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I became aware of the Latourneau Maben Gold Top bass a while ago. In my opinion, a beautiful bass, taking styling cues from various iconic styles and blending them to perfection. I posted it in reply to a post on Facebook and then delved deeper into Latourneau. Oh my, do they make some beautiful basses, and other instruments. The craftsmanship looks absolutely top notch. Maben Gold Top The Maben is probably still my favourite style with its Rickenbacker top horns, Jazz offset waist and Gibson/Duesenberg-esque headstock, which is different on each bass. They all have slightly different hardware specs so I guess they're each a one off, but I don't know. Has anyone else come across them? Their website doesn't show a complete list of their basses, and I've found most through other sites and adverts, which leads me further to believe that they are built to the customers specs as and when they're ordered. I've added some links but if you do some digging it turns up some wonderful stuff. This 8 string is just stunning. I love the contrast of the walnut back and red front. I can only find this 8 string on their Facebook page, just scroll through the photos. Another beauty in a dark teal colour.

The new Wal string tree came with standard small wood screws. I always think that, assuming they are fitted properly, set screws and inserts are better. They don't really do the large-threaded inserts in such small size, but the type you see on the right - I think more designed for metal - work fine as long as the drill hole is accurate: I've experimented with inserting them into much softer woods than the maple neck and then trying to lever out the screw and it holds fast. Now, I used to think that the slot went in the top - I assumed this was a screwdriver slot. It emphatically doesn't and isn't That's the bit that cuts the thread and I'm pretty sure that it was a wise sage on this forum that put me straight! So for insertion, you use a screw and nuts, or in my case, a screw and another insert, to 'lock-nut' with the one you are inserting. This is what I've done with the one on the left in the photo above. This keeps it all straight and inserting is a breeze. In this shot, the insert I'm fitting is almost fully in and you can see the 'driver' insert and set screw locked into it and driving it round and in. Like a locknut, a quick reverse direction of the screwdriver and the screw and driver just loosen to come apart: I've positioned the new string tree in the best place for the strings rather than exactly where the old one was but - unless you look really really closely, it pretty much covers the marks and holes from the original: And this is at full pitch with, so far, no embarrassing 'ping' sound of the string tree flying off like a rock from a medieval trebuchet!

And finished 🤗...Nordstrand Big Singles, Hipshot Ultralites, Sandberg bridge, 3d printed covers by @GisserD, KiOgon loom...well happy

New film doc about Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex......... Sky Arts 9pm Saturday 6th March. From what I gather it's told from the perspective of Poly's daughter Celeste. Really looking forward to this..... one of my heroes!

Now with enclosure:

Kent Armstrong has posted a little clip about his life. Amazing humility saying “built and repaired pickups for 50 years” when he is the guy personally hand making the pickups for the amazing Ken Smith basses. Does he still make them? He certainly used to. Also interesting that he credits so much to Bill Lawrence. https://www.facebook.com/kentarmstrongpickups/videos/825181878079226/

Photos of the GIB Bass and the bass that @Andyjr1515 upgraded for me. Note the screw free electronics cavity and the lack of paint. The satin finish makes it so playable.

This is more like it, some long overdue love for plywood Kay guitars. Once they get the recognition they truly deserve they'll be changing hands for close to £50. 😉

couple of programmes for you punks out there, Sex Pistols 2007 gig and a Damned documentary early hours of Sunday morning

And the winner is... Dad3353 (Me..!) ..! Here, then, is my Winner's Certificate (download and save as pdf file, then proudly print and frame...) ... BC_Chal_Cert_2021_02.pdf ... which looks like this (but bigger, of course..!)... (Band of Rotters that you are..! You know I'm not well, and now I'll have to wrack my addled brains to find a picture that will stimulate you all. Hmm... I should have let the Challenge run to a tie-break, if only to have the fun of seeing Lenny kicking shins..! Thanks just the same, folks; I'll try to get a good picture, honest I will... )

