uk_lefty

And even massive gigs...

Thanks for the advice. I'll use the wrench but carefully. I don't think there's room to get a lever down there. I just took a punt on something on ebay and somehow managed to get a cost effective repair done by set up guy. I've been a bit lucky I think, but hoping that once the new pickup is in I've got something 80s-tastic. I always liked the look of these so hoping I can get it up and running in time for gigs to be legal again.

I seem to have developed a stutter too

They have a good range of left handed basses out there but need to know more as it's a crowded field for jazz and P basses below 1000 quid. While I want a PJ on a J body which isn't so easy to get hold of I'm reluctant to pre order before knowing more about them

OK so the neck is all sorted, we are ready to go except fitting the next pickup. Here's the latest issue, I can't get the b@stard old pickup out!! I can get it most of the way out by hand, see picture. Short of getting hold of it with an adjustable wrench what does everyone recommend? It just seems to be stuck in the middle somehow (it's not the wiring, that has plenty of wiggle room), either a tight fit to get it out of the body route or there's something underneath holding on to it. Don't want to risk further damage to the paintwork... Recommendations welcome! Thank you

Weird. Guitarguitar doesn't have it listed any more and on Epiphone's own website there is no mention of a lefty. And it's not because I can't spell I can't spell Casady.

I am hoping that the bands can play outdoors at pubs big enough to do that, round Hertfordshire plenty do this kind of thing as a "festival" but then I think: How does the landlord manage social distancing when they've got enough to worry about running the business in a completely new way and with potentially huge debts racked up? Does the band get paid? I'd play for free for venues and people I know in these circumstances, but for some of my bandmates they have to give up paid work to play music so it needs to be worthwhile for them, they simply can't do it for nothing.

I had a 1st generation Sire 5 and you definitely could have it 'naked'

That's my impression too having asked if they could do the lefty in windermere blue and ideally fretless. You can only get it in sunburst, fretted, and the 'customising' is the electronics and bridge.

I'd rather be doing a drive in gig than no gig at all. I expect a lot of venues will have suffered so much that even if they do open again their money for bands will be limited. For pubs I expect we might be back in the days of playing for free/ food/ passing round a jar. For those who rely on gigs for their income then I bet they're clamouring for these gigs.

For me the Pedulla is all about that glossy fretboard, just looks like an absolute joy to play.

Can't get over how well the board has cleaned up and the position markers... One of the big attractions of these basses for me, so glad they cleaned up well.

Sadowsky "affordable" range now listed on Thomann at £759. Must be the ones licensed to Warwick... No pictures yet, I haven't read much on these either but assuming they'll be jazz and/ or PJ basses. We are getting more choice these days! Just in time for a massive recession.

Sadowsky "affordable" range now listed on Thomann at £759. Must be the ones licensed to Warwick... No pictures yet, I haven't read much on these either but assuming they'll be jazz and/ or PJ basses. We are getting more choice these days! Just in time for a massive recession.

And my brand new Armstrong pickup has arrived today, not even 5 whole days (nevermind working days) since ordering... Now to solder it in, family stuff allowing time for it of course!

Price will only ever go one way, sadly. I first wanted one when they were around 8 or 900. Didn't pay much attention because there was no way I would ever have that kind of money at all, nevermind for a bass. Bought a new one for 1800 at the end of 2018.

She's back, she's in good shape. The crack repair has been done well, you can still see the crack but you can't feel it, which is the most important thing! There's now a bone nut installed, strings and a set up... Though the pickup is not yet working, I've still got a knob missing and for some reason the switch has been hidden inside the cavity.

Ah OK Mark, understand its hard to part with something you've put your own sweat in to restoring. Well, I'd hazard a guess that if you ever did want to sell it you'd be able to buy a same period RH case and have a wad of cash left over.

To my uneducated and questionable ear they tightened up the sound a little on my jazz. It could be Emporer's new clothes, I dunno. They look nicer. I did think there was a difference at the time I made the switch though.

I can tell a very small difference but whether it's better or not depends in the bass. On my precision I prefer the original BBOT to a Badass. Maybe because I like big heavy flatwound strings. On a jazz I prefer the Badass bridge to a BBOT. A halfway house is a BBOT with brass saddles. Probably because I want a completely different sound to my precision.

Next to the neck pickup are those screws placed so you can easily drop on am ashtray..?! If so, that's great attention to detail. Have to admit I'm also tempted by these!

You'll get them when I get the bass!

Well, I have to order a pickup from Armstrong and I may as well do all the electronic guts while I'm there but it will have got me to the point of having a classic Aria from my year of birth. Now watch me give up on it after 3 months and sell it at a loss..!

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.