Bilbo

If you go to my soundcloud page, all of the electric basses on there are my Wal. I find it versatile enough to cover almost anything. The only thing I can't cover on it is slapping as I don't like the slap/Fretless mix. Otherwise, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Latin and Country; the Wal has it all covered.

My journey to Jazz was basically borne of a frustration of never being able to find decent singers for the Rock bands I tried to form. The interest in instrumental music took me from Prog to Cozy Powells Over The Top to Colloseum to Brand X and Bruford to Weather Report to Miles to Coltrane to the world.

Deeply talented but I don't like the noise he makes. I don't like a lot of hugely popular stuff though so what the flying fcuk do I know

Mine is a lovely sounding guitar and solid in every respect. It was made in Nashville on 28th March, 2000. The pedigree is there but it has stayed in it's case for far too long and I need a new quality acoustic. I have realised that I am never going to be a great Jazz guitarist so don't feel that I can justify keeping it as an ornament.

Wal Fretless...

You guys.....

That was where I saw the £2k+ prices.

Everyone who plays a double bass. Except you.

Did a search using the serial number and am told that my ES175 was made in Nashville, Tennessee on March 28th, 2000. Still don't know what to ask for when selling :-D

[quote name='bibino' timestamp='1476382035' post='3153864'] I wouldn't call a 2002 a vintage. The common argus would be around 2000€, depending the finish and its condition. [/quote] Sorry. The vintage sunburst was the colour, not the age of the instrument. .

Wal Custom Fretless. Bought it in 1986 and still use it as my main bass.

I wasn't expecting much more than £1k so these prices are a bit of a surprise. It hasn't been gigged (actually, I did one tune with it about 6 years ago) and is basically mint. It has been in it's case for over a year without coming out! I am thinking of selling it so I can get a decent electro-acoustic guitar I want but, at these prices, I could get TWO new guitars!!

I have a vintage sunburst ES175 I am thinking of selling and need to get a valuation. I bought it new in 2002-ish for £1500 but they appear to be up to £4k new and £2500 second hand. It's not making sense to me. Has anyone got any ideas on what it's all about?

I had an audition for a band in London when I was about 23. The band were playing a tune as I set up. When I was ready, the guitarist said he would show me the chords. I said 'it's in C, isn't it'? He replied 'we don't do any of that muso sh*t'. I thought 'twat' and learned it the hard way. I get that people can do this without theory just as people can speak without knowing grammar but I just find that the more tools you have the better. Playing music without understanding the building blocks is like fixing a car with a butter knife and some chewing gum. Yes, it can work but why the hell would you? :-D

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1476007688' post='3150342'] Just to address this... my band plays jazz and of course it's mostly improvised. [b]Most gigs are busy as hell and full of people dancing and having a great time.[/b] [/quote] Can't be a Jazz gig then.....

I recommend that you don't learn theory and don't learn to read. That way, I will continue to get the gigs you won't get called for. Seriously, I gig weekly with some of the world's greatest players and COULD NOT DO IT without theory and reading. If a player like John Etheridge puts a piece of coffee stained paper in front of you, you need to make it into something musical WITHOUT ANY REHEARSAL. You need to be ready.

Happy to let people play it. It's a plank of wood.

Another Evah Pirazzi Weich fan here

Learn to read music and relax.

Squire and Martin Brierly (Greenslade - Cactus Choir) both have great growly Rickenbacker sounds that I love in context but would not seek to mimic. Percy Jones, Jimmy Johnson, Anthony Jackson and a hundred Fodera players all have great 'don't go there' tones.

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1473234576' post='3128124'] I'll put you name in the case - sorted!! Cheers. [/quote] Now it's all about timing!!

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1469383395' post='3097881'] What on earth would you do with that? *remembers* Mahavishnu covers? [/quote] Drool. Just drool :-D

Real live people = 5000 at a classical gig with fireworks at Stow on the Wold (I played in a seven piece Jazz band as a support act). I also did the National Lottery Live to 18 million viewers in 1994. It was live but we were miming to a recording we had done two hours earlier.

It is a really interesting point to consider. The fact is that to become a solid, credible act in any genre is bloody hard work but, to my mind, to become a top notch Jazz player it is even harder and you can easily see why a lot of people question whether it is worth it. I put on some of Europe's best players on at an event in Felixstowe and the audiences are generally pretty poor. I think we have to collectively accept that, sometimes, the music itself is the only reward.

Steve Berry is a great teacher and player.