Dingus

Ostensibly at least, the reason for the medical is firstly to see that you are in good shape to fulfil the contract and therefore less likely to pose any potential problems one the cruise work begins, but more importantly than that , you need to have a medical to satisfy the private medical insurance that covers the ship and its' employees. You cannot be insured for any chronic pre-existing conditions under the standard cover provided . and this is potentially very problematic if such conditions are undisclosed and become apparent once you are at sea in the employ of the cruise line , so the insurance company will want some effort at least to weed out potential liabilities. As for costing £500, nothing to do with private medicine is ever cheap , or indeed even reasonably priced.

[quote name='Tripehound' timestamp='1384295540' post='2275061'] I'm looking to buy a new bass - specifically a Lakland Hollowbody. The price new seems to be around £1300 but it seems Musicians Friend in the US will ship me one for a grand plus fifty-odd quid for postage. Significantly they claim that this figure includes all taxes and duties. I've also noticed some vendors on eBay offering this service. It appears very competitive - a 250 quid saving is not to be sniffed at - but it still makes me uneasy. Has anyone a tale to tell of using a service like this? [/quote] This could be a very dubious saving . You will almost certainly find that, one way or another, you will end up paying more than you had anticipated for the bass , and then you have consider that if there are any "issues" with the bass then , however helpful they might be, you are dealing with a retailer and manufacturer on another Continent. That can be a right royal pain in the arse. Buying this bass could save you a few quid, but it could also be the beginning of a load of hassle you could probably do without. If I were you , I would see what was the best deal I could get from a U.K retailer ( Guitar Guitar or The Gallery in Camden for Lakland , both decent shops to deal with , in my experience) for cash - even if they can't match this price they might throw in some strings and / or a setup ect- and then compare that to the total price of the U.S.A deal. I would be surprised if , on balance, the Musician's Friend deal was preferable overall.

