Old Horse Murphy

I met this fine fellow today and sold him my Guild Starfire I. The whole deal was as easy as it could be and he's a great guy too. Thanks Paul. 
 

Highly recommended. 

Nice collection mate. The Jazz is a great bass and as you say, it would be nice to convert it back to fretted as the Barts sound brilliant in it. 

So technically I'm out for 2022, 2023 and 2024.    I think it's important to plan ahead. 

10 minutes ago, NikNik said:

Ordering stuff from him this weekend.

I contacted Brian on Monday, shipped the original pickguard to him on Tuesday as he didn't have a template for it (new Stingray 5 Special), he received it Wednesday and he emailed me today with a pic of the new pickguard which was posted this afternoon. 
 

Top service 👍

1 minute ago, ezbass said:

This was exactly why I didn't but an MM Sterling fiver some years back, everything about it was great, except that the G string was barely on the fretboard. Bought a Lakland instead.

It's not bad at all in fairness, but with lower tension strings there's more of a chance of it slipping off. I had a Stingray 5 HH a while ago and it was definitely like walking a tightrope so I moved it on.
 

My natural Ray is absolutely fine though.  
 

15 hours ago, drTStingray said:

Lovely 😎 - interesting you’ve strung the maple board Stingray Special with flats. How does it compare with the rosewood(or is it ebony??)/natural/ roundwound combination?

Well spotted! It actually came already strung with Flats, but after the laying it for a while it was suffering with a bit of the "old G-String off the edge of the fingerboard" due to the lower tension in the strings (and my sloppy technique). So, I flipped the strings around and the Natural/Rosewood (which doesn't suffer as much) wears the Flats and the Green Machine wears the Rounds. 
 

I also took time to try the black pickguard on the green one too and think it really adds to the colour scheme so I've ordered a replacement black one for it. 

For sale is my Hohner B2A. As with a lot of these Hohners, the preamp is broken (supplied with the bass though) and it is currently fitted with a Kiogon Passive VVT solderless loom that has a series parallel switch. The switchcraft barrel Jack has had to be bent a bit to fit in to the cavity as per the pics but it fully works. 

I've obviously not wired it properly, as both pickups are either on or off. I'm sure it's an easy fix for someone who has time and bother the tone and series/parallel switch works. The original electronics will be supplied. 
 

Condition-wise it's not bad (the frets are a bit worn at the cowboy end but still more than playable) and has recently been restrung with Stadium Double ball strings. It also comes with the Steinberger string adaptor that allows you to put on normal bass strings too. 
 

Sold as seen for £150 inc. delivery. 
 

I have a Stetson. Do you think it would be good for Metal?

Before my back op (and certainly for the next few gigs) I used one of these which is just high enough for me to perch on when needed. I can also do the key-change stand up thing that Boy Bands do too as and when required. It folds own nicely too for transporting. 
 

Thanks John. I struggle with short scales too, although because the body is bigger it actually makes the neck feel as if it's in the right position (if that makes sense!)

For sale is a spotless condition Guild Starfire 1 Bass that was bought late last year. It comes a complete with a really decent padded gigbag that cost £74 and is strung with a brand new set of TI Flats. It's a fabulous bass that simply won't get gigged because of my other basses. 
 

It's in the vintage walnut finish, so has a maple body. It's 30.5" scale and is set up with a lovely low action. 
 

It weighs 6lb 15oz and with a decent leather strap there's no neck dive at all. 
 

These cost £499 new without the gigbag. I'm looking for £450 inc. postage, although I'd much rather this was handed over in person within an hour of Monmouth. 
 

Specs:

Body style: Thinline Semi-Hollow with Mahogany center block

Body thickness: 61 mm

Body and top: Maple

Neck: Mahogany

Fretboard: Rosewood

Nut width: 38.1 mm

Scale: 781 mm

21 frets

Pickup: Guild BC-1 BiCoil Hum-Cancelling

Volume and tone controls

Push/Pull Vintage switch

Tune-o-matic bridge

Guild "Harp" tailpiece

Colour: Vintage Walnut

Bump for price drop

Very nice. I do like a natural Stingray with a black pickguard

Two that spring to mind:

1. We had a gig the other side of London and the drummer offered to help ferry across the PA that was stored in my garage. When we finally arrived at the gig, instead of picking up the mixing desk in its gig bag he'd brought our camping table by mistake. Fortunately the landlord had a spare desk, otherwise it would have been a four hour round trip to retrieve our desk. 

2. A guitarist in a band I played with in Bristol had the disgusting habit of walking over during a song and letting rip right by me. He'd then saunter off leaving the smell behind him. 
 

