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[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1425288449' post='2705770'] I can imagine the pressure! But it's awesome you got to use his rig and play support such an awesome band! Gotta say I'm a tad envious aha [/quote] Yeah it was stressful but real a privilege and great fun. We had to cut down our gear (we're a six piece) to fit on the stage (drummer played cajon and I cut back to one bass from the usual three - fretted, fretless and EUB), but we seemed to do ok and got lots of good feedback. I didn't get to speak to Norman, other than offer a quick thanks for the rig loan, but the other Blockheads who hung around to chat for a bit in the soundcheck were very friendly and welcoming. And yeah, they're an awesome band. P

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1425239435' post='2705494'] Chances are the rack tuner will be more sensitive than your pitch-black. It'll likely show the tuning on a smaller scale. i.e.; intervals of one as opposed to perhaps 3 or so. If you follow me that is?! [/quote] That's a good point James. I wasn't in the kind of frame of mind to look too closely (bit stressed in the soundcheck when the sound guy asked for some bass and NWR was sitting there, just by the stage), but I have a feeling now you suggest it that the rack tuner had more than one scale on its display. So what I thought was a few cents (between 5 and 10) was maybe actually a factor of 10 less.

I didn't really look too hard at NWR's bass rig (other than clocking it was a 2 x 12 on top of a 1x15). I was just happy to be using it. Here's my souvenir picture anyhow (with my bass). P [attachment=185251:NormBassRig.jpg]

The band I'm in supported the Blockheads yesterday evening and I got to use Norman Watt-Roy's Ashdown rig (that's the name dropping bit). Clearly, on the whole, this was a brilliant experience (especially since the Blockhead's audience didn't all stay in the bar while we Galleons were on), but one thing worried me. On top of Norman's rig was a serious looking rack tuner (can't remember what make), but when I first set up at the soundcheck I hadn't noticed the tuner so I had my usual Korg Pitchblack in line with my bass. The thing is though, even though both tuners were set to 440Hz, they disagreed. Norman's rack tuner thought the Pitchblack was a few cents sharp. I went with the Pitchblack's opinion and things sounded fine, but now I'm not sure if I can really trust it. So, anybody else been worried before by tuners that disagree? P PS. Norman's rig sounded glorious. Such a shame my Wal is out of action at the moment and I only had my modded Squire Jag with me.

Sam Ash in the US have the Talman in the full set of colours. The TMB 300 is $299. I'd be on the phone now if it had a maple fingerboard. http://www.samash.com/tmb300-talman-bass-guitar-itmb300-p P

What a gloriously lovely pair of basses you have there now Gareth. I'd be interested to know how much the fretless conversion cost. P PS. Do you still have a Wal on order with Paul?

The Talman bass has arrived at Music Productiv (a German dealer if you're not familiar) at a ridiculously inexpensive £147. It's not available in any of the nice colours though - just black and 'boreburst'. So near but so far. http://www.musik-produktiv.co.uk/ibanez-talman-tmb100-bk.html P

[quote name='ColinB' timestamp='1424197062' post='2693754'] That was very funny indeed! [/quote] Funny! You think it's funny? You cruel and heartless man Colin :-)

[quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1424177264' post='2693454'] I like that. I like that a lot. [/quote] Although of course, as a kind of illustrative health warning, I did indeed follow that philosophy a little while ago and got my heart broken. All my head had to say on the matter was, "You stupid arse, you bloody knew that was probably going to happen but still you did it!"….. P

I heard (in a TED lecture) a brilliant way of resolving head/heart conflicts a while a go. It went something like this: "Allow yourself to follow your heart by trusting your head to deal with the consequences". There you are, sorted, go fretless. P

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1423436210' post='2684852'] Pedant alert. You don't take a kettle to the gig, you take an amplifier, the power cable for that is called an IEC [url="http://www.techopedia.com/definition/25237/iec-connector"]http://www.techopedi...7/iec-connector[/url] Kettle leads have inserts in the shape usually that prevent them being used on other things like amplifiers. You can buy some very nice very flexible 240v mains cable and fit it to an IEC connector if you like. [url="http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/33-351_FLEXIBLE-MAINS-3-core-2.5-sq.mm-Black-rubber"]http://www.canford.c...mm-Black-rubber[/url] Just don't bring the kettle. [/quote] This!

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1422648282' post='2675226'] Maybe make one fretless and then join a prog rock band? [/quote] Think you have to make one a 12 string guitar to join a prog band Gareth. P

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1422370985' post='2671762'] Oh well, that's me out then! [/quote] Me too.

I really like the Talman. Thing is though, while the NAMM display shows a few nice colours (although unfortunately no maple fingerboard), the Ibanez website only shows Black and Boreburst. P

I'm disappointed that there's nothing in my favourite colours (greens and blues with mample fingerboards), but pleased too 'cause it means I don't have GAS. Please Fender, a Mex or Squire Jag (with twin HBs) in Surf Green with a maple fingerboard and white pick-guard. That would be an immediate sale. P

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1421134777' post='2657409'] The standard round heel will fit ok. It's when putting Tele bass necks on standard Precisions etc (a la Tim Bogert) that you need to get the chisels out... [/quote] I can confirm that having just put a tele bass neck on a Jaguar body. It was a very easy mod though to do though. P