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Hi Having borrowed Pete's piccolo bass for the SW Bass Bash and having not yet delivered the 6-string electric I've just finished for my sister-in-law, I had a once-off opportunity to photo the three related lightweight builds together. Here they are: Left to right: The piccolo bass designed and built for our band's bassist Pete. Tuned to guitar pitch but sounds much more like a bass. Multi scale from 25" to 26" Total playing weight 5 1/2lb The 6-string electric built for me. The piccolo was so comfortable to play and sounded so good, I thought I'd try a 6-string version for my own use. 25" scale Total playing weight just under 6lb The 6 string electric just finished for my sister in law. Slightly slimmer (they are all around 1" thick) and designed for full fret access and thumb anchor up to the 24th fret for playing lead. 25" scale Total playing weight 5 1/4lb They are all through neck and feature a convex top and concave back: Those who tried the piccolo at the bash will know that, although it is at guitar pitch, it doesn't sound at all like the bottom 4 strings of a 6-string...it very much has it's very own bassy sound. For the electric 6 strings, I was curious whether 'lightweight and thin' would affect tone at all so I lent the middle one to a number of regular giggers I know. The general consensus is that it cuts through just as well as any of the strats and Les Pauls they would usually be using. Not at all scientific, of course, but there is no apparent loss of clarity or gravitas. The new one on the right hand side of the pic sounds brighter acoustically, but exactly the same through an amp. They are, of course, much lighter on the neck strap than most electrics and when the guinea-pigs later strapped their normal guitars back on, they all reported thinking various combinations of 'WHAT THE ****??' And they were trying out the heavier one of the three It's been a great experiment that may well continue to evolve Andy

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.

Thanks guys, I am looking forward to it, we will meet him before for a sound check and other things. I followed the Manfreds in the early 60's, I loved those old songs and he is a great blues singer and harmonica player. I didn't realise he was retiring from the blues show, heck he's only 77! Just a youth really... He'll be there singing 'The Lord's my shepherd' (newer version) so we will have played with him if you squint a little

I think this is good advice for life in general, not just on a bass forum. Avoid politics and the news and your life will be so much happier!

And in 1998, this bass appears. It's the same bass, upgraded with the Basstec pickups and the Kahler bridge. You were right, @Bassassin!

Sunday night we have Paul Jones from Manfred Mann & his wife coming to our church to give testimony and sing. We get to play a worship song at the beginning and maybe wallpaper music before as people come in. Should be good.

All the talk of Mouradian basses over at Build Diaries got me thinking about Extreme, and Pat Badger specifically. I remembered seeing their set at the Freddie gig in 1992, and looked it up on YouTube to reacquaint myself with it. I’m glad I did; Extreme were on fire that day, they absolutely nailed it. It’s too good not to share...

Paul and Fiona have spoken and sung at our church several times. Lovely couple and a great evening of music and testimony. First time they came we backed them for the worship session so they came along to the rehearsal/soundcheck on the Sunday afternoon. That whizzed through no problems so when our regular Worship Leader said, “All done” there was plenty of time left. Paul looked round at the rest of the band, drew a harmonica from his back pocket and said, “Well, anyone fancy a little blues in G then?” Etched in my memory as one of my best ever playing experiences!!!!

I've heard that some people have lives outside Basschat!

I was at my daughters house the other day and asked her for a newspaper. ' Blimey get with the times Dad' she said as she passed me her iPad thing..... .....I'll tell you what, that bluebottle didn't know what the **** had hit it

look, no bass amp - i was feeling sorry for the two guitarists having to lug all their amps, cabs and mega pedalboards etc (but only for a bit)....IEMs and Helix for the win !

High and low G??? Clearly knows what he's on about.... He forgets to mention that he's a great photographer too..

And here’s a publicity shot of the aforementioned:

Think about what you have just said.... 😂😂

If you have to hide bass purchases from your significant other, walk out with an empty case saying you're taking a bass to the tech to look at. Come home with that new bass you wanted that she who must be obeyed had denied you

Ampstack shared their album. 14 March at 17:44 · Knob tip: If you are one of those people that always runs same settings on your amp, take the knobs off and put them all on straight up or in highest position when on your favoured settings, then it is easy to reset if you have to lend an amp at a gig or whatever.

