uk_lefty

When I started playing end of the 90s/ early 2000s my first bass, a Tanglewood P copy, was £250 including a strap, pick and a rubbish second hand practice amp. In 2006 I was in London, probably the Bass Cellar, and a German made Warwick $$ was £800 new, I think US Fenders could have been a similar cost. I wanted the $$ but only just venturing into the world of work didn't think that was a sensible use of my first paycheck. Right now that gets you a Rock bass made in the far east and little of the magic that those original German Warwick's had. I think MM Stingrays were a similar £800-900 around the time. I paid £1850 for my Stingray brand new at the end of 2018. The rises are incredible but also inevitable, a dollar was 50p in 2002 now it's not, the UK was in the EU but leaving coincided with COVID and Russia being what they are and then something political happening in the UK that might have cost people with mortgages and rents a lot more money.... The world is just a more expensive place now all around, some things more than others. I'm approaching a big birthday and for years thought this was my chance to blow loads on a flashy bass but I'll probably get a £150 Harley Benton or stretch to the Hofner Ignition bundle at £400 and still have something I'd happily gig.

Loving the new finish!

Have used them occasionally over the years, including buying my decent electric six string from them. No issues at all and sometimes you get emails with 10% offers etc. that can be quite good.

Can he lug it up the stairs and get it set up for you on a gig?

...and what do these cretins achieve with this nonsense? There must be bigger fish to fry for these idiots.

I bought it new at the end of 2018, it lives in a case and gets well looked after. The pickguard is a custom made mirror guard with the band logo going through it. I absolutely love it, it just doesn't do subtlety!

I am doing less and less gigs that require my full rig (ABM600 into two ABM Neo 15s). Most venues we play have their own PAs, guitarist and drummer have in-ears and singer is going that way too so on stage volume needs to be kept low. We now have active subs for when we use our own PA. Since early in the summer I've often played gigs direct off my board through my EBS Microbass. So, two 15s take up a lot of space. I'm thinking of trying to move them on and replace with an ABM 4x10. That should surely give me everything I need.... What are the pros and cons of this change, if I go ahead with it?

Ashdown ABM600 with two ABM Neo 15s. More than enough for anywhere.

Haha well I am pretty sure I had the film off the pickups before the gig but it is the kind of thing I'd forget. It only arrived a day or two before that gig. All stickers are well and truly off now, 10 months later.

Any three songs off Bat out of Hell (I know it's cheesy but I wouldn't mind 1% of the royalties off that one) and it's a very well put together album. Also, any three song sequence off Appetite for Destruction because it's the greatest rock album ever, IMO of course and not wanting to start a debate, but seriously that album just flows and Sweet Child O Mine (also known as the Devil's Ice Cream Van) is the worst song on it, and it's a great song.

I still love him even though he's chewed my SWR amp!

Can't forget this one either... A bit growly. It's a Harley Benton JBFL and I cannot believe it was less than £160 new.

MIJ PB70 reissue

Hohner B2A and a Kramer five string fretless

Miami blue US Pro ii. Stunning colour, sounds great too.

Nobody has ever asked me which bass players I like, why do I do certain things (there's licks and things I recycle from others) but occasionally I will get asked "have you heard the bass player on x record? He's awesome!". Pretty much the same as my conversations with the drummer: "I really liked the drum sound on that record." End of statement.

I read the lot but left it completely confused. The only music biography I couldn't finish was Keith Moon's, what a horrible bar steward he was.

Jeez that's a weird book, it's mostly filth too, nothing about music.

The original "fever" was bass and vocal, I'm sure you could do something around that. It would be recognisable.

@kevham noted 😉 haha. I also have too many, but none of them are Precisions so a correction is in order at some point!

I had a long drive yesterday and ended up listening to recordings of my short-lived 80s band made on my old Washburn Status. I remember the EQ was not what it a used to and seemed a bit too simple, but fired up through a Trace Elliot it sounded fantastic: clear, deep, punchy.