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So after playing Fender basses for 40-odd years I decided to give my back a rest and look for something lighter. After months of waiting, a Yamaha RBX-A2 came up on eBay which I bought and loved, then a second really tatty one came up which I got for £135. I don't have much guitar tweaking experience beyond the odd pickup swap, but on the basis that I had little to lose I decided to have a tinker. This poor bass was quite badly abused although the neck only had 2 dents which I drop filled with Superglue. I filled a much bigger ding on the body edge with epoxy putty. Then I decided to try vinyl wrapping it with a carbon fibre look. I’d never done that before and I’m pleased how it came out, although how long it will last is anyone’s guess. Has anyone else vinyl wrapped a bass? The Yamaha is flat topped which makes it easier, I can’t imagine how you’d wrap a curvy Fender. I couldn’t avoid the odd tiny crease at the edges around the horns, so I covered the edges with car pinstriping tape, which seems to work well and should help to stop the edges lifting. Photos attached. For a £135 bass I don’t think it looks bad, and it plays and sounds great. If anyone’s interested I’ll report back in a few weeks, after a few pub gigs, as to how its bearing up.

I think this thread is becoming rather pointless. It’s veered off track so much. As with this everything else with Brexit, two sides with very entrenched views. Here though, you have musicians and artists who have got experience of performing and working across borders, being told they’re wrong, by people who have absolutely zilch experience or ambition of doing so. What bands did forty years ago, has absolutely no bearing on what artists do now.

with a VERY strong factor being that in order to remain in the EU, staying in the UK was the best choice. That was also very well documented and the 62% vote pro-remain illustrates that. While this is pure anecdote and without statistical value, I've come across many people who voted no to independence who now feel otherwise, and not a single one the other way. The way that Scotland is portrayed down South does not help matters either. You want democracy? Me too. It's not a democracy when lies are used to achieve political goals, and when those lies are uncovered nobody gets punished for that.

We haven't got the right to say who our neighbours are. I wouldn't ahve picked any of my neighbours. where are those figures from?? Exports to the EU are over 40% of our total exports, and when you could countries we have a free trade deal with through the eu it is way over 50%. we do, but that isn't down to one country. There is no individual country we have a trade deficit with. Our EU neighbours get most of our fish, because we sell it to them because we don't eat it. Yay, so everything is more expensive but noone has an advantage. What a bonus. Shame they are the people that we trade with the most. No we aren't. We have already lost more money than we ever paid the EU. I really don't understand peoples ideas of markets. Are we really such a stupid country that we were paying billions in to a market that we weren't getting more out. I am surprised anyone runs a shop here. Because it costs money to rent a shop, and that seems to be the only financial agreement that people understand. I gather you are fantasy land sort of guy!

When I started playing guitar aged 16 I wanted a Fender Jaguar, probably because of Kurt Cobain, Brian Molko and John Frusciante. Then I took to playing bass and forgot about them, until Fender released the bass version in 2006, but I couldn't afford one at the time. And I didn't really like the red with matching headstock which was the only one I ever saw come up for sale. Early last year I hunted down an Olympic white 2015 US version, and it's been my favourite bass since. This week I saw a MIJ version for sale, I had to have it, and I picked it up today! 2008, never giggled, in great condition. Now I have twins, with the added benefit of being able to choose between the P and the J sound!

In a time when recorded music is all but a waste of time monetarily, and live performance is the way ahead, putting up barriers for musicians is nothing short of vandalism.

No, people like me (and probably you) will be losers while the winners will be those who run hedge funds. This is the death of ambition for ordinary people and there is no upside for you and me. The whole thing will eventually collapse as it becomes apparent that the UK cannot prosper on its own as it is rapidly overtaken by the many developing Asian and South American economies and we will be forced back into orbit with our closest \ natural allies. Of course the damage to the living standards of normal British people will already be done...