Well many congrats to Douglas who has landed a double and as such has the honour. A genuine LOL when he sent this over, so I reckon it could get the juices flowing! So without further ado, on offer for inspiration is ........................... Usual rules apply. You know the drill: ✔️ Entries must be <5 minutes and written/recorded this month. ❌ No illegal samples, copyright infringements or other snide goings-on ❌ Bagpipes. ( Christmas truce now expired) . Also on thin ice with panpipes, to be perfectly honest. ❌ No voting for your own entry. We'll know. And we'll shame you. I would like to trial an extra rule this month that might, though might not, help in the voting, I'll float it in the thread . Deadline wise , we will call midnight on the 24th (yes, you probably have till about 19.00 on the 25th, but don't let on or we will have a deluge at 18.59)

You’ve got that blue thing. Stop worrying

I suck at pick playing, I can just about pass at home, but always chicken out of playing pick in a gig situation as I'm more sure of my fingers. Anyone that says that it's not proper bass playing needs to have their head shoved down the loo and made to watch Bobby Vega vids on YouTube when they are let up for air.

Indeed! Alternatively they could leave a little note in the gig bag with a helpful suggestion that we each spend several hours randomly trawling the internet in the vague hope that something coherent and knowledgeable (like we've had on this thread and also just very recently on the Spector thread from Billy and Paul comparing the Euro LX to the NS2, 4 and 5) randomly turns up! 😄 But even a useful summary card probably wouldn't say "think about dialling back your TonePump, 'cos we couldn't be bothered to do that bit"...and unless someone mentions it, a lot of folk (me included) probably wouldn't be thinking of asking the right questions, but assuming that's just what the TonePump was like - and therefore to never dial our bass EQ on Spector Euro LX basses above 1/10, lol! I guess that's the beauty of the knowledge sharing that we have on forums such as BC and TB. Here’s a raised glass to you all 🍸

Here's my little setup Spectracomp - Darkglass Alpha-Omega - Darkglass X7 ( alway on mild drive ) - Sub n Up - Memphasis Steam chorus - TC Vortex Flanger

That's got a few of you confused I bet... Got my old Bass Collection Nanyo SB310 back (Got It Back) - anybody who's ever owned one will know what great VFM they are - sell for around £200, play like a £1,000 bass. Would you believe it, I deleted the photos I had of it!!! New ones to follow.

It's been posted before but this clip of Bobby Vega is one of my favourite bits of picking. The way he puts in the ghost notes, it almost has a 'slap' feel to it.

Mint Green SUB has arrived, ordered from PMT Romford on Saturday and was well-packaged, set up and in tune. It's a busy day today so I've only had a chance to briefly check it over and have a quick play but first impressions (for me) are very good. I'm obviously not expecting it to match my 5-er or fretless but I have to say, from what I've managed to glean so far, it ain't half bad, mum! 👍😎👍 Next question is whether to fit a white pearl scratchplate?

Bottles of beer? These will gently tease the cork out of a fine chablis, then massage your shoulders as you quaff it in the evening sun. 😄

Spector should have printed that on a little card and supplied it with every bass they sold with a Tonepump in it.

Nice Bassline to play on this George benson track from 1981

These are from the OEM designer and manufacturer of the Tonepump. Tonepumps in pedal format and a 3 band version: Michalík Designs (michalik.cz) Michalík Designs (michalik.cz) Also, the BP4, which depending on who you believe is a Tonepump under a different name, or a variation of. Michalík Designs (michalik.cz) Things to note from those links. EQ points are quoted as, Bass - 55Hz. Treble 6.5kHz. Note that is different from the clever / techie scopes I mention above at Bass at 70 Hz. and Treble 5 kHz. Note the gain is: - Bass +14db to -4 dB, so lets say a quarter of the way for flat. The Treble is quoted as +14db to -12 dB, so lets say a almost half of the travel on the pot for flat.

This is what's needed ... a twotone sticker ...

Depends - are the stickers solid paper or laminate?

