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It's been something of a struggle getting all of the band in the same place at the same time in recent months, what with work, family, etc., etc., but we've finally managed to pin everyone down and restart regular rehearsals (woohoo!). The rehearsal room also has a recording studio, so we booked a recording session & finally laid down the 4 original songs we've been working on to "tape". The engineer sent us copies of the raw mixes of the songs, and I have to say that they sound seriously good, and should sound excellent after mixing. We're in next week to get a better vocal take, some guitar overdubs, depending on the time another bass take on 1 song, then start mixing. When that's done, it's a case of touting it around to get some gigs. Feeling very enthused about the band just now, big grins all round! :)

First of all HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NEIL! With the proper Nordstrands arrived, I could move forward today on this. For cutting pickup chambers, I've found a way that works for me. Although many will do it quite differently with equally good results, briefly, this is what I do. I draw round the covers and centre point the critical radii: I use a bradpoint and forstner to drill those points to full depth: I then use a forstner to hog out the rest to 5mm shallower than final depth: Having at last learned how to sharpen and use a chisel (trust me - it's worth learning), I chisel to finished shape: Then rout to finished depth using a short trimmer bit. You can see here where I've broken into the cable channels: And - to my great relief, first try, no trimming or sanding: This means that the fretboard can now go on: Which means that tomorrow, I can start carving the top

I've contoured the neck and started shaping the back still got the belly carve to do I'm not sure whether I need to take a little but more out of the neck transition? Also I've still got to smooth off where the body meets the neck 😀

Indeed it is. The Diamond Jubilee!

The forecast for tomorrow is that it's going to get seriously curvy with breakouts for pick-ups and controls. Be prepared for drifts of shavings accumulating in sheltered areas of the workspace.

Is that regarded as being more or less PC than dwarf tossing?

With my collection of Ibanii, I have gone through most of the collection of Bartolinis, genuine and licensed and Nordstrand. I can see why people would choose one over the other, they are not that similar (although I haven't tried many different nordstrands). For me, the Nordstrand Big Single wins the pickup I would rather have on everything award. It is rather growly and just has a life and presence to it that very little I have used has. The custom designed pickups on the 5005, they are so different it is hard to say, although the neck pickup on that is nice. I think the bridge one has a nice sound but it is hard to go from one to the other because of the volume difference. The general barts I have had on the other basses have varied, and are all pretty good, but nothing really grabbing. Apart from the wide ones on the SRFF805, which weren't pretty good. they were pretty dull. I do have a Nordstrand big blade to use, it was going to be on the GVB bass I have, but I am not keeping that so it is a spare.

And the fretboard is on! So tomorrow is officially designated top carve day

Looks even better in the flesh. The DB didn't look too bad too.

Playing too fast / too slow, too loud / too quiet and so on... it's the same thing as playing the wrong notes as it's doing it wrong. If you're doing it wrong (and we ALL do) and somebody points it out to you, you say "thanks" or have a polite discussion and sort it out. A musician who can't do that is a bit of an derrière and a liability. It actually IS a team sport.

We played The Underground in Dublin last night. We set off at 5am to catch the 11:30am ferry to Dublin. Got to the venue about 3pm, loaded gear in then went for a relaxing drink in a bar down the road. I had a Hartke LH500 & Hydrive 410 to play through, with my trusty Sansamp Paradriver providing my eq. We went on at 10pm for an hour and it was great, considering we`re an originals band it always amazes me the amount of people singing along with the songs. As we were in Ireland we had a temporary change of one of our songs, Football Beer & Punk Rock to Football Guinness & Punk Rock, which went down very well. Finished at 11pm, chilled for about 30mins then loaded the car, set off to the port for the 2:15 ferry back. Landed in Blighty at 5:45, home at 11:30ish. Tiring but a great day and great gig, the promoters were amazing, really hope they`ll want us back.

Lovely work!!

We opened for the Sugar Hill Gang at MK11 in Milton Keynes with our Soul/Motown/Funk band. I've played the venue on open Mic nights, but this was my first foray as a band. The stage is narrow, but deep enough for us all to have room to move around. The sound was pretty good too, (awesome house PA) although I would have preferred a bit more definition around the bass tone - the sound guy just mixed it low end. We had a lighting guy as well, so all in all looked great. The crowd was great and gave us a real warm welcome, and we got a couple of bookings as well as securing a couple of return gigs as main act at the venue. The SHG were great, i you like that sort of thing, but they could work the crowd.If you haven't been to MK11, check it out - the lads there run a good, if a little unusual venue.

I'd like to add a good quality chisel makes a hell of a difference too its worth spending a little bit extra and get a 01 high carbon tool steel set as they will keep a much better edge on them!

