neepheid

Damn, I had forgotten all about those. A lot to like - might add one to my hit list for 2027 (aff it this year).

You are permitted to conclude last year's business (ie. something ordered in 2025) with a final payment.

Is this a confession?

Cards on the table and seeing as you asked, I bought the bass last year knowing the pickup was broken. The pickup's been with my mate for a while (like since last year), but he's a busy boy and he's doing it for free so I don't like to nag (much). But am starting to think I might need a plan B, hence the spitballing ahead of time.

I have a scenario to run by you all (and I'm just speculating at the moment) - I have a Yamaha SB500S with a knackered neck pickup. I didn't break it, it arrived that way, it's second hand, it's no longer in production. I have the broken pickup with someone just now attempting to repair it, but should that fall through what would be the collective's thoughts regarding ways forward? You can't realistically get an exact replacement pickup for the current, broken one, but it is basically a J pickup in a bespoke Yamaha housing, because Yamaha. If the broken pickup is unsalvageable, would I get a pass from the jury if I was to get a Tonerider or something similarly inexpensive to replace it with? It's not like for like (other than dimensions), but I wouldn't be using this as an opportunity to procure some fancy, boutique pickup. I just want the bass to work properly again. I hope the OG pickup gets repaired successfully, that is deffo Plan A, just formulating a Plan B... Thoughts? No wrong answers (including "wait until next year, play your other basses")

Earwax colour? Never need to clean them if you can't see the wax... OK, that was gross, sorry. Hearing aid beige would be quite ironic and meta... OK, I'm done.

Fill your boots ears

Tier 2 sounds about right - it's gear, but it's not specifically *bass* gear.

No, the quality at the bottom end of the price scale has improved dramatically, squeezing the top end because it's already the "best" and has nowhere to go.

IEMs are not (solely) ear protection. Ear plugs are ear protection - and definitely allowed. The choice to go IEMs is the equivalent to the choice to go wireless, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, try willpower first, then try fear of ridicule. That's my backup coping strategy

It's an interesting one, isn't it? My meanie side instantly thought "fail on all tiers". It's not a repair (as in it's not faulty just because it has frets when you don't want it to have them), it's a modification. It would only be OK if you simply yanked the frets out, but I presume the holes where the frets used to be will be filled with something? That's where it breaks down - those line markers weren't there before. But then I thought on the other hand, you are preventing the purchasing of a fretless bass (or neck) by modifying an existing bass, and strips of wood aren't in the signal chain. I guess my question would be - do you need a fretless for a project or band, or are you just bored? Intent is important.

Worth it for the straighter string path past the nut alone... seriously though, it's spiffy looking.

I gig all my basses. Beyond tribute bands, I don't see this rigid bass type to band/genre mapping at all. It helps that I'm in an originals band which by definition gets to make the rules up as it goes along, and the other band is simply rock/indie covers so I can pretty much do as I please wrt choice of bass weapon.

Oh, in case you were wondering what's under there, it's a Warman Drivetrain. I think I forgot to mention it. Keeping it quad core! £31! Insanity.