Eight years ago I went to a jazz club to try out on bass. What I found was mostly middle-to-old -age stiffos playing very well but very seriously to rules set in stone. Where’s the joy gone, I asked myself? Answer: jazz died in 1959, according to trumpetist Nic Payton. Anyway, fast forward to last year and I stumble across a YouTube vid with crowds of yoof enthralled by a black girl saxist called Nubya Garcia. Turns out the cats are back, only this time multicultural, grass roots, experimental, young and real. Fast forward again to this Thursday and I’m taking pictures at a funk jam in Norwich and red hair invites me to take pix at the Cactus Jam this coming Thursday. Wot? Apparently, The Scene has even got to Norwich and I didn’t know. So cool, so looking forward. Might even take my bass as well as my camera – and swop my hearing aid for an earring.

#prayforpromethean worked! On @Taylor beach-blues's recommendation took Promethean to Matamp in West Yorkshire - Jeff worked his magic & all is now well! Fixed while I waited & chatted to TBB - thanks again! It is fab to have Promethean back, and was lovely to meet TBB! Thank you all for your comments Ps. Matamp highly recommended for repairs, and their own stuff is exquisite! The workshop is amazing!

Tom has some Hipshot tuners and their new screw-adjust single saddles on order. In the meantime, I've started on the neck and fretboard. After lots of checking, and double checking and triple checking, the fretboard has been tapered and the neck blank cut to length and headstock angle cut: Next job - while all of the straight sides are still there, it to route the truss-rod slot and then I can start cutting the neck profiles and heel cutouts

I would love to think that a well supported public petition would get Parliment to reconsider/change/whatever. Each and every one of the petitions I have signed that have crossed the threshold of "having to be considered" (and there have been many) have achieved the sum total of nothing. I am utterly voicless in matters relating to musician's visas and everything else. If the print media in the UK are not interested in musician's visas (or any other topic) then there is just no point in even discussing it. I am working hard to stay on topic here.

I never knew he was a director. I thought he just took care of the money, and his partner Steve Twofer looked after the show

Getting the screws in must have hurt. Anyway, when you shower or bathe, do you wrap the Hofner in a plastic bag? Or just give it a good shake afterwards and go stand in the airing cupboard?

I'd say if you like the sound of the bass with TI flats then use those. Other strings don't sound or feel like them as far as I can tell. I stick them on all my basses now, love them. It's a bit like saying 'I tried a Precision bass, really liked it, so bought a Jazz'.

Marta - very accomplished bassista. Loads of vids on YT

To stay on the OT. It's easy for people like @Al Krow and @DoubleOhStephan to be optimistic about the situation when in all likelihood this proposal will have zero impact on their musical income and ambitions. Maybe if there is a massive hike in price for tickets for UK gigs for some European-based artist that they like they'll have a bit of moan on the internet, but that will be it. The reality is that no-one will really know what the real impact is until it actual happens and has been in place a year or so, but the chance are it won't be good for musicians or the UK music scene, especially since selling recordings is no longer a viable income stream for any but the most popular artists, and for everyone else playing live is the main source of income. The only goof thing is that this is still only a proposal and there is a chance that it will be negotiated away. We can only hope.

you really need to stop reading only The Telegraph, and look at the figures elsewhere too...

Ambient, my friend, I don't think the polarisation with diminish anytime soon, and I don't think your life is likely to align successfully with the policies that the UK has decided to pursue. Much as I love Britain and sometimes miss it terribly, I no longer contemplate going back -- and I live in the Cheeseburger Republic. For people who operate primarily in the realm of information-rich creative innovation, there is little need to be tied to one locale. There's still room at the top.

Indeed... This is the sort of devil take the hindmost attitude that has seen so many cuts in funding to the most in-need. But then, I'm alright Jack!

You get major respect for just staying composed. I would have been fanboying out, too giddy and emotional at being in the presence of a musical legend to play...hell, that was one of the last songs I remember on TOTP before emigrating to NZ aged 10. It carries a lot of memories.

I was with you until the tough tity mate comment. No need. Just blew your credibility. Everyone gets seller's remorse but no need for the attitude.

