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So, I was 50 last Saturday... treated myself.

Wasn’t sure whether this should be in here or in Repairs & Technical but here goes…. The restoration of the electrics on my '83 SB-R150 is finally complete and I'm very pleased with the result. Huge thanks go to @Prostheta for his wizardry and patience and also to Rautia Pickups for the pair of MB-1E replacement pickups. This bass was originally listed for sale on here several years ago although I subsequently found it through an ad elsewhere (EDIT - I was actually given the heads up by @Fionn of the ad on FB). Turned out that the BC ad was indeed still live. I purchased it because it was in such beautiful condition, including the original case. The big (very big) and obvious issue was that the original pickups and electronics had long since been removed and disposed of. After conversations with Prostheta as to what was or wasn't possible I decided to push on with trying to get it restored to as close to stock as possible. The first pictures show the bass as I bought it, then with everything stripped out. Note the packers that had been fitted inside the pickup cavities to take the screws for the previously installed Armstrong pickups. Fortunately after some careful chipping away I managed to clear the old glue off to reveal the original pickup screw bushings. As you can see the loom (including 6-position Varitone and preamp) that Prostheta provided is a work of art and it seemed a shame to have to try and cram it into the seemingly tiny electronics cavity in the back of the bass. It was a squeeze but it went in and it is beautifully quiet running. No humming, no buzzing, even sat directly in front of the amp with the volume up to gigging levels it is uber quiet. Finally there are a couple of pics with this now complete bass taking its place alongside my R60 and R80. I may look out for a set of black or bronze pickup screws as the silver ones do stand out a little but all in all I'm thrilled with it. It sounds great with a powerful preamp and a huge range of tones and I know it’ll be good for years. I'm a happy chappy and I hope you enjoy the pics showing the seemingly simple but oh not so simple transformation. 😀

When I say these guys are talented its an understatement. The guy on the left is just the best of the best drummers, ex session guy from London. Has to be heard to be believed as to how good he is... Far right is the lead guitarist from Dublin. Fantastic, into his Snarky Puppy etc. The guy in green is the multi talented play keys from his MacBook crazy guitar vocalist etc etc. Then there is the Bubingagroovebooster on bass with backing vocals. To be honest I was loosing faith in finding other musicians who love the same music as me. But here we are 6 months down the line. The music is all original. its latin rock jazzy funk.The thing is its just SUPER tight. We will go over a song 20 times. I told Dan that we need to go over and over it until it becomes more than perfect.. It becomes natural. I got that philosophy from Steely Dan and it works. We rehearse for 6/7 hours twice a week. Im very excited about this music/these guys. Got our own studio that we rent and are putting in a booth and PA etc. Just when I had lost hope in finding a band. Its a strange world.!

I've just dug out the debut album by The Police "Outlandos D'Amour' I havent heard it in years. Great simple bass lines by Sting before he became a monumental bellend. 😋

It almost certainly sounds better through the TV than it does there.

Second one done and I know relic is marmite but I like it. Took a bit of inspiration from a relic CS P bass but toned it down a bit. I like it and sounds epic! Nice matching/non matching pair 😁 Roll on two festivals this weekend 🤘

Played a standard pub gig on Friday in Bicester then today at a family festival in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. What a startling view! Always nice to play outside but it does test your rig when there is no FOH support for the bass. The sound guy appeared to be suffering from sunstroke, he was certainly very red, I hope he's OK. Made for an interesting afternoon/early evening. Here's a snap shot of our view as we played

Watched 57 seconds of the killers. He really isn’t a good singer is he? Oh well, that’s glasto’s TV coverage done for me again for another year.

The Glastonbury you see on TV is the one parents are happy to take their teenage kids to. Meanwhile Pilton festival carries on away from the cameras, where there is pretty much every type of entertainment one can imagine or wish for and some you've never even dreamt of!

Sheryl Crow and bass - amazing Charlatans - terrible but that Status Bass has decent crunch and was nice - definite highlight. Michael kiwanuka - always loved him. Stormzy - what a show and mixed up tracks and actually had live band sounding great. But I agree, here in TV land the bass has been great and I can’t wait for Kylie - Bassist uses Sandberg’s - so i will be happy and he is good. Bring on Glastontelly with cheap unlimited booze and habitable toilets in easy reach and a comfy bed

Actually it’s a 50/50 bass here’s a pic of what it ought to look like....

