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Turned up mixer 30 miles away ... had to fetch my brother's from 10miles awsy. No soundcheck. Stonking gig. Lots of dancing. Much silliness and rocksyar posing. Lots of random improv, musical chaos. Didn't get to the end of setlist but went way over time by stretching songs that had folks dancing. Promoter over the moon and promising to book us more, another guy with three venues (in my home town, yay) took our details too.

I had an amp & 2 cabs up at £800 Got a message asking if I’d accept £400 Yes, twice was my reply An indefinite period of silence followed

Continuing my trend of simple basic instruments I'd been hankering for a Danelectro. Owned then sold a Wild Thing model a few years back . No regrets over that; it was a short scale and I don't enjoy playing those 🙂 Watching Dano prices increase , I decided to build one instead 👍 Parts bought , template made, body blank etc . Had the choice of 2 necks, guitar neck re-purposed for 15 frets or a 32" scale from Retrovibe. Then apathy kicked in hard 😧 Few months ago a lass near the Welsh border listed her Dano on a Facebook page, collection only meant 700 mile round trip 😢😢😢 Re-listed the other week there for the attractive price of £235 , I gave serious thought to the drive 😃 Common sense told me ask for help on Basschat. @alyctes was the first to reply then @Old Horse Murphy a few hours later ; fantastic result. Turned out Nick passes the lass's place on way to rehearsal. He did much more than just pass her place, he handled the entire purchase for me , what a guy 👍 Nick had it packed up and delivered to me by Thursday. Sadly I was up and about at 3am so was deadbeat by the evening , all I had left in the tank was a quick thank you note before bed. Different story by Friday 😃 Spent a good few hours last night playing it and I'm over the moon . Nick had warned me it was strung with Fender flatwound cables and the action was a mile high. Bought a set of Rotosound 30-90 but tuned the flats DGCF and the action dropped to easy playing level 😃 Feast your eyes on this sparkling lovely.

I don't think I've seen anyone mention this here, so just a heads up. If you're looking for some drum loops and have a method of routing Spotify content through a hi-fi/bigger speakers, I can wholeheartedly recommend a quick search on 'Ultimate Drum Loops'. There's hundreds of full rock/pop song loops on there, varying tempos, of 2-5 minute lengths.

No. It’s the space I reserve for mistakes.

What are you doing all the way up there, anyway?

Yeah, they’ll never catch on.

I like it more literal. Offer something for £400: Whats your best price? My best price is about £800, but I am willing to take £400

My 2017 4003CB Waltnutglo, limited run of 20 by CME.

Ooh is that a Precision?

Farting out occurs when the combination of power and frequency attempts to force the cone to travel beyond its mechanical limits. The cure is to reduce the volume and/or low frequency EQ. The cab power rating doesn't indicate whether an amp can push the cone too far because that rating is thermal, not mechanical. Cone excursion goes up as frequency goes down, so a 500 watt signal may not cause over-excursion at 500Hz while a 50 watt signal at 50Hz may. The simple answer to farting out is that if one cab won't handle the combination of volume and bass EQ that you use you need two or more cabs, or one cab with more driver displacement. https://barefacedaudio.com/pages/how-speakers-move-air-volume-displacement

I've been on BC since 2008 and only ever felt moved to use the 'ignore' feature on here once. I had 2 x BF cabs (Supercompacts or Two10s, can't remember now) for sale for a competitive price, discounted for both, at a time when they moved fairly quickly but it was collection only as I didn't have boxes. Some chap seemed to think he was doing me a massive favour by offering 2/3 of my discounted asking price and to include postage in that. Quite reasonably, I thought, I filled my reply with laughing enojis then finished with the word 'no'. That prompted a deluge of vaguely unpleasant PMs, hence the ignore.

Had my Super vintage for a week and played along with this Toto Classic. Great tones and the cab sim is brilliant. very impressed!

Well, "next day delivery" wasn't "next day", but anyway it has arrived. It's unfortunate that it coincided with me being stupidly busy with a mix of course work and sax workshops (please read carefully... 🙂). It is stunning in the flesh. I've snapped a few pics with my phone, but I'm goign to do a proper product shoot in the studio with it as soon as I can, so I will post some decent pics in due course.