Way way back in April 2011 I bought a DB from @Clarky. This was an Andreas Zeller 3/4 fitted with Silver Slaps which were perhaps two years old at the time. I loved those strings, loved them so much that I kept them on until they'd become as supple as rubber bands and were developing little nicks which were inevitably going to break eventually. Knowing that I would be at NAMM in January, and noticing that Gollihur were doing a special on some very nice strings, I ordered a set to be delivered to my sister in Pasadena for collection by me as I passed through. Walking through NAMM with Silvie, we happened to come across the Gamut Music stall and a DB fitted with these wrapped gut strings. Now my view of gut strings is similar to that I used to have of fretless bass before I tried playing one ... I really, really ought to give this a try but I'm worried that it won't end well. I now play fretless basses as freely and casually as fretted, and I have long since lost any nervousness about it, so I couldn't resist these guts. They looked, felt, and sounded very cool indeed. They went on every bit as easily as any other DB strings, in other words they were a right PITA to install, but that's something that only needs to happen (IME) once a decade. Wrapped or not, they're still gut and they take a long time to stabilise. They've now been on for 48 hours and still need to be tuned back up a semi three times a day! Not to worry. I anticipated this and waited to install them until I had a 2-week gap between gigs on DB. Way too early to consider writing a review of them, but once I have a few gigs with them under my belt and maybe some video worth sharing, I'll return to this.

Cheers, man! I’ve just crawled into bed after being at the Arena since 4pm. Running through stuff again mainly for camera placements. A few of the tunes have specific bass bits, so - for once - I have to make sure I’m in the right place at the right time. There’s been a few (good) surprises today production-wise The stops have really been pulled out... Now to try and sleep. 9am band call...

Forget about 'glass half full', let's be realistic. What Maude outlined would mean pretty much the death of the small time professional musician in the UK. Frankly, you can't make money touring in the UK, whereas you still can on the mainland! As far as Nissan goes, they will try to protect their £4bn investment in the UK, but as soon as that is no longer feasible they will drop Sunderland like a hot potato. Only yesterday another major employer announced that they are pulling out of a northern town that voted heavily for Leave to relocate in the EU. A lot of people are going to get a very nasty wake up call in the next 5 years or so. Perhaps then we will see a more realistic approach from the government to our relationship with the rest of Europe.

No No No! Simplify the process. Buy a shortish piece of plank of appropriate size (I tend to use a 48" length of 5" x 1" or similar) and take your time positioning screwholes - preferably countersunk to get rid of the heads - in the plank and matching holes in the walls over the wooden studs. Attach your guitar hangers to the plank, working safely and comfortably on a workbench, and finally attach the completed rig to the wall. This last bit is MUCH easier if you have a helpmate. Be aware that the supplied screws that come with most guitar hangers IME are pathetic slot-heads made of cheese. Buy some decent cross-head/Philips/Posidrive screws to replace them, and be sure to use the right type of screwdriver/bit rather than "this is close enough, it'll do".

It's a good job he did, Mrs. TEEBS was very attentive when the real reason for the promethean's demise was revealed, ahem !

With the 'Robot Tuner' innovation, Gibson made the first step towards the self-destructing guitar. My brother sent them a video of his removing it's own strings in response to being played...

Yep. All well and get crying "It's democracy" when something happens that you wanted. It's very difficult to get things done when politicians don't value what you want as a vote winner. People would do well to remember that over 48% of the vote wasn't for Brexit and the turnout, although high means that only 37.4 of the electorate voted in favour. It's a minority cause and always has been, which has been blown out of all proportion by electioneering. When the problems it is causing are brought to people's attention, then people who voted for Brexit should really know better than essentially saying "deal with it". And "write to your MP" isn't much better. "Sorry for ****ing your life up" would be a start.

Does it sit nicely on top of your Marshall 8x10 extension cab?

I’ve been following Alain M for many years, he’s a great reggae bass player and plays in the belgium reggae band, Asham-band .

Matamp. My Ibanez Promethean practice amp had an input stage problem - @Taylor beach-blues recommended Matamp in Meltham, West Yorkshire. Fixed then and there by Jeff in the wonderful Aladdins Cave that is the Matamp workshop. Highly recommended & thanks again to Taylor BB 👍

It always had. 😉

Thanks Sam and all those great bits of feedback from the group. Yes my headstocks have extra mass where it counts and less mass where it does not. So for example on my extended range instruments there is light chambering behind the logo North of the last tuner. Mass is unimportant there in terms of string vibration physics and also helps avoid neck dive. Regarding the heel pocket, there is no overspray into it and if there was it is cabinet scraped away. Sam's bass features my proprietary neck pocket which is as far as I know unique and I own the IP for it. I don't show this detail even though I own the IP as there are sadly too many unscrupulous copy cats out there. But suffice to say it confers exceptional sonic transfer throughout the instrument ensuring that the materials of construction contribute their disctinctive properties to the overall sonics of the instrument. The frets are something I have done manually in the past. This time round I have developed more IP in terms of processes/tooling to semi-automate fret preparation, helping keep costs down. #custombuildnotcustompricing Thanks again folks, have a great weekend and shoot me some questions if you like and if anyone wants a quote for their dream guitar or bass, I'm here to serve. No obligation for initial 30 min consultation.

