Linus27

[quote name='molan' post='897556' date='Jul 17 2010, 08:18 PM']Are you just getting a neck to fit the existing body or a complete new bass?[/quote] Yes just a neck. Jon Shuker will get the whole bass and will then make me a fretless neck, based on my existing neck but fretless. He'll get the whole bass so he can get the new neck to fit the body.

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' post='897541' date='Jul 17 2010, 08:04 PM']Hi mate Knowing the story behind the bass and having played it, I would say go for it. If it doesn't work out you've not done anything to it that can be undone. Given the way it sounds though (easily the best Jazz I've heard) I think you wouldn't be able to buy a better one. More importantly, you'll use it a lot more than in it's current configuration so you'll make your Old Man happy too [/quote] Cheers Nick and yes you are spot on. I am currently recording an album, mostly with fretless so as you say, it would get used a hell of a lot more than its current configuration. At the moment, I just have no use for it fretted. Thanks mate for the advice. We must hook up again soon, either at a gig or for a coffee and a chat.

Been after a decent fretless for a while but have struggled to find what I would like. It then struck me about having my nicest sounding bass, my ESP 400 Series Jazz made fretless. I don't want to de-fret it as it is very rare and I don't want anything go wrong with the original neck. So I have decided to have one made by Jon Shuker. Before I make the plunge, is this really a wise move? Any pitfalls I should know about or be aware off? Jon will be getting the bass so he can match the existing neck and ensure it fits the body perfectly. Am I doing the right thing or would it be better to buy a proper fretless bass?

[quote name='mart' post='895932' date='Jul 15 2010, 08:11 PM']That does really sound fantastic! And I'm with the others: you don't really need any "proper" vocals - there's enough interest as it is. I can't wait to hear what you sound like with a Warwick fretless - you're really making that Squier sing![/quote] Hey, thank you very much. The second song we are working on which is about 95% finished I think is even better. A much more complicated bass line and so much more fretless lovelyness I will post it soon.

[quote name='TommyK' post='895899' date='Jul 15 2010, 07:34 PM']This is AMAZING!!! Glad i had a listen. Many congrats, great playing and sound. Good work Linus!!![/quote] Hey thank you very much.

We did a gig at Oxford Football club so our singer, who as I mentioned above was chief football holder, broke into the grounds and had a kick about on the pitch. He then got chased off by the security guards. Thankfully they never caught him or ball and he remained cheif football holder

Oh where do I begin. OK, France. Playing at a big Festival in Belfort, France. This is our crew at Farnborough Station about to embark on the trip to France. From left to right. Dave who became Denise some years later. John the drummer, Sid the guitarist, me the bassist, tall Matt the roadie, Pete the manager, Steve the singer and chief football holder and Rich the roadie who later died. When we arrived at Dover, we met the English National Female Netball team who took an interest in us playing football in the carpark waiting to board the ferry. Being female, we thought that clearly they had no idea about balls and football and challenged them to a game of football and netball and the winner had to forfit something. I think they had to snog us or something like that. Anyway, netball started badly. I think we got the ball once but only after Sid jumped on one of them. Not sure he was going for the ball. We felt confident that we would get them back and win the football challenge. Alas, they were good with all balls it seemed and thrashed us at football. Not sure what we had to do as our forfit but it was probably embaressing or painful On the way to France. Already very drunk and having already had a fight with the band we were sharing the coach with. You see, we were a noisy punk band that got very drunk and would get up to the usual male antics like taking all our clothes off, doing moonies, singing etc. The other band was a sensible Jazz band full of muso's who could not tolerate us rock and roll types. We ended sitting at the front of the coach and they sat at the back as they thought they were more important. So to try and smooth things over and show we were friendly, we chatted up the two girls in the band at the annoyance of the male members of the band. By the end of the trip, one had left the band and the other was thinking about going solo. We called it a public service Our next target were the Spanish. This guy was from a traditional Spanish band and we had to share a massive hall with them and lots of other band for lunch that was put on for all the bands. Now, this Spanish band were being very noisy and Spanish so we accidently threw a bread roll at them across the hall. The problem was they didn't see us do it. So we did it again, and again, and again until we managed to create a massive food fight, eventually getting thrown out of the hall by the French. To be honest, we all had a laugh about it after and got on ok with the Spanish guys. Next we met these lovely ladies who our manager and roadie fell for. No idea where they came from but they were lovely, especially the girl on the right. We then met these Croatians who we decided to annoy by following them everywhere they went. It kind of worked as it ended in a big chase around Belfort but they were pretty cool in the end and very friendly. One of then decided we were his best friend and decided to keep buying us things like beer and writing us notes. It got a little scary. Portugal were next on our hit list but they were having non of it and decided to be friend us. Not sure if it was our English accents but all they wanted to do was sing Oasis songs with us. I'm not saying we said we were Oasis but it might had slipped out in conversation Next our Jazz band friends decided to perform so our roadie decided to kind of stage invade them and run across their set. Again, another fight ensued soon after This is the stage we played on to about 7,000 French people who seemed to like us. Again, this annoyed our Jazz band friends, especially when the two girls in the band were hanging around with us now and not their own band Me on stage during the gig. Our guitarist the morning after the gig. I don't think he realised how cheap beer is in France. Plus he met two French girls and was never seen again until the morning. Good lad. We also found an Irish pub and spent a few hours there but it was a bit odd, maybe a gay biker pub. These hairy men kept trying to talk to us. Then our friends who were also playing at the Festival got chased by a French gang with knives and had some kind of incident with French Police.

