paulmcnamara

There seems to be some quite strong feelings both for and against............ What seems a shame and not a little incongruent, is that in all their lyrics, interviews, and public exposure, they seem to want to present themselves as mature, empathic, grounded people, but their behaviour into old age belies their lack of human development and is reminiscent of the childen in the playground who won't play nicely..........?

Might have been more cost effective (long term) to have had therapy for the GAS?

It’s an odd business that in the bass world the maxim: ‘you get what you pay for’ rarely applies, but people generally act in their buying and selling as if this is always true. Sire basses exemplify this point. They were originally designed and produced to provide youngsters with the possibility of playing a good quality bass at a reasonable price without bankrupting the family should they decide not to continue playing bass. An example at the opposite end of the spectrum might be the ridiculous price that 70’s Fenders sell for which, in the 1980’s everyone referred to as planks because of the shoddy craftsmanship and poor quality control. Many have quietly forgotten this in their delirium for ‘historical mojo’ as the world of relic-ing also demonstrates. Sire: good on you...... onwards and upwards in instrument integrity. Buy with confidence............

Any thoughts on his latest rant in the music media? https://twitter.com/rogerwaters

Having had the opportunity to play my new build through my regular amp/cab set up, (Aguilar TH500 & SL12) finding that the Aguilar pick up (AG4P - 60) is extremely pleasing and a good choice for the warm smoothness that I am after with a little bit of percussive click! (for want of a better expression)

All you need is X5 tra la la la la.............

You read me like a book......... once you get the bug.......

Perhaps better described as an assembly rather than a build in deference to the many luthiers at work......... maybe one day I'll have the necessary tools or at least access to them to be able to embark on a personal design/build........ Lockdown (although fortunately in full time employment) seemed to present itself as a time for being creative is a new way. I had thought of putting together a "Bitsa" but never quite committed to it. I began by ordering a "Precision Type" natural alder body off of the Bay, which looked great, was reasonably priced, as seemed like it would fit the bill. I could see myself learning to spray a nitrocellulose lacquer over it at some point. But alas the body was "Precision shaped" but in no way standard and it would have meant purchasing custom parts to make them fit and, I suspect, would have given me all sorts of other issues. Seemed like an expensive option. I managed to send the body back and obtain a refund, the builder saying that there had been a mistake....... I wasn't entirely convinced! So I thought I'd play safe and source a Fender stock Precision body. I had in the meantime sourced a roasted maple Fender Precision neck at a reduced price owing to a small crack in the headstock, which had been professionally repaired. It seemed like a way to go. When I saw the repair, it immediately filled me with a sense of concern as it was highly visible and seemed to be in a vulnerable position. However I ploughed ahead and, the task of inserting the new bushes proved too much for the repair and the spilt in the headstock represented itself........ I was horrified! The company, based in East London with a storage facility in Germany were excellent in organising return shipping and refund. I paid the difference and received a pristine roasted maple neck (albeit several weeks on). Coupled with this I had purchased a scratch plate from these very pages, which arrived cracked, for which the seller kindly refunded me. There was a time when I thought I'd give up the idea of a build and just purchase a ready made precision from these same pages! However, the rhythm and routine of the lockdown helped me to be patient and continue in my quest. The intervening weeks gave me time to learn about the effect of capacitors and their values, showed me the need to get a digital calliper and re read my Haynes Handbook on The Fender Precision Bass.... a wonderful and well informed tome which had been on my shelf, largely unread for many a moon. I also found time to investigate You Tube, digging out various maintenance clips including the wiring process for a precision. Whilst I had plenty of printed diagrams available on the internet, I found the video clips helpful and informative with plenty of advice and tips. That was my first job whilst awaiting the arrival of the new body and neck. I really enjoyed the soldering once I had got back into it. I did everything I could less the earth wire from the bridge and the pick up wires. They would be soldered in the last instance. As a lover of all things Aguilar (using a TH500 & 2 SL112's for the last 8 years) I decided to go for their vintage 60's pick ups and certainly haven't been disappointed with the initial sound. It's early days and I will need to experiment. Once the neck arrived I embarked on the assembly which I did over a day and a half. It was only as I arrived towards the completion of the assembly that I began to realise that I had quite a task ahead in setting up the bass I had built. It wasn't something I had given much, if any, thought to in the past. I used the manual to refresh my memory re procedure for neck assessment, truss rod adjustment, nut setting, intonation and action etc............ a fulfilling and satisfying learning/recalling curve. I've included a few pics telling the story and would encourage anyone in my position with few tools and minimal bass knowledge to "go for it" especially in these days when we can neither rehearse nor gig it can provide an equally creative outlet. All in all it took about 6-8 weeks gathering the parts and finally assembling and was, in the end, great fun, even if at times a little daunting.

No, it wasn't noisy at all, you could hear the fans doing their job but no hum.... maybe an earth loop on the Twin? Regards, Paul.

My original and first pro Trace rig with the AH350 115 & 210, then at The Bass Centre (Wapping) annual sale in the mid 90's I picked up a NOS Hexa Valve amp for about a third off the retail price.... a great upgrade! Pics are quite old..... Both amps were great and worth trying to pick up when they occasionally appear........

Trace Hexa Valve....... pure heaven.............. V. Rare now!

I'm told that the best way to rehearse remotely is ti use a landline as it is virtually without lag/delay.......getting the level loud enough might be a challenge as most landlines don't have a line or headphone out.......

What's the best software/apps for rehearsing online. Have tried a number of well known ones but all have impossible time lags! Thanks.

Sold Nick my Helix LT ....... smooth transaction, great guy to deal with.