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When it's a P-rick? Sorry - as you were...

Just got my hands on a rather splendid Washburn Chicago Series B-80 from around 1989 Superb condition with a very fetching Blue / Pink crackle finish, 2 band active, thru neck with a 'Stephen's Extended Cutaway' amazing condition Had quite a high retail price when new, I got it for considerably less I play in an 80s Rock Tribute show so its ideal www.that80srockshow.co.uk , although not everyones cuppa tea \m/ I can find very little about these basses .... anyone know anything?

Good evening, fellow bass humans. I'm Jam O'Malley, I play in a band called forest of fools, and we are a six-piece festival band featuring bass, melodeon, drums, percussion, vocals and sousaphone. We call the genre Jump-Up Folk, and it's a high-energy mashup of folk, funk, drum & bass and psychedelic. I play a Warwick Thumb BO 4, a Warwick Infinity SN 5 (tuned E-C currently) and occasionally acoustic and fretless if I get carried away... Mostly playing through a Markbass 15" CMD combo - 18kg! - perfect for trudging around muddy UK festivals! I've spent a while gawping at the incredible basses and wealth of knowledge on these pages and I'm excited to be a part of it. Much love, J

Best if just one of us suffers

She's no looker, that's for sure!

Appreciate the advice all. In the end I bought those Glowtech ones. Really easy to apply and work a treat. I bought a keyring UV light to charge em with and they worked great. They feel pretty well stuck on too. problem solved. As for "Why worry about seeing them?......" Why do you think?

That's great that yours was perfect out the box, was no problem tbh for me because I would be setting it up to how I like it and I do love cleaning my instruments as well. It is amazing just how well these basses are and how much bass you actually get for the money

Ooooh, I like that But then again I like fish fingers in gravy.

If this pedal will achieve anything, it will bring this young 'rapper' with his fistful of $1 bills a few more hits on his Youtube channel!

The Plastic Mojo Band played our first real gig this afternoon, and I thought it might be interesting to compare stories. (It's probably been done here before...) We came together as a workshop project a while back, which led to a friends-and-family gig in March with a few peeps drifting in off the street. Decided to stay together as a band, using a practice room over a local pub. The landlady overheard us and asked us to play this afternoon, clear that we would just be background noise - which suited us, as it took some pressure off. Apologised that she could only give us beer and food and not money - we weren't expecting even that! This a completely acoustic gig. (Yes, acoustic bass.) We started inside the pub, which has a decent piano, but the very few customers were all outside in the good weather, so she asked us to play outside, which meant that the keys player had nothing to do for the rest of the afternoon but drink with his friends. (We did drag him up to play hand percussion for a couple of songs.) A new (very good) guitar player who we'd barely met. Our excellent lead singer couldn't be there. Luckily we're a blues band, and can jam most of the standards. We played for three hours (well I did, the others drifted in and out) making up most of it as we went along. We got a bit of applause, and we've been asked back, so we must have been ok. I've been playing om's and jams for a few years now, but it's still sinking in that for the first time I've played a gig that was booked by someone I didn't know, and thanked with food and beer. After 45 years of believing I'd never be able to play at all. I realise this will seem pretty pathetic to many of you, but we all have to start somewhere... So how was the first time for you? :-)

Well, I didn't do much this weekend as it is really hot and everyone was out wanting to enjoy their gardens without the sound of routers. Not that anyone else around here cares but I do. I did actually do a bit of sanding on saturday morning. The shed is almost ready, so won't be a problem for long Anyway, couldn't let the weekend die without any work, so I routed the pickup and neck from the template to the depth of the smallest router I bought (I think half an inch). Did the whole thing by router, what fun that is! Anyway, it is enough to see how it is going and enough so that if I need to change anything I can. The pickups fit well in the holes. A bit too well, ie, if I paint or finish it with anything then it won't fit any more, it is a little snug! Haven't tried the neck yet, but I believe that is a little snug anyway, because it is what I was most concerned about. Anyway, it now seems to be becoming a thing, slowly but surely.

Also message Ashdown to see if this is a fault they`re aware of, and if they can advise as to how to progress. I`ve found them excellent on customer service issues and having their advice to provide the seller with could be a real help.

Just gigged my Greenboy Fearless Dually 2x15 (built by Tricky Audio) - as always, very easy to load in and out of the car and roll through a crowded beer marquee (or pick up and waddle with for a while where needed!). A lovely tone from the Faital 400s, suits a P in a blues/rock/soul combo beautifully. But most importantly, the colour matches the bass

+1 for paulownia if you want lightweight. Check this out on eBay: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F332551617312 Although it looks more Explorer like than the TB it’s described as, nothing a bit of sanding won’t resolve for something a bit more ‘Bird-esque though!

Good job they all look the same 😜

What’s the reason for the longer scale? If you’re going to go small, might as well go SMALL - and half scale makes sense due to the use of standard strings etc. I’m not convinced that anything longer in the same octave would achieve a better sound. Then again it could be about feel, in which case you have my permission ;). You’re about twice as tall as me so think it might be about right!

The split pickup is mainly aimed toward my collection of analog octavers. I may even put some Labella Black Nylon Tapes on it too. Honestly, the difference in tracking stability between my Sandberg VS4 (p-type) and my MTD Super 5 is pretty massive. All of my octavers track the Sandy like bloodhounds whereas the Super 5 is much more prone to glitching. I’m a little surprised they’ve never done a split P Wingbass before given how perfect they are for us bassists who are octave junkies. You may have a good point re: reversing the pups - although the fact it’s tuned an octave up could mean it won’t make a blind bit of difference? I.e. it’s not much different to me just playing my Sandberg P high up the fretboard? If it were something like a Kala Ubass California (massively cut down scale but still tuned at normal bass pitch) I suspect there’d be a more vast difference to be found between standard and reverse orientation. Still, definitely worth investigating... A concern i have is that because I’m going for a slightly extended scale compared to the standard Wingbass format, Andy won’t be able to provide me with a gigbag that fits and I’ll be in the lurch attempting to fashion something myself or have it swimming in a guitar bag. Another thing to think about!

