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I don't get the Hate for Scott and SBL. I've met Scott a few times - LBGS - and he's a really nice bloke - he even remembered me the second time we met. He's giving you free access to his time, his knowledge and experience - nobody's forcing you to sit and watch his videos - and most of us benefit from watching them. IMO He's a great tutor and makes learning easy and enjoyable. I wish that there was a resource like him/SBL when I started playing. Some people here need to give him a break.

Having seen the pics - @itu nailed it, it's a Musima! So, early/mid 80s, pre-unification East Germany. A slightly more interesting/cool P copy than I expected. Seen loads of these either unbranded or rebranded, but never seen one with a Musima logo before. Would have saved a bit of time & head-scratching if I had! Still have no idea why the Musima logo reads "WL" though...

It’s not an NBD as such, I’ve had it a few weeks, but was waiting to post until I was sure it would stay a while. I’ve owned over 200 basses and have had a bit of a revolving door over the years, I’m super picky, so good stuff can leave as quick as it came over the tiniest thing! But, although not perfect, I think this will stay a while. I couldn’t afford to buy it, I’ve had to borrow money from my uni fund for next year, but I was finding my regular jazz bass a bit of a handful with the post-covid viral fatigue, and this just looked so pretty! Hopefully I’ll sell enough stuff to replace the cash by next year, else this will have to go. I hesitated at first, because of the online furore surrounding Rob Chapman, but then I remembered the drama with other bass manufacturers and indeed I once had a very real online spat with Sterling Ball, so I decided to ignore all that and let the bass convince me on merit. Which it has. It does need a touch of fret work though. The nut is cut too high and there’s a rattly fret, but only on the G string and only when played over the neck pickup, which is odd. So I’ll get those things sorted. It’s built and feels and plays and sounds like a Warwick streamer. I’ve owned several LX and stage 1 models and this really may as well be one! The closeness of the bridge pickup to the bridge gives it that bright, mid focused sound and, as a jazz bass player who tends to mostly anchor over the bridge pickup, it means that I have to move my right hand more, and adopt a more floating technique. It’s an absolute slap machine, it doesn’t really do old school thump, but really does sound great. Although, I think they should have left the preamp in. This one is passive, and although it appealed at first, on reflection, I think a preamp would have suited it better. I may add an EMG BTC when I can afford it. I’m very much smitten. I’ve never owned a bass this easy to play before, I feel like I’ve just jumped forward in technique which is nice. Although I a bit paranoid about damaging the lovely finish I’m playing it so much! Please may I ask that if you wish to comment, that we leave whatever opinions you may have about Rob Chapman to one side in my thread, I really don’t have any at all and don’t wish to start any debate in here, I’m just pleased with my new bass. Thanks. oh and the side dots glow in the dark. Sweeeet!

I’ve got a photo of Scott playing my bass at the bass show a few years back. Thoroughly nice bloke. Exactly as he is on YT. Deserves all the success he has.

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A bit like Musima, but the Phillips screws are too modern.

Vox Standard 25. Been my number 1 six string for over 35 years!

Updates! It's a beautiful day so I thought I would treat the bass to a little bit of sun before I retire to the garden for a sunbathe myself. The Wenge grain on the neck and finger board is insane, I'm really happy with how this timber has come out. Now to enjoy this sun. B

Ah, the one I like to call "The one just to the right of my shoulder at this very second"

I get the splinters out of my backside with tweezers 😉😂 I didn’t feel the need to attack him and I honestly do admire anyone who can make a living off doing what they love.

By way of a get out clause, I am a 99% fingerstyle player. I didn’t start out that way some four decades ago, but playing with a pick didn’t last long for me at all. I digress. I’ve never been asked to play Two Tribes before now, so have never really committed to listening to the bass on the recorded version. I’ve tinkered around with it before, but never gave any thought to how I would approach it if I had to play it as the first song at a theatre gig. We usually ease ourselves in with the ultra dull (bass wise anyway) ‘Relax’. The 80’s band I’m in has green lit a whole raft of new songs during lockdown for next years shows, including Two Tribes. Whether we’ll get to play them is a different thread 😂. This song really does require it to be played with a pick. It’s a strong attacking bass line which needs that pick sound. That was the first stumbling block, for me anyway. Having sat down and given it some attention over the course of a few nights, I really couldn’t see a way of developing my speed to the required BPM. Then two days ago, it was just there. I think the issue was which stroke to start each phrase on. There’s also a couple of ghost notes in there which are noticeable when absent and that makes a big difference. I can now do it at the correct BPM without thinking about it, which is definitely what it needs for a first song at a theatre. That’s probably bored the pants off most of you, but I thought I would share anyway.