I gigged with an American Performer Mustang and really enjoyed it's feel and sound. None of the short scales I have owned had neck dive. That will probably apply more to Gibsons/Epis and Hofners. Here's my present duo: Sterling by MM Stingray and Sandberg California II Lionel. Both a real delight to play and hear.

O'Rileys in Hull last night. Not many in but those that were enjoyed it. Great sound, big stage and excellent lights. Darren, the proprietor, is a top bloke. Slightly weird bit ... there's a full-size boxing ring in the back room

I’m up there a fair bit…don’t see the point in it being there if it’s not being used

Ok, I’ve had one of these before, but back then the sound I wanted I couldn’t coax from it, ie the Sansamp sound. This time round however I need a more generic bass sound with a bit of drive for classic rock tones, a sit in the mix type of sound. I’ve been on a quest for a while and got near to what I’m after but never exactly there until today. Previously I’ve found that either the bass is just too much, the treble isn’t in the right frequency, the drive just too harsh, or the pedal needs a PSU. But the SCR-DI is right on every aspect. I’m really glad I decided to take a punt on one of these again.

Took the B6 to a rehearsal this afternoon. Just used a few of the presets, and the tuner. It sounded absolutely superb.

All this talk makes me want to post something for sale, just to do a bit of Twat baiting 😂

I would imagine that for every 100 or so cheeky offers/questions, there will be someone who actually accepts ..... so its just a numbers game for the chancers. I think it's just a case of firm and polite no or just ignore. It is very iritating though. Nothing wrong with making a reasonable offer but I get annoyed with the 'what's the lowest you'll accept, mate?' to which I reply "From you? What I'm listing it for ... mate"

Only posted a couple of months ago, but much change.

Good news is there's been some further positive developments. The bad news is further price increase. Will update more soon - but looking like manufacturing may be with a very well regarded Dorset based luthier/guitar-company. SWBs and CHBs from the £530 to the £800/£850 mark.

No. Let's say the frequency is 100Hz. That means the cone must go from rest to full outward excursion to full inward excursion and back to rest 100 times per second. If it does so over a distance of, say, 6mm it must move six times faster than it does over a distance of 1mm. How cone velocity can affect the result is explained here: http://www.readresearch.co.uk/loudspeaker_papers/klipsch_modulation_distortion_article_1.pdf

I really use to enjoy playing 'Man in a box' by Alice in Chains, so that gets my vote. Other notable additions to my list would be 'My Wave' and 'the day I tried to live' from Soundgarden.

I know this site isn't terribly pro soul and groove but I don't think it hurts to mention the death of Scott Edwards. One of those cool cats from the 70's. He only played on 'I Will Survive' with drummer James Gadson and a ton of Philly soul tunes which we all know to varying degrees...even played on some Hall & Oates hits....As a kid back then I used to listen to these tunes and always wondered who the players were...it fascinated me. Back then the US music scene seemed so glamorous and exciting. Anyway another groundbreaking 70's musician gone.

Well, I have both at home right now. Not Stingrays, but Sterlings. I borrowed a Sterling SB14 from a friend, and shortly after bought a '93 EBMM Sterling. The SB14 is really really good. Like, for that price, insanely good. It's light, the neck is great, it sounds like a proper Music Man, the hardware is good and I really like the colour. The EBMM is however a different ball park: the neck is a bit chunkier than the SB14 (but only a little bit), has some crazy birdseye figuring on it, the hardware is a lot better than the SB14 and the sound has more depth and "feel" to it. Is it worth the price difference? Well, yes and no. The EBMM is actually a lot better but also about twice the price (on the second hand market) than an SB14. I do think the EBMM is a better investment, if I'd want to sell it again. The SB14 is bloomin' great, though.

