nige1968

OK, so it sounds like your workarounds are working for you, though you're still at a bit of a disadvantage compared with someone who has feeling in their thumb. I guess you have two things to consider. First, what's different about the pieces you're working on now? It sounds like you have more than a couple of quite tricky lines down already. Maybe see if there's some particular string crossing you need to look at or some such challenge that your other pieces don't have. Second, as nearly everyone has said, self-consciousness kills music. Can you find a way to focus on the piece, not what you're doing to it?

Is the thumb injury still causing problems?

So it isn't the bass player?

I blubbed like a tiny pukey baby first time I heard the album. And the next 20 or so times after that. Despite what it took to get the record over the line, and the odd bit of tedious session brass / already-released material notwithstanding, it is the actual real thing and reeks of Cardiacs like a stinky ripe Cardiacs-flavoured cheese. And is probably unlistenable to 99% of the folks I know. Actually, strike the probably.

Think that might actually sound better than the OG

Is what the end of the boutique bass?

For what it's worth – probably very little – my experience some years back with the Status neck on a Fender Jazz was that the truss rod was very much needed. I don't know whether mine had one-off issues but I didn't find the stability to be as reliable as I expected. It did need a tweak now and then to keep the action low and the neck straight. Of course, someone more knowledgeable might suggest that it was the very use of the truss rod which introduced such instability, but I'm not qualified to judge.

Well I think you are all looking at this from the wrong standpoint. Are these professional musical instruments for the use of guitarists and bass players who wish to master the tools of their trade? No, of course not. Are they quirky outsider art pieces, charming for their inept craftsmanship and naive 'upgrades', probably destined to be worth zillions of squids one day when we're fed up of living in a world made by robots? Again, probably not, but you know what I mean anyway. For those who have seen Be Kind, Rewind: these guitars are Sweded.

Last time I worked in an office they kept pushing stuff like this, only the black and white bits were gone and they namechecked Myers-Briggs instead of De Bono. This probably says something about modern workplaces. Personally, I go for whichever seems in shortest supply within the group.

Not helping 😆

That looks proper fancy innit. Please tell me it’s an awful baseball bat of a neck to try ‘n’ play …

Hi Kiwi Warwick, Ibanez, Spector. 6-string to fit 5-string neck pocket (I’m probably alone on this one) EB SR4 Fenders (Mex / USA)

I got a Mod Shop Jazz. It’s great. Sure, it will be disappointing if you’re looking for a tailor-made spec, but seen as a modern take on the old ‘custom colour’ options of the 1960s it’s pretty good. Price isn’t a huge markup compared with list (no dealer discount, of course). It took more or less as long as they said it would to arrive, no hidden costs and build quality was as good as I’ve seen on a Fender. I’m happy.

Earthwood ABGs.

That's nothing. I was here back when the only strings you could get were made of stone. Awful for slapping.

I don’t think they’re allowed to say ‘made in USA’ any more unless every component is made in USA. But yes, probably not much craftsman carving going on.

Zon 6ers

I think Squiers are usually “correct” size and shape, but possibly less depth. HB I don’t have direct experience of HBs but they don’t have to conform in the same way so you’d expect them to be differenter.

Pick in pic https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ylnyrydl0o

Can't get this out of my head now. Thanks everyone.

I entered but I don't do social media or have any friends so it looks like I will not win. Oh well.