Black will look awesome against the zebrano, in my opinion

Annoyed but mostly rather happy and a little chuffed. I put the neck screws on, the bridge on, the nut on, some (old) strings on. Need to do the relief, still need to wire it. I am rather happy with it, it plays like a want (or will when the neck is adjusted). Annoyed because in the last days it has picked up some scratches, which I am not sure how I can correct. At the moment I will live with them. I am sure they won't be the last. So I took some pictures: This is what I wanted (except the lack of wiring currently!). 2 months ago it was 2 slabs of wood and a chinese neck on ebay and a bunch of parts in warehouses. If it wasn't for the fantastic community in here, it would still be those things. Thats everyone for the support and encouragement and I would like to reiterate the point that for anyone watching, I am completely inept at woodwork, if I can do this, you can do this too (and probably a lot better).

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he doesn't show his ugly face again!! I've taken out a little bit more of the neck transition and it feels nice and comfortable, belly carve done and arm carve done I'm really pleased with my first attempt of making the neck from scratch Now to order the veneer, truss rod and fretboard 😀

Any of the decent brand single or double cutaway semi- hollows or hollows will fit the period. You should invest in a period strap as well. Blue

I can do shiny and new. You want old school? I can do old school. You want etched & engraved? I can do etched & engraved. You want figured maple? I can do figured maple. You want 3D finish? I can do 3D finish. You want customised rarity? I can do customised rarity. You want barking mad silliness? I can do barking mad silliness. You want more photos? http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Basses CURRENT/AliKat Double Bass 2018

would love some! Although only side markers rather than top.

It's Oak and its about 0.6mm Because it runs down the neck aswell I thought it would look better it continuing on to the headstock....... 😀

Here is my short review of mine

Clive had two spare strings from a set of Warwick acoustic bass strings, he very kindly sent them to me and didn't even want the postage cost! A good man to deal with, would happily buy from Clive next time he's selling something I fancy! Cheers good sir.

Sack him and get someone better. Nobody needs to put up with that.

Ha! I might raise you another Shuker.. 😂

Oh absolutely @SpondonBassed I actually needed clamps to repair a fretless neck but there was a bundle bargain I couldn't resist as I was watching @Woodinblack 's progress with great interest.

You've already inspired me, I now have a set of 12 clamps and a bottle of Titebond. Next - a router!

Yeah that's what I thought after I said it! It was a balls up ready to happen let's not run before I can walk!! 😁

Here you go, £25 from Bass Direct. http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Kala_U_basses.html

Just a quick mockup of how the top will look...... but just imagine Zebrano veneer with matching headstock 😀 I'm still not sure about the colour of the hardware chrome or black?? 🤔

Dave Gartland already makes some very striking guitars (check out his AliKat website). I imagine he'd be prepared to make an electric bass if you asked him nicely ...

*Gob-smacked*

Built in 1999. Issue number 18. Plays like a dream.

I love the chocolate thunder colour (beautiful sounding cabs too). Something very classy about it (well apart from the name anyway) - like an antique leather armchair in a Kensington gentlemen's club 😄. Unfortunately I can't find that colour tolex online anywhere or I'd probably re-cover the TC to match.

Chocolate thunder?!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

I’v just ordered one of those Aguilar DB112 cabs in the same chocolate thunder colour scheme. 😎

Yeah their the kiddy! I thought they looked a bit cheap and nasty and the fact they are plastic turned me off a bit!?! but it would be much easier as they are already 43mm I might just order one and give it a go and I'm probably going to buy a blank graphite nut and cut the slots myself aswell just to see which works better

Man, these are some good looking basses. I’d never heard of Diemel before, but I stumbled across their Instagram account earlier. Serious GAS that, at that price, is unlikely to ever be fulfilled... anyone played / own one? http://deimelguitarworks.com/basses/?v=79cba1185463

Stunning

He's gone way overboard with his description

Surely a meat based feud in an Italian gangster style from a company that produces things with the name "pork" would be a prosciut-out? (As in shoot out, but with prosciutto in there.... I'll get my coat)

Hmmm, the cynic in me says pretty much the same basses, differnet name, higher price tag, a bit like what they did with the US Standard/Professional tagging. And I`m a Fender fanboi.

There is no tone wood science when it comes to solid electric instruments. There is speculation, heresy, and urban myths, but no actual science.

The next time a manufacturer asks basschat for a favour I think I'll probably give it a miss.

[quote name='alanbass1' post='751432' date='Feb 19 2010, 10:35 PM']Couldn't find a Spector thread so........ [/quote] shes a beauty alright!