Since U-Beam Gone ～ Rainbow

Also tried these in guitar guitar Epsom yesterday. I went along with a mate who tried out a load of strats and couldn’t resist a peek in the bass section. They had two anniversary P basses in different colours, both were very good, the blue one the best one. I worked my way through their bass selection and preferred the squiers to the Mex (tried a standard and active PJ) and US models (performer pj, ultra) which felt really stiff and not much of a step up for the massive price difference. This was an overall theme for the visit. My mate tried fenders from mexi player series up to US Ultras and custom shop and the player was 80-90% as good as the top models for a small percentage of the price. He also tried a £6k prs hollow body which looked great but we couldn’t work out how this was worth 6 times the cost of an se hollow body. The necks on the squiers felt great, just the right amount of gloss and felt very similar to worn in 70s fenders. The gold hardware wasn’t too bright and blingy (is that a word?) even under the very bright store lights. Bonus looms and am considering one! They had a few interesting second hand exotics, a warwick or two, lots of sand bergs, a few dingwalls, and lots of single basses from a few brands I hadn’t played before (Kennedy??). I really liked a tribute l2500 for £499 but it had one of those satin finishes that scratches when you look at it. I’d consider one of these in another colour. The store was great, loads of staff, all really friendly and knowledgable, very enthusiastic and helpful throughout.

Joist The Way You Are - Billy Joel

@dmc79 I moved to playing short scale basses exclusively a few years ago due to a damaged nerve in my left wrist, if you're getting pain in your fretting hand it could possibly be a similar issue. But for me it meant that I could no longer play a 34" bass for more than a few minutes without cramping up. But once I'd tried a short scale I could play for hours without issues. The shorter neck, tighter fret spacing plus me being a bit of a short arse meant that it was a revelation and something I wish I'd have done decades ago. Every time I play a 34" bass now it just feels huge, unwieldy and awkward to play. If you're a Fender guy I'd definitely recommend at least trying a Mustang, you mentioned that you're not too keen on the looks, I wasn't either but once I'd played and owned one I was a convert. There's now a number of different models, each with their own tone and neck profile so there's likely one out there that would suit you if you're willing give them a go. My suggestion for classic Fender tones would be the PJ Mustang although it has more of a jazz profile neck which you may not like being a P man. If you want a chunky necked Mustang then the JMJ is the one. Budget hasn't been mentioned (unless I missed it) but as Maude says the Ibanez Talman is a fantastic bass, more so for how cheap they are. I've been playing for around 35 years now and the Talman is one of my favourite basses I've ever played. It's got a chunky Precision like neck and the PJ pickups may be just what you're after. Mine has had some hardware upgrades as the stock stuff is a bit cheap and cheerful, but you're talking about an entire bass that costs half of what a set of boutique pickups or machine heads would cost. But even so I've only spent another £50 or so on it. Yes it looks a bit daft, like one of the Mr Men has melted, and it's not overly light. But it's solidly built, mine resonates better than just about any other bass I've ever played, and the neck is very comfortable to play and would likely feel familiar coming from a P. As the lovely @Adee says the Sandberg Lionel is sublime, looks great, attention to detail everywhere and impressively lightweight. Its inherent tone is more like that of a 34" scale, some short scales can be a bit deeper and darker sounding than a 34" but it's nothing you can't EQ out if it's not your thing. As for stings, I still use 34" scale on my basses as I had a job lot in my box of odds and sods when I made the switch to short scales exclusively. Depending on the bass you may need to snip off 50 mm or so off them to get them to fit, and again bass dependent, you may get some of the fat part of the E sting (before it tapers) wrapped around the machine head capstan but I've been doing it now for a few years without any trouble or snapped strings. There's a few people online who'll tell you that you shouldn't do it but my experience tells me otherwise. The obvious thing to do is to try and get yourself to shop that has a few short scale models in stock and try as many as you can, hopefully one of them will be right for you.

Well, not a flawless performance by any means, but no truly terrible howlers except in practice where they belong. 👍

I think Gallery website needs updating from 2018 😂

That's an Epi ET280, from 1975-ish. These were made by Matsumoku and will be a pretty high-qualty build for what was a low/midrange instrument at the time. If there are intonation issues, that will be a consequence of the positioning of the replacement bridge, rather than any inaccuracy in the fretwork. The other problems sound like basic setup issues, truss adjustment, neck shim, and at the very worst, a fret dress should sort them. These are pretty uncommon in good original condition these days, and unfortunately like any other vintage instrument, 'upgragdes' and 'improvements' will always eviscerate any value it might have had.

My sisters cousin in law lives 15 miles away - if it was cheaper than this fish supper I’ve found at a restaurant in Rhyl, I’d get her to send her friends fiancé…

I had a similar heel on the MIJ P Bass Lyte.

