shared their knowledge and their time with me in this thread. 🙏 I was initially interested in buying a Tele bass because I thought I would never find a Bullet bass to replace my old beloved USA Bullet that I'd had to sell a couple of years ago. But then @gareth gave me the heads up that he had a spare one he would sell me - fluke or what?!! 💥 So yeah. Massive thanks to everyone I've interacted with here so far. I'm never usually much of a forum person but this place is awesome. Cheers - Lee (ps: I'll most likely be doing a NBD soon, you have been warned... )

Very nice!

PM'd 👍

Tidy job there mate 👍 The grain on that bass is stunning btw. It's a looker!

D'oh! Absolutely right, sorry yorks5stringer, my error, that'll learn me to only post when fully awake! Amazing work you did on that btw, the patch up looks flawless in the photo 😎

Ah right, I'm wrong then! 😂 The colour I really like is the buttery colour, like on my old Bullet or like @yorks5stringer 's Tele bass. It really pops with a maple neck and white scratchplate. Like this (not that I'm obsessed or owt) ⬇️

Love it!

I always think of it as a sort of Dijon mustard / Colonel Mustard colour if that makes sense? Both your basses there look awesome by the way. 👍 The Squier is probably what I'll get if I can find one used.

Old shot from the Jazz Caff where I'm wearing a Can t-shirt and playing a Wurlitzer 200, and a recent shot from lockdown where I'm wearing a different Can t-shirt and having a brew:

Cheers TD! 👍 Yeah I'm looking at old Fender and Squier Bullets in the States all the time, the shipping costs edge it over my meagre budget sadly. Shame 'cause the necks on them are lovely

Loved that, thank you!

Hiya Marc, thanks for the welcome mate 👍 Yeah it's probably a good thing GAK isn't open again yet! I'm fairly new to Brighton and still finding my way around, I'm from the North East originally (County Durham) and lockdown has taken the edge off my exploring the place. And yes, the old Bullet was lovely, I really was gutted to sell it. If I ever find one in my budget again I'll be on it like hair on a gorilla. They're pretty hard to find though, so it might be a long search... Cheers - Lee :)

Good morning Dad / Douglas and thanks for the welcome, much appreciated :) 🙌

Well spotted, yes it's a tiny little Tanglewood EB-18 bass. When I bought it, it only had 3 strings and the control cover on the back was missing so it had wires poking out of it. Wasn't sure it would work but took a chance on it because I liked the colour and it was £5. It has La Bella flats on it now, they cost more than the bass is worth 😄

@kodiakblair 🙌 Thanks for the encouragement! Is that blonde 51-style in your pic a Harley Benton? You've got skills man :)

See, this is great advice, exactly the kind of stuff I have no idea about. Modding is not really an option for me anyway as I've no tools, skills or space to work in. Good to know what's possible and what isn't. 🙏 Thank you!

That's a handsome looking bass. I wouldn't have to attempt any DIY headstock reshaping if I bought one of those, or the slab / humbucker version either. Thank you! - Lee