Skybone

Bet you could squeeze plenty out of that one.

Put the string in the capstan, bend it, wind it on to tune (or thereabouts), trim the string between 5 & 10mm from capstan. Never had any problems with it, always make sure I have enough string for a "lock-wind" (string above & below the exposed, trimmed string end). Importantly, if you make a mess of the initial wind, you have enough string available to make a correction to enable you to have a lock-wind. As above. I always make sure I leave about 25-50mm (1-2") string (depending on which string) at the end, bend, then wind. Always try to make sure I get at least 1 wind above & 1 wind below the end of the string. There was a school of thought in the guitarist world that you should have minimal "excess" string on the capstan. Whether this is guitarists "cork sniffing" or what, I don't know. A lot also depends on what type of headstock you have (4 in line or 2x2, 3x1, etc.), and whether the headstock is back angled or straight. If it's back angled, then you already have a decent string break angle over the nut, whereas if your headstock is "straight", then you need to try and induce a better string break angle. Horses for courses. Do what thou wilt, etc.

I'm assuming some people cut the strings to length before winding them onto the tuners. I've always cut them after winding them, and getting them into tune.

And the term "Custom Bass" is all well and good, if you want a variation on a Fender styled bass. However, the amount of customisation available is down to a set number of options. Yes, it'll be different from other Bite Basses, but a calling it a custom instrument is pushing it a bit. It's personalised at best. I applaud your get up and go, in setting up a new company to sell guitars with personalised options is a brave thing in this day and age, and I wish you every success, given that you are up against some very stiff competition from all areas of the market place.

Mids, mids, & more mids.

The Rickenbacker 4000 series. There are others, subject to change without notice.

Tool: 10,000 Days. I so wanted to like the album, there are some very good songs on it... but there's also some stuff on there that goes on too long and is either a bit too rambling or a bit too arty. It has taken me many years to appreciate the album as a whole, and I still think you have to be in the mood to listen to the whole thing, but when that moment strikes, it is a stunning album. Pretty sure that there are many other albums that I could mention... just can't think of them now! 😀

I umm-ed and ahh-ed about whether to go FRFR or not for ages, and came up with similar conclusions (without the maths bit though). If you want to go FRFR for bass, then I would say that you should look at: https://barefacedbass.com/product-range/FR800.htm

I remember lusting after an SB1000 for years, especially after having a few low end, bolt neck & passive SB's. Even in the late 90's, they felt superb, well built and extremely playable. Unfortunately for me, I didn't find it sounded that good, whichever settings I used, talk about gutted. I bought it as a "downgrgade" from a late 80's StingRay, chopped it in for a mid-90's StingRay which was a huge mistake (looked great, played great, sounded awful). Still lust after the pinnacle for me, an SB Elite II.

You could always try doing Alex James impressions...

You could always try looking at the Ashdown AMP300 2x10 combo from Musik Produktiv in Germany. It's a MAG300 Evo III amp, comes with a warranty that can be extended to 5 years if you register it with Ashdown. Not the lightest rig out there, and only punts out the full 300w with an extension cab (4 Ohm load), but it does put out over 200w from the internal speakers (8 Ohms), which frankly is loud enough for a heavy rock band. Bloody good VFM, and they'll deliver it cheaper than most UK suppliers.

Which part of your teens though? 3 Epic songs from when I was growing up, though not necessarily from the time that I was growing up: The Pre-Teen Years: Hawkwind: Lord of Light (the Space Ritual version) My older brother was into Hawkwind, so I heard this late 70's/early 80's. Blown away by the clarity and the driving nature of the bass line. Black Sabbath: A Spiral Architect. Again, thanks to my older brother, I was introduced to Sabbath around the same time, but this song is just superb. Rush: Jacobs Ladder / Natural Science: OK, 2 songs off the same album. The first Rush album I bought when it came out, played it to death. Simply excellent songs off an underrated album. The Teen Years: Celtic Frost: The Usurper Voivod: Ravenous Medicine Discharge: Possibility of Life's Destruction Could be here all day listing songs...

Great. People actually came to see us. OK, they came for the headline band, but they saw us as well.

Iconic, and ingrained in the minds of a lot of people. And still a fantastic album.

They sorted it anyway... They discontinued the Midnight Blue.

It's an Ibanez... Or maybe not... No idea what make it is, but it looks great, so enjoy it for what it is... a bass that needs to be played.

If you open the control cavity, and look at the back of the pots, you'll see a small notch in the case. Spray some Servisol in there, then turn the knob back and forth, spray some more in, turn the knob, repeat a few more times, then try plugging it in. Repeat until not scratchy.

It is possibly one of the better 4003's I've seen in a long time. Most of the Mapleglo's seem to be non-descript in terms of timber selection.

The neck pickup is an ideal thumbrest, or you could try adding one of those "Zero Mod" thumbrests.

Sweet.

Been toying with the idea of ordering a Jaydee. Can't make up my mind though, torn between a Roadie II (passive) or a passive Supernatural, or a mix of the two... One day maybe...

Cue Supergrass - Caught by the Fuzz...

"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"

Always loved the Jaydee basses, and that one looks like a fine example. Enjoy.