bassbiscuits

I don’t think the three-bolt neck plate in itself is a problem design (don’t Musicman basses also use them?) I think there was some decline in manufacturing quality during the same era, meaning the three-bolt models are also associated with sometimes shabby neck pockets, poorly aligned necks etc. But like anything else there are plenty of good, bad and indifferent ones around regardless of the year. I wouldn’t be put off a good 70s Fender bass just because it had a three-bolt neck.

I sent that joke about accidentally sleeping with the bassist to one of my mates, who replied that there were actually some really good looking female bassists - and then listed a load of guitarists. I despair.

I think some of the bands I’ve been in fit this category.... as long as you can pull together three or four people to play then we’ll take the gig thanks!

Cheers bud. Maybe it’ll end up on the 2021 cool albums list ha ha

I’m a total novice to home recording and completely learning on the job (I recorded my second song over my first one for example. V poor effort...) I’ve been sketching out songs as voice memos on my phone - usually just acoustic guitar and singing - but I’ve started recording them on a Zoom H4n adding in bass, vocals and guitar and manually hitting the pads of a drum machine. Unfortunately I run out of tracks almost immediately so need to bounce them down. I’ve done this once and can’t find the result! As I said, a novice...

I picked up The Dirty Knobs “Wreckless Abandon,” which is the only 2020 album I’ve listened to yet. Like what I’ve heard of Dua Lipa too. Also got Ginger Wildheart’s most recent “Headzapoppin” and Springsteen’s latest but haven’t listened to them yet. I’ve been songwriting lately tho so not really listening to much other music.

Nothing wrong with realising your true calling lies elsewhere. Bass is my first instrument tho I’ve been playing guitar for nearly as long, and as circumstances have changed over the years I’ve at times been mainly a guitarist, and at others mainly a bassist. I agree with others tho - don’t feel bad that a tuition course hasn’t appealed to you. I’ve never made any sense of lessons - it’s just not the way the musical bit of my brain works - but it hasn’t stopped me being a good, happy, busy musician. And good luck on the guitar - enjoy it!

His autobiography is a fantastic read too.

Mustangs are great. I’ve only played a MIJ one which cost me £650 s/h, but they have cool vintage styling, and very much in the P bass end of things sound wise. I’d expect the current Vinteras to be along the same lines. On the other hand the standard Mexican sort of Mustang looks less vintage, but the P / J pickups give it a wider range of tones and they shift secondhand for under £500.

That looks fantastic. I love the look of the black JMJs. Just looks like a cool vintage Mustang rather than an obvious signature model. I did some home recording earlier this evening with my regular MiJ Mustang bass and it sounded ace. A great companion to a P bass.

As with others here, I’ve got a few tentatively rescheduled from 2020 but it remains to be seen what will happen. I learned last year that planning anything was pointless.

Signed and shared with all musician friends.

Vox headphone amp (when it became clear we’d all be stuck in the house together a lot) Genz Benz Neo 2x12 cab Zoom drum machine for home songwriting Sandberg gigbag in case I ever leave the house again Yamaha TRBX505 five-string All from Basschat too...

A book by Monty Don, a new watering can, some socks and some cacti. So nothing remotely bass related!

Not to mention Billy Sheehan. I mean who’s ever heard of him right?

Yeah I think the 34” Yammy I have now has narrower string spacing than the previous 35” Yammy. I usually swap between a P and a Mustang so the difference in string spacing is less of a problem for me than the extra scale length and neck width was on the bigger bass.

I briefly had a 35” scale Yamaha TRB1005 this time last year. Played nicely and sounded good but it just felt massive on me.

I love that. Am I a bad person? 😀

Despite the massive cashing in factor and the fact that Gene isn’t even associated with T birds, I think that bottom one looks cool!

I’ve just started playing five string bass thanks to Yamaha TRBX505 I picked up on here earlier this month. I’m still finding my way around it. All the muscle memory from 30-odd years has gone to pot cos everything is in a different place. I’m constantly fretting or plucking the wrong string. But it’s the longest I’ve stuck with five string bass after a few brief past dalliances and I’m gradually getting the hang of incorporating the whole thing into my playing, not just obsessing over the low notes. A whole new series of positions using the B string has opened up. Im a diehard four string player but I can see how this would fit in nicely.

Originally I wanted to be Adam Ant when I was about 10. Then I wanted to be an archaeologist or a journalist. Ended up being a journalist - the least exciting of the three possibilities.

That’s a great gig too.

Bought a Yamaha bass off Andy. All straightforward, and provided tracking details so I knew when it was coming. Great bass too. Nice one Andy. It’s been a pleasure.