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It's here! After a little wait & as usual, exquisite luthier work by the team at Overwater Basses & continued support. We have an Overwater Custom J5 Fretless with a few custom options. 35" Scale Walnut top & headstock facing Swapping out the bridge position J pickup and dropping in a Musicman pickup. Added passive tone control (as usual for myself) Luminlay sidedots This bass was specced & delivered very quickly for a specific tour to start shortly this year. It was commissioned due to the need of a 5 string fretless bass for quite a few tracks. Have two fretless basses in my collection already - 1976 Musicman Stingray & an early 1970's P Bass. Both four strings so not ideal for the job. I would like to send my thanks to Kirsty, Martin, Chris & the whole team at Overwater Basses for the amazing basses they make daily & for the continued support from the company also. Full Specification - 5 String 35” Scale Length Neck - Standard Bolt On One Piece Maple Straight Headstock with Walnut Veneer Fretless (24 fret neck) 46mm Nut Width 18mm Bridge Spacing Plain Unlined Ebony Fingerboard Luminlay Side Dots Body - Swamp Ash Walnut Top Electronics - Active Overwater 3 Band + Passive Tone Control Pickups - Overwater Jazz Single Coil + Musicman Humbucker Locking Jack Hardware - Overwater Bridge Hipshot Hardware in Black Satin Natural Lacquer Finish

Hello It has come to my attention that NBs need Declaring so here it goes 🙃 I’ve been considering getting a Reverend Decision P for a while, I tried to find one to try it first but couldn’t make it work, I researched youtube and the internet in general for info but there wasn’t so much and then last week, i jumped. It’s not the right thing to do (buying without trying) but I must say this time it worked out for me. My midnight black Reverend Decision P arrived today and I’ve been playing it all day. Love the thing. The way it feels, the sounds you can get out of it, the weight and yes also the way it looks. I will probably change the strings to flatwounds but in the meantime here’s a little vid and a photo for happiness Hope everyone is well DDR NBD.mov

One of our guitarists won a Les Paul from there. He was a bit wary, but it turned up - very nice too, must have failed Gibson QC due to not having anything wrong with it.

Great rehearsal with The Spacewasters last night, the first one with our new line up. The singer/rhythm guitarist has dropped guitar so we’ve brought in another guitarist and it’s made a really good change as he’s able to trade on lead solos with the regular guitarist, plus the singer is now able to concentrate on his vocals much better. We’ve a gig tomorrow evening and really looking forward to it with this new line up.

Happy new member of this club! Just got my EHB1505 today. Really delighted with it so far. Love the look, it's super comfy neck, and the sound. Plus it's ridiculously light!

To be honest, I associate Rex more with Spector than a Thunderbird

I seem to have added 'Laptop operator' to my tasks! This is a great sounding rig.

Recently picked up an Epifini UL901 and Bergantino 410 from @Mama Huhu. It has passed the rigorous approval process of my son. Looking forward to giving it a proper go at band practice tonight!

Theatre at 41 3rd March @ 19.30 Reelin' In The Years', 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number', 'Do It Again'...the classic songs of Steely Dan can be heard live at Theatre@41 in York on 3rd March thanks to The Steelers! An 8-piece band comprising of musicians from around the UK, The Steelers will perform a selection of timeless classics from such iconic albums as Pretzel Logic, The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho. Book your tickets at: https://tickets.41monkgate.co.uk/.../e8107140.../booking Comments

A good half way house (and including an excellent LED tuner for dark stages), is the Zoom B1-4. It has a significantly bigger feature set than the MS-60B and is amazingly good value for what it does. Recommend checking out.

