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Well, I got a text from the frontman trying to establish if I was going to do the gig or not (give me strength..)? If he was in any doubt before he isn’t now. I also let rip with the most dignity I could muster about how I saw the situation, how poorly they handled it, how as a long-standing and 100% commited band member I deserved better etc etc etc. I then got a reply saying he was sorry how things had panned out, that I was a great guy blah blah blah. Later that night they put a status on their Facebook profile, a few pictures of me and a few ‘nice’ words. I’d like to think that it’s sincere but I’m still livid and see only a load of bullsh*t. In the same status they announced their intention to continue as a two piece, which I find ludicrous, but never mind. Within an hour of their status going live I got a message from the BL of another established local band asking if I was interested in being a part of a new band he’s putting together? One door shuts and another opens. I’m not entirely sure I want to do it yet, (I’m not even sure I even want to keep playing bass at this moment in time) but he said to think about it over Christmas and New Year, so let’s see. In the meantime I’m going to concentrate on my solo stuff, which I’ve neglected for the last four or so years.

@dmccombe7 is absolutely right here, however, if it was me I’d be having a twitchy Xmas and New Year wishing I’d pi55ed in their chips.

Thank you. At last the voice of reason. There are now two in the shopping basket.

I understand your general mood, given your recent sour experiences, but I truly think this is a moral victory of the highest order. It is also a flat-out victory if you have prospects like this, which are surely better than anything involving your erstwhile bandmates. It's pretty clear who enjoys the local musicians' respect. Everything about this is working out in your favour, as things turn out, even if you do legitimately feel mistreated. It's a nice Christmas present that you have earned. I'm glad to see it. Best of luck, whatever you decide.

Worst. Support. Network. Ever.

Tired, emotional, blames you for everything, etc.

There's been a lot of guff on @Stub Mandrel 's "Isn't Basschat A Lovely Place thread" lately bvut frankly you lot would throw a bucket of water over a drowning man wouldn't you?

Speaking as some one with 60+ basses (& guitards) I don't think you should do it..... Yeah, right!!!! lol! BUY it!!

Go to check out....

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

@ped and other moderators - if he doesn’t buy it, please can we suspend his account as it appears to be contravening BC rules

It's just a thing... An object! A beautiful, woody, shiny, glorious, thumpy, object. A wonderful sounding, smooth playing, stunning looking object. It probably won't make you sound better... but it might. It probably won't improve your playing... but it might. Just buy the damn bass. This time next year we'll not have a pot to p1ss in, bars on the window will be the norm, and they'll be rioting in the streets... But at least you can hide from our collapsing society and play something beautiful.

“Showoff..."

I am Santa in this instance, and I've already decided that I've been nice this year. Just biding my time waiting for the right one to come up. Might pay Rob Green a visit next time I'm in England, though. (A sentiment I'm sure you'll understand!) May all your Santas be so indulgent. A happy 2020 to all.

Oh that’s because I’m one of those people who would start turning the screw and the neck would fall off, then as I tried to catch the neck before it clattered to the floor I’d stab myself in the eye with said screwdriver, miss catching the neck as the strings pinged off one by one trapping the cat in a ball of sharp strings, then the toilet pedestal would crack and flood the loo. Sirens would be heard approaching the house heralding the arrival of armed police prior to my unexpected shooting, a tragic case of mistaken identity, chance in a million.

Been watching the Ken Burns Country Music documentary. During one episode Elvis auditions for Sam Phillips. Sam says 'That sounds different' and signs him. Ten minutes later the doc reports Johnny Cash auditioning for Sam Philips. Sam says 'That sounds different' and signs him. The Sam Philips' of today audition someone and say 'That sounds the same' and sign them.

This. I like the concept of anti-commercialism, and love the Prokofiev excerpt.

But for many people, assuming the spacing down the neck isn’t ridiculous one way or the other, it’s the spacing at the plucking/picking end that’s most important(of course there will be exceptions to this). And the fact that you may not pluck/pick right by the saddle doesn't mean that you can’t get a good idea whether a 19mm spacing or a 16.5mm spacing at the bridge end is better for you. No, you may not be plucking right by the saddle, but you’ll tend to be plucking in the same areas regardless of bass, so it simply extrapolates from the saddle-spacing figure you do have. Assuming that some people who like wide spacing at the bridge will find an extreme taper problematic doesn’t make sense either, as this basically describes a Jazz, and how popular are they? Your left hand is not moving in the same way or through the same planes as your right hand, so potentially different rules apply. I can tell you that a narrow spacing at the bridge is preferable for me because I know how I play. The spacing at the nut end is far less important, although I tend to prefer a relatively parallel spacing, FWIW.

