Cosmo Valdemar

That's a pity. At least you got a refund though. I wonder if they'll just put it back up for sale - did you tell them it was buggered?

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1332545902' post='1590034'] Cosmo - who is that? I've not heard that in years, great post! [/quote] Pulkas. They were around in the late 90s, I saw them live countless times in London. They only made the one album but it's full of that amazing bass tone. I met the bass player Jules once, and as a bass obsessive even then I questioned him and he told me it was recorded with a Status Matrix - a 4-string version of the natural JJ model in an earlier post if pics of that era are anything to go by. He also played a Status Shark and Barracuda late on, both of which I owned in an attemt to get that recorded sound. Never managed it. With my older seasoned ears I think I'm hearing a bias toward the bridge pickup...

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1332586483' post='1590282'] A good point. There's not a massive market for much at the moment! I'd push hard for a deal, [i]on your terms[/i]... [/quote] This. I reckon the sight of £200 in cash will do it. Let us know how you get on!

If it's a pawn shop, I reckon you could haggle the price down a bit more.

All I know about the Status Matrix is that one of them was responsible for this amazing sound: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFEcQdG-xX4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFEcQdG-xX4[/url]

[i][i][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY9sDk6NyQY&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY9sDk6NyQY&feature=related[/url][/i][/i] [i]All my other favourites tend to be variations of this.[/i]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1332192960' post='1584729'] Wow, that was a quick response, less than a minute!! [/quote] I find myself mysteriously drawn to any talk of the fabled Slab Precision...

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1332168613' post='1584176'] I was thinking the same thing. Imagine waking up and seeing her hovering above your bed playing your bass. [/quote]

"The Holy Grail"

She'll always be the Woman in Black to me...

Just sold my Zoom B2 pedal to Barkin. Excellent chap really, and a prompt payer. Deal with confidence!

Wish I had gone now! I saw Re-Genesis, yet another Genesis tribute band a year or so ago at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Sonically, almost spot on. Aside from the singer they didn't really go in for trying to recreate the look. Distractingly, the keyboard player bore a chilling resemblance to Peter Griffin. The singer looked like late-era Keith Moon - very odd to hear that voice coming out. And Al Murray was there too, singing along.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1331903534' post='1580664'] I have been playing this for a while now, and have not really paid much attention to the bass part on the long guitar solo. Had a closer listen today, and instead of holding down the G Bb and C for 5 minutes, there is some nice bass work going on there, albeit largely mixed down in favour of the guitar solo. Some of the upper register work is really impressive and Leon Wilkenson hardly ever plays the same part twice. [/quote] If it's the studio version, that's not Leon Wilkeson - he left the band before they recorded the first album, only to rejoin immediately after. The bass on Pronounced was played by one of the guitarists - Ed King I think. Excellent bass album all round really.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1331901376' post='1580619'] I've got a pretty awful voice and I don't imagine singing lessons would make enough of a difference. My pitch is fine and I can improvise or remember harmony parts easily, but I wouldn't sing alone just because of the quality of my voice. If you find I'm wrong please let me know and I'll go get some lessons. [/quote] Same here.

I would suggest that maybe the mis-spelling was a lame April Fool's gag, but knowing BGM's past form...

The American Guitar Centre is a lethal place, I can't go there anymore. Too many Alembics. Welcome, Kevin! Although if you want to avoid GAS, you've really come to the worst place...

Excellent review.

Surely making such erroneous accusations against an instruments design and function in a major magazine is bordering on libel?

I'm considering getting me a Yamaha BB424 as an all-round workhorse. I've heard nothing but good things about them but I am a little bit concerned by the review in BGM a couple of issues back. For those who haven't read it, the reviewer said you are unable to set the string height properly because of the blade-style back pickup - it would seem the height of the blade isn't adjustable and any attempt to lower the action results in the strings hitting the pickup. This is a bit worrying as I like a nice low action. It could be a deal breaker! Any BB owners on here ever had this problem? The blade may be fixed but surely the pickup itself can be lowered?

A happy ending, but that knock during transport should never have happened. Who was at fault, the courier company or the seller's bad packing?

[quote name='paul torch' timestamp='1331495780' post='1573811'] was there also mate. they put on a good show. sound was a little disappointing though geordie's guitar sounded like mush but the drums sounded great. always good to hear them play Love Like Blood though I believe it's usually played for a fallen friend. [/quote] It suffered from what seems to be the standard live sound these days - deafening booming sub-bass and very little definition. This actually worked for European Super State but didn't suit there more usual sound. It seemed to sort itself out by about the 4th or 5th song though, the guitar became a lot sharper. It's a shame they played so many new tracks right at the start, I could hardly make them out. The ones they played nearer the end were stunning - Pole Shift was incredible.

[quote name='CyberBass' timestamp='1331455949' post='1572919'] Was a bit gutted they didn't play love like blood in Bristol. They did Requiem, which I love :-) [/quote] At the Roundhouse they encored with Requiem and Wardance, then went off, only to come back after about five minutes to play Love Like Blood. Don't know if it was down to the venue or KJ themselves but each time they left the stage the house lights were switched on, causing quite a few people to leave only to have to come charging back in again. Bit daft really. Maybe that's what happened at Bristol?

I saw them at the Roundhouse on Thursday night. What an inspirational, terrifying, emotional, intense, violent, spiritual, heavy-as-fook band. That is all.