uk_lefty

Influence in the broadest sense, I don't play anything like most of these: Jack Bruce Noel Redding Geezer Butler Jeff Ament Bruce Foxton Dave Ellefson before he went a bit weird Colin Greenwood Duff McKagan Marcus Miller Jaco Mark King John Taylor Probably missed loads but those are the ones I either aspire to play like, or hearing them makes me want to play.

Thanks to everyone who replied. I am now sorted via Anyvan and the seller is happy with the arrangement. Very grateful to you all. Ross

Some minor progress... The waxed fretboard looks a thousand times better than it did but probably wants another coat or two. I've vinyl covered the headstock and refitted the tuners, tidied up some of the ragged edges of vinyl on the body too. I had intended to fit the electrics from my Harley Benton jazz but the shafts on the pots are too short and there's a few other obstacles to deal with, so it may be a while until I get around those. Still, looking ok for now, I think.

My Harley Benton fretless jazz is a lovely bass. Recently I acquired what I guess used to be a kit bass that needed some work and thought rather than buying new parts for that, why don't I upgrade my Harley Benton and then lend the old HB parts to the kit bass? It seemed sound logic to me. Even though I always maintain there was nothing at all wrong with the HB stock, here's what I've done... Monty's wax on the fretboard because I use round wounds with this bass; KioGon loom so I could use the HB electronics in a different bass; New Hosco bell plate; Cream coloured pickup cover... I couldn't quite fit the bridge one without fettling the body and have grown to like it just like this; Gotoh high mass bridge. Knobs swapped around because I just wanted to. Worth a further upgrade would be the nut and the tuners but honestly I'm not fussy about those. The bass is perfectly good as is. It just looks a bit better now.

The Desert Penguins playing the annual "last Friday before Xmas gig" at The Horn, in St Albans. Loads of guitar rock and pop covers typically from the last 24 years, a few "new" ones and some obligatory Xmas tunes. Bass geeks most welcome to inspect my pedalboard, instruments, amp and cabs.

Thanks gents, looks like progress at the moment with the seller being accommodating... Will check in later.

I've just bought a bass on eBay. The seller had it as "local collection only" and I made an offer conditional on him/ her allowing me to send a courier or anyvan... Well, they've accepted the offer and taken the monies. It's early days but I've had no reply to my message to the seller. I hope they have some adequate packing materials... But if the worst comes to it and they are going to be difficult about it is there a BC'er who would be happy to pick up a bass in Ipswich for me, please?

We try to divide out various "management tasks" but essentially we have one band member who is incredibly particularly about many things and he ends up doing most of it. These tasks are social media posting, gig advertising, finding and contacting new venues, replying to enquiries, following up on festivals... That sort of thing. It makes me feel bad because every now and then he has a sulk about having to do all the work but he is also a control freak and won't let go of it. It really is easier having one person do this. I don't think we could afford or would want an external manager, it would feel like giving up some control and diluting some of our messages for what the band is about and the kind of venues we want to play.

Sorry but no. It was a long time ago and I got rid of the Stomp. I remember I really liked the 70s Chorus and I used to sometimes use that with another chorus but I forget which one.

I love some of the comments in here like "perfection is boring". If people want perfect they wouldn't go to watch covers bands, they'd stay at home with a CD or they'd feed the jukebox. It's the mistakes and imperfections that make it a great live experience, the fact that it could all fall apart any second keeps us on our toes. A good band pulls through the mistakes, it happens so, so often... My most embarrassing one in the last three years is: having a complete mind blank while trying to start off "Seven Nation Army". The song I used to describe as Fisher Price 'my first bassline'. It took me well into the first verse to remember the riff!!!

They look ok but to me the spec doesn't seem much better than a standard Harley Benton.

What is it you need? I've got a spare off a Harley Benton jazz that you could have for nothing, drill it, do whatever with it.

That one has been up before with a long story about the incredible luthier blah blah... Still seems like something that you could easily knock together yourself. There's no way I'd buy something like that blind, and certainly not at that price.

Lovely!