neepheid

I doubt you'll find something off the shelf specifically for the Sire, and I also doubt very much that any Fender one will be a perfect fit. My advice would be to get the original cloned - Brian Pillans on ebay (username earlpilanz - https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/earlpilanz) will see you right. You send him your original, he returns them both. He did a bang up job for my G&L Tribute LB-100, absolutely flawless 1:1 copy which fitted exactly and took me from this: To this: Other pickguard cloners are available, but I was very happy with the service and results.

Of course, I can't pinpoint where I gathered this info/lore, but I was always led to believe that you set your preamp gain high enough that the clip light just gets tickled when you play your loudest/heaviest. I take it that's BS then?

Right, it's dodgy because it's Mexican made. Jesus wept. EDIT - In case anyone was wondering, I'm being super sarcastic towards the sales person in the shop. A bad instrument is a bad instrument, doesn't matter a jot where it was made.

I'm never the same bass twice so this policy would be unachievable. Just as well I'm of the opinion that all my basses are "bassy"

How are you going to try it if they aren't allowed to open it? Whoever wrote/said clearly wasn't thinking clearly/rationally at the time...

So - how did they photograph it in the first place? I've only ever had to deal with their CS once, I bought a cheapy bass from them but the fingerboard was delaminating from the rest of the neck at the nut. Returned and refunded without issue.

I effin' hate plunge routers. I hate my cheapo one even more - no soft start so it just goes from zero to finger removal in about half a second and jerks the whole machine so you need to get in position and switch it on before you push it down. Anyway, as usual it took longer to prepare the router (needed oiled as the plunger mechanism was sticking, then inserting and tightening up the cutter, then offering up the piece and setting the depth), and prepare to cut (clamping straight edge as a fence to push the router along, clamping to the workbench, checking with the router off to see everything lines up). Then the cut's done in about a minute. Then tidying up, dismantling, putting stuff away. Slot's a bit wonky, haven't done any routing in ages so the start's a bit bobbly and I hit a knot near the end which also put the router off slightly but TL:DR, it's done... Guess I'm gonna screw and glue the end pieces on now...

Thank you for that overwhelming endorsement of my dubious practical talents!

I had one of their RedSub amps as my main amp for nearly 12 years. No complaints here.

Isn't it obvious? Most bassists don't have a good word to say about Gibson. They are by and large considered a joke. Even when they were trying (and releasing some fine and interesting basses), not many people were taking them seriously. Any rose-tintedness we employ now because Dirnt and Novoselic used 'em is because when Dirnt and Novoselic were using them it's because they were the bass equivalent of the clearance bin CD and they were able to pick them up for relative peanuts, not because they had a great affinity with the brand. The jig was up the moment they released the retconned EB-1 back in 1953 (I mean look at it versus the '51 Precision) and have been considered to not quite "get it" ever since. Honestly, I'd rather Gibson stopped this token gesture BS and just leave Epiphone to it when it comes to bass.

Hi, we're Gibson. Are you a bassist? Just kidding, we don't care.

If you've already got all the parts by the close of play on 31st December, then you won't be buying any new gear, so it's all good. If you forget something, and have to buy it subsequently then it kinda depends what it is - pickups, tuners and bridges are probably "gear", trivial/consumable stuff like wire, solder or cans of lacquer arguably aren't "gear" (at least not specifically). Buying to replace broken/defective/worn/stolen stuff is OK, but it has to be direct replacement as near as possible - if your Behringer BDI21 dies and you go buy a Sansamp - that's a major upgrade and therefore cheating. If you bought another Behringer BDI21, fair dos. Unsolicited gifts are ok. In the end, it's just a bit of fun, we're all on our honour, you're welcome to ask for an adjudication, should you participate.

I had a successful (albeit rule testing and adjudication required) 2022. This year was a case of "eff it, I'm worth it". Next year, I think I can go without again.

Ahh well, now that I use more than two pedals when I'm out giggling, I decided to sort out a pedalboard. I could buy one, of course, but I found some scrap wood lying around and thought "something to do over the holidays?" So of course I make things more complicated for myself than necessary and make angled side pieces. Just put my power supply on one of the side pieces to mark the height then eyeballed the angle to cut. Used a scrap piece of wood as a guide and got sawing... Then I used the cut piece as a guide to cut a copy... There's a slight generational difference between copies (like less than a mm) but it's close enough for amateur hour/school woodwork class, so I put it together and it actually sits flat, no rocking! I'm not glueing/screwing it together yet - am going to make holes (or slots) in the top for the power leads to come through first. That's enough for one evening. More news when it comes!

Presumably those volume pots are 25K, not 250K or more? Active EMGs use 25K pots for volume. I see the tone one appears to be a 25K, can't see any reason why the other two wouldn't be 25K but thought I'd ask.

I'm going to do the gear abstinence thing for 2024 - got a good rig, a backup amp, a decent selection of basses and I'm not really into pedals beyond tuner/comp/overdrive so I think I'll cope.

Ahh yes, the other, often overlooked role of the bass player in a band - "band parent/guardian"

I like and enjoy playing all my basses by various metrics so for me there is no underclass of bass in my collection - I happily gig any of my basses. Any that I wouldn't gig, I move on.

It was a gift, so what does it matter? I got gifted a bass two years ago - unprompted gift, didn't count, participation continued.

Why? They only notice me if I flub something or stop playing...

I take two basses to the gig and if nothing goes wrong, I swap them over at half time. It took me a long time to work out that I could have double the fun at a gig. I don't care which bass I play - all my basses sound bassy. I've never had someone come up to me and say "you sounded better with the other bass".

All I can give you is a personal opinion, but it's the BB1200 if you want single pickup, passive fun, the BB2000 if you want PJ passive fun and the BB1200S if you want active fun. Gotta be neck through IMO.

If it makes you feel any better, I don't know what it is either.

Take your pick from here: https://www.hagstrom.org.uk/visstory/visitors_H_Range_bass_models.htm

My strings stay the same (D'addario XL 45-105 - will accept 45-100 if they're already there because I'm lazy and I don't really notice the difference). If the bass doesn't play well with my preferred strings then it's getting moved on. I've found my favourite strings and grudge the expense and time of ar$ing about experimenting with other strings.