Alan Gorrie is borrowing my Overwater for the Average White Band gig in Cardiff tonight, as his bass was nicked last night! Glad I could help out though!

I’m hovering about signing up for the current 26 week accelerator............ Again. I think the last time an offer appeared for membership I was hovering and decided against it. I get confused by academy membership and enrolment in these specific courses. Why not have one membership and everything else is part of that? I hate choice 😂 What I have realised in my own playing is i have two modes of playing. Playing along to music - which had been my staple for many years mostly self taught with the occasional bout of lessons that I rarely kept up with. Much later on I picked up Scales, modes, arpeggios etc all from online stuff. What I've realised is I don’t play the same at all when doing these different types of practice. Most of the structure and form of my fretting hand goes out of the window when I play “music” and reappears when doing “scale” types exercises. I think it comes from years of copying whatever I’m listening to at the time. I wonder if I’m too long in the tooth to change my technique. Is it too embedded in me after all this time?

Just got my Thumpinator in the post. I don’t have a gig or rehearsal for a while to test properly, but had a play in the house. Banging all the strings lightly with the palm of my hand seems to demonstrate the inaudible effect of the Thumpinator - there is a lot less cone movement with the Thumpinator plugged in. I should think this will have a very positive effect on the compressor now too. Can’t wait for a gig now!

How old fashioned to go to a 3 day festival in a muddy or dusty (trench foot or sun stroke) field for the artists. The people I know who go to Glastonbury go for the event.

Good for him! Sadly I think the rest of the band just weren’t on it. They didn’t seem interested. I am not the biggest fan to be fair but have always liked them in a ‘ turn up the car radio’ sort of way so it was disappointing to see such a lacklustre performance. Tell him he is wasted on them 😉

Who's Tom? 😉

Boutique basses - especially multi-string are definitely out of kilter with the visual and sound aesthetic at the moment. In these days of rock, funk and jazz now all minority or specialist music forms creates a perfect storm of redundancy for these old world tools of exploration and growth. The UMG music fire, mainstream adoption of urban and dance music and the Spotify/iTunes industry shift is creating a mass extinction event for rock music and bass within that. Shorter less pretentious answer is boutique not fashionable - sell but at high price to recoup loss whilst Fender has the mojo at the moment so sell opportunistically at a high price. Any way, it's a buyers market for boutique basses...

Two whole decades after my last bass guitar purchase I've finally lashed out and increased my collection by 100%. But - you ask - what can it be? A classy Fodera? A Wal? An original stack-knob Jazz with OHSC?

Great bass focused Stomp video here, showing the immediacy and ease of use with the editor (I’m looking at you @Al Krow!) Obviously this guy is going for a more metal-centric sound but the basic operating principles apply regardless of what kind of tone you’re aiming for.

Foals now - with a Travis Bean guitar 😎

I think you've answered your own question. You fancy a proper amp and cab. You want to use your Ampeg. Buy a good quality 8ohm speaker based on whether you like how it sounds. If you like it but need more volume go and buy another at a later date. If you end up using the Helix and FRFR more than the 'proper' bass setup then you can sell the bits you don't use. Used gear means you'll spend very little whilst you find what works for you. It sounds like you have enough active gear to at least find out what FRFR will do for you sound wise and you know it from your guitar work. The theory behind using 8 ohms is simple. The output of a speaker is usually limited by the heat dispersion of the speaker and crucially the excursion. If you are driving the speaker into distortion with bass then it is ultimately going to fail. Your amp is going to drive your speaker as loud as it will go whether it is 8ohm or 4ohm. Even if all the power at 4ohms was available to you it would only give you between 1and 2dB extra anyway, and in most cases it isn't. Adding a second 8ohm driver increases the efficiency of the system and will give you 4-5db extra, which you will notice. FWIW I use both methods depending upon the band I'm playing with. One 12 with a bass amp for my covers bands, two when the venue is bigger and FRFR with my duo. RCF ART10's both as floor monitors and for FOH. I also have a 1x10 Kickback combo, it's only loud enough as a personal monitor but It's my favourite solution if I have PA support and it does get the stage levels down.

I’m not usually a fan of black precisions but something about that looks just right.

Wow, that’s stunning! You have to talk us through how you achieved that finish!!!

