neepheid

Cleared out my shed so I can actually walk about in it, couldn't resist giving it a quick scrub. Pleased to report that the red stuff it's currently wearing is soft as the proverbial. The amount that I achieved with some 180 on a sanding block leads me to believe that with some 120 on the power sander I should get this cleared quickly

I saw this on eBay and felt so sorry for it that I decided to restore it. There are a lot of parts to be found - all I have is three bolts that a three point bridge would be attached to. But it is my mission to bring Gibson Ripper, serial number 574623, born either in 1974 or 1975 (no pots so I can't tell any better than that - would err towards '75 given the magnitude of the number) back to life. It was black and is currently covered in some rather thin red which I'm hoping will sand off real easy. On the plus side, there neck looks pretty straight and the truss rod had been slackened off. It has an ebony fingerboard. Wish me luck

The only time we've ever stopped a song was when I once started a song in the wrong key. Singer pulled me up, I had the mick royally (and rightly) extracted out of me, then we started again. Audience laughed, no harm done to anything apart from my pride No way in mid song though, carry on. A mistake is such a fleeting moment in time, even if it is noticed it will be quickly forgotten.

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1366373236' post='2051652'] If its the one on your guitar than it's an [b]output[/b] jack!!! Grrr [/quote] Grrr indeed.

And they said I was mad...

[quote name='green_ram' timestamp='1366061475' post='2047999'] Hi. I'm hoping someone can shed some light on the physical appearance / difference between the current Thunderbird IVs available. I'm specifically confused about the difference between theThunderbird IV vintage sunburst and the Classic Pro IV in vintage sunburst. I've only seen a photograph and the lead plugs into the top, near the controls, not the edge of the guitar but I don't know if this is just an indication of the year of production. Thanks in advance. [/quote] Just about everything is different. So much so that it's easier for me to ask you to open the following web pages and compare for yourself. [url="http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Bass/Thunderbird-IV.aspx"]http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Bass/Thunderbird-IV.aspx[/url] [url="http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Bass/Thunderbird-Classic-IV-PRO.aspx"]http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Bass/Thunderbird-Classic-IV-PRO.aspx[/url]

A +1 for Wunjos - I was down in London this weekend past and decided to take a look - friendly guys, let me try a Hagstrom 8 string through a DECENT amp (Markbass) and were happy to yap about the bass and stuff in general. No pressure, no hassle, I decided not to go for it in the end (not the only reason but I was flying back to Aberdeen that evening, so transportation might have been an issue) and there was no huffiness, they gave me a business card and I was on my way. Would definitely go there again. Next time I'll take the train

I'll throw a stab in at the longest gap - 5 years or so. The bass was mostly an ornament during those years. Can't tell you why, except I was lazy.

[quote name='Owencf' timestamp='1365701837' post='2043256'] My mate is studying At Aberdeen Uni recieved and email with a flashing High importance thingy on it basically saying. consider not going through with any plans to travel to South Korea in the immediate future. My only thoughts were No sh*t. [/quote] You'd think that, but I work in a building at Aberdeen Uni where students can't even figure out how fire doors work. Getting negative feedback and resistance from one half of a fire door? Try the other half? No, push harder!

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1365690651' post='2042993'] Aye, it's nae the same since Bruce Miller's closed doon min! (exiled Aberdonian in Surrey...) [/quote] I was at the closing down auction. Although I was frequently scathing of their product range during their run (trying to be all things to all folks and end up pleasing no-one) I did buy my first bass there. Although the bass is long gone, I still have the 30W Laney amp (still works too) and the gig bag - with the Bruce Miller logo stitched in it. So it was a little sad. What was even sadder is that practically everyone there had no concept of how an auction works and clearly forgot about (or were completely unaware of) the premiums. Thus, no bargains were to be had.

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1365690559' post='2042985'] You think you've got problems, try being left handed. [/quote] You think you've got problems, there are left handed bass players in Aberdeen!

