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I found a couple of photos recently which I thought I’d share, I don’t know if they might be of interest to any of you. It’s my dad, Martyn Gibson, who played bass in the early sixties, before marriage and fatherhood took over. Dad played in a band in Stafford from 1963 to 1965, initially they were called The Countdowns, later The Sneakers, and they played originals and covers, a bit of RnB (Ray Charles etc). They played all around the Midlands. They supported Johnny Kidd and The Pirates, and often played with a band from Leicester who went one to become some of Showaddywaddy. My dad’s first bass was (possibly) a Hagstrom PB-24-G; from my research they were also branded Kent and Selmer but he can’t remember and the headstock isn’t visible in order to identify it properly, but as The Beatles became popular he splashed out on a Hofner 500/1. The shop in Stafford (H.E.Parkes & Sons of St Marys Gate, Stafford) ordered it direct from Hofner in Germany with a hard case for forty pounds (or guineas, he can’t remember). How I wish he’d kept it! He had a Vox amp (didn’t everyone then?) but he can’t remember exactly which model.

He always struck me as a colossal bell end.

VOCALIST REQUIRED FOR TERRIBLE BAND Unreliable egotistical diva required to sing badly before their voice fails half way through the second song of each two hour set. The ability to come up with various poor excuses and not turn up for gigs and practices less than half an hour before they need to be there is a must. Must also be able to argue equally with ALL other band members and have tantrums on and off stage whilst maintaining a drunken and/or stoned condition. The ideal applicant won't even turn up to their own audition and preference will be given to applicants who have extremely poor personal hygiene. If you think you can live up to these high expectations you probably won't be arsed to respond to this advert, if not please feel free to message me here.

An empty guitar case will often get you into a gig for free.

Another useful little idea. I’m going away to London for the weekend. Packed a bag and noticed that the zip has come off. Don’t worry though, a pedaltrain nano+ bag can hold a shaving bag and all your weekend essentials.

I guess if your musical palette is as one dimensional as Gene Simmonds he has a point. However, to make such a sweeping statements shows an enormous amount of ignorance of music genres and fellow musicians. Alternatively, he's being a bellend. In fact, either way he's a bellend.

As above. I've never picked up a guitar. Never played one. Never been interested. Went from a percussionist (the classical variety) to a bass player and never regretted it. The only significant downside is that guitarist show me chord shapes and the answer is, "you're wasting your time there mate". I was wondering how many other people here are bassists without the seemingly obligatory intermediate step of playing guitar? And how do you feel about it?

Tone bends for the win: (You don't have to watch the whole video, just a wee bit of noodling at the start!)

Such as the following: *******, *****, ******** and of course *******.

I put my vote on the Shift Line Olympic Tube Preamp. It’s a great unit and sounds really awesome. It does the pushed tube amp unbelievably good but it doesn’t do overdriven sounds. It’s the best “clean” preamp I’ve ever tried, and I own a bunch. Le Bass, Tonehammer, SCR-DI, Vintage Ultra & A/O, Hartke Bass Attack I &II, MXR M-80, 3Leaf the Enabler, Verellen Meatsmoke, Noble, Rusty box and probably a couple more. It takes dirt really good and the cab sim, especially the 8x10, is fantastic. And the headphones is dead silent, perfect for silent practice. And the whole unit breathes quality. I wouldn’t hesitate buying another if something happened to this.

Simplified things a little but very happy with this.

I think you've saved yourself a lot of pain. I first picked up a guitar nearly half a century ago and I'm still no better at it. I discovered I was much better playing one note at a time and picked up bass after a decades-long sojourn on sax. Some things just suit you more than others. In my last band I used to catch the rhythm guitarist squinting at the notes I was playing... he squinted a lot as I usually played fretless.

I read the brand name initially as "Firewood" - probably wasn't far off the mark

!!!!! Look what arrived

Even a gorilla couldn't bend the gauge of strings I use.

My name is Walbassist and I am a string bender.

I am sure the Gene Simmons supporters would approve - better clarity and definition to your cake eating that way.

I've decided to find this whole thread offensive, even though my pampered first-world life is pretty sweet. Anyway, I'm going to get on the internet and moan about it endlessly, just see if I don't! Or maybe tomorrow - Bargain Hunt is on soon and I must prepare tea and biscuits...

My personal opinion about this Grade A douche aside, I also 100% disagree with what he's saying. I've never seen any funk players live using a plectrum. If he said that to Larry Graham or Bootsy they'd laff in his faces (both the monster one and his stage make-up)

Anybody else think he looked less creepy WITH the makeup?

If that's what clean living does to you I'm off to find my next vat of toxins.

The bass is a Cold War-era East German Musima copy - the irony is that the original hardware on these was decent - the original tuners would have been torque-adjustable Gotohs. Wonder if the seller binned the old bits just because they were old, & "upgraded" it?

He Always Struck Me As A Colossal Bell End - The second of today's entries on my list of potential autobiography titles.

Wow, just come across this thread....what a total blast that must have been It's very unlikely I'll ever get to do anything that massive so thanks for sharing - I'll be thinking of this when playing at The Dog and Duck squashed up against the PA!