I was amazed the first time I picked up a V3 100w combo. Great tone out of them too. I remember being less than impressed with the earlier Rumble amps.

Not enough string trees for me

If you're getting hum on an un-connected amp or combo that's another problem entirely - perhaps it's worth Portable Appliance Testing the amp to make sure there isn't an earth problem? Otherwise, a 230V isolating transformer may help...

Thanks very much - that's the Infinity SN TCS and the wood is Zebrano - it's up for grabs... I will post it on the Basses for Sale forum soon I expect. It's a marvellous beast but I've decided after many years I'm a 4-string player! Olney's still lovely by the way!

Defnitely approach Ashdown if the shop can't (or won't) help. In fact I would probably go straight to them. They've always gone out of their way to help me in the past.

It's active, currently at work will post picture of the control cavity once home.

We have 2 x 12" RCF tops (700w RMS) and a single 15" RCF (700w RMS) sub, and although we're only a trio, it's plenty for pubs and weddings/functions that aren't huuuuge (300+) halls, with everything going through it. We've never been asked to turn it up, anyway... I'd agree about EQing for punchy bass, though - it's a whole different world from voiced bass cabs...

I have a rehearsal on Saturday morning. So if it arrives on Friday I might give it a run out then. Dug's tone will work in a 25 piece big band jazz ensemble, won't it?

@BrunoBass Shame you didn't make it to the Bass Bash; we could've put them side-by-side (I think yours has a better finish!).

+1 to this If you have found 'your' perfect fretted 4 string in your Ibby SR1000, it seems criminal to defret! (Particularly if you're after a 5 string fretless). If you love the look and feel of an Ibby SR, and are happy to stick to a 4 string then you could do far worse than get an Ibby Portamento SR700. There's one in the FS section right now, I believe For a 5 string fretless worth considering the SR705 - it's a lovely bass (which I recently managed to get in a trade from a fellow BCer). I'm also a bit of an Ibby fan (cue obligatory pic ):

^ This It will probably be a bit heavy and you will want to put some better strings on, but I would heartily recommend something like this Harley Benton from Thomann: https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_550fl_bk_progressive_series.htm?sid=df3d9ef6c1dcc84bc1c58f4f3e612d3d Other colours are available, but at around £140 this will be unbeatable value for money and almost certainly a decent player - and probably a lot cheaper than defretting your Ibby (which would be a shame and a compromise)! If you read my build threads, you will know that I build high-ish end custom basses....but I never hesitate recommending Harley Bentons for people to try out new things and styles. I personally have never come across a bad one yet. And you can get a decent one for less than it costs me for the wood for just the neck alone of one of my builds!!!!

Not the luthier's madness in this case though...

Aye my mistake, was going by a TB thread over the weekend. $30k is mental. I bought a 3 bed house for £25k back in 01 :-)

Unless this is a rhetorical statement (like 'Its hot, I want an ice-cream'), stick a request in the items wanted section. You might get lucky.

HA Gross Si

If anybody is planning on stripping the finish this is what you'll find. Between the varnish,photo flame paper and sealed top coat that peels off you'll lose about 1.5mm.

PS: Knobs ...and to finally finish off, some control knobs. I wanted something different to the usual Fender types knobs. These are Gibson style clear knobs and they look great! Done.

@Al Krow I agreed with everything you said until you mentioned playing through your MB Combo.....

Well, just so long as they don't move about during the gig ...

I like my gedo if it's any help, only the cheapest ones are far Eastern, mine is half carved and Romanian, the full carved are made in europe somewhere and their workshop fitted my choice of strings and an adjustable bridge to a professional standard.

I could always paint the top third pink to make proper neopolitan

An Ashdown being played with a P Bass and sounding just great! Featuring one of our 'own' very talented BC'ers:

Apologies, that was cruel. I got distracted as I had a chainsaw in my other hand. Aaaaannyywayyyy i suggest booking an early Friday finish next week as I think we will all be wanting to get home for the postie!

particularly like the first track. She's got a lovely set of pipes and a bit fit looking n' all!!

Somewhere along the line amongst all the corporate branding, collector-targeted pricing and buying up random companies to produce tat with a a Gibson logo on it they forgot to make serviceable, pro grade instruments at a price a working musician is willing to spend. They have been relying on brand aspiration and rich collectors for years and this has come to a head, I know only a handful of gigging musicians who regularly use their guitars, maybe things are different with classic rock bands but still... I have a friend who is one of those "I want the guitar my heroes played" type guys, traded a lovely LP Studio (black with gold hardware, great sound and played itself) and £300 cash for an absolute dog of a LP Standard. Had a neck repair in the usual spot and can't hold its tuning for the duration of a song, weighs a ton, sounds terrible and can't be set up to play anything like his old Studio. He's well chuffed with it though, it's a burst LP Standard which superficially resembles what his heroes played, even though they wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. This to me is what Gibson are now - a prestigious brand with nothing behind it. A new regime would be the best thing that could happen to them. Besides it's not like the Gibson of today bear even a slight resemblance to the company of old who made all those great guitars you hear on classic albums, that went long ago.

Little update! Neck carve next apparently Si

My V-Types: