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I was very very stressed and needed a serotonin boost so I demolished all of my "rules" and bought a new Grabber in black. I usually buy used, try things and get them in person (mostly building parts basses) but since this time I didn't have any chance of testing and I bought new and online. I know the instrument is controversial (not a "true" Grabber, overly priced etc) but something in it was really calling me and I really needed some sort of twist (been playing mostly P basses for about 15 years). The bass sounds great: the humbucking tone is very full and rich keeping a decent amount of clarity. I like it also because it kinda feels like a super beefed up P bass (the pickup position is almost the same). The coil tap gives a very nice but kinda fine and lower output tone that needs a bit of gain adjustment to be on par with the humbucking mode, it reminded me a lot of the Squier CV 50s P bass. The neck feels very good: I like the shape and the satin finish, also the amber tone is very much of my liking. I had read very good comments about it and I found them to be correct. It's one of the first times I don't need to file the nut to lower strings. The finish is good (seems like a thinner poly compared to Fender and Squier) even tho removing the bridge cover left a significant "print" in the paint. The bridge is good and solid, but I keep strings quite low and I may be swapping the height adjustment screws for shorter ones since they now jump out a bit too much. The price is over the top, we know that, but in a world in which a standard mexican P bass now costs over 900€ and Indonesian Fenders just spawned at around 600 nothing surprises me anymore. I wanted a ready-to-use bass with which I wouldn't need to fiddle around too much (I usually nerd a lot on instruments and small mods, assembling parts P basses) and this bad boi delivered. I was also very surprised to find out it fits in a Gator Transit semirigid bag. The weight is 4.1 kgs. I currently play in D standard so I strung it with Ernie Ball Cobalt flats (45-100) just like my P basses and sounds great. Would I recommend this bass? For the price new only if someone really really really loves the aesthetic/tone, otherwise it would be better to wait for something used to come out. In Italy I guess that would have taken too long as it doesn't seem to be common at all. I may add more detailed pics later.

Have just had two really good gigs with the acoustic duo. Sunday we were back in Scarborough at ‘The Lookout on the Pier’. Usual request based early evening gig, and we had some great tunes asked for. Also a few friends in so some particularly good heckling / interruptions ensued making it very funny. A capacity audience in this small venue makes for a very intimate atmosphere, with no hiding place when we stray too far from our (fairly broad) comfort zone, so have to be quite ‘on it’. Just so rewarding when it works well though - got an enquiry for a private gig too. Then tonight we’ve been at a monthly residency at the Anlaby Park pub, on the outskirts of Hull. Really busy with all tables reserved, and plenty of folk standing too. Varied requests included ‘Do it again’, ‘Strangers in the night’, ‘Fire and rain’, ‘Why does it always rain on me’ ‘Penny Lane’ and ‘Highway to Hell’. I used a borrowed Sire U5 short scale for a change, and enjoyed it immensely - has made me wonder whether it matters if I play electro acoustic or not TBH. Going to use it again for our next gig this Sunday to see if it works for us there.

We throw it open for anything - I put request forms on the tables and then we just wait to see what gets asked for. A good percentage of the requests are usually fairly straightforward, but there are always a fair few that challenge us ( and of course one or two that are just people taking the p*ss!). We have lyric / chord parts for thousands of songs using forScore on iPads - lyrics are the main things that we need prompts for. My guitarist partner is also just a phenomenal player which helps tremendously - we can go from Sinatra to AC/DC with no problems! He’s also a massive Steely Dan fan, so ‘Do it Again’ wasn’t actually too bad. My job is to hold down the bottom end ( sometimes a struggle if I’m not familiar with a tune or when he’s soloing in some old jazz standard!) and sing harmony vocals & the odd lead vocal. We’ve been playing together for over 30 years now, so have an almost telepathic thing and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Not a gig goes by when I don’t realise how lucky I am to be in the duo, it really is a joy. When I retired from my gig with a touring tribute band last year, I knew that I’d be still wanting to keep playing so just hope the duo carries on for many years to come. 😊

Don't worry, he hasn't gone to the great gig in the sky. I saw a message on Bluesky, from Stiff Little Fingers, saying that he has announced his retirement due to health concerns. Best wishes to Bruce and here's hoping that he has a long, happy retirement.