Since 2010 the average dibble has gone from having 12 years service under their belt, to less than 3. Anyone who knew what they were doing and had the experience to be able to actually do it has long since gone. Mrs B still has friends in the job and she says it's a farce now. One sergeant she knows recently took a call from the irate mother of one of his young bobbies demanding to know when he was going to be home for his tea. Another brings his pet snail (I believe its a giant snail, not a garden variety) to work to help with his anxiety. Why is he even in the job at all? That's the service the government think we're worthy of. These days you're better off looking after yourself, being wary of scammers, locking your doors properly, and doing the best you can never to be in a position where you have to rely on the dibble. I don't blame them for that state of affairs - the cause goes much higher.

The way I have the SOL fixed to the underside (Velcro and a long cable tie), it does sit a little further down than the stock Nano feet can cover. So I bought some larger feet from B&Q for about £2.50 (pic 1 below). They actually fit perfectly over the stock feet (pic 2), pushing on nicely (pic 3), and then popping off to go back in the bag. Gives you a slight rake/angle when in use which is nice (pic 4). In this setup you may well find a ‘naked’ 1590a would fit, I don’t think it would with just the stock feet. Cheers Si

Update on the quiet aux in issue... Contacted Laney, who arranged to have the unit collected, modified it so that the aux in is a much better level, and shipped it back to me under warranty 👌. Can't get any more fair than that!

Just bought back my old Streamer LX that I sold on here something like 15 years ago. Always missed it, so pleased to have it back. Sadly it’s had some damage in the meantime, and it’s cost a bit to get going, but now with its new EMG insides, it’s sounding great. Last two pics are from the first time around, back when I still had long hair

Good luck Steve. Make them good ones. If you do 'retire', don't leave BC though. Best S.

It's arrived! I've made a a separate NBD post over here

I hope you manage to get one together before that 🤣

I'm a big Rex fan, a huge Pantera fan and I loved my old Thunderbird but £1400? Not a chance. I paid a third that price for a new Vintage Pro only three years ago and that thing was brilliant. I really wish I still had it.

Sorry! I thought this might be a thread about parliament. As you were.

Hi been a while since I’ve posted on here but here’s my latest build…….. The body is a scaffold board back and a book matched Sheesham (Indian Rosewood) top reclaimed from an old dining table…….👍🏻

After depping for them last year in the US, Becky has now joined the legendary Danes on a permanent basis. It's fabulous news and I'm totally made up for her -- she actually depped for me in the Destroyers once about a thousand years ago, and since then I've watched her star rising higher and higher, with bands like Hands Off Gretel and Fury. She's a superb, hardworking musician and a tremendous advocate for women in music. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=927991258690357&set=a.267725878050235

Awesome fun. Katy Hurt and band opened the new south coast “Buck’n’Bull” pop up country and western themed night at Canvas in Bournemouth. Packed crowd all well up for it, and out of the ~350 strong crowd a fair percentage knew all the words to all Katy’s songs which was ace. It was fecking loud but that aside we had a blast 🤠

Where does 'heft' sit in relation to all of these? Surely that's the most important.

Why not take your MB cabs to a rehearsal?

If it's what you want (and it sounds like it is), the relief will be tangible when you're done. It was for me when I realised I didn't have to go to the browbeatings that "band practice" swiftly became. Personally, I'm not selling up. I've started to enjoy playing again. But you've got to do what's right for you.

Tokai (and Fernandes, Greco, ESP/Navigator etc) & their replica-standard copies were the reason Fender launched Fender Japan/Squier, but Tokai didn't get involved themselves until the late 90s CIJ era. In 1982 Fender did a deal with Kanda Shokai to produce Japanese Fenders at Fujigen Gakki, which meant Kanda stopped producing their Greco-branded Fender clones. Anecdotally the very first JV Fenders & Squiers started their trip down the production line as Grecos.

I remember speaking to John Shuker about doing the same to my old Jazz bass. He quoted about 200 quid at the time but it was a few years ago, so I expect it will cost a fair bit more now. Maybe worth asking him? At least you know that it will be done fabulously.

Me: "Aww...." The embodiment of my post-christmas financial situation: "Yay!"