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' post='895027' date='Jul 14 2010, 08:18 PM']Reminds me of my youth: "M Khan is bent"[/quote] You have so lost me on that one

[quote name='jonthebass' post='894799' date='Jul 14 2010, 03:46 PM']Worth asking Jon Shuker too?[/quote] I just heard back from Jon. He can make what I am after for £300 which includes lacquer so this is a good option.

[quote name='Rumple' post='894921' date='Jul 14 2010, 06:22 PM']I like that a lot, not sure it needs proper vocals. Best Of Luck. R.[/quote] Hey, thanks very much. I think at the moment we will give the vocals a miss.

[quote name='absolutpepper' post='894800' date='Jul 14 2010, 03:46 PM']Well I dont have any experience of the ESPs but I have a Warwick Corvette Standard 4 in Bubinga and have to say its a fantastic bit of kit. You could do a lot worse than a fretless one of those. In saying that you should probably make sure its an ebony neck model if you find one, 'cause if you are using rounds then they'll rip up some of the softer wooded necks.[/quote] Thanks for the advice. So you don't want to sell me yours then

[quote name='absolutpepper' post='894777' date='Jul 14 2010, 03:24 PM']+1 on the Warwick Corvette. £400 or so for a neck is expensive plus every time you change you'll probably need to do a set-up job, particularly if you switch between rounds and flats as the tensions are totally different. The only thing about the Warwick is that the necks are unlined as standard and I think they only offered lined as an option so there aren't really many kicking around. Fab basses though!!![/quote] Chances are, it won't be changed that often or at all. I just did not want to de-fret the original neck as its very rare. Plus I would be using rounds on fretted or fretless. However, £400 as you say is expensive but may be worth doing as the original neck is a little warped. Unlined is fine with me. Just impossible to find a standard fretless one. Would prefer Bubinga but still trying to find one is impossible.

I have spoken to Sims and they can do this for me. It will cost £290 unlaquered which is a copy of my neck including skunk stripe but with an Ebony board which they say is better for fretless. If I want it lacquered then it will cost an extra £120. Not sure to go lacquered or unlaquered. Plus endecided if its worth going for as for the same money I could buy secondhand a fretless Warwick Corvette or CIJ fretless Jazz.

[quote name='Jeremypaulcarroll' post='894543' date='Jul 14 2010, 10:58 AM']Should’ve bought a Mac :-) It is very nicely in the Mick Karn vein… could do with being more dominant in the mix! Have you tried double-tracking bass parts like that? AFAIK that’s how Mick Karn achieved his ‘chorus’.. J. XX[/quote] It's interesting the Mick Khan references as I've not actually heard any of his playing. I got a Japan album the other day but not actually listened to it. Thanks for the tips on double tracking. I am back in the studio on Thursday so I might give that a try. Thanks.

My Stagg sounded like a double bass. Other people also said it sounded like a double bass. Job done really.

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='888276' date='Jul 7 2010, 12:14 PM']thanks for doing this Linus, you've inspired me to think about who I could tap up now... [/quote] You are very welcome. Would be great to have more interviews from other bassists. I have somebody else in mind so I will let you know who nearer the time.

[quote name='basshead56' post='887795' date='Jul 6 2010, 09:15 PM']Great interview! Great choice of questions Keep up the good work[/quote] Thank you

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='887787' date='Jul 6 2010, 09:11 PM']Looks like our Michael is the official BassChat journalist from now on Nice work & a nice piece, Michael - Who's next?[/quote] Hey, thanks. I do have somebody in mind. Watch this space

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='887782' date='Jul 6 2010, 09:07 PM']Great interview.[/quote] Coool. Thank you very much.