I was back in church today for the first time in nearly a year (since the first lock-down). We have had On-Line services where we've recorded our musical parts onto our mobile 'phones and had them stitched together, but that is not the same as being together. I was delighted to get back into the building and meet (socially distanced) friends who I've only been able to chat to via Zoom. Our normal congregation averages at just over a hundred, with most of them being students and young families. Due to the restrictions we could only accommodate 30 or so this morning and they had to wear masks and could not sing! The band was pared back to just; keyboard, semi acoustic guitar, bass guitar (me) and my wife on vocals. She was the only one allowed to sing! It was surreal playing a couple of songs while the congregation stood in silence and swayed along to the tune! As we had no drummer, I kept things very simple and hit the root note on the beat. Not very spectacular but it was what was needed. I did the occasional "fill" or chromatic run but other than that kept it straight to the point. I pray for the day when we can all get back to normal and enjoy great worship and fellowship together.

Call me Mr Picky, but I think it was Johnny's big brother Billy who was the hero! Ok, moving on... Heroes - Johnny Bowie!!

Talking of lovely pairs ... The SB900’s last partner was more suited in the aesthetic sense (another ‘81 with walnut finish), but it didn’t stick. I’m a sucker for the passive twin pickups and that control set. Ahhh, I love that set up. I appreciated the SB1000, but wow, it’s not my thing. Horses for courses, n that.

I contoured the edges ( by hand!) . I wanted a chamfered look rather than rounding over. Here’s a pic.

Well, a lot of set up still to do and a few remaining jobs, but we actually have a playing bass! First job was cutting the new nut from the Graphtech Black Tusq XL blank: Then a look at the Wal shim. The neck angle is dependant on the bridge height and I suspect the original Wal bridge sits higher than the new Hipshot because the strings are far too low with not enough saddle adjustment to reach even the minimum action height. It's a funny old business but folks are often very sniffy about shims - 'a decent luthier doesn't need a shim' is an oft stated opinion. Well, you don't get much more decent luthier than Wal and every Wal neck I've ever seen has one of these... And anyway, for starters it had to go. With it planed and scrapered off, I could get to normal action heights, albeit with the saddles adjusted pretty high so I will probably add a slightly thinner one than this to the front edge of the heel so I can drop the adjusters on the saddles a touch...but with is as it is, it plays! And even through my not-a-proper-bass-rig it sounds pretty darned fine So, still to do: - A bit more work on the heel angle to get the action range of the saddles a touch better - final set-up work on the frets - final tidy up of the fretboard, edges rounding, etc - string tree - tidy up the neck bolt recesses - fit the strap buttons

We have had our first few bookings from July onwards in the diary. They're only half a dozen but it's started

I'd just like to add I'm in no way connected to the company/luthier, I'd like to be because then I might get a discount. I'm seriously considering selling some stuff and commissioning something. It's been a long time since I've found a company that seems to tick all my boxes. Does anyone on here own a Latourneau, or know someone who does? Here's some more pretty pictures, because we all like pictures, right? (Some are guitars, sorry.) The following one is very @Andyjr1515 The rear access covers are just sublime, so classy. Lastly, a bit of volute porn especially for @SpondonBassed 😉

Kinda Lingers - Here Come the Mummies

The EHS looks like a really cool instrument. I'll pop up my thoughts on the D-roc 5 when I get my eager little hands on it

Aha...why didnt i just google it ! I remember, what started John tinkering and mixing pickups was when he purchased a mid-80s Carvin AE-185 that he played on the Live video at Carnegie Hall. It’s a semi-hollowbody with two humbuckers and a piezo in an acoustic-style bridge. He thought that was the coolest thing - whether it was one stereo cord out, or maybe he’d just have another output and another cord and plug into the amp, and then switch back and forth, or blend the two pickups. And then he started doing that kind of modification to all his guitars.” Good read, this https://www.musicradar.com/news/on-jj-cale-he-would-buy-a-dollar100-guitar-then-if-he-messed-it-up-by-drilling-holes-it-was-okay-that-was-the-cost-of-educating-himself

This is a video I had saved from a few years back which shows a selection of the tones

