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I'm having trouble visualising this. Is it like the diagram below where the bootlace (red line) is tied to both the upper and lower strap buttons and the strap (blue) is connected to the bootlace some distance further in from the lower button? That would have a similar effect to having a countersunk strap button on the back of the bass which was an option offered by Dingwall at one point to reduce the long reach of the 37" scale (see second pic).

Neither of the above. It was just that when I started looking more closely at tidepool in photos the colour was all over the place and I wondered what colour it really is!

I'm being tempted by a Tidepool precision, but what colour is it really? All of the pics below are listed as being Tidepool and I've seen many other pics in varying shades of blue/green/turquoise. Which one is closest to what it looks like in real life? Or none of these?!

Just bought a comfort strapp from Paul. A pleasure to do business with. Quick to answer questions, straightforward transaction and quick delivery. Many thanks!

Thanks for posting the pic. There doesn't appear to be an obvious back-bow in the neck. Here's a cropped shot for others to check out.

Maybe a pic like below so we can see the string action up and down the neck to confirm the back-bow (which is what it sounds like). As hi-res as you can so we can zoom in and see the detail.

Can you post a photo? Might offer a few clues.

I tried GHS pressurewounds some time ago. Liked how the sounded but they felt stiffer/higher tension than rounds of the same gauge (which I didn't like).

Jon just bought my MIJ JB62M and drove all the way from Lincolnshire to West Sussex to save the hassle of packing and postage. Top chap! Good to meet you Jon and enjoy the bass! Cheers, Ian

Black cotton T shirt, size Medium, with 'Turn Up The Bass' logo on front and bass guitar design on the back. Worn and washed once but in almost 'as new' condition. Unfortunately it's too big for me (I'm S/XS) so free to anyone who can collect from West Sussex (RH12 3DX) or will post for £3.30.

The one in the pic looks like a Switchcraft SC-151 barrel socket. They usually come with a regular hex nut rather than a circular knurled one.

I was expecting you to shield the whole lower half of the pickguard! The minimum you'd get away with would be to add the areas marked in red below. The whole area above the control cavity needs to be shielded and continuity established with the pickup cavity.

As time goes by I find myself feeling more and more Elfish!

Thanks for all the replies. Having listened to various demos I think I prefer the sound of the Elf, but not the price! I've also read that it has a very noisy fan. The Gnome and BAM sound a bit clinical in comparison but the difference in price is hard to ignore. Cash wise it probably comes down to the Gnome or BAM. I may put feelers out for a used Elf first. I also like the look of the now discontinued GK MB200 micro amp but they're hard to find. I have an old-tech GK200MB combo (1980s) which, thinking about it, might do the job as an emergency backup anyway. It's not what I had in mind when I started this thread (I've used it mainly for acoustic level gigs) but I'll take it to rehearsal this week and see how well it stands up.

I'm looking for a small amp to use as a backup. I've read lots of good things about the Elf but not seen many comments on the Gnome. They both seem to do pretty much the same thing, same power rating, same features etc but the Elf is more expensive at £250 compared to around £165 for the Gnome (basic model). One of the comments I've read about the Elf is that it adds grit and compression as you turn the gain up, but the compression also restricts the final volume you can squeeze out of it (ie. the more you crank the gain the more it gets squished). Having watched the video demo below, the Gnome does appear to have much more headroom than the Elf. In the demo, the Gnome gain and master are both set to around 9 o'clock while the Elf gain and master are set closer to 12 o'clock to achieve the same volume. Would be interested in any comments on either of these amps or suggestions/recommendations for something similar or better. For context, my gigging rig is an LMIII and Bergantino 112. Band plays 70s rock, small venues, not overly loud. The Gnome/Elf/other would only be used as an emergency backup. Something I needed a few weeks ago and didn't have 😵. Hence this post!

Yes you're right, shielding the cavities is the important bit. And, as franzbassist says, making sure you get good contact around the lip to create a continuous cage surrounding all the wiring and electronics. Shielding the upper part of the pickguard beyond the cavities has no shielding effect so it doesn't matter whether you do or don't.

The 3.5" strap (ref the OP) only seems to come in one size (115-140cm) but there's a 3" wide version on Amazon which comes in 3 sizes, small being 97-120cm. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/LEKATO-Adjustable-Acoustic-Electric-Included/dp/B088613TDF/

Thanks, I hadn't considered that but it's an interesting thought...

Good call! Just checked and they only do one size in the 3.5" strap as far as I can see but they do a 3" wide version which is shorter (down to 96cm).

Damn, thanks for checking!