I agree. It's excellent value in my opinion Al Krow. I'll probably get corrected here, (or more likely, shot down ), but sometimes I find it difficult to see the value in some class D amps. There are a few on the market now that are £1000 or so, MORE than this Peavey. I understand that the Bergantino ones have lots of clever features, and some have higher quality components and design, but there are others in that price range that are simply a custom preamp and a bought-in power amp that lots of other makers use. It's all well and good, but for my pub/hotel/club and the odd festival gig, when the drummer's hammering it out, the guitarist is belting it out, maybe keys wailing, sometimes brass, and then the singer and two BVs, the subtleties of that £800 to £1200 amp is beyond lost, on me anyway. Marketing is a well honed and powerful tool, but I honestly don't think an amp costing ten times the price of another offers ten times the performance and utility in the real, gigging world that I live in. But that's just me. And I'm sure most people will disagree. I'd be surprised if they don't, because I'm a grumpy aul fecker... Frank.

Can I be the voice of sanity here please? Do you really need it? Will not having it spoil Christmas? Will not having it eat away at your very soul, knowing it could, no, should have been yours and now it is residing in the arms of someone who clearly doesn't deserve it? Do you have just enough space for it (even if it means a child must sleep in the garage going forward)? Then I think you have answered your own question!

Gosh, the weather's been c**p this past few months! Two pm and all the lights are on in the house while, outside, it tips it down once more. So forgive the quality of the photos. The body is almost ready for its final finish coats. The black dots haven't arrived yet. BUT - I can start sorting the scratchplate. @scrumpymike wants to go all black. Would ebony be possible? Well, as a solid wood plate I'm afraid it can't. It's too large an area to be able to get the right thickness (or should I say thinness) of ebony sheet of the right quality. But, it should be possible to veneer a standard black plastic pickguard. That's what I'm going to try to do next. I have the sheet of black plastic and, as a template, there actually won't be much of a change to the original shape - just that area that used to wrap around the slightly unconventional bridge of the original Rascal: Something a bit like this: And so that's going to be the next job

This is one of the more government conscious forms of therapy we’re currently be encouraged to deliver in my line of work; maybe applicable to your situation or on going therapy:

All that noise for a new plectrum. Pfffffft. 🤣

Almost done. Just need some thin neoprene strip for the neck holders and it'll be job done! Soz for the rubbish pics, it's really dark today. The varnishing is better in the flesh. Honest. 😬

I'm really looking forward to seeing this one! While we wait, I thought it might be worth posting this. I picked up the bass recently after more than a decade of waiting. It has been gigged around the world but is in staggering condition - at least 9.5. I wanted to restore it to 10 and this was the first stage - re-plating the gold (24k hard plate - work undertaken by one of the most extraordinary bespoke platers on the planet). The eagle-eyed will notice that there's a slight change from the original. The stabilising bars were inadvertently plated with the rest of the bridge components - the plater offered to remove this but I opted to leave it - I rather like the effect. The next step is to buff everything back to a glass-like finish (there are one or two patches where there's a little dulling), then a re-shoot for the board - all organised and I'll update as work is completed

Balance trumps weight for me in the playability stakes... Light AND balanced is the holy grail. My basses are bloody heavy but my back issues are less of the bass playing nature and more of the - sitting on my fat a*se at work in front of a computer for ten hours a day - nature.

I'll ask Alan which it is, though I assume the latter, certainly for the Camphor back! Delivery date is tomorrow!! I'll throw some pictures up once its arrived and I've been able to put it down long enough to take them!

I joined earlier this year so that I could gain some insight before deciding what to buy as my first bass in thirty years. I never expected to have so much fun. Thanks to everyone who makes it work, and to everyone who contributes to the atmosphere. It's digital alchemy. Still haven't bought the bass. I've narrowed it down, though. These things take time.

I play with a pick and finger style and I'll happily play basses with different string spacings all day long, until it comes with slappiing. Then I struggle with anying tighter than a 17mm spacing. If you don't "slap a da bass" it may not be an issue Note: My slap technique is bad enough anyhow

Too bloody right! Rise up angry adolescents, strap on your guitars and gather in your local music venues. We will chant your calls to arms, we will take on the establishment, we will show the world that we mean what we say and say what we mean, we will rise up and....... oooh me bloody knees.... you crack on Lozz, I'll be along in a minute. Now let's have a cup of tea first, I'm sure I had some hobnobs round here somewhere, anyway, did I put the kettle on? Zzzzzzzz.

