tauzero

Just to make it even more complicated, you can turn it either clockwise or anticlockwise to go from left to right.

If you're building effects units then a step drill and preferably a pillar drill are essentials. Also, if you want square or rectangular holes which are fairly large (eg for displays), power files are excellent. Especially if you're better at using them than me.

I use tubing that fits over the screws. Like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285761252182 Cut to length so the pickup will be a bit higher than required when the tubing is uncompressed, then tighten down the required amount.

And seeing as we're allowed to follow the herd, get things, and then find we like them: Sei basses - there was a lot of mention of them on BC, as they seemed to be the next flavour of the month after Shuker. So when one came up at Bass Direct, I went and tried it, and bought it, and bought another and another and another. I could probably have afforded half a second-hand Fodera withnthe amount I've spent on them. Barefaced cabs - Alex has been flavour of the month for quite a lot of months, with LFSys now snapping at his heels, and some time ago I bought a BB2. Later, a One10 came up at an unrefusable price so I had that. The One10 proved insufficient for my needs (couldn't keep up with quite a quiet band) so it went, but the BB2 lasted quite a bit longer until I got a GR Bass combo.

Echoing another couple of posters: Flatwounds - tried flats and don't get on with them, either the feel or the sound Fender Precisions - don't like the necks on Precisions (especially the 5s) and I'm exactly overwhelmed by the sound, especially with flats Helix LT - fantastically powerful multi-effects, bought as a step up from an HX Stomp, but for me it doesn't have any advantages over the HX Stomp and it's far bigger and heavier

Flatwound strings on decent basses. Just stick to putting them on Fenders.

AliExpress returns are (in my recent experience) to a UK address with a prepaid label. Also, for cheap stuff, they may not even want it sent back. Most recent thing I sent back was a USB audio interface that was very noisy, no quibble, got a return label, posted it back and was refunded when I posted it. So @PaulWarning, you might as well do a return if you don't mind dropping it off at a post office.

A little while ago, I got an OLP Tony Levin. There's a little too much relief on the neck so I decided to adjust it. Being an Allen key adjustment kinda guy, I hadn't paid attention to the truss rod adjuster. Thinking it was an allen key adjustment, I moved the scratchplate to try and get access to the adjuster, but after some struggling and a bit of research on the interwebs, it became obvious that it's a spoke wheel adjuster. Is it possible to get a spoke wheel adjuster that will fit onto the current truss rod, or am I looking at a replacement truss rod or neck?

Common sense. I play with one band where the BL just bungs the leads into a bag and I'm glad it's not me who has to extract them.

Ought to be a catamaran with one hull marked "His" and the other "Hers" (making unwarranted but not unreasonable assumptions about the gender and sexuality of the Stugots).

The thermionic valve was invented by an Englishman, John Ambrose Fleming, so "valve" is the correct word.

Interesting that the Zoom MS-200D+ is in there as it's still a current pedal. And it's a bit surprising that there's a Les Paul that you have to pre-order, I'd expect a clearance item to be in stock. As for that Bacchus, couldn't they have just left the scratchplate off rather than putting on something that looks thoroughly cheap and nasty?

You have to watch out for that. If you go back to the original item, you'll probably find there's a selection of wirelesses and the most attractive is shown as the default but the cheapest is the one autoselected for you. I fell foul of this when I finished up with a couple of Amplug type things when I wanted something else.

And to answer your original question, I've put Artecs into a couple of basses and I'm very pleased with them.

I've used lockwashers to act as a shim between the threaded shaft and the hole for a couple of pots and switches.

Always on for me, although I need to do a bit more playing around with it since going from a Zoom MS-60B to an MS-60B+.

I have a Kam PAR bar which doesn't get used as I already have to set up the PA and my bass gear, and putting up the lights as well just got too much. I supplied the drummer with four LED PAR cans which just get laid flat on the floor pointing up (thus relieving me of a job).

Another headless bass you can find second-hand is the Westone Quantum. No flip-out leg rest but it does have a notch for your leg.

It's not bad, though there's nothing to rest your right forearm against. The flip-out leg rest works well. On a strap, it tilts forward because the neck end strap button is behind the body. I keep meaning to look at moving it to the shoulder instead.

As long as you get some good quality tone dust to replace it with, it's not a problem.

As also found on the Sire M6, so it's not just anonymous Chinese makers who do that.

Have you considered the Hils HNB5? There's also the upcoming Sire M6. The only thing about these is that there is currently only a fan-fret option. Kiesel also make headless basses: https://www.kieselguitars.com/models/bass

Clear or no scratchplate (what's this ghastly "pickguard" word?). Scratchplates are an abomination and a monstrosity created so Leo Fender could do all the routing from the front and save money, then perpetuated by Ernie Ball and then by most of the FSO and FakeRay builders.

My fix was just to take the battery carrier partly out. I do want to come up with a better fix - may have a look at that shortly.

I was going to mention the 10-string Dean Edge Hammer. I have one - the neck is rather on the thick side but it's not bad.