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cetera

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Posts posted by cetera

    Why did you start this?

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by cetera

    18 hours ago, Rayman said:

    What made you pick up that first bass at the start of this long and winding road?

     

    Do you still have the same fire and enthusiasm? Do you still love it?

     

    What has changed along the way? Your taste in music, taste in basses?

     

    What was the first bass? And what’s the latest? 

    My 1st proper gig was Adam & The Ants at Dominion Theatre in late 1981 on the Prince Charming Tou and I thought that the bassist Gary Tibbs was uber-cool. Then we had a family holiday to see my Uncle, Aunt & Cousin in early 1982 and discovered KISS, and more importantly Gene Simmons. I loved their music and Gene's persona was amazing.... and I loved his huge, growly bass tone. As soon as we returned to the UK I started guitar lessons and then moved over to bass..

     

    Yep, I still have the same enthusiasm for the bass. It grounds me, I love the way it is the foundation of popular music and is the glue that holds everything together. Playing bass has also opened up the World to me. Playing in bands has taken me from Monaco to Scandinavia to Romania to Japan... and stages from the local 'Dog & Duck' to Tokyo Ariake Colisseum and Dynamo Bucharest football stadium. I'm incredibly grateful and humbled for those opportunities.

    From discovering Gene Simmons used Spector in KISS' heyday, and then finding out that amazing white that Sting was playing on the Synchronicity tour was also a Spector it became my dream bass, though I didn't actually get my 1st one until around 1994 (a mint 'used' Brooklyn-era NS2 from the Bass Centre! Took me a year to pay off!). I've been a huge fan ever since.... as you've probably noticed ;)

     

    My taste through the 80's until the early/mid 90's was always heavy rock/classic rock. When grunge came along I wasn't particularly enamoured so my tastes widened into classic Motown/Philly, Funk, Prog, Pomp, AOR/Melodic Rock, Jazz-Rock and well written 'pop' music (ELO, 10CC, Supertramp, Steely Dan etc).

     

    My 1st bass was a Kay Tulip. Action and sound was horrible but it started the journey and I soon got an Aria Cardinal CSB380 as a 1st proper bass.

    My latest bass purchase is a wonderful Japan-market-only Spector Euro CST 4 in desert island/blueburst (see thread in 'Bass Guitars).

    How was your gig last night?

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by cetera

    3 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

    Curious what gear you use in a pub band @cetera ? I'm guessing a GK rig but what bass ?

    Dave 

    GK Legacy800 Head, LFSys Monaco cab & my Spector Pulse II bass. My best/most valuable Spectors don't come out on pub gigs... I save them for theatres, big clubs etc.

    With another band I play with (doing more 70's punkier stuff and Bowie etc) I use a P bass....
    With a wedding band I dep for I tend to play my Betsy as there's a bit more disco/pop.

    • Thanks 1

    How was your gig last night?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Saturday night I depped with a local band at a pub in Bracknell. Being a warm evening most people were outside so we just played to a small crowd inside. They seemed to enjoy the set but were muted in their appreciation...

    Decent payer and I had a nice compliment on my bass tone from a punter so not all bad ;)

     

    • Like 11

    2025 SE Bass Basheroonie! Sunday 9/11/25 *CONFIRMED*

    in Events

    Posted · Edited by cetera

    #1 - Paul @NancyJohnson 

    #2 - Paul #2 @prowla 

    #3 - Martin @Merton

    #4 - Matt @Wombat

    #5 - Andy @Wolverinebass

    #6 - Stevie @stevie

    #7 - Lozz @Lozz196

    #8 - Matt @neepheid

    #9 - @bassace97 

    #10 - Robert @bass_dinger

    #11 - Christopher @chyc

    #12 - jaco @Geek99 **

    #13 - Alan @WalMan

    #14 - Trevor @TrevorR

    #15 - John @jonno1981

    #16 - Gary @cetera

    #17 - @MacDaddy

    #18 - Steve @Stingray5

    #19 - Russ @Russ

    #20 - Rich - errm, @Rich tbc

    #21 - Happy Jack @Happy Jack

    #22 - Silvia Bluejay @Silvia Bluejay

    #23 - Mike @mikelawrencecalleja

    #24 - @admiralchew

    #25 - Martin @police squad

    #26 - @Sean

    #27 - @silverfoxnik

    #28 - @SimonK

    #29 - @hen barn

    #30 - Andy W @basexperience

    #31 - @stevie
    #32 - @Mudpup

    #33 - @BillyBass

    +potentially @Shockwave, @Wombat & @Mike Brooks

     

     

    We're getting up towards 40! I think you're gonna need a bigger venue!

    • Like 3

    Jackson Kelly MIJ Early 2000s

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    10 hours ago, razor5cl said:

     

    It's odd how my Kelly is one of the biggest basses you'll ever see, and is actually surprisingly very light. My Yamaha BB feels heavier!

     

    And comparatively that Jackson bird looks like a smaller body but weighs a ton. Is it made of mahogany?

    Everything about the JBird is big tbh.... thick body, big size.... and I think a huge slab of maple for the body.

    Jackson Kelly MIJ Early 2000s

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    On 12/08/2025 at 17:02, razor5cl said:

    That Jackson Thunderbird looking thing is very very slick though, it's like a smarter looking version of this Fernandes Nikki Sixx signature:

    image.thumb.png.d328ac6e68476dab9eb4d845625b0df5.png

     

    Much nicer headstock on the Jackson though!

     

    This is a Fernandes copy of the Spector reverse TBird they made for Nikki Sixx in the very late 80's. Much prefer the Spector headstock on this particular shape to a Jackson headstock. I have *cough* 3 of them....

    NBD! Spector Euro CST Japan only custom

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    No, sadly tax free was only available if purchased in person instore.

     

    First impressions are that the Legacy is definitely in the same ballpark as the Haz/LHZ preamps.... very happy so far!

     

    Bass is wonderfully well made and finished. Neck is very playable.... not as thick, depth-wise as most Euros... and slightly flatter around the nut end of the neck.

    • Like 3

    NBD! Spector Euro CST Japan only custom

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted · Edited by cetera

    A little while ago the Japanese Spector distributor ordered a very limited private run of Spector Euro CST's in a beautiful desert island finish over poplar burl, with an ash back, maple fingerboard, abalone inlays, EMG X pickups and the Darkglass Legacy (Haz-copy) preamp....

     

    The finish blew my mind but I never thought I could get one. However, 2 bass sales and a very lucky timing (this bass was included in a shop 'sale') meant it actually became affordable. Cue the fantastic Danny Stewart at Bass Japan Direct who obtained the bass for me, checked it over, dealt with any declarations and couriered it to me in record time.....

     

    And here she is....

     

    20250801_141603.thumb.jpg.f9cc509ed02d2da6515467809c32c53d.jpg

     

     

    20250801_141612.thumb.jpg.7c25218a80f25296fe9c60520502af45.jpg

     

     

    20250801_141625.thumb.jpg.a7a75fb2abae0df2470e866e90061186.jpg

     

    Just absolutely stunning and less than a 3rd of the price of a US custom equivalent! I think I'm in love!

    • Like 32
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