Dom in Dorset

I have an Ibanez acoustic, was my main bass for a while (playing mostly folky stuff). They seem to be difficult to record with, never quite sitting comfortably in the mix. I still use it but just for informal jamming, probably always have one but,if times got hard I'd trade the Ibanez for a cheaper one. Home made acoustic fretless: Also a one time main bass, mostly used for practicing/late night noodling, wouldn't be without it but not gigged anymore. Twin neck (fretted/fretless) : my gigging bass, used in two completely different bands, both necks 50/50. I suspect that most people would get more from a fretless than an acoustic.

Deuteronomy 5:6–21 : "you shall have no other band members before me." God is a solo artiste.

One of my bands is a four piece and always has been, always will. The other has been up to six regular members, we have gigged with seven. Last year we boiled down to a steady five and that seems to be the right ballance between making a big sound and I can't make it that night , only six more instruments to sound check and the gig starts in ten minutes, how the hell are we all going to get on that stage? We've been paid but after petrol money the split is £3.75 each isuues.

I'll be in Brum over the weekend, any music shops worth visiting? I lived there 20 years ago , things have changed a lot since then.

Cheap generic parts (no big brands)from [url="http://www.chguitars.co.uk/"]c h guitars[/url] I've always been 100% happy with my dealings with them.

I don't know about airport baggage handlers but postmen and couriers don't pay any attention to fragile stickers. If you want something to arrive intact pack it well. I used to work for a laboratory supplies company in the despatch department packing glassware etc. Stickers offer no protection whatsoever.

Glen Cornick -so un-cool he's cool.

I used to think JJ Burnel was cool until I saw this picture:

+1 for Lemmy, if in doubt watch this: [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b012p5vv/"]Lemmy the movie on BBC iplayer[/url]

I love the bit he plays at 1 min. I'm not that familiar with the song , is that how McCartney played it?

I went from years of playing whatever I could afford and not really enjoying the sound i was getting to "hang on let's go and try some basses" Last year I discovered the Precision pickup. I was building my own bass and wanted best bangs per buck , my original intention was to get two soap bar pickups T bird style. after trying a few cheap basses in a music shop came away thinking that the tone I alkways craved was in the P bass pickup. Not looked back since and enjoying my playing more and more.

When you have the argument about the band name how about suggesting "Train Wreck" as an alternative?

Move to another country under an assumed identity.

Do the rest of the band roll up in jeans and t-shirts?

Pretentious? Show off? Those are just my good points.

I share lead vocal duties equally with two other band members (guitar and bouzouki) and love it. I find that once I've learned the bass line and the words , putting the two together isn't as difficult. It also gets easier the more you do it. I couldn't bare the idea of just standing there strummimg while I sing.

Does he ever make a bass like that with P/J pick ups? Or P pick up only?

a lot of questions ... How come the wires are burned through? - Probably clumsy handling of the soldering iron by the original assemblu worker. If you don't pay attention you can burn a wire with the side of the iron while you're concentrating on the tip. P bass wiring is as simple as it gets , just google for the diagram , work through wire at a time. Safety? - as far as I know , unless you plug the bass into the mains you'll be ok, the worst thing that will happen if you get it wrong is that it won't work. Diagram:

The Brandoni kits sound interesting, is that the original neck? There's also CH Guitars , you can mix and match parts , build something more unique.

I prefer the feel of a heavier G string, I use D'addario 50-105.

I've seen the coloured ones (they also have a scratch plate , the black ones don't?) they're nice but I do like the black ones. I have also read at least one review that didn't like the pick ups. My experience with Fenders US and MIM (and Squires) is the pick ups are quite powerful , the squires had (to me ) a muddy tone.

I'm thinking, this one:

I've always had fairly limited means and played fairly cheap basses. I'm fairly technicaly minded and have managed to tweek them to maximise their playability. I'm now thinking that I deserve something nice, while I'm still tempted to buy a Warmoth neck , Wizard pick ups and build it myself I like the idea of a quality off the peg bass. Even if I do eventually build something myself , it would be nice to know what to aim for in terms of playabilty and response. I think my playing would benefit from some time on a good instrument ( I had an old passive Wal for a few days recently and while I was underwhelmed by the sound I loved the neck , things that were usualy difficult or messy were easy on the Wal) Anyway , I'm still broke but if I start saving , sell off some other gear and a kidney or two it might be possible in about a year. What do people think of the Aerodine Jazz? Can you get a classic precision tone? What is the neck like?