Leaderboard

So I met with Chris today (from the Wyefret Guitar Shop in Wales), he came to London and gave me the bass in-person at a cafe at Acton Town. Lovely chap. It needs a setup and some new strings…but the Wal MK2 is awesome!!! It’s a bit like a Musicman Stringray but on steroids with clearer upper notes ! Really punchy, Big sound and filter is fun to play with. A happy customer indeed… 🤩🎸

The Thursday night wedding trend continues, another Hey Yahs gig, this time at Lyde Court just outside of Hereford. Nice venue to play, big stage, loads of plugs, easy load in and a brand new FBT PA install to use. Free bar meant the crowd were very excitable. One or two tech glitches but nothing to spoil the evening, out by 11:30pm. Nicely packed van and drove home sober.

That’s a lovely bass. I wonder though, if any of the people who walked past when the photo was taken thought “ah, shame he can’t afford a Fender, maybe one day”.

This is for the guys in this for money. Not so much for those primarily in this for fun. I think this guy is credible. I always thought if you were on tour on a bus with a popular signed act you'd be rolling in cash. Let me know what you think Daryl

68 4001 Photo for those that don't do FB. Mono output model.

Last night's Jam Night was the last in McCafferty's Epsom. It will move to The Queen Adelaide in Ewell. That will mean Public Transport or a 15 minute drive for me so less convenient than the "Get driven there, walk home after a couple of beers and a few rum and cokes" that has been my normal mode of transport. It seems like a big change for me, though I guess not so much for those of you driving several hours to gigs. The venue change is due to the pub trying to cut the fee of the host band (Prime Numbers). I heard a £30 reduction mentioned. If that really is the case then the pub are nuts. I'm not sure I've seen many pubs full on a Thursday night, even when I used to frequent them on a regular basis. Maybe it was someone in head office trying to cut costs across all the pubs rather than letting the local manager manage - that's just a guess though. However much it was they were trying to reduce the fee by, I would have thought revenue would exceed band and extra staff costs in a full pub. The night was pretty good after a slowish start. There were a couple of new bands came. One was made up of employees from GuitarGuitar, another (Canada Hill) had a singer who's voice was just different enough along with good enough material (which I think they said was original) that they may be worth looking out for. My band "In Progress" weren't playing as the drummer (Jake) and Guitarist (James) have gone to Nice for a boys' holiday. I managed to grab a slot with a couple of members of Prime Numbers. A regular attending drummer also didn't have anyone to play with so joined us. We'd sorted the 3 songs out the night before. So I'd had a chance to remind myself of the bass line to Crazy Little Thing Called Love and to listen and jam along to "Keep your hands to yourself" by "The Georgia Satellites" - it's a good song to rock out to. I managed to slip "Teenage Kicks" into the set list. As "In Progress" weren't playing I was less concerned about whacking our singer (5'2" Vicky) on the back of the head, so my Ric got an outing - 2 in 5 days for it, the other being in church last Sunday. Here's me doing 2 of the things bassists (or at least this bassist) shouldn't do in the same song 😀 Teenage Kicks with Prime Numbers.mp4

Missed a trick by not creating a sub-brand called Abassi. Looks cool though.

Having completed two other Guitarbuild.co.uk basses (https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/478420-guitarbuildcouk-bass/ and https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/490058-nbd-guitarbuildcouk-bass-2) I wanted to do (at least) one more. Body and neck were ordered and arrived yesterday. Parts for the build have been trickling in over the last few months as I found the bits I wanted. Once again, the whole process working with Jasmine at Guitarbuild.co.uk was smooth from start to finish and the body and neck are everything I hoped for. The body, like the other two, is the P-bass body, except this time it's actually going to have a P-bass pickup :gasp: Main wood is alder with a swamp ash veneer from the special collection. Neck is two piece flamed maple - and it's gorgeous. All black hardware is going to be Hipshot B-bridge, licensed Hipshot 1/2" ultralights, Hipshot three-way string retainer and Schaller straplock buttons. Pickup is going to be a Tonerider TRP1 with a special custom @KiOgon wiring loom - John made me a completely modular P-bass loom that I can easily wire up with or without either volume or tone pot. First config will be pickup straight to the output and only if I don't like that will I start drilling holes in the body. Current plan is to finish the body in clear Wudtone (like the other two basses) though I have toyed with the idea of doing either Olympic white, or... orange. Thoughts on that?? So, without further ado... photos before I get started doing anything:

Thanks for all the advice lads, very much appreciated. Well, I bought it. The lad i bought off was really helpful. He was more of a guitar player and singer, and only used the bass to lay down some bass tracks at home....he had quite the set-up tbh. He'd had it set up a while ago and still played fine, to me anyway. Said the strings had been on a while, but did give me a new set. Amp works great as well, and sounds good to me though ive nothing to compare it to. Overall, very happy with my purchase. I'll be taking the strings off tonight and giving it a good clean...just because I want to really. And changing to pickguard colour as well.....its going matt black. I will hoy some before and after pics up, but unsure to post on this thread, or if there's a more appropriate thread to post on. Once again, thanks for all the advice, it really is appreciated.