I used to have thousands of records, way more than I could count. When we lived in London I had vinyl at home (and tapes and CDs), plus vinyl in my studio and the overflow vinyl was kept in a Big Yellow storage unit along with recording equipment and instruments etc. Fair enough, I used to DJ regularly and would trade and deal in vinyl as well. So I’d have multiple copies of all the UK Beatles mono and stereo LPs, probably near a dozen copies of the “White Album” alone, ready to sell or trade if needs be. UK and US full runs of Hendrix and Stones LPs in mono and stereo for instance, box upon box of rare jazz releases often doubled or trebled up (UK mono / US stereo / Japanese reissue with Obi, etc) plus crates of funk, soul, Latin, Brazilian and psych and folk... just tons of records. Everywhere. In the end I sold off or gave away the vast majority of my hoard (I’m not sure you could call it a collection as it was so sprawling and out of control) and got it down to about 500 LPs & 12”s plus a similar number of 7”s. But after a recent move I still find myself with some albums where I have the vinyl, the CD and the original 1970’s cassette copy too... It just happens. I still haven’t really got into streaming, I would do, but often find that stuff just isn’t available when I go looking for it online. But I’ve still got 1000s of CDs. When places like Fopp were knocking them out new at £3, that’s when I accumulated them all without trying. Plus I’ve a lot of rare soundtracks, library music and jazz CDs that aren’t on streaming sites, not yet at least. And the vinyl LPs of them are £££s... I guess I should just hang on to them?

So true, that's exactly how it is ! A bit like some odd fingerings for certain bass parts - if you think about it too much, it stops happening......

15 minutes a day reading music is better than no minutes. I always feel like their is a hole in my ability as a bassist. This should fill it!

The old green Dod envelope filter certainly tested the bottom-end handling of your rig on certain settings? Mutron & Bassballs would be my recommendations

But wouldn't that alter the tone..? ...

Comes across to me as a poor recording. Thought this was a good live performance.

I wondered where that one ended up! Glad it found a good home. You’ve inspired me to dig out my SB1 today 👍🏼

There are two threads about the VX50BA, I also own one & love, Love, LOVE it: 1 caveat about the Direct-Out, the amp must be powered on! so it's not 'that' direct

Hallo Zusammen, Ich bin auch von Beige Records auf SoundCloud angesprochen worden. Sie fordern nach Übermittlung von Musik und versprachen Promotion auf Spotify und Apple Music gegen eine Gebühr von 49 €. Natürlich war ich skeptisch. Ich habe mich in anderen Foren um gehört, las viel Kritisches aber keine Erfahrungsberichte mit Beige Musik. Eine echte Plattenfirma wird sicher kein Geld im Vorwege. Ich habe mich auf das Experiment gehört gehörtassen. Dies ist auf Spotify in der Zeit zu sehen, die viel ist. Ich betrachte per Mail vertrauliche beratende Beförderung auf Onlineplattformen. Dann ebbte die Reaktion auf Spotify natürlich ab. Bei Apple tat sich gar nichts. Ich denke, dass es sich bei Beige Records eher um eine Agentur handelt, die natürlich gegen Geld handelt wird. Ein Plattenlabel ist das sicher nicht. Für mich war es die Erfahrung allerdings wert. Wiederholung ... nein danke

