arsenic

I mentioned doing this sort of thing to the other half a few months ago. The idea was to get a battered fender prescision - white with the black blotches and get a headstock logo along the kines of Fender Pro-friesian Bass" - or a black Jazz with the white blotches - logo would have had to be Fender Jizz Bass. I actually like what you have done - purely from a humourous perespective - like the swiss chees bass that has been seen on this forum in the past And yes - I did buy a gateway computer many years ago - the PC was OK, but the Friesian design of the boxes was fabulous

There is a piece of free software call Best Practice. Runs on a PC, allows you to load an MP3, change pitch without changing the speed, or speed without changing pitch. Not too sure about a repeat function, as I havn't got it installed at the moment due to just installing W7 Available [url="http://www.xs4all.nl/~mp2004/bp/"]Here[/url] Sorry - didn.t notice the bit about a pre-amp, may need another piece of software to run the bass through

Welcome to the forum

Hi, and welcome. Yes - this place is a goldmine of information.

Right - first off- appologies for not sharing this earlier. There is no excuse other than I am a lazy git. anyway..... I ordered one of Paul's (Prosebass) Picobasses around the end of October and received it a couple of weeks before christmas. I was impressed - not only with the actual bass, but the size and shape fitted my needs so well, I enquired about a Fretless version when these basses are resting on my thigh, the short scale and the more forward "lower curve", means that my elbow doesn't move very far from my body, and any movement is really from the elbow and wrist - perfect for me due to sever nerve damage that I have bleated on about elsewhere on this forum. A few mails back and forth, and Paul told me about a fretless version he was producing, that was very much a work in progress/experiment. Basing my assumption on the one I already have, I agreed to releive him of it - and over the course of the last month or so, I have let him take the lead with it, and use it as a test bed for ideas, with input from me, with a time-line to suit himself. This then is the result that should be with me in the next week or so : The first Picture I saw - which was taken alongside the build I already have (bottom). Body is mahogany back with zebrano front, neck is english oak. [attachment=43662:001.JPG] I received these later which show a little of the early stages of the build [attachment=43663:002.jpg][attachment=43664:003.jpg] The bridge is this one, which allows for both bridge and through body stringing. [attachment=43666:000_7537.jpg] Bridge and Pickup [attachment=43689:body_pup.jpg][attachment=43690:TF005.JPG] With a MM style Pickup - and an unsual control set up - I will let paul explain it in his own words - based on an Email I have just received, "it is passive but each coil has an individual volume control of 50K . This means each coil can be used individually but the way it is wired gives some interaction between the coils . The rear coil on its own gives a proper single coil tone (along with the usual interference noise like a Jazz if near an amp) but the front coil solo does not. They both go to a master volume and passive tone with a 0.047 cap. Depending on the settings of the coil volumes the tone gives varing degrees of cut , more so when both coils are on. It is certainly different , the output is good and it suits the fretless tones." This is an earlier picture when a 2 band eq and coil tap were considered [attachment=43667:Fretless001.jpg] and the headstock with the tuners fitted [attachment=43671:Fretless006.jpg] The fretboard is lined, and coated with isocyanate [attachment=43672:Fretless005.jpg] I have just been told that it should be with me around mid-week, so I will get some photo's up of the completed bass. Thanks to Paul for his work.

Welcome to the forum. That is a nice choice of Basses - If it were me, I'd be happy with any one of them. It all comes down to personal choice - but I am sure you will get plenty of more helpful replies here.

There seem to be quite a few on the net, as you said- but the links I followed stated that it was only available in store, and not over mail order - Dolphin was the first one I looked at, as I remember receiving newsletters from them which mentioned it. So you may have to find one close by if they will only do it in store EDITED after reading the first post properly

There was a thread a few years ago and a kind gentleman posted the following. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3202&hl=piccolo%20bass&st=20"]Short scale basses[/url] If you scroll down to post number 40 by "bass_in_ya_face" I'm not sure how many of these are still available......but you may have fun finding out. They seem to cover all price ranges from cheap to expensive. If nothing else you should, like me, find it very educational

If it were me, I would go for a Status Streamline - around the £1425 according to their pricelist.

For a nice neck I would reccomend the Fender Kingman elctro acoustic - acoustic body with a jazz bass neck. Brand new, they go for arond £270, if you can find a second hand one, they should be around the £200 mark. The Ibanez AEB8E or the AEB10E are both nice to play, as mentioned previously, and can be found for a reasonable price second hand. I personally want to find a black BG29 in good condition. As for a six string - no idea, sorry

The one made from plastic pipe, was something I have been looking at for myself. The "nursery" is quite small and at the moment I have 5 basses/guitars with another one due in this week, and with them all on seperate stands I am going to run out of room quite quickly. The pipe would mean that it is simple to build and light-weight.......just have to make sure that the wall of the pipe is sufficiently thick to avoid too much flexing/bending under load. It would also be the easiest to bulid - a saw and some pipe cement, and a pair of hands to push it together.

