uk_lefty

Well this wasn't supposed to happen...! I got some quotes via email for the neck work and decided to flog the bass to someone who can do it as a labour of love. It just didn't seem viable to spend the money on it. I got a buyer but he pulled out before I could ship the bass. I relisted it. Then I was going to get my Stingray set up so I took it along just to see... And I must have caught the chap in a very good mood. The neck is repaired and a bone nut installed now. The frets are levelled and it's all set up ready to go. The price for the work was fantastic. I just need a replacement pup and may as well do the wiring all out too while there. So somehow I've gone from giving up on a lost cause to being within a pickup delivery and some solder of having a 1984 Aria SB Elite-i. I think it just shows that it's a bit unfair to get repair quotes just from photos, it needs to be seen and felt in the hand by the luthier.

I reckon I could suggest this to my guitarist just as an excuse to shout at him and throw beer cans at him. Seriously though, tis a good point.

It's funny I was in Wunjos with some tax rebate money. I loved the USA Fender Jazz, great look and really gorgeous tone, and whatever I bought my MIM Jazz was being traded in. But the Stingray just had something that fits "what I do" which is play covers for people to sing and dance along to. And it was a sizeable amount of money more than the Jazz. The jazz would have been great to keep at home but the Ray is perfect to take to "work". Long story short. I still want a jazz though I don't need it.

GAS is such a weird one. I'm a very poor guitarist, I hack through cowboy chords and do some uncoordinated picking. I want to play rhythm guitar for a band I dep in occasionally but I know it's not realistic without serious practice I don't have time for. I bought a Squier Tele at Xmas and rarely ever play it. At the same time I upgraded the bridge pins in my electro acoustic and it took on a new lease of life, I play the acoustic far more. I'm considering trading both in for some type of hybrid electric/ acoustic thingy but there's really no need. I can't see me actually gigging on guitar for a long time. In the three years I've known him I've never been to my mates monthly acoustic open mic thing though I want to, kids and work etc. mean I don't really have the time. I've got my eyes on a new fretless but I put a Kiogon loom in my old fretless and it turbo charged it in to a new instrument. Epiphone are bringing out a lefty Jack Cassidy, I don't know if these will last so considering putting down a deposit... But I miss having a jazz bass... I put it all down to boredom. A Stingray and my fretless are really all the bass I could ever, ever need.

I had just one bass for years and years. Then I got less time to play and had actual paid jobs so my gear acquisition has increased as I have progressed from impoverished student to employed "adult". Basses are a lost cause for me now, I have four and have eyes on more both new and second hand, it's amps!! I've got two but neither are valve amps so...!

That'll be next years release when this one doesn't sell enough.

Paranormal, some would say.

If it doesn't have to be new I'd just trawl local classifieds, you never know what you'll find. Peavey, Gallien Krueger backline, Trace, Laney, Marshall... Never know what you might find.

Harry, that control layout is mad professor stuff. Love it! I think you've done the paintwork well, a lot better than a lot of amateur and pro jobs. How does it sound?

I've got an old "project" bass that I need to either sell or strip for parts. I need to test the pickup for output, my father in law is an electrician so he may have the kit... It what tool would I need and what would I need to do? I've already tried putting a string on the bass and I got very low volume, but this is with no nut in place so it's hardly an accurate test. I'd like to know how to see for certain if the pickup is able to be saved or not. Thank you

Guitar guitar has these listed as coming soon at £689. Factory made lefties. No date for arrival yet... Awful timing when I'm already torn between fretted or fretless jazz or getting a quote for a Limelight Telecaster bass (I know, different beast altogether!)

Ever so slightly off topic... What's the difference between the RM range and the ORIGIN-AL? Phone autocorrect just won't let me write it properly but you know what I mean!!

Top work! I didn't get three of them. One I'm kicking myself for and one I don't think I've ever heard the song.

What's the fretless lurking in the shadows there? Looks like an interesting instrument

Personally I'd want the top off of her, so to speak!!! Gorgeous woods, good reports on the sound too. Only ever heard amazing things about ACG, would love to give one a tickle one day.

I've seen new ones for sale at prices I wouldn't be prepared to pay. I think your best bet would be to look at the specialist dealers of vintage guitars and basses and see if they sell, or even buy, the cases themselves to get an idea of market value. There may be a shop or two with a lefty 70s bass that would want a period correct case to sell it in so they can bump up the price a lot. Or there could be a BC'er or two who'd fancy one at a fair market price.

Thanks Phil. The weird thing is there was no continuous popping. Going to try and fire it up daily now and see if it settles itself before giving Ashdown a call. Would hate for it to just cut out at a gig though...!

I hadn't used my amp or cabs since my last gig. I fired them up last week and it took a long while to get a response from my cabs then there was a bit of loud popping. It took so long I was swapping cables back and forth to see if they were the issue. I used the amp again yesterday for practice and had intermittent cutting out before it settled. I'm trying to find out if my amp or maybe the speakers need to be checked over? It's a bit too much to post the lot off and Ashdown HQ is a fair drive... My last gig was on 15th Feb. I played through my Ashdon RM500 head and 2x Ashdon cabs. Very low volume, not driven too hard, I rarely get the VU anywhere near the red anyway but this gig was fairly quiet due to the room. I store my kit in an office that's built in to my garage, dry and secure though not heated daily. I've no concerns about damp though. No idea what I'd be looking for to rectify this, it hasn't happened before.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124202116656 Interesting 60s bass.

Thanks Mick, it's a neck thru... Though the previous owner has maybe had a go!

Hi everyone. I've done a deal to sell a bass to a chap in Italy. I live near both Parcel Force and DHL depots so I searched both their websites for quotes. Parcel force want over 100 quid. That's what I'm getting for the bass!! The bass is an 80s classic but it needs a LOT of time and or money spent on doing it up. DHL seem to offer postage to Europe from less than £13, is that right? Has anyone used that before? I'm packing the bass heftily, will be about an 8kg parcel. There are DHL options at £13, £14, £25 and £138. The most expensive option is air freight the others seem to be road. I don't know why but I think the £25 road option seems to be my preferred way... Any opinions welcome!