My mate is more of a guitarist but loved when I recorded some parts for him with a stingray. He wanted that sound for future demos and got a Sterling Ray (at the time about £700) and it was blummin lovely. If you can try both…see what you think. For no reason other than financial, I’d look for a second hand full fat Musicman £900-£1300 seems to be normal for them. A lot of bass for that kind of money. Also, the lesser spotted EX range which were made in Japan. They’re wonderful too.

Another groovy STP classic. It is pretty easy but soooo much fun to play 😃

My jazz elite has the cutaway fo easier access to the upper frets, it’s not much use to me as I don’t venture up the dusty end 😁

No... Its not like a bolt on neck gets in the way of your playing. Way more important things on an instrument. I dont think a bolt on neck has anything to do with upper access either.

Hm. I’ve had both. An Stingray Special 5, then years later a Sterling Ray34 that I modified with an Eastman pre and Aguilar pickup… … now I’m back to two Specials. They’re just plain the best basses I’ve ever had, these specials are truly special. Much as the Sterling is a great great bass, these are better. I wouldn’t pay 3k new for them as they are now, but you can find them for the 1700 range. Best basses I’ve owned. I wouldn’t spend that much on a bass that’s not my primary and if I was, say, a fender guy, the Sterling would be more than enough. Having said that, the best Stingray is a Stingray Special 😁 Best, Ander.

Ok, I made some progress last few days. I spent until 02.00 last night, literally hours, playing through headphones and tweaking. I *think* these pickups are the right ones - clean, clear, and even up the spectrum, though amazingly when I put them through a frequency analyser not much happening above 3k. They sound brighter than that - I was really surprised. Anyway @skelftells me that’s what Wal pickups are like too, so I believe him, and hope that I won’t end up having to try out another manufacturer’s pickup, it’s expensive. I will compare to the real deal soon when I borrow my friend’s Wal, but unfiltered, the pickups don’t have the resonant peak or character of a typical passive pickup. I think this is probably as it should be; once they interact with a filter that causes a resonant peak, they gain character. So, if a Wal is similar, I reckon using the passive tone knob on a Wal Pro would help to give the flat pickups a little character, and using a LPF on a Mark 1/2/3 gives a lot of character, depending on the setting. The ACG EQ-01 is really clever. I like it, and now I can see better how to use it. I can dial in a reasonable Flea sound from BSSM with it, if I play hard (just like Flea) and get the filters just right. I think the ability to roll back in treble after the pickup HPF filtering is really clever. A little goes a long way. However, I have still felt the overall sound to be very clean, clear, and open; too clean. That’s exactly what I should expect, I guess, the ACG system is designed to be transparent, the pickups are flat, and the maple neck takes out a lot of mids. So, one breakthrough last night was trying different kinds of distortion to make the signal dirtier. I suppose I’m trying to emulate the effect @NickA(and @skelfas well, in a long and very helpful telephone conversation) have both advised about - the distortion caused by the EQ circuit built into the Mark 1/2/3 basses. Anyway, long story short, the best form of distortion that caused the sound I wanted to hear was using Amplitube SVX and loading up a B15 to give some tube saturation. Fairly mild, but the effects were beautiful. I tried lots of other effects in my DAW, but that one was the best. The resulting sound got really really close the Flea BSSM sound. However, I made another experiment today. I realised that my preference for a maple fretboard is probably working against me, and I swapped around another Jazz neck I have with a rosewood fretboard on to the bass, and have spent a while messing around. Bam. Instantly a ton more growly mids, a less clean and clear sound, and playing hard with the filters set right sounds much ‘dirtier’. I’m really happy. Rosewood seems to be just right here, not surprising I guess. (It looks like my dislike of rosewood on other Fender style basses may depend on the kind of pickup used. It sounds too middy/not enough treble to me with Jazz or Precision pickups, but I hear no lack of treble here with this system, and the mids sound wonderful. Where’s that helping of humble pie gone….) The final bit of experimenting I want to try this weekend is to use the new rosewood boarded test bed through my DAW into the B15 emulation, for the tube distortion. I am hoping that will be basically perfect. We will see. I am hoping the recipe here will be convincing to others too. We shall see. I have some leave coming up in a week or two. My plan is to borrow my friend’s Wal and do some recording then for you all.

Peter Tosh, from the film Rockers