Dave Vader

After losing the coin toss with my friend, I went off to learn guitar, while he got to play bass. He got a Sunn Mustang P-bass copy for Xmas, out of an Argos catalogue in 1988/9ish. I used to play on it quite a lot, in 1996 I got to reposses it from him as he owed me £30 beer money, and was skint (he'd got an Aria since then anyway). I still have that Mustang, it's my main player, I love it (many may have terrible memories of them). We did once use it for a game of cricket with an mxr flanger as the ball, back in about 92 if I remember right. 1st bass amp was a Laney Mighty Bass that got left in my old pub by some kid practising in our function room. I still have that as well, it is not good. But that Sunn, I'm playing it tonight, played it last night, and I'm playing it tomorrow night, can't seem to put it down...

Good man, the sad thing is I'll be rooting for you to get it cheap.

Tell you what, I'm going to throw them to the ebay lions, I'll send you the link to the auction when they're up, and when they end up going for 2 quid (like these things always do for me) you'll be quids in. I'd hate to auction them cheap and you miss out, but I would like to get something for nothing as well. What do you reckon? It'll be a 99p no reserve job.

I wish I'd seen those pickup ring adapters before I drilled my old ones to take dimarzios.... One of the bands is snapped, will need a bit of glue, and the inside of one is chipped, stays on the pot though. Only got 3, and you need 4, I was hoping to rip off some unsuspecting muppet with them, but I hate to see a fellow in need. Will post pics, when I get a camera...

My main player is a polished Turd. 1989 Sunn Mustang P-bass copy, from an Argos catalogue. I scraped off all the nasty poly finish, and crappy veneer I found under that, put in new pups, refinished it in Danish oil, and I've never heard sustain like it. Sounds flipping brilliant, plays fantastically, but still looks like a turd, thus stopping people stealing it, hoorah! (the 70s F*nder decal on the headstock ain't fooling anyone).

Constantly, that's how I ended up in 3 bands, none of which play anything I really like... good to see another Devon based bassist round. I'm playing in the bowling green tomorrow night.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='815239' date='Apr 22 2010, 05:32 PM']Yes - they do. I've currently got a 1981 Ibanez Musician guitar I'm restoring, and it's missing a lot of its original parts - 4x Sure-Grip 1s, Gibraltar bridge, Quik-Change tailpiece, brass trc and Velve-Tune tuners. So I've been pricing parts up - on Ebay I'd pay more for a set of plastic knobs than I did for the bloody guitar! How much do you want for your SG1s, then? Serious question, btw. Jon.[/quote] Now there's an interesting question, I'll have a look and get back to you. Seriously though, there was another guy on ebay selling knobs that look identical, they're not original, but they're only a fiver a set. Except it's gone now... I can still see this one, it's not the same as mine, but it is a sure grip, and it is cheaper. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-Sure-Grip-2-Genuine-Control-Knob-fits-Artist-etc_W0QQitemZ200433699922QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Guitar_Accessories?hash=item2eaac78c52"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-Sure-Grip-2-G...=item2eaac78c52[/url] Seriously, I'll have a think, and send you a pic of them, they're not mint by a long shot.

[quote name='Marvin' post='815275' date='Apr 22 2010, 06:12 PM']Haze of smoke? I can't imagine what you mean by that. Oh, unless of course you mean when they used to open the fire exit doors at the Anchor and all the 'steam' billowed out, always looked like it was on fire. Enjoy the forum, I'm officially an addict. [/quote] Yeah, I remember falling out in that "steam" and lying in a puddle to cool off, good times. And it's already replaced that "other" bass forum as the first place I come to waste time at work.

'nother Devonshire here, also not by birth....

Does anyone out there know if it's true that these old knobs go for loads on ebay? You remember them, looked like gibson top hats, but with elastic bands round them? I heard somewhere that a set went for $100 on ebay, and there's a bloke in the USA selling them for that as well. On buy it now! I only ask cos somewhere in my house are 3 that I took off my old SB-70 guitar a long time ago, cos I preferred the weird ones I took off a teisco instead, and I'd rather have money than original 1982 Ibanez knobs if it's all the same.

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=637384"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=637384[/url] there's that thread, and I have a set of these on my P-bass, love them, feel and sound perfect for what I'm doing, whatever band it is. Worth a go as they're nice and cheap, just put a set on my rickenfaker last night, felt a little tense, will check later that the neck hasn't snapped... Leave them on for a month before judging them, and don't worry how they sound solo, play them in a band and you'll work out what they're for.