Great times! We do try our very best to get the 80's gear in the shop where possible, Wal/Jaydee/Status etc

I think that the greatest difficulty that anyone has in developing their own style is in realising that you already have it. Our individual development as players is the consequence of a million individual experiences including what we hear, what we like, what we are shown by teachers and what we discover ourselves. I have taught a few people over the years and NONE of them sounds remotely like me. I think the argument that going to a teacher will result in one developing someone else's style is one of those justifications that make you feel better about the things you HAVEN'T done. I hear it a lot about reading music - 'it will rob my playing of all feeling and emotion'. Teachers give you knowledge and insights that you lack - nothing more and nothing less. They don't tie you up in a straightjacket. Most teachers are not bass players and don't give you lessons, they just expose you to new ideas or information you previously lacked. My two most important lessons were with a drummer and a trumpet player and lasted about 15 seconds each. Formal lessons are a great way of accelerating progress but, in music, 99% of your learning is undertaken without a teacher being present. A teacher gives you tools. How you use them is up to you.

Just reminiscing. There were some crackers weren't there. I remember visiting the Bass Centre in Wapping numerous times and seeing Steinbergers, Status's and Wals. I bought a lovely Wal Pro 2E Cherry second-hand for I think... 300 quid. If I had a time machine and some funds I'd go back and get a Status S2000 in black weave preferably with the script font on the brass bridge plate. I love the look of early Status basses. All shiny and new. We were spoiled.

I know beauty is in the eye of the BassHolder… But, that is one ugly bass.

As much as my trip up to Glasgow meant I missed the delivery of the Squier Jazz 6 I'd ordered from Thomann near 3 months ago, (I knew there was a wait...) it did give me the opportunity to meet a fellow BCer and relieve them of their Ibanez SR1306! So, I shall be leaving Glasgow shortly to return to Essex with an SR1306 in tow and a Squier Jazz 6 waiting to be unboxed upon successful completion for the 8 hour drive! I'm looking forward to plugging them both in and giving them a good set up and running through an amp! For now, here's a quick snap of the Ibanez, quite a tasty little beast. Excuse the toes...

Congrats! Yes, ignore the purists, this bass plays, feels and sounds great...... and even better if you get it for a more reasonable price. Love mine! Enjoy

I'm in shock. Can't believe I've only just heard. I went back to having lessons a few years ago in Nick's studio. We saw Genesis Connected last year here in PBoro, my first time seeing them. Often he'd sit in on my lesson and we'd jam or talk crap and have long long conversations about bass, midi, bass, amps, bass, gear, etc. Spent ages showing us the taurus-type pedals and setup he uses, I loved nerding out on gear with him. Last one was a few weeks ago, and I was looking forward to another possible session tonight. Had a few lessons from him some years back and he came to my house. I have a Fender Jazz green FSR that he kept teasing me about, wanting to nick it off me, coming up with all sorts of daft reasons why I should give it to him and it became a standing joke between us. I built a fretless bass during lockdown, and just before Christmas took it along to show him as he'd been interested in seeing it, and I have a photo of him playing it. Just really sad. Such a great guy and friend. Devastated. To his family, my deepest condolences. It was a pleasure to have known him. Rest Easy Nick.

I saw the title of this thread and dreaded opening it, as I understood Bruce had had some health issues recently. Great bassist, one of my main inspirations to play bass, and a nice chap too - only met him the once, which was a real "we`re not worthy" moment for me, he could clearly see it and put me at ease, asking my opinions of the stage/sound/lighting etc of where we were playing.

Thanks, it is a lot of fun. It’s great when we nail stuff, and often great when we don’t! The audiences appreciate us attempting their requests, and are usually very gracious if we miss the mark slightly. Also if we get a request for a song that we can’t do, we’ll try and do another by that artist - handy when some wag asks for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ etc. Sometimes when people continue to ask for stuff we’ll give in - some songs we’ve done include ‘Bat out of hell’ , ‘Stairway to heaven’ and ‘Africa’ which was pretty tricky. Last night the daughter of a couple who are regulars asked for a song by Ariana Grande, so we’ll have to consider something by her. A good song is a good song so if it can be done we’ll give it a go!

Feel free to smile... https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19rEEr1jeY/

I didn't start going there until the early 90s (didn't pick up the bass until '92) but once I did, I went there regularly. Got to know most of the staff pretty well, and played many fantastic basses. Even met a few bass "celebs" along the way. What that place had was a sense of community - like a little oasis of like-minded people, where you could go, try stuff out in a low-pressure environment (nobody ever actively pushed me to buy stuff in all the years I went there) and kinda be shut away from the world for a little while, while you pursued your passion for basses! When it shut down, we still had places like The Gallery, which is fantastic, but it's a much smaller place - with more than two or three people in there at a time, it starts to feel a bit crowded! I'm glad there's newer places like Bass Direct that are bringing some of that bass community spirit back. And, of course, Barry and the Bass Centre gang are still out there, even if the shop isn't, so we can all still get our Elites strings and so on! I'd love it if they could get a "physical" shop again though - these days, so many people buy instruments without ever getting the chance to try them first, or even speak to anybody knowledgeable, and, in that regard, we've definitely lost something.