Unlikely! However I think we should all applaud @Chownybass for considering bringing these instruments over. It will take just as much time, and probably more paperwork, to import them as it will take for the fully finished guitars, and for less profit. Just start with the basics, what do you describe them as for export codes? B-stock? Kits? All hassle to think about, compared to just writing them off. And there will be no kudos for the finished guitars as they will have to remain anonymous.

"I want to be rich, that's why I will become a musician" said nobody ever

I would agree entirely on that. I have done a few petitions and all of them have come back with 'thanks for signing the petition, the government have considered it and decided that we are going to do what we want anyway'. Now the government have a huge majority I don't think they even have to pretend that they care about anything outside their agenda any more. I am utterly voiceless too, never more so, and it seems so far non aligned with peoples wishes (in that I don't even understand them), that it seems for the first time in my life, there actually is no point in trying to get involved in anything.

Thanks for your post. i agree doing something is the right thing, especially when there is an outcry, however my fear is that actually if due consideration was given from the start, it should have been a non issue and never happened. People in these positions don’t I think look at the whole picture and I am afraid that there will not be a public outcry for the arts and musicians and hence it won’t get sorted, or if it does, it will be so long that a current and future generation of arts/music related people will be put off or in a worse place. Yep, you can call it doom and gloom, but if you build a system to be reactive as opposed to foreseeing and proactive, then that is what happens

Agricultural policy has got nothing to do with visa requirements for performing artists. Please can you (and this is a broad 'you', not just an individual) stick to the subject in question. If the thread becomes a general B-word argument it will be closed.

Sad but true. As much as I have enjoyed the debate, your concerns are constantly being side-stepped in favour of the usual cut & paste stuff, and we are just going round in circles.

Bloody hellfire! This was the toughest thing I have ever done. Jeff Berlin on 'Beelzebub' by Bruford from the 'Feels Good To Me' album. Beelzebub - Jeff Berlin Bass Part.pdf

I didn't.

So far not too bad. Had to miss band call because of flooding, couldn't be sure i could get back to hereford, turns out no as it happens. Tempos are a lot slower than i was expecting, having some ensemble difficulties after probably being too reliant on a metronome practising but overall its a great show and its well arranged for a 5 string, so lots of opportunities to go low without getting glared at by the MD. I've also picked up the show again for a week in July as well!

Yes, you're right, and I shouldn't have written that harshly. Sorry. It was the "tough titty" bit that got me over the edge, and just so we know where we stand, you should have made a firm decision before listing it, and you should've stood by that choice. Just imagine the comments here on BC if a guitar player, a drummer or a keyboard player had acted similarly and you had been the buyer...

Bosses? Decent wage? As a boss, we've had terrible trouble finding people to work for us - we don't pay the minimum wage but the Living Wage as a minimum. We can't afford to pay any more - the business just won't take it - though we give a pay rise every year. And I suspect it's the same for most other SMEs - they have to pay at least minimum wage, but often pay more. And they still find it difficult to find suitable people; all we ask for are folks who are willing to learn, can string a sentence together and are friendly and outgoing (we're a shop!). And we've found that the majority of applicants can't write a coherent CV, can't be bothered to write even a basic covering letter and haven't even attempted to find out what our business is. However, we've found Lithuanians who seem to far more personable and fluent in English! So far we've only managed to find one English person under 30 to work for us...

I think this fella is great. Just cracks on and has a great selection of basses too. I particularly love the sound of the T40 Peavey he uses on this one:

Nice find RB. What an enormous tone. Love it

Only tried different sounds, this unit already sings. Very good tracking. Smaller and lighter package is a nice touch.