bassbiscuits

Great pic!

I’ve tried to get on with five strings and failed, even tho it would be very handy if I’d got on well with them. For me it’s their size, weight and neck width which I generally struggle with. There’s a few examples I’ve managed to get on with initially but then realised I preferred the playability and set up of my more familiar four strings anyway.

Could it be that the original 1969 neck was swapped for another and the rest of the bass remained the same? Ie they still used the original neck plate etc. Depending how long you've owned the bass might give an idea whether the neck was swapped at the time or more recently, if indeed that is what happened. The whole idea of Fenders being made from whatever parts were around means there should be plenty of models whose components span a few dates.

Yeah quite possibly

Thanks Reggaebass - that suggests the neck is from January 1968, which seems at odds with the big black lettering and the age of the rest of the bass (pickups dated 7170 and serial number placing it squarely in 1970 based on the others of a similar era that i’ve seen for sale. Its something of a dark art trying to work this stuff out ain’t it?!

Mine’s a sunburst 1970 with a B width neck which feels very comfortable to me. It’s also been refretted more than once very nicely with larger fret wire than the original, and plays beautifully. Interestingly the neck code suggests it’s possibly from 1968 - in green printed ink it’s 5 16 018 B Can anyone shed any light on what that might refer to? Pots are dated 1966, like many from this era.

Private party at a local rugby club with the Andy Wales Band last night. We swapped out some of our “deeper cuts” for some more dancefloor-friendly stuff to keep up the party spirit. We’re reaching that level of being comfortable enough with our material to relax into it now, leaving a bit more space and letting it groove a bit more, which feels great. Back home by midnight. The usual Markbass rig, Yamaha bass and this time also my Mackie PA and modest selection of stage lights from Cash Converters. Sadly no pics of us actually playing - just the stage before proceedings began.

Yes my mistake. I thought we were trying to offer helpful answers 😁

I disagree with this - I’ve played acoustic guitar almost as long as I’ve played bass and there have been many benefits. It’s broadened the range of music I listen to and therefore what I learn to play. It’s a great songwriting tool. Making the chord shapes on guitar has informed my bass playing and helped build dexterity in my fingers. In music I don’t think any knowledge or skill is ever wasted, and I’ve found from a lifetime of gigging that being a multi-instrumentalist gets me the most work. If you’re enjoying learning guitar too, then go for it. It’s all useful knowledge.

Eh up. Welcome from over the border in Leicestershire, and welcome aboard.

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/210405367978025--mooer-9v-stage-power-supply?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD76p-2Vwbg9BNB4HAaQGEAuXh2Jb&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvPPfqunJiQMVl49QBh2xlyyfEAQYASABEgKiJvD_BwE This one. It’s the “stage adaptor” version it appears. Nice long lead.

Rotos.

Yeah I bought a couple of these earlier this year - one immediately fell out of my gigbag onto the garage floor and sheared off the cheap plastic earth pin on the plug, which is sealed plastic and therefore unrepairable. I recently opted for a Mooer version instead, which handles 2,000ma and has a proper plug on it.

Yup. Old Precision Bass = La Bella flatwounds. Perfect for vintage thud and warmth. Active Yamaha BB basses x 2 - Daddario NYXLs to cover a lot more sonic territory in covers bands. In fairness for the first 10 years of playing bass I didn't even realise strings came in different materials or gauges - they tended to be whatever the small number of music shops in my hometown of Swansea had in stock at the time (no internet in them days obviously...).

Good luck Bassadder60. I hope things work out well.

I find different basses suit different strings too. My precision with Labella flats sounds great. My active Yamahas sound better with round wounds. That also gives me the option to cover a lot of sonic ground depending on what sort of music I’m playing.

Here’s my old lady. 54 years and counting. Bought it 30 years ago from Musical Exchanges in Coventry, which involved part-exing my only bass, a Charvel 1B. I was in university at the time and this has been everywhere with me over the last 30 years. For a very long time it was my only bass and as such helped to shape the way I play. It’s on its third set of frets, second nut, and has had the usual maintenance visits to the local luthier from time to time, but the rest is all original and it’s light as a feather and a pleasure to play.

No. I barely rehearse with any of my own bands let alone anyone else’s.

Sure thing. That’s good to know. To be honest I have no idea how reliable the info is on there being different speakers according to the country of origin etc. There may well be transitional models when they used what was available from a supplier the time etc. I just don’t know. If they sound the same anyway, probably not much point worrying!

I’m pretty sure that at one point the Italian Markbass speakers were different to the Indonesian ones. There’s a thread somewhere on talkbass etc about them with photos of the speaker construction being different. Not better or worse mind you, just different.

Just got home from playing what might be our last gig at the Musician in Leicester (another local music venue due to close with some uncertainty over what comes next etc). Anyway - the Andy Wales Band and Friends saw us joined onstage by guests including local legendary harmonica player Honeyboy Hickling and guitarist Max Manning of local blues combo the Della Grants. Decent turnout, very appreciative audience, and very loud indeed. I’ve been having an absolute dog of a week and really really needed something to look forward to - thankfully this gig delivered that in spades. I feel blessed, rather sweaty and knackered. A job well done.

In the tribute band work I do we are obviously working with much the same pool of material each time, though there’s enough songs to mix up the set regularly. My other main band does a mix of originals and covers and we try to play something new at each gig to keep it fresh. We aren’t out every single weekend so that makes it feasible to do.

I’ve come back to loving my Little Mark heads and old cabs after a brief dalliance with others. Used the MB rig for a gig last weekend and loved the clean, precise sound which works so well with my bass for exactly the sound I want - being very loud and efficient without being boomy or woolly at all.

Mine have got round wound marks at the body end of the fretboard (from slapping and/or heavy handed finger style) and usually some horizontal long surface scratches across the front from reckless pick playing.