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.

Hi all. In my 74th year and still playing, I have never really recovered from the theft of my '77 Stingray some 15 years ago. I used to be a "one bass guy" but since that time I have never really felt so "at home" again and have been through a handful of basses since, though choice limited by pension and her indoors. I did manage to land a year of issue Sabre bass from US but it didn't quite hit the button. So.......... the purpose of this thread is to ask if anyone out there has been able to A/B a pre EB S'Ray with a post EB S'Ray and their conclusions. The date of any compared basses would be useful. I know I should be over this by now, they are only peaces of wood, but heart refuses to be ruled by head !!

I was listening to BIMM's own Spotify list for bass which has some nice tunes on it and thought this one could do with a bump! This is a collaborative list, so BassChatters can add their own favourite bass lines too!

I know how you feel. I sold my Stingray to Linus27 of this parish and have regretted it ever since. If you're out there Linus I'd like it back please?

509 photos, guys, five hundred and nine photos. Downloading as we speak. Thank you all for making it a great afternoon. Stay tuned!

I always wanted to be a drummer but back in the day they were expensive, to noisy for a semi on a housing estate, and without transport a none starter. So I learned to play guitar and sing. I was in bands from the age of 14 singing and playing guitar, but I was always a drummer at heart. I play bass now, in one band, and drums in another. I have always had a guitar and have a strum sometimes but my heart is in drumming, and bass.

Sounds like band members just need to separate their personal chat and band chats. Facebook is great for organisation, there's a record of all communication that everyone can refer to.

Wow! That is some impressive detective work, by you, MrWalker. And a good observation from bassassasin as well on the scarf joint.😀 It looks that the only differences between the '98 and the one on sake in Norway are the colour and the headstock logo. Still puzzled by the Warwick back cover, though.

Cracking job on a beast of an amp. Any efforts to keep these great amps alive and kicking should be highly commended 👍

slightly off topic, but I don't really understand why manufacturers can't use the speakon sockets that take a jack up the middle, no innuendo intended

Sorry, @bazzbass, but no earth to the bridge won't cause it to cut out. We don't know how tidy this circuit wiring is, but a good, quick solution would be to buy a new harness from @KiOgon. That would almost certainly sort it.

Perhaps a cardboard cut out?

They don't make 'em like they used to. I don't mean that as a compliment.

I have never played guitar. My fingers just aren't long enough. Only occasionally found it to be a problem, usually when a guitarist tries to show me chords at a jam. I always reply, just tell me the chords. Interesting thing is that sometimes they don't know what they are called.

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

Thank you so much. I'm following your advice from all these videos and it is really opening up my understanding of the instrument and my relationship with it.

So will we be seeing Steve Harris using a pick from now on ?

And Carol taught James Jamerson too!

Good afternoon, Ric, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

I don't know why but whenever I read the word 'peccadillo' which, to be fair, isn't that often, I always get these images in my head in true Reggie Perrin fashion.

Here’s mine after the latest reshuffle...

Great idea. It also really confuses people when they borrow your amp - they sound terrible! Bonus.

My V-Types:

Cheers Al. Totally hear what you are saying, however this is a signature amp built for Geezer Butler.... Built precisely to what Geezer and his tech required with some input from us of course and the Slave Outputs were/are important to what they want. Nothing about the amp was specified down to 'felt like a good idea at the time' I promise. This was never a project to just stick an artists name on a load of existing amps and just take peoples money like one of our competitors in particular may have just done.... with that I guess they have to make the money back they are paying him somehow... ;-) Main point is that anyone buying a Head Of Doom is getting exactly the same amp as Geezer is using built by one of the same two people who built Geezers not a watered down version with his name on.

All our valve amps 100w and upwards are 100% built by us on site at HQ in Essex, Always have been and all being well Always will be. Happy for anyone to come and visit and watch one being built(BUILT not ASSEMBLED) from start to finish