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At last the joke becomes reality: Defendant: “He attacked me with his guitar” Judge: “Hmm, first time offender?” Defendant: “ Yes sir, a Precision I believe”

I reckon if @BigRedX was burgling a house and saw a Precision (even just on a stand) he'd put everything back and leave 😂

Just stumbled upon some Suzi Quatro 'The Bass Line' Lockdown Videos She's posted about 34 so far, If its your bag fill yer boots !!

My carefully thought out rationalisation plan rolls forward. In no way am I selling a bunch of stuff I bought last year just to buy a whole pile of new shiny stuff this year. 😬 I have become the proud owner of an Ashdown RM500. And its blooming lovely. Bought from @Chris1127 of this parish, the idea is to pair it with the Ashdown 12" cab I bought last month. Giving me a modular system suitable for rehearsals, smaller gigs and with the flexibility to handle bigger stuff too. Essentially a 2x12 with a 500w head. First impressions. Does it replace my ABM? Kind of. It's similar but different The drive control is way dirtier than it's counterpart on the ABM, the tone controls slightly less flexible. But it has a shape button which Trace Elliot lovers will warm to and some others won't like at all, needless to say I love it. A variable compressor which feels pretty aggressive, a good thing to my ears, reminds me of the TC Electronic spectracomp toneprint I put on my BG250. Main volume is a nice tactile dial; let's you feel each increment as you turn it. It's a comfortable one hand lift, rather than an easy one, the handle on the top is well sited for balance. Oh and it's loud. Really loud. I've not had the needle close to the red and kept the master at the first click! What else? The cab and combo are not a perfect match as the feet are on the side which puts the horn at the bottom on one, top on the other. A bit of an ocd challenge, but the speakers not quite lining up may be for some physics or other so I'll live with it.

Yet another use for a Precision. These basses are more than a one-trick pony.

The last couple of days have been about the final knockings - final shaping and refinishing of the neck, set-up and strap buttons I had built a couple of tweaks to help the balance but the main one - fitting Axesrus' wonderful lightweight aluminium tuners - was dashed because of (presumably Covid-related) non-availability. Instead, I have fitted some really, really nice open gear Hipshots - but, honestly, they are quite a bit heavier than the Axesrus ones. But when Matt tried it out. I watched how he played and we discussed that yes - he does want to get to that 24th fret..and with his thumb wrapped round and so the back button wanted to be in the 'traditional' place if at all possible. But what I do (with all of my builds) is first fit the back button, then pop a slippy strap on it, over my shoulder and, holding the strap in various positions while supporting the guitar, gauge where the balance was going to be. And it looked like we could get there. So on went the back button (and nowhere near the 'goldilocks' zone of 12th -13th fret I always recommend!): ...and then popped a slippy strap on and hands off... So, whatever position Matt likes to play, it should be absolutely fine Final bit of polishing up tomorrow and it's ready to go to Matt. So one last glance before it goes into the gig bag: Yup - that'll do Thank you all again for your kind words and encouragement along the way - always immensely appreciated

I’m learning to live 24 hours a day with the GF. Believe me, its harder than any of the songs mentioned here 😂😂

Now we know we're cool

Ooh, scuse me, you might want to open the window. Had a jalfreizi last night and I just cut a nasty Lionel.

Seeing as I must have had it for 10 years it's probably time I shared a pic of my Mk1 California. Recently swapped in Black Label pups in place of the Delanos. It's a weighty beast, but sexy nonetheless 😉

I cannot think of a personality type less suited to our beloved instrument.

So, if I've read this right, you don't want to play a 5 string bass but you're buying one because you can't get the 4 string version! If you don't mind me saying, planning to only use the top 4 strings on a 5 string bass is a weird idea. If you buy a 5 string bass you should be intending to play all the notes on all strings. You're not buying this bass for the right reason. I predict you'll be selling it inside 6 months.

Totally agree about the string spacing. When getting started, you can easily treat the Low B as an extended thumb-rest, which actually makes the bass very easy to play as a 4-string. Once you start using the B-string 'properly', don't get carried away with playing really low notes ... think instead about playing across the neck rather than zooming up and down it. If you're playing in E, for example, make your foundation E the 5th fret on the B-string rather than the open E string. You may be surprised how much more versatile you become.

Also very active in fundraising for military veterans - started his own organisation for them - by all accounts a very nice chap. But then, he would be, wouldn’t he? Bass player, innit?

Check this out. Slap bass on an upside down bass, by Stan Sargeant.

Apparently not always

Now admittedly, not my amp. But when I got my Roost cab made, it was straight down to the studio to go through a lovely Selmar.

@Ricky 4000 is to shy to do this for himself, and also in a state of some confusion caused by fainting goats and neatly folded towels. But he's invited me to share a picture of his Vig on this thread. I have no idea why.