Bought 3 John Entwistle Precisions ('53, '61 and '62), and a '66 slab in there, in the mid 80's.

I really do miss the Bass Centre in Wapping! Bought several basses from that shop in the late nineties and early 2000’s.

That's like saying talking is enough and I don't need to learn to read or write. Lessons have nothing to do with brain-washing. They give us the tools with which we can express ourselves more fully and more completely.

Thought I would put a medium scale bass together on the cheap because I just had the urge to try one. The medium scale neck from the USA cost me £85 and came with standard P or J bass heel dimensions, it has 21 frets and an overhang, this takes it closer to the bridge. The Sycamore body cost me £18 new from Temu, it came with no bridge or ground wire holes drilled, this meant I could position the bridge at the 32" position. Bridge: NW Guitars (Gotoh 201B-4 Clone) £13.99 Tuners: Fender Player Series - Brand New (Unused) £25 Pickup: Kent Armstrong - Hot Vintage P Bass Pickup - Alnico - PBV-1 - Brand New (Unused) £29.25 I already had the rest of the parts laying around at home. It plays nicely, sounds great, and the intonation is fine.

Damn, that purple Kramer D1 in the marketplace is testing me. It's damn fine, isn't it? Come on, I made it to May last year, I'm here to progress, not regress. Nope, I must stay strong. My withdrawl symptoms relief bass is slated to arrive in the next few weeks (ordered and paid for in September 2024, before you ask). There will be other sparkly basses in 2026... because if you think I'm tolerating this nonsense for two years in a row, you're sorely mistaken!

Now that is just ice-cold, there’s simply no call for that.

Well technically NBD was last Saturday when I collected it but here she is and I haven't stopped smiling since.

Just had this arrive... For the £230 price tag, including delivery, it's a ridiculous bargain.

I had this for a long time. I use an electric Bass all the time now in my duo. For years I used an electro acoustic (Ortega KT walker) because I felt I had to play acoustic. Then, I got so fed up of changing the strings so regularly on the acoustic I gave up and bought electric. Not a single person has ever mentioned that it’s a shame I use an acoustic bass in the last 2 years.

The 80's was the bass bomb!

The Squier straight out of the box just needed tuning, the set up was actually really quite good. Low action (could go a bit lower) and no buzz. Not plugged it in but acoustically it sounds fine and feels nice to play. A good smooth neck, no sharp frets, and the colour is far better than expected. I was expecting a really cheap black finish, but the colour has a really nice metallic finish, although black it shows as slightly silver under certain lights. Generally speaking, for £230 delivered for a brand new bass, it is ridiculously cheap. Twice the price and you'd not be disappointed, in fact 3 times the price and you'd not be disappointed. (Assuming it sounds decent plugged in that is!)

I spent WAY too much money in The Bass Centre!

As a teacher of many years (and successful students) I can offer the other side of the discussion. Now, I am very passionate (really Dan, Reeeeaaaallllly?) about eveything bass. I've made it my career and it is my life. Not one of my students has ever come away from lessons feeling that I have taken anything, anything away from them. That's not how teaching works. As Bilbo has so brilliantly put it, "A teacher gives you tools. How you use them is up to you." On the subject of feeling that you can't be taught, well that can be down to your experiences of being taught. I have been very lucky to work in a wide range of settings including SEND students, ADHD, Autistic, behavioural 'needs', those suffering from Dementia and those 'incarcerated', mainstream school and private studio lessons. There's a difference between being an experienced teacher and an experienced musician. A good friend of mine is an A list, top-tier guitarist, but in his own words, he hates teaching 1-2-1 lessons and finds it frustrating and difficult. You can be "taught" by someone who isn't a best fit and if this happens on more than one occasion for example, this can embed a confirmation bias based on previous experiences. You might not have met the right teacher yet to suit you and, let's face it, we are all very different!

Superbly expressed

Lessons also make my learning quicker - it would take years to discover for myself the knowledge my bass teacher has.

Could get behind one of those depending on dimensions

I turned up at a couple of open mikes with an electro acoustic bass and ended up playing to a few songs I know and several I don't. I was amazed how many people hadn't seen one before and how excited they got about it.