Local music shops where I live are more like this. Me: Hi. Him: Arr. What be ‘ee looking forr? We ‘as a nice range of galoubets, serpents and lutes. Or a dulcimer if ‘ee want summat new-fangled? Me: Errm, actually I’m more interested in bass guitars..? Him: Guitars? Arr right, well we’ve got a very nice baroque guitar over ‘ere… Me: No no, a bass guitar. Him: {confused} Well it don’t come with no base, but… Me: No, a bass. An electric b… Him: {recoils in horror} Elastictrickery?? Why, 'tiz the work of beelzebub! Are you in league with the dark one? {yells out to the back of the shop} Perpetua! Assemble the townsfolk and loight the bonfire! We ‘as one of satan’s imps in ‘ere! {exit Rich, pursued by pitchfork-waving mob of very closely related locals}

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-1969-Precision-Bass/173257356999?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D51004%26meid%3D6d577973468b461fb486bbf424df2c44%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D13%26sd%3D173257356999%26itm%3D173257356999&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A0db6cbd0-3f5a-11e8-a32e-74dbd1809c8c|parentrq%3Ac0b759f21620ab6b34bec899fff9aee5|iid%3A1 Yes, the "Buy it now" price is about 2k north of what really good, original 1969 Precisions go for, but what really annoys me about this listing is this line: "If you are truly interested in vintage Fender bass guitars then you will know the specification. If not the internet will inform you." What specification is he talking about, exactly? Are we, through a genuine interest, expected to know the precise weight of any given P Bass? If he were "truly interested in vintage Fender bass guitars" then surely he would also know that not all necks from one particular year have the same exact dimensions? I can't for the life of me understand the inclination to be rude, arrogant or passive-aggressive when selling any instrument, let alone one that is copiously overpriced. "Any Questions please don’t hesitate to ask." Well, how could I not hesitate? Perhaps I'm overreacting, but I've seen so many ads worded in a similar manner, and I've developed something of an aversion to them. Most of all, I find myself asking: What's the bloody point?

My mother always told me "If you pick it, it will not get better". Always listen to your mum.

Stingray Pete. Are you bringing your FRFR cab? Stop muttering HJ!

That's a very cool pic. Frank.

My epiphone pro-v went totaly dead a couple of weeks ago after I tightened up one of the pots. I initialy wondered whether there was a problem with the active circuit but it turned out that the pot had rotated so one of the terminals was touching the shielding paint. Once it was straightened out it was fine, so check that nothing is shorting out. Also when the socket was replaced was it replaced with a switchcraft one? I've found that the cheapo (eg from maplins) can lose their springiness after a while & often start to crackle & lose contact before too long.

Cheers, folks. The DVD came out today - there's a premiere event this Sunday, so I'll see it then...

Didn't think I'd be posting the words 'I AM A BENDER' today, yet here we are.

The 'regular' series wiring for a Jazz (with the two pickups configured as a very wide aperture series humbucker and single volume control) gives a thick and chunky sound which is very usable but a bit one dimensional. It's quite a bit louder and somewhat darker in tone with less sparkly highs than a standard Jazz sound. The phase cancellation in series mode is actually much less apparent than with both pickups on full using standard Jazz wiring (which is effectively a wide aperture parallel humbucker). I have a medium scale Jazz with a series switch. It's a useful alternative tone to have on tap but in practice I don't use it that often. A Jazz just sounds better when it sounds like a Jazz to my ears!

Yeah baby!

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Download this and go to page 319, you have all explanations in German, but the schematics are speaking by themselves : http://www.ak-line.com/medium/Bassschaltungen.pdf

Super, thanks! Out come the tools! And @lownote12 I’m still very much enjoying the bass. All those knobs and switches and I still use it almost always passively 🤪

It's a general guide for any passive pickup.

Had a similar problem years ago and it turned out to be a dry solder joint in my trace elliot. As the amp warmed up the joint would expand (or something). Ended up taking it into a tech to get fixed.

Aren’t those Simms pickups passive? I thought I’d read the battery was just for the leds? What preamp was in it?

One simple question: Why are we talking about this? Answer: Because Gene Simmons has uttered something controversial. That utterance has achieved what he wanted, people talking about Gene Simmons. NEXT...

Thanks. Yes, I’ll give it a few coats tomorrow once it’s settled. I’m not sure I’ll wet sand the headstock actually, as the lacquer layer I built up before applying the decal dried very nicely. Even though it’s a gloss lacquer it dried with a smooth, dry looking finish. I’m using car paints too. I’d planned to use nitro but decided to use acrylic car rattle cans instead. There’s a really good supplier in town close to me, and it’s cheap; I’ve bought a 500ml can of primer, a 500ml can of clear coat and a 400ml can of specially mixed colour for less than £20.

Not really sure that I would pay too much attention to the opinion of Gene Simmons on musicianship

I think Gene forgot a R in his pick....

Doesn't get any choppier than the EHX Super Pulsar. I love mine.

Jim Stinnett’s Real Bass Lessons are worth a look

The rest of the black hardware finally turned up I’ve just swapped over the tuners, strap buttons and string tree So now the bass is finished apart from a setup Sorry for some reason the picture has gone a bit grainy I’m happy with the finished look it’s no frills and simple!! (Bit like me!!) 1 down only 3 to go!!.........