I've put a picture of HW4005 here before but I've since picked up a '77 Aria, so here they are together. The Aria came with original case which is in good nick really and totally useable. I've made my own treble pickup bezel including thumbrest so I don't lose any finger tips on surround. I used it about three times and then we went into lockdown and it's stuck inside a business premises that I can't access so I haven't seen it for ages now, I really want to play it.

Although I agree it is only usable as a technique relatively sparingly (though if you've ever been to a Level 42 concert, especially in recent years, you'll find possibly a larger proportion of females in the audience (than say the beard stroking male domination of some types of rock band audience). And slap is obviously de rigeur - although not everything is - perhaps a larger proportion than say a Marcus Miller show. This is also true of double bass slap on rockabilly - three songs and all but the most hardened fan will be bored (btw that was a heavily chorus-laden fretless Pino P that Alan P was air-bassing to in his caravan in leather underpants - Songs for Chameleons - Gary Numan). Where I disagree fundamentally is that audiences dislike slap bass - my own experience (and this goes for fretless as well) is that people come up and make very positive comments, including that it's refreshing to hear rather than the boring and inaudible plodding that is the stuff of bass sometimes - I tend to use slap bass as you've described, but have been known to play whole songs with it - for instance Albert Collins songs based on his 1980s/90s band and arrangements. Possibly the biggest critics are musicians, and notably other bass players on occasion (this thread suggests this as well). I'd agree the appalling din at a bass show caused by lots of people slapping is majorly irritating. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water!!!! 😏👍 Slap bass is really associated with soul and funk music, and modern (ish) rock music - having seen the Fatback Band at Ronnie Scott's last New Year's Eve (remember live gigs 😯) I sure felt the funk and groove in my chest - and there was some slap bass as well. In the same way I would be bored **itless at a Neil Young gig (in fact I fell asleep in a Pink Floyd gig pre Meddle in about 1970 much to the astonishment of some of my prog loving mates - whereas I loved Yes gigs to the extent I saw them at least 3 times), I wouldn't expect a Neil Young fan to be in the slightest moved by a funk or soul band and would no doubt be irritated by slap bass peeking out from the shadows of normal bassdom. So I think it's a genre issue as well as an issue for some musicians - I must confess to being mildly irritated by two handed tapping for more than, say 10 seconds - that might be partially because I don't get it and more importantly, have not learned how to do it beyond stringing a few notes together 😁 - brilliant though I accept Messrs Sheehan and Hamm are 👍

That one's especially for John Hall!!!

Stop scratching boy, people will think you have fleas. Sorry sir, its this jumper me mum knitted, making me right Lionel it is.

I kinda love my SVT VR 😁 It’s epically loud, sounds great and EQ is fine for what I need it for. I am looking forward to my CTM300 still though

I'm struggling to get my head around that! Its hard enough to master the right way up!

Carolina pine or shortleaf. It's not really fair to describe it as "softwood" it's harder than alder and about 1/3rd heavier. It's a great timber. I made a slab body from longleaf. I'd say the reason folks don't use it is everybody thinks eastern white pine or the Scots pine we have here. Weight is another thing, plenty pine varieties are heavy. This fella is over 12.6lbs.

Obviously!

Dingwall.

Deffo a Fender, as the Police use them! 🙂

Def, Sid Vicious found that out at a gig by hitting someone over the head with his. Probably the best use he ever got from it...

As for all of us right now, home recordings are the only option....so here we go:

My idiot band mates say its orange, but it's clearly a shade of salmon pink.

Except perhaps a low F#? @Dood knows what I'm talking about!

Couple of Fakers. On the left is Mr Konig's retired Renegade. Simple as get out, just vol/tone and a series/parallel MM. On the right is Sunday's purchase. Bolt on Hondo II 🙂

Now onto my second board, an uber simple Pedaltrain Nano build to complement the HX Stomp Nano + build I did a while ago (quoted above). This is similar to that, just no HX Stomp involved lol. I've got a Korg Pitchblack Mini on that now, using the full fat Pitch Black on the nano. I thought it'd be easier having everything on one board, quicker set up and less prone to damage. The tuner and instrument selector both battery powered so no need for any power leads. The later is passive, just has a battery to power the LEDs that are actually useful. It uses a batter box with switch underneath (I had to modify it, replaced the straight lead for a right angled on and changed the center + to center - in the process). It is a bit ironic having a pedal board with no effects, but I don't always need them I suppose! They are all mounted using 10 mm 3M Dual Lock pads, by previous build used 15 mm 3M pads that I think are more appropriate. The 10 mm pads still work, you just need more of them lol. Pics below:

Some access holes leave little space for a normal Allen key, with a right angle you come hard up against a string having barely turned the nut, this just looks better and more user friendly.

I had one made by Jack’s Instruments based here in UK. Great service.

Finished....again... Added a Wilson freaker wah v2. Really enjoying the Cali and the volante.