Getting serious now ...

I'd agree that rates could/would fluctuate significantly depending on the gig. The surprising thing for me is that when I was doing it in the 90s the rates seemed comparable or higher (by and large) then than those being referenced now - and at the time the players who had been touring in the 80s were bemoaning how rates were higher then! If the tour had catering and the per diems were good you could pretty much leave the gig/retainer money alone. This allowed you to then cave in to peer pressure and buy nonsense items that you never needed or would ever use - hello Mr MiniDisc player, how have you been stuck in the attic for nearly 30 years after being used just a handful of times?! Nothing more sobering than being on a bus with a bunch of guys all showing off their snazzy digital cameras then realising nobody had the faintest clue how to download the images, or knew anyone at the time with a home computer! Good times...

Yeah but if he drops it and something starts rattling around inside he can just shove some foam in and hand it back, whistling as he walks off.

Tiny board, monstrous tones.

Tonight's

I’m glad it’s in the hands of a player rather than someone who could potentially be a collector or seller, but it’s bad of a shop to renegade on an agreed sale.

Nick, seems to have got messy above. All I can add is that the £7 per sale or £20 per year to sell for a whole year will be money well spent. This is a great place with a lot of great people many of whom like buying basses (and then selling them again) 👍

I think this is the vintage market in a nutshell. Instruments that are 35-40 years old seem to experience an increase in value/demand as people reach financial maturity/retirement to buy the instruments they wanted aged ~15-20.

I remember getting £210 pay one month, in 1977. It was my usual amount plus a tax rebate. It enabled me to go to Andertons and spend the £209 that enabled me to buy my first Precision. Sunburst and rosewood and no case. It meant I had to walk about 8 miles to and from work for a month, but it was worth it!

I’ve had this happen to me and it’s really gut wrenching too. Bad form for the shop to do so. That’s noted.

Thank you so much everyone for posting about this bass, it looks like I’m going to be the new owner! I’ve wanted a Wal bass since I started playing bass guitar when I was 16… I’m 34 now. I’m a huge fan of Flea/RHCP, he is why I play bass and I love Tool/Justin Chancellor and my old bass tutor is a big fan of Rush, we saw him do a talk together last yet… I have my own alternative rock band called Earls of Eden https://www.instagram.com/earlsofeden https://www.facebook.com/share/iTN6fLnVYZxkh2Zt/?mibextid=LQQJ4d and we have our debut album coming out later this year so give us a follow! I own quite a few basses including an Alembic Europa, Rickenbacker 4003, Music Man Stingray Special, American Standard Fender Jazz & Precision basses. In “real life” I work in HR in a bank - the day job pays for the hobby! Would love to be a full time rockstar but happy to just for fun. Anyway, I’ve been hunting for a 4 string fretted Wal MK2 for several years now. 2 years ago I emailed Wal to enquire about pricing and Wal owner Paul Herman said they are not taking any new orders and have a backlog over 4+ years long… I’ve emailed them a few times since and they just don’t even reply anymore so I figured getting a new one now is just impossible… so I’ve been searching online the past few years on every guitar shop website and reverb trying to find one. The handful of Wals I did find were all either MK1s or Fretless or left handed or 5 string MK2s ranging from £6-12k. I tried out a Wal MK1 in denmark street last week and they were asking for £10K!? Fretted MK2s seem to be very very rare and sell almost as quickly as they appear online in minutes… So I was on the Facebook group “Bass Players” https://www.facebook.com/share/grWV6JkPGoL4nUsS/?mibextid=K35XfP and I noticed on Tuesday someone had made a post asking about how long it takes to order a Wal bass… https://www.facebook.com/share/p/rxY21NrA5VMrchkD/?mibextid=WC7FNe I then from that thread started chatting to a guy called Michael who had just bought a 2nd hand Wal MK2 from someone off this bass chat website and suggested I check there so I made a login on Tuesday night around 10pm… …Then on Wednesday afternoon while I was working at home on my laptop, I was bored so browsed basschat, noticed this thread talking about a fretted Wal MK2 in a guitar shop in Wales and I was excited and shocked… I immediately called up the shop at 3.20pm (they closed at 3.30pm), spoke to the owner saying I wanted to buy the Wal. He said he had already sold it to some American. I said I would pay more and it’s easier to send it & sell it to me in London than a dude in the USA. The owner said he would think about it and call me later. That evening at 9pm he called me and gave me a price to outbid the American and we agreed. The shop owner from Wales is actually coming to deliver me the Wal in-person next week… (he needs to be in London for his band’s producer apparently so an excuse for a visit haha). I’m so happy and I almost can’t believe it!!! Thank you again everyone, I’ll send a pic once I have it in my hands!

