Shaggy

Carlsbro Stingray - my first “proper” amp (head & 4x12), circa 1978, complete with red "fart" button (it worked). How I gloated over it, and the name sounded a bit like "Marlboro" so had to be cool. No idea if it was any good, I was playing a Columbus Jazz copy through it that would have made a pro rig sound naff. Sold it to the keyboard player.

Of the T’bird type basses out there around that price, definitely my choice would be the Spector Rex (/Rex Brown) – especially in the “holoflash” finish like the pic. There was a 2nd hand 5-string recently in a local music shop for £350, sweet player and sounded v "rock" but with a modern “hi-fi” edge to it too. Stretching to £500 or so you might even get lucky and pick up an old unloved genuine Gibson RD or RD Artist, which have a more rounded T’bird shape and 2+2 headstock. These were Gibson’s top of the line bass in their day (late ‘70’s / early 80’s), but never really caught on mainly due to weight and complex Moog electrics, and as they’re so unknown these days can sometimes be had cheap. Not especially neck-heavy, just …… [b]heavy[/b]. Heavier than anything you’ve ever played. But the sound is worth it, massive and brutal - love mine, just swap to the Rick now and again to rest the back...... :wacko:

[quote name='4000' post='305071' date='Oct 12 2008, 10:14 PM']Seriously, my 72 (which also has walnut wings) is my most treasured position. It's the standard by which everything else is judged, my favourite sounding bass that I've ever played.[/quote] That is one [b]stunning[/b] 4001 – I’ll have to steal it before Bassassin does! Out of interest though - what are the two little screws between the bridge and treble p/u for?

Bit of compression helps too!

Briefly lived just down the road from there (Angus St) - good venue

[quote name='Clarky' post='302013' date='Oct 8 2008, 11:22 AM']Spooky, I just thought that and had saved the very same pic of Phil LYnott from google images to post on here Are you me by any chance?[/quote] Jeez, I don't think so..........are you crap at dancing and do you collect obscure tankards? Also you do seem to have some of my basses, including a Rick - Thinking of putting a mirror guard on that in fact (Jetglo with knackered white p/g) But where are my others, eh?

2 slick deals with Mr eubassix within a week – new set of DR strings and a Korg Pandora PX4B. Top guy, sent the stuff quicker than probably anyone I’ve ever dealt with, and remained stubbornly good-humoured in the face of my obsessive/compulsive tendency to haggle (see market scene of [i]Life of Brian[/i]; “[i]what, ten dinarii for this fine gourd, me with fifteen children to feed[/i]”…...etc etc) Deal with in confidence, plus he gets lots of goodies from shows (which I can never be bothered to go to)

+1 on BWB, but a mirror guard is so cool .......

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='300220' date='Oct 5 2008, 11:30 PM']I have a 1984 BC Rich Eagle that has the P/P configuration and it sounds fantastic! Admittedly, the pick ups are nice old vintage DiMarzios but nevertheless, I think there's a lot to be said for that configuration. In this particular case, there is one volume pot for each pick up and one master tone control.. Oh, and it's passive. There are no buzz or humming issues and you can blend the levels of the pick ups any which way you like.. Very simple to use and very versatile.[/quote] +1 on the Eagle – BC Riches are considered pointy “metal” basses now, but back in the late ‘70’s / early ‘80’s they were in the same league as Alembic, making hand-made boutique instruments, with custom electronics. The P at the bridge definitely gives more punch than a J. I thought they were all active though! (switchable to passive) I’m sure there were some other ‘80’s basses that were P / P – Kramer or Westone maybe??? Would be a good DIY project on a cheap P-bass.

You have to try both ways and see what feels most natural, especially playing continuously for an hour or so. My left-handed son (13) has just started on bass, and immediately went for playing right handed, I didn't push him either way Personally I'm thinking of getting a left-handed Wal and playing it upside down as they're the only remotely affordable ones I ever see!

[quote name='Hamster' post='295911' date='Sep 30 2008, 09:40 PM']as compared with relicing, which is the practice of applying new lice to replace the old lice. [/quote] [quote name='Monz' post='295942' date='Sep 30 2008, 10:00 PM']I chopped the ends off my middle and ring fingers left hand last October in a work accident and I have found a way round it over the last year... and yes I regulally use my little finger to "bridge" two strings you just have to find a way I had o play with just index and pinkie for 6 months, it's amazing what you can do if the drive is there PS for those of you that are wondering, they did sew them back on but they don't feel like they used to lol[/quote] Didn't the same thing happen to Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath? Didn't seem to hold him back any!

Didn't the Beatles play Shea Stadium with only Vox AC30's? My first one home made, probabaly 10W max. It blew up.

+1 on Cocobolo, rosewood (Brazilian "Rio" the finest), European/American walnut, wenge. Thuja is nice too, used it on my custom "Stingray" (pre-EB MM neck), looks lighter in the pic than it is because of flash. Used African blackwood for the fretless f/b, which is lovely but a phenomenally heavy wood!

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='288091' date='Sep 20 2008, 05:12 PM']I have ritter gigbag for my thunderbird - perhaps an RD would fit in one of those? RockBass have a range of oversize bass gigbags as well.[/quote] Anything meant for a T'bird should fit an RD. The original case is the size of a small pool table!

[quote name='Gunsfreddy2003' post='285862' date='Sep 17 2008, 01:55 PM']Nice one - let us know how you get on with it? I have never used one but was waiting in the wings if you didn't take the one of Higgie!!! Cheers Mark[/quote] Will do Mark, although TBH I've got nothing to compare it to!

Those shorts weren't a great look...... :brow:

A big thanks for all the great posts on this; just to wrap it up, I went for Higgie’s original Mutron, hopefully coming soon. So now skint AND about to get cadmium poisoning! But vintage cool maintained

Considering a thread: "Poll - what should Shockwave's fiancee do next?"

[quote name='BigRedX' post='281421' date='Sep 10 2008, 09:18 PM']What's your budget? If you can stretch to it a second hand Pedulla Buzz would be something to consider £600-1000 depending on condition and desperation of the seller.[/quote] You just beat me to it! Wals are untouchable for fretless but way overpriced right now - if I was shopping in that price range it'd have to be a Pedulla. Fenders can be lovely but IMO need either an ebony board conversion or a coated board - a really hard board and ultra-low profile nut (phnaar!) are crucial for sustain and a nice articulate sound.

[quote name='tauzero' post='280887' date='Sep 10 2008, 09:15 AM']How's your soldering? You could always build a [url="http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=26"]Mutron replica[/url]...[/quote] Dude, you may have found the perfect solution! I'm totally crap - I have the scorch-marks on my fingers to prove it - but my brother is a whizz at it (he's an electronics engineer with Siemens), in fact he built my very first amp all those years ago - it blew up the cab (2 speakers pilfered from my Dad's old radiogram mounted in an old wooden TV carcass) but that wasn't his fault. Nice one!