I can play guitar, mandolin, 5 string banjo, BUT I'M first and foremost a proud to be a BASS PLAYER, bass player. Right now I have a 4 string acoustic/electric Bass An IBANEZ bTb 6 string An IBANEZ bTb 5 string A PEAVEY FOUNDATION 5 A Brice FREAK 5 string A BUGERA amp A Crate amp A Boss multi effect A microtubes DARKGLASS B7k V2 I try to play all my basses everyday Through both amps . I need another Band FOR REAL

Apparently 60 is the time you ho through a second phase of rapid ageing (the other is early 30s). I feel that's happened to me.

I think it would be very difficult to offer a better suggestion than the above

Just back from orchestra rehearsal. Some tough stuff this term. Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet overture is very demanding as is the ballet music for Sleeping Beauty. The Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet ballet music takes no prisoners. The cello part goes from bass clef straight to treble, no messing with tenor clef and up to the E a 10th above middle C

Not for the first time I’ve come to the realisation that the simple P bass ticks my boxes. Some years back I built a Warmoth black korina bodied P bass that I had routed for a Blackstar pickup. It was tung oil finished. I wonder where it is now? I was browsing the Warmoth site a few months ago and saw a purpleheart and ebony P bass neck on offer. It has block moonglow (glow in the dark) markers. I bought it and then set about speccing a body to match. I bought a chambered roasted swamp ash body with a bubinga top. The 6 P rule; Prior Planning Precludes Piss Poor Performance. It was never going to balance well. The neck is seriously heavy even with graphite rods. So a rethink. I ordered a straight swamp ash body and a quarter sawn maple and maple neck. Some while later I have the purpleheart neck in the swamp ash body. Rear of neck finished with Tru Oil and headstock rear finished with Osmo Poly X gloss. Front of headstock sprayed with gold acrylic. Body finished with Osmo Poly x over a green water based tint. Gold aluminium pick guard. Fender Vintage 63 pickup and Obsidium wiring. Gotoh 201 bridge, Schaller tuners, Hipshot string tree and all black hardware. Strung with La Bella flats. It’s immense, the action is super low courtesy of Warmoth’s awesome fretwork and the neck is ultra stable. At 10.6lb it’s no lightweight and a Comfort Strapp helps with a slightly neck heavy balance. It sounds and plays superbly. Today I finished work on the maple neck. I used satin Osmo Poly x throughout. The original body has been waiting around a while for its match. Body is finished with Osmo gloss with a white pearloid pick guard, Lollar pickup, Gotoh 201 bridge, Hipshot Ultralite tuners, Hipshot string tree and a John East P Retro onboard preamp. Strung with DR Low Rider strings. It weighs 7.6lb. Exactly 3lb lighter than its sister. It was only finished today but I’m oh so pleased with how it plays and sounds. It balances perfectly. It is a lot of money to spend I guess but when one considers the quality of build and cost versus Fender it seems worthwhile. I’ve not owned a Fender built to this quality. I’ve owned many. Both necks have graphite rods. Purpleheart and quarter sawn maple are extremely stable. The nut width is 41mm and they are standard profile. A good size neck for me and certainly no baseball bat. The finish on neither bass is of a showroom standard but in an organic way it’s rather excellent. And chips/scratches can be repaired and refinished easily. Sorry for such a monologue. Peter

The Kubicki is the ultimate in 80s bass vibe for me. What a mad looking instrument!

Can I Play With Madras — Iron Maiden

I agree with this. I used the word genre as it relates to the marketing of the product. And the marketing team very often aren't actual musicians.

Enhanced pic from our gig on Saturday: Warwick star bass fretless > tuner> jhs pulp n peel comp> house peavey 300w 15" combo. Rattly, mid Focussed and loud enough on the small stage but pa support was massive adding the required weight for the ska and reggae set. Katana perched on top for the guitarist sounded good too.

Ressurrecting this thread, here is mine.

Great gig at ‘The Brook’ Southampton last night, played there many times, fantastic venue and audience as usual. Never done this before but brought a bass on the way down in Havent, Pompey and decided to use it at the gig two hours later!🤣.Really nice GB Spitfire 5 . Sounded fab but definitely needs some work done to get it up to top notch. Very comfy and light too . Will take it down to Bernie when I get time, being fairly local . 😊x

It didn't really do a lot for me until I joined a soul band that started playing more funk stuff and when you see how it fills the dance floor because of the notes you are playing it is quite easy to start liking it