Of the many things I love about Basschat, discovering great lines in tunes I otherwise probably wouldn't listen to is high up the list. Thank you so much

Thank you for all the very kind comments and certainly - I'll sort something out in the next day or two

Not at the moment but there is one in the works.

Not sure if you need it sorting quickly but I'm in Altrincham area and more than happy to take a look. I'm familiar with that pre-amp, in fact I've got an XCTC hanging around somewhere. Having worked for BT for 42 years I also understand wires and can solder 😁 Trouble is I couldn't look at it until after Xmas. Maybe between Xmas and New Year. If you fancy a trip over, let me know and I'll PM my phone number and we can have a chat.

The PSA 2.0 can most certainly be used for bass. There are 10 bass presets in the manual on page 17. http://www.tech21nyc.com/t21manuals/PSA_2pt0_OM1.pdf There are also a number of stompbox emulations like Fuzz Face, MXR+ etc. The PSA-1.1 was used by engineers and artists in the studio for years on guitar, bass, drums vocals etc.

Yeah, I applied that to the women in my life..... did me no good Ooh! IBTL..... 😁

It really depends what sort of stuff you play. If you don’t do any sort of soloing / melody doubling / chordal playing, then it probably doesn’t matter too much.

'Need' is always such a silly word. 'Want' is good.

if your a fan of BW then the documentary Still Bill is well worth watching.

Great place if you fancy trying different styles of bass. Found out short scales,semi hollows, acoustics and bass ukes are not for me.

Not wishing to be accused of a thread disrail allow me to show you a sub £75 bass. Oh my goodness.

Lots of good advice. I would add that it is very possible, if not likely, that the cramps you describe could be aggravated by not playing in a relaxed enough position. We often hold far more muscle tension than we need to when playing, especially so after a couple of hours of playing. When playing, make a conscious effort to take focus on your breathing, allow the weight of your arms to do the heavy lifting rather than pushing down, shift your weight from leg to to avoid tensing up. It helps, not just physically but also with concentration on the music.

To answer your original question “What do you consider an "acceptable" weight?"... Pretty much any of the instruments that I currently have up for sale in the marketplace forum feel free to look and purchase at your leisure. I also find that helium balloons attached to the strap locks at each end of the bass guitars body helps alleviate some of the instruments weight... Also gives better stage presence and can be gifted to audience members after the show with the purchase of a t-shirt and CD! Alternatively, you can take it to the next level of weightlessness and have an instrument made entirely from balloons... Here's what I currently perform with, as modelled by the lovely Clarissa... Sightly more strings than I'm used to but the reduced weight really makes up for this...

The Buckeye is acrylic impregnated as is the fingerboard the rest natural wood. cheers alan

The fix for this is not to bother attaching the straplock to the strap. Just put the strap on the pin as normal, and then fit the straplock over the top. Grolsch has been withdrawn in the UK and many supermarkets have already run out of stock, so they're becoming harder to obtain. I guess a trip to Bulgaria to stock up might be an option.

Yep just get out and play as many as you can. Don't personally agree you want the same string spacing as your 4 string but we're all different - you just need to see what feels right. I took a punt on this £108 workhorse as my main back up, totally servicable and playable.. Getting your technique off to a good start is as important as the bass. This lesson also worth a look

I can only base my opinion on having been a dealer for both brands. Given an option to re-stock I would take Sadowsky without question. I wouldn’t touch another Warwick if they paid me. . .

I’ve owned five, and to this day I’m unsure why I sold two of them, C64 and a 4003FL. All I have to add to this thread is that there is a lot of nonsense talked about the ric sound, the 4003s are easily as versatile as any twin PUP passive bass, and can do dub just as well as they can do clank. A 4003 with heavy flats, played with a pic through a B15 is about as iconic a bass tone as youll get - powerful rounded bass, slightly subdued mids and sweet highs - it’s like a fine wine

No, not the tracks and album by The Police, but things just working out nicely via Basschat recently. I just upgraded both my bass cab (Markbass 151 replaced with Barefcafed Big Baby II) and studio monitors (Adam A3Xs expanded in size to become Adam A7Xs), so I had the replacee speakers to sell in both cases. Checked on Items Wanted and there was a BCer looking for a MB 1x15, meeting up distance so we arranged a meet up in Ripon and did the deal. Due to head down to London the next weekend, just taken some pics of the A3Xs, another BCer drops me a PM cos he saw on the gear abstinence thread that I'd upgraded and wondered if the old monitors were for sale. That was literally hours before we left, I popped them in the car, we met up just down the road from some of the wife's relatives - another deal done. They're the only two things I've sold on here this year. I like it. Merry Xmas Basschat!

I feel the same when I see the quality of bass building that come out of your workshop!!! 😁