Beedster

Hence my comment re sandpaper and oil earlier. Yes, Bravewood (and Limelight) do instruments that feel very authentic to play, whereas to my mind Fender rarely manage that. I've owned Fender relic instruments ranging from the Flea Jazz to the Jaco Artist (the now stupidly expensive Custom Shop Model) to a Masterbuilt '55, I've never owned a Fender relic that felt like a 60's instrument. Whether this is due to the large scale manufacturing processes of even the small run/niche instruments, to complex business strategy ("we mustn't build new instruments that devalue the 60's instruments on which our legacy is largely built...."), or simply poor luck on my part I'm not sure, because in the grand scheme of things it's really not hard to take a new neck and make if feel like it's been played every day since 1962. Yes, there is mojo in playing a necj that has actually been played every day since '62, but it can be done a whole lot cheaper, and I suspect that in a blind test, few people would be able to distinguish between the real thing worth close to £10k and a well crafted relic worth less than £1k. If I had the money to spare, it goes without saying I'd have a '55 Precision and a '62 Precision (again). But they would be more as pleasurable investments than as instruments

There’s no rights or wrongs on this stuff, just opinion 👍

We've all got mates who's bands are, by our standards, f***ing awful, and no doubt many of us are in bands who by other people's standards, are f***ing awful. Some of the most unmusical and unprofessional gigs I've attended have involved world class players or bands (just check out some of Jaco's off nights.....). My answer to the OP's question tends to be "Well done mate, I'm glad I came, fancy a pint?"

I've owned one 50's Precision, five from the 60's, and probably more than 10 from the 70's. I now have none of them. To my mind vintage basses are antiques and are largely bought and sold in the same way as antique furniture, cars, art, and fashion. I really can't see the logic in any argument re tone etc as there is simply too much variability. Re playability, yes, there is that sublime played-in feel, especially IME with 60's Fenders, that it's hard to beat. Unless you know how to use sandpaper and Danish Oil

There are some very talented upright and fretless players out there, but few if any could bring the magic that he bought. I remember the first time I heard him play, with Martyn, it was a definitive moment at which something inside me changed forever. I didn't especially like the music to be honest, but was completely drawn in by the magical sound. It was hypnotic. RIP Danny, you will be remembered by many and missed by many, but what a life and what a contribution ❤️

Toneriders make PUPs that should make us all realise we’re being fed a load of shit by some of the better known and more expensive manufacturers 😡

Fair point, although I did think of that a while back but it causes some some back PUP placement problems I am pondering though, I might look for a short-scale FL neck and do some experimenting with a rather interesting test-bed body I have 👍

...have to say that if there were an FL in the new range I would be thinking seriously however, as Ric FL tone is sublime...... 👍

I'm not in the market as I imagine they won't be cheap, but the main problem I had with the only short-scale I've owned was that it sat in the wrong place for me, sitting down was OK, the only gig I did less so. I loved the frets being that little bit closer and the neck being that little bit faster as the result, but I couldn't get used to, well, dare I say it, the shortness! I considered getting a full length instrument with short scale fretless neck a while back because there's a few things I like to play on FL that challenge me on a full scale neck, so while I understand that people who might want an overall shorter instrument are not in the market for this, I would prefer this approach, albeit in the form of a fretless Precision 👍

Ours is very good, my previous was a nightmare which was a key reason for me walking, way too personal about, well, himself. As I tried to point out to him many times, punters in pubs don’t want to know about his childhood or his issues….. 😡 Very fond memories of a longtime ago frontman who’d announce before each song ‘This is a song I wrote after being dumped by a girl….’ to the point that it became an audience participation game 👍

Oddly won’t let me watch it either?

I’m reserving judgement until someone’s actually played one 👍

I struggled at first with my Bass 400+ for that very reason, i.e., I was using controls as if it were a standard hifi amp! There's a reason the amp is so iconic, and that is the eq, so I'm guessing it's well worth persisting with the tone controls on the 880D also. Of course, if anyone tries and fails, I'll be happy to take it off their hands given it's looking like a 3-month wait minimum 👍

If it helps, it's an amp that is well worth trying, which you'll only know works or doesn't work if you do (no matter how experienced we all are, none of us have your ears/your expectations/your band), and which is getting harder to find as well as more and more costly when you do. Given i'm confident that whatever you pay for it at Bass Bros you'll get back if you decide to move it on, I'd snap it up 👍

Despite what we may think, we rarely buy the best tool for the job, which is why Fender are where they are and G&L are where they are