Dom in Dorset

I grew up in Brum and remember Bass Place. It must have been 88 or 89? I went in looking for a fretless but while I was waiting to be served (the shop keeper thought he was going to sell some high tech high end bass to this guy who could play one clunky slap bass riff over and over and over...) I picked up one of those Hohner headless basses that I thought looked awful and wouldn't be seen dead with...fell in love and walked out owning it half an hour later.

I had always sung, from just backing vocals up to half of the lead vocals but my voice only really started to develop once I stepped up to be main vocalist. I'm not a natural singer, I don't have exceptional vocal chords but I could feel and hear my voice growing in range, power and subtlety. My advice is to sing as much as possible. If it's a rehearsal then just go for it, if the rest of the band really want you singing they'll put up with a few dodgy moments. Hold back at gigs until your confidence and hopefully ability grows.

As predicted once we got started it all fell into place. The cold backed of for the duration and my voice was in good form. Most of the problems I had were due to poor eyesight , bringing the wrong glasses and then breaking the ones I did bring. As it was nearly two years since we graced the stage we were just happy to be there. My partner got some pictures and videos which we'll look at later. Today I'm croaking like a frog and I'm the source of 80 percent of the world's mucus.

My voice should be ok (ish) I'm struggling with high notes but the guitarist takes the high parts in harmonies so I'll get some help....he hasn't been singing in rehearsals due to his own ongoing throat issues. He reckons he'll sing tonight. 🤞the by brain fog seems to be the main problem, I have a lot of lyrics to remember including three new songs. I shall be spending the afternoon writing crib sheets. At least I've settled on my stage gear , I'm going double denim.

The last gig I had booked with my country rock trio was for the 21st march 2020. The lockdown started that night so it was postponed.... Tonight is the rescheduled gig....and I've got a cold. I've done a covid test and at least that was negative, all I have to do now is overcome the brain fog and hope my voice holds out. I've had two years to have this cold and I have it now . Meh.

I have a part time job in a piano shop so it's a perk! Most piano dealers have loads of scrap that they struggle to get rid of. The only issue is that they might insist on you taking the whole thing including 100kg of cast iron and loads of other bits you can't use. If you can persuade them to let you have just the removal panels you could get some useable timber. Most pianos are just poplar so only good for bodies, I pick through a lot to get suitable woods for necks. There are loads free on Facebook marketplace but you'll have to move it and dispose of the frame etc. Brilliant that you are going down the reclaimed route, there's so much out there once you start looking.

Thanks, I've been busy elsewhere, this is the first bass I've started for over a year.

I'll go with a Tele headstock but precision body. The Tele body looks cool but with a long scale neck it dives like crazy. You may not be able to see in the picture but the front strap button has a six inch extension (hidden behind the neck) and the back one is half way along the back of the body to shift the centre of gravity and make it balance. As for the pickup , ideally I'd like an Entwistle PBXN as it gives the blue bass just the right sound. Sadly these don't seem to be available anymore so I'm looking at alternatives.

The Darkness in Bournemouth tonight. One of their songs came on the radio, "Ooh what ever happened to them? " Next thing you know we'd googled them , found they were playing next week near us and we'd bought tickets. I don't know much about them but it should be entertaining.

Hi, it's been a while since I posted here , I've been concentrating on gu*t@rs for a while but I have a bass build that I'm keen to get started with. If you haven't seen my stuff before I use reclaimed timber exclusively to make guitars and basses , most of the wood I use comes from 100 year old scrap pianos. I've just completed this thinline telecaster , walnut neck with oak board and ebony dots, poplar body with walnut and rosewood veneer front. This build will be slightly different... I front a tongue in cheek country rock trio and until now I've been using this bitsa that came together over a few years. It's made from various spare parts and plays like a dream , looks and sounds just right for the music we play (if Motorhead played country you'd get some idea of what we do ) As we are gigging again now and I also play the same bass in another band Ithough it was about time that I started using my own Scavenger branded reclaimed timber basses. I did have ideas of making some sort of cowboy bling bass a bit like the Thinline shown above but to save time, effort and money I have decide to go with something a little more gnarly .... I've been through the wood store and picked out the "character parts" : For the body: most pianos are poplar with veneer but this one has oak under the mahogany. Oak, gnarly oak! The woodworm holes were filled in under the veneer so they even predate the piano. Just to the left is a bit from the same source that I planed to make a fretboard but didn't use on account of the worm holes ....until now. From the left: two bits of an ancient bench that I may use for the neck although I still haven't decided for certain yet. The oak panel that will form the back of the body. Oak fretboard with ancient wormholes. An old orange box that I found in the garden. This will form the front face of the body. It's going to be a thinline style precision bass, the idea is to make something that looks like an ancient family heirloom rather that a barncaster. It's being fitted in around other more profitable builds so don't hold your breath ...but I've made a statement of intent and that's where it starts. Close up of a rotten , worm eaten orange box.

Well this is embarrassing , a little research reveals it to be a Burns Weill Bass. Interesting if a little blocky. Like a Volvo estate bass.

Spotted being played by Mungo Jerry's John Godfrey :

Could be...my old bass is looking a bit too fancy for that gig.

You can change the laws of physics after all then.

...between musical instrument and firewood?

Drill? My first thought was pick axe. "Didn't they do well???" Hmm No.

I wasn't sure where to post this so feel free to move if it's wrong: Spotted on Facebook: b I laughed , I winced, I thought "why?" Other than "I couldn't afford a Stingray so I made one" I am at a loss to explain why anyone would do this. Any ideas?

What name is on the headstock?

K Pop/ dubstep fusion

I know their set inside out after many dep gigs. They asked me to fill in while Chris was I'll , then a week later I was told the sad news.