I signed up for one of his competitions once never again the spam and junk with his stuff on was relentless Great musician but adverts etc are too aggressive imo put me off joining the academy

Just letting you all know that I volunteered for the Russian vaccine trials. I received my first shot at 8pm on Wednesday and it’s completely safe with иo side effects whatsoeveя. I feelshκι χoρoshό я чувствую себя немного странно и я думаю, что вытащил ослиные уши.

The Quilter really isn't as limited as you may think although it is a tiny bit treble shy unless you increase the scoop on the Contour. You have to understand what the 2 tone controls do - it'll take 5 minutes if you clear the idea of bass, mid and treble controls from your mind. Think of them as shape controls instead. The Depth control either lowers or boosts the bass depending on which way you turn it so thats pretty standard. The Contour increases a mid scoop if you turn it to the left and a treble cut if you turn it to the right. If you want to boost treble - turn up the scoop with the Contour, back off the bass with the Depth and add volume to taste. If you want more mids you need to cut the bass with the Depth, increase the treble cut with the Contour and increase volume to taste. That makes it sound complicated but it really isn't. My perfect gig settings tend to be 2 clicks left on the Contour and 1 click increase on the Depth (it has clicky knobs btw). It's naturally a very clean amp - it won't do overdrive but it will do crystal clear if you run the gain under 3 and goose the master. If you run the gain at around midday (5) upwards it really fattens up but without softening (more than any other class D i've used so far anyway). And its bonkers loud.

Did you gig with this recently ? As you know I’ve pretty much the same set up now. sounds loud to me?

I’ve 2 pure tube Ashdown Heads the CTM100 and little bastard and a hybrid Ashdown Spyder. I just really like the sound of valves clean or driven but I can see how they might not be the most practical head in the world. To me the perfect combination is a valve preamp with an MOSFET A/B power section (not class D) so you get some of that valve tone and with heaps of power without breaking your back or bank . I reckon the ABM 600 is probably the ideal working mans amp.

Effector 13 was the original name Devi used back in the early/mid 2000's. I think there was a brief period of crossover and maybe she kept the effector 13 name in Japan (where pedals are known as effectors) but she settled on the Devi Ever name in the late 2000's. Things get very complicated from there as she hit some financial trouble (that's a whoooooole other story) and licensed a lot of her more popular names and designs out to other companies - Dwarfcraft, INFANEM (who did a version of the improbability drive) and a couple of others I think. I didn't fully keep up with the rest but at some point she tried to get her names and designs back and had a public spat with Dwarfcraft, and got some but not all back. She started selling her own pedals again under the Fuzz Goddess name, but many without their original names. She can be a divisive figure in the pedal world - there's still a lot of animosity around the aformentioned financial trouble (it's a very long story but basically she took a lot of money for a kickstarter and didn't deliver) and if you asked this question over on talkbass you may get a very different explanation. Perosnally I think her designs were unique and sounded horrible in that very special way - others think she was an untrained hack who made abominations.

I just dont buy "the sound is in the fingers" thing. The style is in the fingers, not the sound/tone of a bass. Imo.

Updates! It feels like years ago since I started building the bass... yet here I am completely surprised that it's almost finished. With the last coat of oil fully cured after a 24 hour soak it was time to get detailing. This is an area I enjoy, you'll notice above in the pic I have Autosol, Maguires Ultimate Black and G3 scratch remover polish all from my car detailing kit... figured they'd help me out cleaning up the hardware which has been on and off various redwood builds while I try and work out what I'm doing... the pickup casings on the EMGs had little scratches and looked like they'd been in and out a few basses... now they look brand new. I have all these polishing head attachments for my drill so I set about giving the oil finish a quick buff before slapping on the Warwick Wax... I absolutely love this stuff, I've used it on all my Warwicks, always give's an awesome look, smell and feel to the wood. I installed the Schaller... Installed the tuners... Then buffed the frets with this little polishing rubber from Thomann works a treat with little effort. Next! Some tech genius will help me suss out my electronics and I'll get them installed, I managed to buy non adhesive copper tape so I have a roll of adhesive copper tape coming tomorrow so I can shield all my cavities. Almost done. Don't know what I'm going to do with myself...