Iv just heard Abasi guitars are releasing a bass model. As a massive fan of Tosin Abasi, Animals as Leaders and how the Abasi guitars look I’m really excited by this. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7CuKqZOKsr/?igsh=MW5uenVnM3hvOXlmdQ==

Kinda... if you squint...

Lion Youth - Rat A Cut Bottle (&dub)

Not had a drink since May 27th 1994, when I was fifteen.

I don't really see why - if there was no rule, nobody would pay for an advert, and BC wouldn't exist. As much as we'd like to, we can't make any exceptions, can we? Every post/thread that alludes to an item being for sale is removed and the poster receives a very nice detailed and courteous reply as to why: See, we even offer to help you research! Tell me how that's unfair?

My preparedness thus far extends to having bought a large tin of choccy biscuits (for emergency use by the team).

Was listening to the Anthony Johnson album Reggae Feelings today, its good rough dancehall style with Flabba on bass and the Roots Radics , my best track

@peterjam will you be suitably armed with the tin foil lined hat? Just in case....

I'm not sure if there are miscommunications here, but the issue really is as simple as the rules of the forum do not allow threads requesting valuations for equipment outside of the subscribers members only sub-forum that has been linked to in this thread. The reason is people (not necessarily you!) have been known to use valuation threads as a way of getting gear sold without paying to be a supporting member. It isn't personal and shouldn't be viewed as such, you will only get formally warned if you repeatedly break the rules after its been pointed out to you. Best advice is to take advice from the mods/admin team and not members To view the forum in question, you need to be a Supporting Member, which is £20 per year. The £7 price is to post a single sales ad, which I do not believe makes you a supporting member.

My jazz Trio, Flam, are playing the Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh launching our album next week (24th of May). Get tickets here: Flam album launch is live! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/875356092637?aff=oddtdtcreator Discount for Basschatters: code FlamNoise for £5 tickets

I'd suggest taking your DB playing mate to see if it's actually playable - you do not want to start your DB journey with a total dog. There's lots of things 'off' about it, but if the action isn't stupid high and bits aren't actually falling off, then it might well 'do for now', providing you don't expect to get your money back on it. If you're a bit handy, it could be improved with a propely fitted bridge - dunno about the cracks though, depends if they go all the way through the top.

I think my issue is more with right handers and the hundreds of options they have, and generally lower prices, playing left handed instruments. I never said I was a rational man 😂😂

Both bands we are all pretty sensible, one beer then onto the Guinness or Thatchers zero. The alcohol free drinks today are way better than the days of Barbican.

I often had this exact thought when I used to take mine on pub gigs in the South Wales Valleys. My muso friends would shudder when I told them, but I used to say exactly that - 'Don't worry - 99.999999% people wouldn't have a clue of what it is or it's value, they just think I can't afford a Fender'.

Well we can add this to the list of “itch being scratched” as I’ve just pulled the trigger on one. Will report back in a couple of weeks when it arrives 😎

Soylent Lucidity - Queensryche

Not a mags fan then? Lol! (I'm originally from just up the road from you).

It’s really cool actually, a really nice addition, especially for small boards where a full Stomp is over kill and you just want a little extra flexibility. I’m always torn, I love a board this compact but I always end up scaling up after a week at which point I may as well pop the GT1000core back on.

Add a switch to the volume control pedal, activated when your heel is completely down, that switches on an illuminated sign saying "PUT THE VOLUME BACK UP!".

I like playing music in a band because it allows me a space where I'm in complete control. If I'm impaired or in some altered state I'm no longer in control. Daryl

I should've bought that HX one. Is it awesome?

Nah. Miniature Xmas tree holder, ready for December gigs is my vote

Let’s just help the fella out… I’ve emailed, you can message me back and I’ll do what I can to help you. If you want a bureaucracy free sale then you can call up BassBros or if it’s vintage stuff, then try Andy Baxter.

About last night: The other day I was approached by Jimi Crutchley (ex-Quireboys, Dead Sea Skulls) regarding the Brooks Fenderbird I had built. He is on a world tour as tour manager with Glenn Hughes. And yesterday the caravan visited De Boerderij in Zoetermeer for Glenn's Deep Purple show. Which is only an hours drive from where I live. Jimi invited me to the soundcheck to put the Brooks Fenderbird through its paces, over Glenn's bass rig. Jimi turns out to be a huge John Entwistle fanatic. And for years he had been looking for a good Fenderbird like the one Peter Cook built for John Entwistle. He had previously bought one from another builder, but that one was very disappointing. And he is very happy that he has finally found a proper Fenderbird!

I like to think if Gustav Klimpt was a bass player he would probably have enjoyed shielding his basses.