Chris2112

It has always been the case that if you're not developing it, your enemy is. I'm glad that the money is being properly invested rather than just squandered.

That Tobias shape is one of the all time classics. Such an elegant design.

You are an absolute dude. Enjoy it!

Lucky lad!

@leitnerjoe do you still have your Status Hellborg bass?

Ugly name, ugly colour, ugly bass. I guess you'd have to be a real clown to buy one.

That's actually an improvement on that awful Lenny Kravitz tune.

He is a great player. I used to love seeing him in all the Pedulla promotional videos.

Yeah, most of those roles are civilian roles now, I was just trying to pick a couple of the top of my head that were driving a desk. There are still loads of opportunities to sit on an office and never go out though I don't think many sign up for that sort of thing and I'm always puzzled to see young-in-service cops taking up those jobs. Regarding safeguarding, I would never say it isn't valuable work. It is absolutely essential. It's part of everyone's job. But given that most of the work there is multi-agency or reviewing reports from other departments, I just wouldn't find it exciting. Most DC's I know there did their crime skills wanting to be a murder or major enquiry detective and ended up there on the promotion trail. A mate of mine (who hasn't done his crime skills either) moved there from neighbourhood to suit his home situation after his wife became unwell. He's happy with his lot because he hated beat work, it wouldn't work for me. I would still say that the OP's drummer would not end up in that sort of role for at least a few years unless she is desperate to work office hours. The frontline is a real laugh so I hope she enjoys herself.

My best purchase is undoubtedly the 1993 Spector NS-5CR I picked up in October. That has been the only gear related purchase this year, I think.

What should he have indulged in, lozenges and Lemsip? 😂

I like some of the Wood and Tronics designs but these are absolutely hideous. Truly, the maker has suffered a madness.

If the drummer going in is 19 she'll be doing the PDCA course rather than a graduate entry thing like Police Now. Effectively you're tied to that for three years now rather than the old probationary period which was two years. It's a lot of work too, outside of learning the job. I tutored a couple of people doing it and it was way more work (for them) than it was for the people who joined and did the diploma before them, for no extra benefit to the person doing it. There are loads of boring 8 to 4 office jobs in the police but they're not really open to anyone who hasn't finished their PDCA or probation and also, probably not what most people had in mind when joining (firearms licensing officer? Coroner's officer? Safeguarding? Snooze-fest posts that suit people who don't want to work shifts). She'll get prior notice of her shifts. She'll get the pattern so, if she doesn't move or change shift, you could plan out of a couple of years in advance. You will need deps handy because there will be abstractions outside of the pattern like cancelled rest days, court days etc and shifts that get extended that you just can't plan for. It can be made to work quite easily though, I know both a drummer and a keyboard player who were 24/7 cops (PC and Inspector respectively) that kept a pretty packed gigging schedule. Wish her luck from us anyway, we need people who really want to do the job and do it well.

I've always thought of these things as a bit of a running joke. Mark usually has great tone but I thought the jazz sounded pretty crap and the reports of them being a bit shoddy in person were enough to put me off. I've seen a few come up over the years. I'm sure they'll be as dubiously collectible as ever in the future. Funny to think that just a couple of years later, Mark would be getting the first Status Kingbass in his hands, IMO the best sounding basses he has played other than the old Status Series II.

I saw them when Mark was using the original Kingbass and his Ashdown amps on stage. They really sounded amazing, razor sharp and super tight. The video below is probably the most aggressive tone I have heard from Mark, again on a Status Kingbass. I like the Jaydee tone, it's a little more lo-fi to my ears but still pleasing. I loved the look of his Alembics but they sound fairly plain. I didn't think much at all of the tone he got from his Musicman, those dodgy Fender jazz basses or the GB Spitfires he used very briefly.

They were absolutely top drawer in the 80's and maintained their credibility as they moved from being a one man custom shop to a production company. A bit like ESP outside of Japan, they are seen as a 'metal' brand and their marketing has leaned heavily into that for many years, perhaps to their detriment. Much like ESP though, they regard themselves as brand for a wide range of styles.

Yeah that looks like a good one.

Love this!

Just to echo this recommendation

I think the reserve will be a lot higher. These seem to trade for £1500+. It does look nice. I prefer the maple topped models, they're stunning.

If anything I think that the PII models have always been a bit undervalued. The owners will tell you they're as good as any bass you can buy (Munjibunga on TB said his was easily a match for his Fodera bass for example). The used prices don't really reflect that. I am sure they're brilliant.

That is awesome. Enjoy your new bass and the custom that you have on the way! BTW I remember back when Unicorn gave Mark King his bass, and then seeing it on the wall in his studio in the intervening years.