That’s cool - different strokes and all - but not sure how you can say it’s not good music if you have never heard half of it?! But that’s just me

Do you know I had it on watch. But knowing others here are after it - I’ll not bother. im already in another bidding war. 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

Have a look on here for the thread on SBL where scott explains it. No, youre not!

Giving myself a brisk slapping for not having noticed the F-holes & not registering having seen that bridge before - which I have. Best of luck if you have a punt!

Thanks @foxyFuze. My mum lives in Devon, so not unrealistic!

I think they want to keep that version free to lure Peuple into buying the latest versions. Still has everything you needed to record

May not be everyone’s cup of tea, I happen to like it, but Stormzy put on one heck of a show. People underestimate him I feel, he is a clever chap, with good values and a decent artist

I quite enjoyed The Charlatans, despite the duff hair and terrible dancing! Also liked Idles, Michael Mawanuka and (surprisingly!) Two Door Cinema Club.

I use this, it’s only a 10 but the amp sits on the top. Virtually eliminates feedback from DB.

TOTP 64 - 75. Recorded last night i think. Up to Steelers Wheel Stuck In The Middle. Some great songs from back then. Dave

My band is going to be touring in Norway (probably) and I am keen to hear any advice people have. It's too far to go over in the van with our gear so how do others deal with it? Maybe it is better to do the drive with others flying over but I am keen to hear others experience. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Well, three gigs and several rehearsals later and I’m very much enjoying my 4003, I’m glad to say. I’ve read so many tales of people getting them, not really gelling with them and moving them on, usually quite quickly. Having wanted one for so long it would’ve been very disappointing if I’d found myself in the same boat. It’s obviously very different to anything else I’ve played but I’m accustoming to it, and have come to the conclusion that if you want to play a Rick you’ve just got to embrace the quirkiness, at least that’s how I see it. I play in an alt rock covers band. I’m playing my usual EB Super Slinky’s through my Genz Benz rig with the gain pushed almost to breaking point, so when I dig in it really crunches up. That’s the tone I’ve always used in this band, and it always worked well with my Jazz basses. It works equally well with the Rick but the mids really poke through and have more punch. I’ve found that the bridge pickup at 100% volume / tone at 60%, and front pickup at 50% volume / 100% tone gives me what I’m looking for (everything flat on the amp). Weight wise it’s fine, I’ve got a wide padded strap which distributes weight well and is comfortable. The bridge... well, the set up is great, intonation is perfect and tuning is very stable, so do I need to change it? Well maybe, as the mute screws get in the way. I’m considering unscrewing and removing the screws, as I won’t use the mutes and don’t mind them being disabled. Do any of the experienced Rick players amongst you know if it’s safe to just remove the screws? Will it destabilise anything?

The ‘heft’ of the ABM 600 never fails to make us smile. 😉

Maybe they had concerns about string tension effects on the neck?

Hi all. Mark here introducing myself. I last played with anything like regularity back in the late eighties. R&B, pub rock, some ska influenced stuff. All for fun and nothing very serious. I hung up my bass when kids and family and work took over. i started out with a short scale Burns bass dating back to the early sixties. It was a dreadful thing with very high action. Scarey what it would be worth now. Sold it and bought a Shergold Marathon in 79 which had a great neck if a bit neck heavy. Now I am on the verge of retiring and the nest is almost empty I am thinking of having another go. i was always a bit of a trial and error bluffer. Maybe this time I’ll try and learn to play properly.

I'll keep saying Moog like moo g. I don't understand their products so I fear and hate them.

After many years away I finally have the time and a little spare income to return to playing bass ... I last played properly back at uni in 2007 although I dabbled a bit a few years ago. I really enjoyed playing rock/funk i.e. RHCP and Jamiroquai but before I stopped I was trying to teach myself jazz to improve my theory. I am really looking forward to getting back in to playing. Took a trip to the bass gallery today (amazing stock and helpful staff) to pick up a lightweight rig for home use and hopefully small gigs eventually and should be soon picking up the Sandberg KT that @neilmurraybass was selling on here as well. (my wife wanted to buy it for me as my version of her engagement ring and who am I to say no...) Have been loitering around the forums for a couple of weeks and a lot of gear seems to have changed since I stopped 12 years ago. Pic of new rig with a pic of new bass to follow. I have bought in the hope that this gear will not need changing in a long time but I do remember the perils of Gas! Catch you around the forums! Rich