Shaggy

I'm pretty sure Kramer used to offer a half-fretted option on their '70's alu-necked basses

When I was 16 I gave up playing classical violin after 4 years of intensive training as I knew I'd never be Yehudi Menuhin. The same year ('77) I saw the Stranglers live at Cambridge Corn Exchange and knew with total certainty that I wanted to do, and could do, what JJB was doing on bass - was gigging one month later. I've never looked at anything on YouTube, but I suspect much of it is the same self-indulgent w@nkery that punk rock was about breaking away from. It doesn't matter how good you are, as long as you're enjoying what you're doing, and doing it from the heart.

I had one of the 5 strings a while back - I think it was the Tony Levin one. Didn't keep it long enough to upgrade, but I thought the pickup really weak - I'd certainly have changed it for an SD or similar. Nice looking and light weight bass though

Some great replies on this: for me the Gibson Thunderbird, Ric 4001, and Alembic S1 / S2 are iconic and stunningly beautiful. Here's one not mentioned so far I've always liked with its minimalist body outline and funky F-hole. A beach to play finger style though, with that skinny neck and narrow string spacing,

Another great and smooth deal with Mick - bought a Gibson buckle off him, usual friendly chat, buckle arrived next post. A true Basschat legend..........

Likewise. Blew out the speakers in my Dad's old radiogram

Some lovely grain on that maple - good score l've been trying to resist my long-term hankering for a blue-burst one......

Always liked Wings, and Macca's melodic bass playing on anything he does. This is my personal favourite that tends to get missed off "Best of" compilations - takes me back to listening to it on the jukebox with some friends from school in an Ambleside pub in the late '70's...…..(easy to get served underage in those days )

Interesting - I'd seen that on the local Facebook bass gear selling forum, and contacted the seller out of curiosity as to what model it was. I guess probably not worth much more than starting bid with that mod, but have to say I prefer it aesthetically with the omega cut out to the rather boring original styling.

Disco-tastic....... The Enfield basses are very Wal-styled, especially the Cannon

No direct experience of either, but the '90's Korean ones were made by Peerless and are very highly regarded. Anything modern MIJ is bound to be a safe bet too. A good thread on current semi options here:

Bought a pair of jazz bass pickups of Chris; as feedback above suggests he's a total star to do business with - patiently answered my inane questions, and send the p/ups off well packaged in double-quick time. Definitely of the good guys on this forum!

I had the grey beanie as an early Christmas prezzie for myself - actually quite comfy!

+1 for the Thunderbuckers. I have a "66" pair in a Warmoth custom T'bird, and they nail the tone of my 1965 T'bird IV, but they are pricey. Seems to be a bit more choice around now since I got them (which was basically either the Thunderbuckers or Mike Lulls for the "classic" type). Not keen on the modern Gibson units.

I'm pretty sure it was the very 1st year since joining Bassworld (pre-Basschat) in 2004 that I didn't buy a bass. Yay! Best - a Nordstrand Bigman 4 pickup bought on BC to put on my Warwick LX Jazzman Streamer. Absolutely transformed the bass to a tone monster; superb. Worst - a Jazz bass pickguard on eBay from China that looked decent. When will I learn......

Definitely cool pic of the day award there...... As foregoing posts show there are some really nice semis in production now - clearly been a resurgence after a couple of decades of deep unfashionability. Epi Jack Casady tops the list for me. I have a few vintage ones I love: a couple of Gibbo EB-2's (a '58 and a '69 "D"), a mid -'60's Vox Wyman bass, and a late '80's Steve Smith Custom "EB-2" (long scale / Bart MM pickups). One I used to have and stupidly moved on was a Gordon Smith Galaxy; anyone sees one please let me know!

Not the best pics, but here's my current Trace rig - AH600SMX with matching 2 x10 and 1x15 cabs, drivers in the cabs have been replaced with modern Eminence units so they're 400w RMS (/ 8 ohms) each. For gigging it normally gets usurped by my "compact" rig (Ashdown MK500 head with 4x8 and 1x15 mini-cabs) but for the bigger venues it's just sublime, and the UV facia lighting is soooooo cool.... My 3rd Trace rig in the past 30 years or so - 1st was an '80's GP7 4x10 combo, then a Twinvalve head thru Mesa 1516 cab.

Beautiful - an iconic 'bic design. Loving the side LED's and the top wood figuring. I had a 1985 Gibson Explorer bass, and the hard case was as big as the deck of an aircraft carrier.......

Great singer, great song Honourable mention for a slice of golden-era Tull......