Yeah I take pliers, to cut the crappy bits off the ends of strings to change, and to tighten up things that spanners don't fit, also for pulling bits of string out of string through bodies (hangover from guitar playing days, tying old strings back together and forcing them into the back of a strat). I take a spare everything except Head, as I only have one head. If that goes down I'll DI into the desk, sounds crap, but better than nothing. Big box with strings, leads, allen keys (for total action failure, and hot room truss tweaks). Although tonight, it's a jam night, so just P-bass in a bag with a lead and a strap, good times.

Okay, so tonight I'm playing in the band with no name doing obvious rock covers at a jam night in the bridge Inn, Hatherleigh, then... Friday night, Spaced Invaders (80s Electro/New Romantic tribute) in The Black Horse Sidmouth, then.... Saturday Night, Spaced Invaders again, in the Bowling Green, Exeter. Sunday, die slowly, and nurse my fingers.

Good to see more Banjoists around. I've only had the thing for 2 years, and I'm still getting my head round the highest note being under my thumb. Thanks all. Oh and Marvin, yeah, I was at the Anchor every weekend back in the day, played there more than once as well, in the Radioactive Flowerpots (I know, we were young) and Fatal Aura I think, back when I was still at school. I reckon we must have at least seen each other across the haze of smoke.

[quote name='Marvin' post='814249' date='Apr 21 2010, 08:47 PM']You are busy. I've heard of Space Invaders, I'll keep my eye out for your gigs. I'm in Torrington, no bands though. Cheers[/quote] Ah, Torrington, good times, I used to play out the back of the Newmarket back in the 90s, many punk bands, plus the constant supply of sweet thangs gigs. I guess you know Big Al then? [quote name='daz']Welcome to the forum dude. Love that Tokai Rik!![/quote] Thanks, I just put flats on it to see if it can cut through properly, if not there might be a chance for someone else to get their hands on it.

[quote name='Marvin' post='814223' date='Apr 21 2010, 08:31 PM']Welcome. Devon you say. I'd guess North Devon. What bands are you in may be able to catch you playing some time.[/quote] Now you may have me, formerly a Bideford lad, now in Mid-Devon, hatherleigh to be precise. Playing in Spaced Invaders (80s tribute band) sidmouth and exeter this weekend. Stand in for Revolving Door every now and then, also got a band with no name playing at a jam night tomorrow, and in Bude in May (need a name by then) and another one back home in Bideford in the pipeline hopefully. Busy busy...

Hello, been lurking for ages on here, thought it was about time I posted and said hello. Been playing for years, mostly just dabbled on bass until about 3 years ago when the call hit me as I was standing in for a mate, as their bass player wasn't around, felt the low end through my knees, and have barely touched a guitar, keyboard, banjo or mandolin since. Playing in 3 bands at the moment, in the hopes that they will supplement my meagre income, just about works. Difficult to do down here in deepest darkest Devon as well. Steadfastly standing by my Sunn Mustang as well, played and own other, apparently better basses, but that one just keeps sounding and feeling better. Knowing that this is a british site, there'll be more people who know what I'm talking about here (in regards to my Mustang) than on that other bass site, I've been known to hang out on. Anyhow, hello, I am the master of the very cheap gear. Sunn Mustang P-copy, had it since 1989 on and off, quite a few changes here and there, still my main bass, love it. Oh, and my GK backline 600 and ancient Laney PA cabs. Tokai Rockinbetter, with seymour duncan humbuckers and a hipshot bridge, never before posted pic, only shot of it with the hipshot. The mighty Dave bass, 1983 Ibanez roadstar bean bass, with a generic P-neck from ebay, and a pair of Kent Armstrong soapbars in it, had to do a bit of routing to get it to work, and I never did finish that refinish either. Jazz fretless, made of many, many cheap bits I got here and there. Still on phase 2, phase 3 may never happen, constant project bass. And here's me with my collection stacked in the living room during the recent freezing weather. Had to come in from the garage/studio for a week or two, how happy was the wife?

Hi, I was wondering if any of you guys here had any experience with Low Winder Pickups? I want to upgrade my P (again) from it's current happy Kent Armstrong vintage Alnico hots. Would it be worth me getting the Low Winders or do you find something else better for the job? I want a little lower output than the Kent, as my signal is peaking before it even hits the amp, and the pup is down as low as the pickguard. Any advice on the Low winders would be good, as I heard the guy used to work with bulldog pickups, and I played a set of those in a tele last year and loved them. Thanks.