bassbiscuits

It's strange too that if you were shopping for a genuine vintage instrument, dealers often make a big deal of offering "the cleanest example I've ever seen" etc. But in terms of fake aged stuff, people seem to want the most battered instruments possible to show how many years of hard gigging it has (not) done.

The difference between the finish on my 1970 precision (medium wear and tear) and my 2015 mustang (absolutely pristine) is 45 years of gigging. That's the way it should be. I don't really get artificial ageing. I don't hate it, but I wouldn't pay for it either.

Tho not by me, aged 12, unfortunately. It was the only thing I could afford at the time - a whole £60...

Satellite you say? Crikey my first bass was a short scale Satellite which was absolute junk. Even as a beginner, it was clearly barely playable and developed a bad neck twist/warp within six months of me owning it. I remember it had a very thin, plywood body too. Hopefully in landfill by now.

La Bella 760FL on my precision bass. They were secondhand when i bought them three years ago, and they are still going strong. They aren't dull and thuddy - they've got a warm, rich tone to them, but very smooth and full at the same time. Got the same on my MIJ Mustang bass. I've also used TI flats and D'Addario Chromes on other basses and they were great too. TIs a bit too light for my taste, but sounded lovely.

I'd leave it as it is if it already plays and sounds perfect. Sunburst perfectly suits the old girl.

Ah thanks Dave. I still play bass, but its not with any regularity compared with my acoustic solo work. But i've been here before - I didn't touch my bass for about four years before joining my last band. It's a lifelong game though isn't it, not a sprint.

Nowt wrong with that Bob. My main thing these days is as a solo acoustic singer/guitarist, free from the dramas, frustrations and demands of the bands I've been immersed in for the last 15 years. Very enjoyable it is too, and about as good a fit as i can manage between my other family/work commitments. Good luck with it Bob.

Iron Maiden's 'Running Free', in early 1986, from playing along to Live After Death on vinyl. I got my first bass in summer 1986, but had been trying to work that song out for a couple of months beforehand plucking on a school violin (it sounded awful tho).

It's immense. V satisfying to play very loudly too. That's what's it all about really...

Always love playing Fontella Bass "Rescue Me" and cover it in a band I dep for now and again. I seem to play it whenever i pick up a bass. The same band also covered Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" which is great to play live. Really digging the live version of Bowie's "Moonage Daydream" from Live at the Beeb - just brilliant. Got to gig that last year too.

Boom boom!

A few years back i injured my right hand badly and had to wear it in a sling for a couple of weeks. One thing I never mastered in that time was wiping my behind with my non-dominant hand. That was an ordeal....

I've been through a fairly modest 25 basses, 15 bass amps and 12 cabs, but the ones I've got now are pretty established i think. Been using the same amp set up for seven years (Markbass into an Aguilar or Schroeder cab) and the same main bass for nearly 25 years ( a Fender P ). I haven't stopped lusting over eBay, Bass Direct, Gumtree etc but then I realise I don't really need anything more (and can't afford it anyway!)

I've voted for blue. None of my basses are blue, but each would look better if they were.

That's hardly representative of all precision basses then is it....?

That that single carrying handle on the top isn't really what you need for an amp made from solid granite. Cool amps tho and you get a work out on the way yay!

I had an old MAG 300 head years ago that was excellent. Really loud for the rating, as well as warm and valvey sounding. On the strength of that I bought a newer ABM head but never dug it as much as the little MAG which I've stupidly sold in the intervening years. The MAG was crazily good for the price. I've since moved on to Markbass tho and I prefer the sound overall, as well as being much smaller to carry around.

Wow that's a stunning set up! I love Yamahas. Ive got a BB604 (a BB bass in name but not in design) and it's such a good all rounder. Got a lot of time for Yamahas.

I grew up on Abba, Nancy Sinatra, Status Quo and my parents' 70s glam rock compilations. When I started playing bass at 12 I gravitated toward rock and metal, but always still liked good pop. Got well into hard house and trance in my 20s, before discovering John Martyn and going down the folk route for a while, before discovering Weather Report and Stevie Wonder. I still like music from all those genres, as well the classics of Bowie, the Stones, Beatles and Dylan along the way. I can't bear bluegrass and not much of a country fan (I don't find it relates to me at all) but I'm good for anything else.

That Lakland looks ace! What is it?

Most Beatles stuff I've been trying to learn is way more complex than I first thought. Sgt Peppers, With a Little Help From My Friends, Getting Better etc all sound easy but the bass is all over the place and rarely the same thing twice.

Yep, definitely go for the Peavey. I gigged an old TNT 130 for donkey's years and it had plenty of wallop, and never let me down. A good solid reliable loud amp. £60 is a good price too.