Kiwi

5751 valves in my Burmans have done the trick.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1420803705' post='2653562'] He could have thrown me a palm sander but what would I have learned using that? [/quote] How quickly you can f*** up a decent carved top. *cough*

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1420793097' post='2653386'] This would be a great place to start. I think Jon runs a 3-day build-your-own-bass course which would not only give you a better idea of your abilities but also give you the chance to ask Jon's opinion. [/quote] Last course I did with him, he said he won't be running them in 2015. Too much build work of his own to do. Jon won't provide a qualification either. As has been suggested, a furniture course is the starting point if a specialist instrument course such as offered by the London metropolitan university aren't available. http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-courses/ Martin Petersen did this course btw

FWIW Yamaha have [url="http://www.yamahamusiclondon.com/"]their own shop[/url] in Bond Street - which they took over from Chappells. It's easy to pop along and have a plunk on stuff if they have it in stock and the mood strikes.

I've just realised I was standing next to him at Earls Court, waiting for a tube to Kensington Olympia at the last LGBS. There I was with a bass on my back and I didn't give him a second look. lol

I tend to use a cigarette lighter...*gh*. It's great stuff but does need a little planning if doing multiple connections. I've lost count of the number of times I've finished a soldering job and realised I hadn't threaded on the heatshrink.

Sheldon has managed to dial in a recipe for lots of growl with his basses - not an easy thing to do consistently as any Fender player will attest. The basses I tried at the last LBGS were far from dry sounding but its also worth bearing in mind that many new basses can take a while to relax and settle in. I know this was definitely the case with my Shuker.

With any pitch shifted signal, the "flutey" sound comes with the territory. However if you eq out some of the flutey treble frequencies, it sounds much more convincing.

Are you aware of the Akai Unibass? [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVby-BPyrnE"]https://www.youtube....h?v=xVby-BPyrnE[/url]

Rivera era Fender valve guitar amps are pretty amazing for rhythm work - mainly due to the sag and fendery chime. I still have a hankering for a Concert or Princeton combo.

This caught my attention: [i]"[color=#000000][font=Georgia,]they adjusted the nut, bridge and action in order to make the bass as playable as possible"[/font][/color][/i] Definitely try before you buy from the sounds of it.

Check out the classifieds *cough*