tauzero

I know it's been a while. I've got part of a box assembled, going to drill the front panel for t-nuts, cut some drainpipe to length (when I've established the final internal volume), and then finish assembly. Lessons to take on board (I don't think I'll be doing another one of these though): Don't get B&Q to do the cutting. I'm sure I could have done the cutting more accurately myself. Make the speaker cutout only as wide as is needed - don't rely on the specs for that, measure it. Get smaller battens. Make right angles 90 degrees. 88 degrees is not a right angle.

"I've been buying my meat and vegetables from Asda all year, what a shame that they won't be selling anything special for Christmas. Oh gosh, there's that nice Michael Bubbly to tell me that I can get my turkey and Brussels sprouts [1] from Asda after all. Hooray, Christmas is saved." [1] Spawn of Satan

Surely it's time for you to start playing fretless as well.

That's a big ignore list you've got.

It's not a bassist's list without Victor Wooten, yet here we are.

Actually, I think it's Boz Burrell I have to thank. Never heard of Jaco until 15 or 20 years after I first played fretless.

We sat in the kitchen so as not to put any pressure on him.

Ah, you too, eh? Plink plink plink plink "f*ck". Plink plink plink plink "f*ck".

I've got the large PA cabs and monitors, and my combo, in my car. At under 10kg apiece, I can manage it (it'll be a bit harder this weekend as I've put my back out though). Get shot of the heavy gear. I think part of what keeps me, and possibly the drummer, going is that the other two are 25 years younger than us.

Surely with no rebound from the skin it makes playing rather more difficult, as you have to do not just the stroke but pull back too.

Surprisingly good bit of Cilla with the always excellent Marc Bolan

Best may be the Pedulla series 2 fretless 6 - something has just come in which may beat it, haven't yet done NBD on it though so the unveiling awaits. In non-bass-dedicated gear, the Alto TS408s that have replaced my RCF710As are excellent. Mrs Zero prefers the sound of them (I could live with either). And they're about 2/3 the weight. Plus I've now got a BCF2000 to give me physical controls for the XR12.

Ho hum. Bent over to stroke the cat this morning (she was on a chair so I wasn't bending that far) and pretty much locked up. Managed to get back upright. Not ideal as I had a 5 hour round trip to pick up a bass. Now hoping I'll have a fairly functional back for the next gig (Saturday).

There's a couple of things that can be improved on them - the top and bottom halves are slightly stepped at the back where they meet, and the washers are rather flimsy nylon. It's possible to file or sand the rear to even up the two halves, and swap the nylon washers for brass ones. I'd be inclined to use Guyker individual bridge pieces. Or get a Hohner B2/B2V (depending on how many strings you want), shave the wings down, and 3D print some wings for it.

I have them in a couple of basses. Boosting the bass does increase the volume, but only as much as I'd expect from the bass being boosted.

This has put in an appearance here before - some years ago, same description.

As backup to AliExpress's refunds system, I bought it with a credit card.

Yes, box with some sort of textured sticky-backed plastic (to quote Blue Peter). Now repacked and awaiting post back to AliExpress's UK-based returns centre.

Good point, although they will now forever be in that quoted post...

Do you prefer adjustable spanners in metric or imperial?

But presumably you would want what is on the headstock of the bass to match the rest of the bass.

I thought you wanted to be in the band.

That's not good. A broken headstock that's been glued back on and a further break down the neck causing the fingerboard lift mentioned in the description. I would guess that wicking in glue (or pouring it in, given the width of that crack) and clamping it up would do the job but I wouldn't want to risk it, especially not for a through-neck bass.

Ho hum. Not quite as described. You'd think they could have put a bit more effort in. Refund applied for from AliExpress.

I'd like to do "Won't get fooled again" (just the cut-down radio version). Doesn't quite qualify as it would fit the band but it's an uphill struggle trying to persuade them. The one I'd like to do that wouldn't fit the band is "Maria" by Blondie. Used to do it with Mrs Zero on lead vocals but the current band has a male lead vocalist and I don't think it would work.