iconic

Same here, and the jazz width nut on that Sonic should prove popular😎

The Custom Shop literally exploded onto the scene, from nothing in the late 80s to pumping out 7000 plus instruments per year by '96, with plans to extend again. They we're proudly proclaiming how successful this division was....until ... someone at Fender, a bit more commercially astute got involved, from then on Fender refused to divulge numbers.

I'm an old, miserable, crusty paying punter, so maybe I'm one of Ralph's audience. I'm not at the gig because I want to hear musos getting uber precious about their popular songs, I'm paying to be entertained, not the band to entertained, it's a huge difference ...the hits are popular for a reason, we like them and we want to, what's the word.... 'resonate' along to them or there's a danger of feeling hard done by. It's a delicate path, get it right and it's great, but more often... And it's usually the same 'remix' too, slowed right down like a musty folky open mic night, a lot of wailing, a solo bit on an odd 'hey nony nony' woodwind instrument, and more than few in the audience looking about thinking, ney hoping, it will suddenly stop, then leap into something more recognisable....maybe harsh but rarely do I think "that worked well". A few very random examples. I've heard Mozza do it, was shockingly bad, even his hardcore had raised brows....did someone at the back here say it must of been an improvement? Been there when Rose Royce did it all night, and it was all night... punters leaving by any open door and, the band calling the audience out between songs, "wheres your respect" and worse. Was the Winter Gardens, not some chic, prosecco infested jazz bar, with a silent audience, nodding approvingly at the alternative tunings and chordal theorise. The exception that proves the rule: My mate got free tickets for Transvision Vamp (remember them) from Wendy James dad. As we were working 5 mins from the gig, we thought what's to loose. To be fair they were very good live, tight as, but, had about 5 songs. We were treated to more versions of I Want Your Love, than I thought possible, but without those erm, remixes it would of been a long wait outside for our lift, and it was middle of winter. Mate of mines good friends with Dave Hill of Slade fame, met Mr Hill a couple of times albeit few years back now, a real fun straight up fella. Definitely not, a case of never meet ya hero's as I was a real fan back in the day. His take on doing the same tunes?.... why not, and why wouldn't you, they are good earners, pay the bills, and he enjoys smiles on the punters faces and they are paying guests. Music is/was his business, he remembers when didn't have pot to urinate in. OK Slade have been and gone, but I think it's still a fair example. Or to summarise. Give us what we want, not what you want, or we may not pay again.

😊was she from Dorset, Kent or Norfolk 😉

Ahh, that'll be it then, we have one in Norfolk too.

Where is Rockys Bar?.... assuming Gillingham Kent, there's a few Gillinghams about😎

Just knock back the finish (rough it up) of the chrome with 400 grit wet n' dry so the paint will key to it. The only problem is getting into corners etc.

Afterall it's mostly about the set up as the OP has found😎

https://www.jimdunlop.com/max-grip-nylon-standard-pick-1-5mm/ I find the Dunlop Max Grips (thicker than this pictured) very good indeed😎

I dip in and out of out music theory, learn something, mostly forget it, then put a toe back in and then find I know bugger all.... ...and keys are still puzzling at times as people try nail a key signature to a hundreds year old music convention to fit modern music....Chris Isaak Wicked Game was interesting on that 'score'. But onto a far more heavyweight, classic tune of tremendous gravitas, that is Right Said Fred's, I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt. It's three chords, E, D and Bm sublimely arranged, a song smiths dream...well ok, the plumber loved it when it came on the radio, sang the words and, it's easy to noodle along with on the garage beater bass.... there can't be many kitchen installs where the punter plays bass over the radio and the sound of machine tools. Yet the sheet music to this acoustic gem has it as E major....with more than a few naturals as there aren't any D sharps in the tune. E major, I know chords get borrowed but even so?..the D would be diminished and the B major in my perfect world. I thought it was A major. If it is E major how would the chord progression be written...I-viiM-v? I know, it's me and my sketchy theory, and it very obvious I'm sure, but some words of wisdom would be grateful as to how E major is derived. On another erm, note, the riff reminds me a Hendrix song, that I can't remember the name of. Many thanks. 😎

Snap, I've a set of Value flats to try too😊

The MB4 comes with very mediocre strings, rough as a badgers backside and flat as witches tit audibly. Fitted some Harley Benton Value strings (Orange silks) and a total night and day difference, it really comes to life. .....those Harley Benton Value strings are really very good, don't buy anything else now, I wonder whom is making them😎

Do you have relief over the lower frets....I've seen nuts wear right down?

Didn't go on to be Wet Wet....I'll get my coat.

Hmm, good idea that😎 Instant tone change, series for darker and parallel for brighter sounds. 👌

The Henry Ford of instruments. ... even Leo's choice of body wood was interesting....8/4 boxwood.....and that means what ever boxwood that was cheap, easily available, machined well with acceptable mechanical properties. 8 quarter lumber was just thick enough to plane both sides to a decent finish. He even changed suppliers of the nails that were used when painting the bodies, multiple times, whenever he found a cheaper supplier...when you are using thousands of nails it all adds up.

http://www.guitarhq.com/fender.html#serial This may help?

Just for fun... My bass playing mate and myself have noted that the best bands seem to all wear hats up this way...it is Norfolk afterall. My own thoughts are that the bass player should always look the most sophisticated member of the band, cerebal, a classically trained look...a black leather beret perhaps... ....where as Joe thinks cowboys hats are the height of fashion so go with the flow, even if they are so common on stage. Mind you, we have seen some shockers, the green Robin Hood look just didn't have the necessary gravitas matched with a beautiful old white 'n tort Stingray....apologies if that player is a member here. 😎

Lovely looking bass that and tidy playing too 😎

Friend of mine has a Fret King Union Jack (Union Flag) acoustic steel string and really rather good. Bought from Thomann. 😎

Heard this today in Norwich town centre, The High Points were busking outside Primani as usual and had a guest bassist and wow he was fantastic.....although the usual one is excellent too. The video is just something I found on YouTube with finger playing.....I'm fairly sure Bernard used his chucking technique....I've no hope with that, so fingers it is. Got home and thought I'll have a go at that.....but the single note then double note octave is sooooo tough for me speedwise and my muscle memory is 'tuned' to simple octave low to high riffs. Any advice on how to nail it?

From where I'm sitting that's a ridiculous amount of hard earned to drop on a mass production bass, isn't every bass hand finished..... Fender Custom Shop (factory) products are just as clever, when one realises just how many thousands they produce yearly... it really dents the image of aged luthiers wearing round rimmed glasses, beared, in brown overalls, and tongue out concentration. But then over a price point bass buying is emotional not rational. Each to their own though😎

Jazz Club Louis type chrome and leather stool, with beret, Polo neck and tweed waist coat and you can sit all gig... and the audience will think you are the cerebral and classically trained brains of the band. 😉 May sound counter intuitive, but try a thinner and/or narrower canvas strap to find a sweet spot....I feel your pain via decades of poor mx/enduro/trials riding. 😎

The higher the strap, the less the fingers stroke and, the more they pull the strings. .....or start laying bricks, this will toughen up the fingers, bit extreme maybe, go with lowering the strap first🤔😉