Absolutely spot on! It's all about creating that magical atmosphere for the guests, and you've nailed it. If you're ever looking to capture those unforgettable moments on video, check out https://www.the-wedding-videographer.co.uk/. From my personal experience with them, they have a talent for turning weddings into memories that last a lifetime!

That's because it's a more accurate representation in looks, build and sound to the original 60s Thunderbird then anything produced since the 80s with a Gibson Logo on.

Bear in mind that the B1-4X is not going to save you any space on your pedal board though compared to a B3 😉

Owned a Lakland Skyline DJ5 a few years ago and have played other Lakland Skylines and their US versions; if you're going to a public forum for affirmation that ANY manufacturer's USA Series models (at $4-5K a pop) really worth double/triple the price of the Korean/Indonesian versions, then you already know the answer. Sure these companies (Sadowsky/Lakland/Lull/Sandberg etc) have a business in which their core models are largely based off Fender copies, but at ridiculously expensive prices. As I've posted elsewhere this week, the market has swung from original basses and cheap copies thereof, through to original basses and very expensive copies thereof; the bass market is broken. We've already proven that people can't even identify the tone of their own basses in a blind test, I'm sure that the temptation of custom colours, clay dots etc. are really worth the extra £££. Just go with the cheaper models. You won't notice any discernible difference, your bandmates/audience/soundguy won't give a rats what you're playing. As an additional bonus you won't lose so much when you sell it on!

My Sadowsky Metro RV5 is the best sounding bass I've owned so far. I've compared it to chambered NYC models and it sounded better. My US Lakland 55-94 was the second best sounding bass, and my Skyline 55-02 was very close to the US version. I have a Sandberg TT5 SL which is in the same sonic ball park. These basses are a "cut above" the other basses I've owned and played. The Metroexpress is seriously cheaper but has Chinese made electronics, pickups or hardware. IMO these basses don't come close to the German (or Japanese) Sadowsky's, so I'd give that one a miss. If you are aiming to buy a great bass, get a "Premiership" bass, not a "Ryman's League" copy. I find the VTC the least useful control on my Metro. The bass and treble controls are so powerful they take over. IMO there are also great deals to be had for the basses on your list in the classifieds. Also consider Roscoe, ACG, Shuker, Sei and Elrick.

He’s sold it back to it’s rightful owner 😇

Thanks Al, that was also on my radar! I wasn't sure again about switching between effects though, would I just have to up/down through patches? I know you can use up to 5 effects in each patch, but can you trigger them individually whilst performing?

I hear that. I think the original one looked very cool.... this one is absolutely beautiful, love it. I know about all the reviews, cheap, nasty, uncomfortable..... but man it looks lovely.

I never worry too much. By the time it's been rough handled by numerous minimum wage types who arent paid enough to care, and subjected to a dozen rapid temperature changes as it goes from building to vehicle and back, the chances of a bass not needing at least a minor tweak a small, regardless of how well it was set up. Hell, merely between home and gig It's not uncommon to have to make a minor tweak to intonation or the like. It's akin to asking the dealer to clean your car after a service before they drive it across a muddy field to your door. The odds of it arriving in the precise state it left them is slim. Provided the frets are reasonably finished and the neck not bowed, any of us should be able to do a proper set up in 15 or 20 minutes anyway. It's not witchcraft.

No, I don’t think so because it will likely cost much the same as having a new neck built, which is your second best option, the best option being waiting for one to come up for sale, which will happen the moment you pay for your commissioned neck…

Sorry that turned into a bit of a rant

The 'wannabe Luthier' shouldn't talk the talk, if he can't quark the quark! 😉

Personally, I like to have low action for fast playing and make sure the intonation is spot on. I also experiment with different string gauges to find the right balance of tone and playability. My guitar has 8 strings, and I recently got into 8 string guitar tuning and it's been an interesting journey exploring the extended range. I would recommend all of you to try different setups and to find your best one.