Rich

My shopping list for the Sabre preamp build comes out at £10.98, including pots. In reality it'd be a lot less than this, as I've got quite a few of the components already. My shopping list so far for the Alembic style one is £16.22, mainly because it includes things like push-pull pots and a battery box.

Yay make sure you start a build diary when you begin screwing/gluing/hammering it all together.

Yes, I'd have liked an OLP 5 too, but the tight string spacing is a total dealbreaker. I like 19 or 20mm at the bridge on my 5s, and the OLP's 16mm was something I just couldn't live with. Thanks yes I think the top is photoflame rather than the real thing, but it looks ok if you don't examine it too closely. To my untrained eye, the body edges are 'squarer' than a real MM Ray, which I also like. I have high hopes for this one, more news as it happens.

My planned preamp is based on this first pic. I know it's supposed to be a stomp, but I can't think of a reason why it couldn't be used onboard, with the level control replaced by a trimmer. My only concern would be noise from the JFETs. Failing that, there's the second pic.

Do you have them on order, or are you still waiting to find the right ones?

I'd get another Sire V7 to replace my current one. I'd get something sexy from Jon Shuker's current stock to replace the custom one I have. And if the reason for my Wal's disappearance was theft, I would tirelessly scour the four corners of the globe, knocking on every door if I had to, till I found and reclaimed it. Rig-wise, probably Genzler; a Magellan 800 head, and a 212T cab or maybe a pair of Bass Array 12-3 Slant cabs.

Slightly OT, but does anyone else remember when Brynn Hiscox was building acoustic guitars rather than cases? Beautiful lute-backed instruments.

I would say 'sign me up', but then I never buy any new gear anyway.

Oh hell yes, definitely worth picking up if you haven't already got a 'Ray. Especially for the sort of peanuts prices they seem to go for. The Vintage copies are supposed to be pretty good too. Many thanks for the compliments guys; it's still a work-in-progress but I reckon it'll be a nice instrument by the time it's finished.

Yup, it's a 21 'fret' neck. If you do come across one of these necks (this is the only one I've ever seen, mind), grab it with both hands.

And this is a lot of complete knobs.

Nah. This is a lot of knobs.

22". Roughly 11/16 scale

I've had this OLP 'Ray for some time. Bought it cheap off fleabay because well, why not? The neck has never been ideal, too clubby for my Jazz pencil-neck preferences plus a couple of problematic frets meant that getting a low enough action for my liking was difficult. So when this fretless neck came up for sale here last year I snapped it up, and have finally got my derrière in gear to fit it. It's actually a Jaydee Supernatural neck (hence the 'JayRay' name ) with a nice slim profile and a gorgeous mostly-unlined ebony board (tiny 3mm fretlines on the fretboard edge, the ideal solution IMO). I've fitted it and strung it, and will give it a couple of days to settle before I tackle a proper setup. Further plans are to move the pickup 3mm closer to the neck (thus allowing the proper MM pickguard to sit flush to the neck), fit a battery box and then build a preamp -- I'm thinking of making one based on the Alembic FET F2-B 3-band, otherwise I'll make a 'Ray or Sabre 2-band clone. I might try to source a better bridge too, the factory one is a pretty crap BBOT really. Dead pleased with it so far though, that unlined ebony board is sooooooo classy. I'll update this thread as the remaining jobs get done. Thanks to @greenolive for this gorgeous neck!

How's the endorsement deal going, Ped?

Spiffing, I will try to get along for that if I can.

You need something like this (the little white one, obvs)... bought as a giggle many moons ago from a long-gone member of this parish. It's tuned to A (above E) because I've never had the time or patience to find the right gauges for it.

Sounds brilliant mate, I have GOT to catch you at some point soon. You were good before, more than good, but it sounds like the keys man has really added something. I bet Adrian's loving it

The old timers amongst you will recall the tale of OldGit and his Hohner B2A that was entrusted to RM's "care". When it arrived, the neck was bent. Not just bowed, but bent. The only conclusion that could be reached was that a truck had driven over it. IIRC, it wasn't until he started badgering RM's chief executive directly that he got any form of compensation.

Au contraire. Stock/Aitken/Waterman murdered rock and roll. Simon Cowell mutilated the corpse.

Ped's request seems to have fallen on some deaf ears. I think we get the jist of what's happened/happening.

Absolutely priceless. Thank you, that was the best laugh I've had in weeks.

Who is best at slap, Mark King or Richard Dawkins? The readers of Bass Hello! magazine need to know.