A couple of ideas here, not exactly plans, but should give a good idea of how to go about it. 1.[url="http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-pvc-multiple-guitar-stand/"]Plastic[/url] 2.[url="http://www.totally-free-woodworking-plans.com/guitar-rack-plans.html"]Wood[/url] 3.[url="http://www.instructables.com/id/Multiple_Guitar_Rack_and_Roll/"]Metal[/url] Edited to add another link

My heart goes out to all concerned. Maddude - My utmost respects to you for all you did for James - the world needs more people like you

The other half assulting my ears about decorating :wacko:

The only dealing I had with them was to send a message via their site asking if any of 5 items was in stock - it took nearly a week for them to reply, and even then they had no stock of the things I was looking for......not having the stock is not a problem - but the waiting for that long to an enquiry was a joke..... I decided that the next time I would phone - I just got some arsey tw@t who was about as helpful as a hemorrhoid..... So bugger it - no custom from me in the future

Wlcome (from a young 47yo)

On behalf of myself and my family, I just want to say "Thank You" for great night at The Robin in Bilston. After the bass solo and God Of Thunder - you could have fallen off stage and crushed me with those boots - and I would have died a happy bunny You all really put your hearts and souls into that performance, and I can honestly say, I haven't enjoyed a gig so much in many, many years. My daughter was on such a high after the show, she couldn't shut up about you, and your performance as Gene - she wanted to take you home and keep you as her pet Demon...... I would have liked to stay longer to chat a bit more - but I was nearly four hours late taking my meds, and the pain was getting to me a bit. anyway - thanks again for a memorable night, and for the chance for my daughter to get a photo with you - A great musician, a great performer and an all round good guy.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='734982' date='Feb 4 2010, 01:05 PM']Paul Rose (Prosebass) makes some uber-lightweight picobasses which make a perfectly viable alternative, plus they can be tailored to your requirements. You'd need a separate headphone amp, though.[/quote] Pauls (Prosebass) stuff is great. I currently have this [attachment=41827:014.jpg] It weighs in at just over 6lb and is only about 36" long. He does do a headless versions as well, which would obviously be smaller - and he is currently making a fretless version for me.

My opinion - If you consider that the Hawkwind Tribute is worth persuing - And I have to admit to liking them a hell of a lot - then do it. There are a number of options here - 1. stick with the band, at least you may get a bit more gigging experience, and try to look for another bband in the mean time 2. leave and look for another band 3. leave and look for musicians to form a band in this vein 4. try and come to a compromise whereby the one band could follow both paths - at least for the time being 5 kill the "band leader", bury him in a shallow grave, deny all knowledge of his whereabouts and replace him. Hawkwind Tribute - could be a good idea if you couls get a keyboard player, as some of the stuff could sound a bit empty without - unless you concentrate more on the "Calvert" years where they wern't so prominent - Flying Doctor, 25 Years, Steppenwolf etc. My son is in a similar situation - started playing covers - great - guitard starts to write songs, and insists that the bass just follow the guitar. I saw them last night, and they played one of these new songs, and the entire 5 minute track consisted of about 5 seperate notes repeated in a sequence of repetative single note runs - absolutely mind numbinly tedious and boring - I found myself working out a nice interesting bas line during the song................ But the guitarist - insists that the only way HIS music is going to be played is how he dictates. - my son has said that he is going to stick with them for the time being, as thay have an audition for the local Rock The Castle gig, but he is looking for another band - maybe more proggy/punky/trad rock style where the bass lines are going to interest him, rather than stick with them until boredom forces him eat his precision, and hang himself with the E string.

Welcome to the forum I can't think of france without hearing noir desir tracks in my head Right now it's "Comme elle vient" , "Un jour en france" and the fabulous harmonica bit at the start of "Charlie" Sorry if you don't know, or don't like these songs, but.... hey.....It's just the way my mind works

A couple 'au naturale' [attachment=41282:mb98sd.jpg] [attachment=41283:pb70_85US_VNT.jpg]

[attachment=41278:Croppped...wn_20JPG.jpg]

Bass every time. A bass doesn't moan at you to decorate the house A bass doesn't mind whether the house is tidy or not A bass doesn't mind what time you arrive home after a night out and A bass doesn't insist that you wash before you touch it and if you get fed up with it you can sell it, and still retain the house, and all your money.

Welcome to the forum............................at last.