Exciting update time With the top glued up (and with a thin layer of white veneer glued to the back of it), its time to get the body glued together and start doing a bit of shaping! you can probably see from the redwood top and my pencil lines that i was pretty conservative with the jigsaw first time around, so there will be a fair amount of material to remove around the edges. More clamps is best clamps this all went plenty smoothly, and after a few very careful passes with the router: ta da! one body ready to start shaping. im not cutting the neck down to size just yet, mainly because i dont want to put any big nicks in the area around the heel until im sure what im going to be doing with it. there is a lot of material to remove and im really just going to be doing the shaping by eye. no roundover or other router bits used here, just a lot of rasping and sanding. as i start to remove some of the material, you can see the colours that will be on display. redwood, maple, cherry, walnut padauk. The areas where the redwood is missing are where there are going to be some very tricky transitions to carve. its a matter of moving around a lot so that you see the transition from a lot of angles, to make sure the right amount of each colour is exposed. and its the same story on the other side, only moreso. the angles need to be carved so that they not only blend together perfectly, but also catch the light in the right way, tall order. so far, just taking it nice and slow and taking a lot of breaks seems to be working pretty well. this is not going to be a short or easy process! the upper horn is going to resent a bunch of its own challenges. carving this shape isn't all that difficult, but normally you get to sort of "choose" where the high point in the carve is. with this one its defined by where those veneer stripes are, and so again theres a lot of walking around and looking at it from funny angles to ensure the shape and colours are all correct. it might be TMI, but on that workbench with the neck sticking out, its all to easy to get hit in the Junk doing that. at least it makes sure im taking lots of regular breaks! after a couple days of work im starting to get an idea of how i want the shape to end up, and how i want the lines to flow. but its still a long long way off. in the meantime, ive started working on the bridge. one thing i found on the last bass with a bigsby was that in order to accomodate the bigsby and the bridge, the body needed to be unweildingly long. so to address this on this bass ive made a couple of changes. firstly, 26 frets instead of 24, this decreases the space needed between the end of the fretboard and the bridge. secondly, a 33" scale length instead of a full 34. this will also shorten those distances and i find it more comfortable overall. Finally, the use of a much shorter bridge. this reduces the space needed beyond the bottom of the scale length and leaves more space for the bigsby. The only issue is that tune-o-matic bass bridges dont come with low friction saddles, and the string spacing is 19mm, instead of the 18mm i need. so heres the plan: remove the metal saddles and replace them with new, TUSQ graphite saddles. this allows me to have narrower spacing and much lower friction. a single TUSQ nut blank is enough to do all 4. ill be using some brass threaded inserts to keep the intonation adjustable, just as it would be with the standard bridge. The nut was cut into chunks for each saddle, and a hole drilled to accept the insert. the insert is then glued firmly in place with some CA Glue. once all 4 are done, its just a matter of putting them in place and putting the adjustment screws back in. i then used the same 16" radius block to shape the saddles so they will follow the contour of the fretboard perfectly: speaking of the freboard, ive managed to get all the inlays in! These are far from perfect, but im still very pleased with them. if i ever do decide to start doing this semi-pro, i will certainly need more practice before id attempt this on someone elses instrument. and there are the first 24 fret slots! ive got 2 more to do, these were done with a fret slotting jig i treated myself to as an early birthday present. absolutely great piece of kit and fantastically made. GMC luthier tools! and finally for today, the gold screws for the pickup adjustment screws arrived: i like these a LOT more than the black, really makes the pickups stand out a bit. there will be 3 more gold screws holding them in place, and i think im going to buy some gold enamel paint to colour in the little MH logos as well, opinions? too flashy?. and, as ive done a bit of carving and got my nice gold screws, lets have a gratuitous mockup and spread sawdust through the house! its going to be a tight squeeze! but i think ill get it all in. the wires between the batteries and the preamps will just run through the bottom of the lower pickup cavity, and im pretty sure ill need to muck about with the preamp positions a bit. the master volume control will be on the lower horn, so in total 6 knobs and 2 toggle switchs, plus the two 4 way switches on the pickups. if theres one thing i won't be short of, its tone options i hope!!

From what I've read about intonation and pitch, it's about as subjective as our taste in music in general. Our common idea of intonation is based on equal temperament, whereby the piano is tuned so that it sounds in tune in any key. However, when it first started to appear in the late 19th century many people thought it sounded horrible and out of tune, which in a sense it is, but no one notices it now because it's what the vast majority of the Western world grows up listening to. Prior to that, pianos were tuned for a specific key, or group of keys, depending on the piece. What we now think of as enharmonic sharps and flats (i.e. G# and Ab) were also considered distinct pitches. The story of tuning systems is described in great detail in "How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony" by Ross W. Duffin, if you want to know more. My point is, what sounds horribly out of tune to you may sound sonorous to someone else who is used to hearing it. That said, you'd think the bass player from one of the biggest bands ever would know how to tune his f$%&ing instrument!