Is there perhaps not an issue with what music we are looking for? To not want "re-heated jazz funk" in searching for the new Beatles seems ironic. The Beatles are gone forever. There is no new Pink Floyd, they are also gone. There will be no equivalent because they were entirely of their time and environment. A group of young men wanting to hold your hand in 2020 would be sickeningly twee at best. So we have to ask ourselves: do I want actual new music or do I want a fresh version of old music? There will be groups that are roughly in line with an influential group but nobody is going to write 'Money' a second time. There is absolutely new and exciting music being made all over the world and it's easier to find than ever. That said, it isn't easy if that makes sense? It will require looking for but the internet is far easier to navigate than the old ways! But there will also be bands that churn out imitations of their forebears, so there really is something for everybody!

Actually slightly better! It does sound good actually, looks like it would be all clean and hifi sounding, but it isn't, those 'single coils' are humbuckers and they sound great. All the way up to the 26th fret.

I'm not bothered by the regular pop-ups advertising his SBL academy and other than Mark 'Talking Bass' Smith he's my go to for tips esp on slap techniques . SD's a very good and affable tutor and I like his peripheral stuff e.g. his chats with bass greats but for my money there's no online bass educator better than Mark Smith.

The pickup itself makes very little difference, position is king. I put 7 different singles in a P-bass and recorded short clips. Pickups varied with DCR, most were alnico 5, couple were split singles in series/parallel, staggered poles, big 1/4 lb'er poles. One was £8 from China. Did a blind test, no names mentioned or materials or the way they were wired. Just asked folk to pick out the £8 one. Each pickup had the same number of folk claiming it was the one from China 😀

Yeah, pretty much. Everyone hears differently I guess, and the amp manufacturers want to market & sell what people want to buy (i.e. featherweight). FWIW, I've been back in A/B-land for years now, and unless someone comes out with a genuine game-changer, rather than the same old in a new frock, I can't see myself moving back any time soon.* *Other opinions are available

Excellent. I think episode two is my favourite...

I bought this yesterday. I have to say I think it's a rather nice looking bass. I've got to have a look at the electrics, as I think that switch isn't original. Though the grain of the wood on the front is rather nice, it may be a veneer, so I may get it refinished; I'm thinking seafoam green.

I think he’s an unbelievable player, he’s fantastic at what he does and I love that he’s obviously hugely successful. I’m full of admiration for him. The “oh, and one more thing I forgot...” type e-mails nark me a bit. And I get plenty. It’s very much the nature of the beast - he’s an online marketeer. It doesn’t work on me...but I get that it’s how his operation works. He’s sort of become the latter day Clarkson era Top Gear of online bass tuition. It’s for the masses and people buy into it big time - he’s successful and people grow to resent the ubiquitousness of it all. Others adore it. “Like sh*t in a field” As my grandad used to say. More power to him. Wish I’d thought of it first - as well as Wishing I’d learned to be more theoretically minded rather than my “hit it and see what comes out” method of playing. I signed up for a free trial and didn’t look at it - I think it was for a competition entry. I reckon he’s probably a really sound bloke, and I bet I’d find his website useful. But I’m not drawn to it. He doesn’t offend me, and I should just block his spam. He’s good at what he does, a very slick operator. Not for me though.

Maybe the various algorithms don’t recognise the letter ‘b’ on your computer?

The algorithm which decides what ads we'll see must be broken. I seem to get lots of offers for ladies underwear but never SBL.

I started making a 19.75” scale mini bass. It has built in headphone amp similar to Mayones. Biggest difference mine is 5 string

Wowzers, was only £20 out - which back then would have been a prawn cocktail, well done steak, Black Forest gateau and a bottle of Blue Nun at a Beefeater.

OK, does anyone here speak Nordstrand, i think I need an interpreter

I've got a Cort something or other HSH superstrat thing with a Floyd Rose, and currently mid way through a ebay Thinline Tele parts build.