One night he turned up with his brand new Les Paul and was cradling it like a baby all night. During the gig he sauntered over as usual, let rip and managed to follow through! The look of panic on his face was priceless. 
 

The Les Paul was swiftly unslung and propped up against his amp (or so he thought) while he clutched his buttocks and minced off the stage. Unfortunately for him, the guitar slid off the amp and he ended badly bending a couple of tuning pegs. 
 

31 minutes ago, Rayman said:

NICE mate..... I don't even remember what bass I bought from you maybe 10yrs ago, probably a Precision?

I think we met up and I gave you a Ray exchange for your P Bass. I could well be wrong, there have been so many basses and so many Services....

10 minutes ago, Clarky said:

Hey Nick, are you sure that isn't a pic of BassDirect's showroom?

No Dingwalls I'm afraid!

8 minutes ago, Machines said:

If that were my collection, i'd be thinning them out (if required) based on duplication. There's 2 P basses and 2 Stingrays. The others look unique enough to be justified.

It's funny, because the ones I'd hypothetically let go of first are the B2A (once it's working) and the Guild, purely because l don't think I'll use them anywhere near as much as the others. The next would be the Thunderbird which would basically leave me mostly with variations on a theme. Given my history of basses that have come and gone though, that pretty much sums me up!
 

The Rays and the P basses are different enough for me with being strung with rounds and flats to justify keeping them (in my head at least). 
 

And then the whole ride begins again....

39 minutes ago, 4000 said:

I have cervical spondylosis and prolapsed discs that affect (amongst other things) the nerves in my arms. A pronounced forearm chafer aggravates my nerve issues/pain. But many other things do too. I can’t play Ibanez SRs because of the body contouring, and by rights they should be really comfortable; and yet a bound 4001/4003 is no problem whatsoever. 
 

But that really is my point; it might be uncommon, but that’s how things are for me. Everyone is different. That’s why someone complaining about the ergonomics of an instrument because they don’t get on with it doesn’t mean that everyone else will have the same experience. 
 

I have completely the opposite issue in that basses or guitars without contouring really causes me issues almost instantly with playing (some acoustics are the exception). Body binding makes it worse as I find the edges far more severe then (say) a slab-bodied Stingray or a Tele.
 

I would love to own a 4001/3 again as I much prefer them aesthetically to the 4003S but my body says no sadly. 

9 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

 

HAHAHAHA you can't blame me, I only have 3 basses now and none of them have frets

Weirdo! 😉

So do I! I blame you 

My wife feels the same!

So after a quite honestly disgraceful 2021 of buying and selling, followed by an equally disgraceful January 2022, I've arrived at this lot:

Back Row L-R: 2015 Thunderbird/Guild Starfire 1/ Hohner B2A (not fully working). 
 

Front Row L-R: Stingray 5 Special (strung with rounds)/ Stingray 5 Special (flats)/ 1989 US Fender P Bass (flats)/ 4003S/ Fender American Pro II P Bass (rounds)/ G&L CLF L-2000/ Custom Fretless.  

My Ibanez EHB1505MS is not included as I've put it up for sale. 
 

I spent a really nerdy day yesterday, cleaning and setting up this lot. I must say it was rather fun
 

I'd really like to think I'm done and ideally would like to lose a couple, although for the life of me I can't decide which ones. If anything, I've got a hankering for a lightweight G&L SB-1 but we'll see...

I saw her a few years ago when she supported Joe Bonamassa on one of his tours. Great band

8 hours ago, Jeffb28451 said:

I’m on my 4th Ric. All were 4003 or 4003s. Quite inconsistent and not one was EVER  intended as my only bass. Thanks to a local, used shop, I bought and sold quickly without terrible,  bloodletting losses. I have 12 other basses and 5 amp systems/cabinet configurations. Most of my gear dials in similarly, but not Rics. Idiosyncratic to the end, they simply have different “care and feeding “ requirements to most basses. However, for an instrument to go from   “Magical Mystery Tour” to “Fragile”  to “Smithereens”  type tones is worth a little effort, isn’t it?

 

Would you buy a Hofner or Status and be honked off because it wasn’t everybody’s everything?

 

Horses for courses, BUT, IMHO a bit more delicate than most ( bridge, neck, finish) and God help you if you need customer service or support, which are crap  shoots even in the States.

Yep, they're funny, unique beast that (to me at least) sounds like nothing else. Apart from the cranky trebly sound you get from it, which I personally don't like, they have a wonderful "fizzy" warm sound when they're dialled in properly. 

They've never been my go to bass but I know a number of basses who use one for everything, but I do love having them around. 
 

This is my 4003S that I added a black pickguard/truss rod cover to. 
 

3 minutes ago, oldslapper said:

Gives me enough time to get me new a shofar Nick! 

4 or 5 String?