Skybone

Enjoyed that. In the "good old days" one band I was in made a couple of albums, did a 2 week tour and numerous gigs around and about. It was fun, some of it was tedious, some of it was relentless, some of it was just plain dreadful, but I wouldn't change any of it (well, OK, not too much of it). Latest band we've just got a new singer on board, and it's going well. The next step is getting another song polished off, then a recording session at the end of the month. Hopefully, we can start looking to get some gigs booked, and see where it takes us.

Happy new year folks! Hope it's a good one.

Yet we still do it. Why? Because of the creative aspect, because we don't want to play other peoples songs, or just simply, because. There's no money in it, it's hard work, but it's worth it because of the creative aspect.

Band wise: Do some recording Get some gigs Work on some new songs Contemplate some new gear

A through neck isn't quite the same as a set neck. Yes, the body wings are glued to the section of the neck which forms part of the body after the heel. A set neck is glued in to the body generally using a tenon joint just after the heel. https://goo.gl/images/QdYN76[/img]

The Epiphone Pro series (active & passive) are through neck & 38mm nut, the regular model has the bolt neck which is wider at the nut than the Pro. The only set neck version I'm aware of is the Tokai Thunderbird, which also has the wider nut.

You could keep an eye out for the "Blacktop" Precision from a few years back. That came with the "double J" humbucker pickups, but the body & neck of a P bass. It might be worth looking at the wiring to see if you can coil split the "double J" pickups, to give you a bit more "range" from them (I had a Vintage Modified Jazz, with the same pickups, wasn't that impressed).

I hear some good reviews of the Renegade's, though I have to say that I'm a big fan of the older, through neck Rockinbetter's (and the Bass Collection Californian). The current Rockinbetter badged basses are Chinabackers, though I have seen a few through neck versions.

Yup, another vote for the Fishman Neo soundhole pickup.

There's an Ibanez 2388B on eBay just now.

Surely the Yamaha is exactly the right sort of bass for ska? IIRC, most ska bassist used Fender P or J basses anyway.

Welcome! Remember spending far too many hours over the years, perusing the wares in Rushworth's in Liverpool (along with Hessy's & Curly's).

You need to use all the tools available to do your job, and if that means using open strings, then so be it. Don't see a problem with it myself.

Never too old, maybe just practice for shorter stints, but more often.

I thought Norman had sold Faith & Grace.

Sounds like a job for... Bassassassin...

Welcome! Maybe have a look at Scott's Bass Lessons online?

Thinking about getting a powered FRFR speaker to run my POD HD500x through instead of an amp, but also thinking of a combo too. Using the rehearsal room's old Peavey rig at the moment, and have an old Hartke head & 2x10 for gigs when they arrive

I wasn't there, but Silverfish were ace. I do remember them having a fair bit of music press coverage at the time, and the slot on Snub (BBC2). Could it have been Transvision Vamp? They had a lot of music press coverage / indie darlings.

Think the amp's only rated at about 130w.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. If you get the opportunity to try one (or more than one), try it and then make up your mind. I'd always liked them, but put trying one off for years. I did try one that was seriously beaten up early in my playing 'career', as it was all I could afford at the time. It was good, but the condition put me off (turns out it was an early 70's checker bound 4001). Many years later, and many basses later, I tried out a 4003 simply because it was there. I was blown away and bought it, kept it for 5 or 6 years. I regret selling it, but needs must.

I'm actually using an HD500x instead of a Helix. At rehearsals, the room has an old Peavey head with 2x 4x10's. The Peavey has a "Power Amp" in socket on the front panel, so I just tend to use that. The band I'm in hasn't gigged yet, but we're going to do a demo in the new year & try and get some gigs off the back of that. I do have a Hartke HA4000 & an unmatched 2x10 that I can plug the HD into, but I was wondering whether I should just get an FRFR / Powered PA Speaker instead.