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1365688906' post='2042955'] Yeah not really that keen on freight.... The aforementioned bass I bought that I'm not massively keen on, I thought I had recently sold through the classified here, sent it and it disappeared for nearly 3 weeks before being returned to me minus all the cardboard/bubble wrap packaging. Naturally the sale fell through so am stuck with it now but I'm a little gun shy of shipping anything. I'm in Manchester fyi [/quote] Manchester? North? You think you've got problems - I'm in Aberdeen! I've only ever bought on bass out of a shop in Aberdeen and it was my first one. It's a complete Fenderfest up here. I wouldn't go as far as to call it purgatory, but it's close. Since then, unless someone local is selling something I like (which has happened 2 or 3 times) I've always bought at distance. I keep what I like and shift on what I don't. Incidentally, I've never had problem with Interparcel/UPS for sending basses. Also, the furthest I've ever travelled to buy in person (it was a swap, but never mind) was a smidge under 200 miles. Incidentally about the same as it is to go from Manchester to London

Distance Selling Regulations are your friend. Regardless of whether or not the item is used, if you buy it from a shop without having had the opportunity to inspect the item in person then you are legally entitled to return it for a full refund, as long as it is returned in the same condition you received it in. You might have to pay return postage. When you say "north", how north do you mean?

Yes, the LMB-3 is a great limiter. The "enhancer" bit isn't much cop though. Makes whatever hiss there is there even hissier. Should have called it a hiss enhancer I don't have it any more though. I'm trying to teach myself to be my own limiter.

On most of the 2 pickup basses I've played, having both pickups on is the "mellowest" sound - they seem to cancel each other out in certain frequencies. The exception was a Guild B402-A I had - both pickups together was the loveliest sound and they seemed to have this natural "chorus" sound to them, like they were singing in unison rather than competing. Can't really explain it better than that. I use one or the other, usually neck.

An individual Mexican made Fender will be either good or bad, just as one made anywhere else will be either good or bad. When considering a single instrument only you can decide, and only your opinion is important. Now there may be an element of truth to generic comments thrown around about materials, attention to detail and thoroughness of QC etc. when considering the entire output of a factory over a period of time, but when one is buying a single bass then it really is completely irrelevant. The bass you are going to try/buy is either good or it isn't. End of. I wouldn't get hung up on country of origin. There will be stonkingly amazing Mexican Fenders and absolute dogs of USA Fenders.

[quote name='TheButler' timestamp='1364466203' post='2026793'] Been using my Harley Benton for ages now (can't remember exactly when I got it, roughly a year ago). Its played 100's of gigs, varying sizes and hasn't let me down once. I'm going to grab one of their cabs and sees what happens. Would be really interested if folks shared their EQ/knob-ey settings [/quote] Pic as promised:

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1365487029' post='2040123'] never palm mute [/quote] Well, it's not going to bother you much then

Very dodgy - it's the wrong way round

Further thoughts on the matter: I've seen people coax fantastic playing out of Squiers and bottom of the range Yamahas and they don't sound like they're feeling inferior. In fact, these are the players I respect (and fear) the most. They're not interested in the minutiae of bass gear and just want to play. They're comfortable with what they have and they know how to make it work, y'know because they're good players. Are they going to sound significantly better because they've "traded up" to a Fender or a top of the line Yamaha? I highly doubt it. They sound good because of themselves, not their gear and are not interested in the security blanket of acceptance/validation because, basically they don't need or want it, don't play with people who make a big deal of it and let their fingers/picks do the talking. Also, I took a big risk and gigged my G&L Tribute L-2000 at the weekend. How odd - it sounded great and it didn't break down or spontaneously crumble into dust because it wasn't made in the USA. Yes, I know that was bitchy. But like I said, it grinds my gears.

7th generation Honda Civic 3 door hatch for me. With the seats down, it's like a small van. Plenty gear fits in there.

Well, this fairly grinds my gears. It is what it is and it's either good or not good, and furthermore I'll be the judge of that, it's me that's playing the damn thing. The badge is irrelevant. I have Gibsons, I have an Epiphone. I have a USA G&L, I have G&L Tributes. I have Yamahas, no "golden age Japanese" ones, sorry, they're all made in Taiwan. Oh well, they must be crap then. So no, I'm not a badge whore and to think you can be judged musically before you've even played a note is such a logical incongruence it isn't even funny. Bassism. Funny how that rhymes with a more socially unacceptable form of discrimination. With that in mind, the "gear police" can naff off. I wouldn't want to play with people who listen with their eyes. To kow-tow to this attitude is to lend it credence. Stand up for your bass, and yourself!

I agree that it's unnecessary to categorise songs by suitability for gender of singer. Either it works and sounds good or it doesn't.