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1384210806' post='2274167'] I'll get it straight, I enjoy covers at home, I like to mix things up occasionally with my previous bands as it keeps us fresh going over someone else's songs, it helps with arrangements of originals, however I have no intention of gigging them, it's all too cliche for myself and not satisfying enough to play someone else's stuff, I do that in my spare time at home, it's wonderful to do as well! Nothing like nailing a John Entwistle bass line or grooving with Jamerson! But I don't want to do that live. That's not me, I probably have too much of an ego to do covers, but then again who doesn't at times?! It is what I want, I'm currently studying for a degree in music performance and management but I'll also do a PGCE so I can teach if I want to, especially if I move abroad! If I can, I'd like to do one, largish tour, UK would suffice plenty, but I want to be in a band that do tour and gig, even if we have brief success I'll be pleased and happy for life, I'd then more than happily take up full time teaching. [/quote] For what it's worth , I really admire the spirit of any young person nowadays who rejects the pressure to conform and get a regular job as soon as possible and decides to follow their heart. I really don't want to sound patronising , but at that risk , I really think it has got a lot harder for people to experiment with trying different things while they are young enough to be free to do so . All the pressure of society is brought to bear to try and make you join the rat race as soon as you leave education , so kudos to you for giving it a go. I am only trying to offer advice only so you know what you are taking on , if you didn't already. The World was a different place in those days, but I left school at 18 and instead of going to university or getting a job I set about pusuing my career in music and did manage to play full time for a couple of years , and have never regretted it . To be honest with you , I had no interest in anything else , so it wasn't a difficult decision . It improved my playing no end , but it was also enough to let me know that I wasn't going to do it for the rest of my life. Maybe it's because of that experience that I am at peace with myself now despite only playing on the side , so I am glad to hear you are not discouraged. At the same time, it worries me when hear about the amount of young people who are doing degrees in things like Performance and media- related subjects. Those degrees will be of little or no use in helping anyone pusue careers in those fields. in all likelihood . You are lucky enough to live in a country that still rules the World when it comes to popular music, so if you want to be in a touring band then work on your playing and when you can , move to London , and take your chances . Stick with it and something good will happen.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1384243092' post='2274265'] not just pubs though is it [/quote] Not by any means. It's anything which is potentially profitable.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384214665' post='2274212'] And neck dive with a very light body will probably put more strain on your wrist, forearm and shoulder. [/quote] This is something I hear a lot lately , and it's a bit of a misconception . All Fender-style basses, neck dive when seated and playing the guitar on your lap without a strap on. It is inherent to that design. That ,however, is absolutely no indication of whether the bass will neck-dive when balanced on a strap. Some Fender-stryle basses neck dive, some don't , but the body weight has very little to do with that . Plenty of 12-14 pound boat anchor '70's Jazz Basses neck dive , but it's more to do with the weight of the neck in relation to the balance points of where the strap pins are than it is to do with the weight of the body. in relation to the neck . The upshot of all this is that if you have a Fender-style bass made with a lightweight body - as is increasingly common nowadays- providing you specify lightweight tuners, it will probably balance , unless the builder has selected some extraordinarily heavy maple for the neck . It's worth mentioning in relation to body weight though, that very lightweight swamp ash - highly desirable for its' lightweight and resonance - and especially lightweight alder , is in increasingly short supply , and so more and more builders are going the route of using heavier wood and chambering it . That gives a slightly different tone, to a solid piece of lighter wood but not in a negative or adverse way.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384207295' post='2274108'] What about the depth and width throughout the length of the neck? Fret size? [/quote] All of those things are important, but can be mostly be changed after the event if you want., albeit at a cost If the neck is too large in any dimension it can be reshaped , and refrets are straightforward . It's also quite possible that even if those things weren't ideal on first aquaintance, the O.P could learn to like them . That has happened to me before now. on a few occasions . I bought a bass a couple of years ago without ever playing it that had vintage -style small fretwire that I had overlooked as a detail and it felt wierd at first but now I love it. . I could have sold the bass or got it refretted , but I accepted it and went with it. That's just one example. You are right about buying without playing beforehand being a gamble , Nige , but are the consequences really [i]that [/i]serious? People are inquisitive by nature , and the next bass always holds the greatest promise. My advice to the O.P would be to check out some off-the-shelf basses before ordering a custom bass if at all possible , because he could very easily find something that fulfilled his needs and desires just as well for less money . A new Am St Fender Precision with Custom Shop pickup now fitted as standard would be my first recommendation , and then take it from there . They aren't reliced , but if they feel good , does it really matter?

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1384203373' post='2274038'] I want to own [i]less[/i] stuff, just better. Bear in mind- i'm talking about my dream bass here. I think I've now put in enough bass playing hours to deserve a top-end instrument that I can cherish for many years to come, that will still be looked after, taken out of it's case and played frequently long after I've given up the gigging life. I don't think there is anything wrong with that- this is not irrational GAS. This is a long-term plan to replace my three mid-price Fenders with one, ultimate bass, drawing on all the things I've liked and not liked in my previous basses. I've not found myself suddenly lusting after a Stingray for no reason. The only question mark, is how can you make a decision without playing the two options I've listed, as both would have to be custom-made? That's the idea of this thread, to gain as much info as possible. Bravewood are local to me, but I've never seen one in the flesh. CS I've played and liked, but are almost £1000 more than a Bravewood and not hand made. I like handmade, knowing someone's crafted that from scratch just for me- it makes me feel warm inside. Like I said in my original post, I have a good idea of what I like and don't like in a bass now, but that doesn't guarantee anything. Some basses look good on paper but don't feel right. And vice versa. I could just wait, as recommended, and when finances allow, maybe take a trip to Camden and see if something vintage-ish speaks to me. Played in instruments feel far more comfortable to me. None of my current basses, as reasonably good as they are, will gain heirloom status with me, I want one that will! Either that or they'll have to bury it with me! My brother in law plays bass. He once gave me a piece of advice I felt was good but i never followed- Once you've played bass for a few years, you've done your time with cheaper basses and you've decided playing bass is for you and you [b]will[/b] stick at it, don't bother with in-between basses, just go straight to the top and buy a good one. It'll save all the messing around. He did this and went and bought a Rickenbacker 4001 which is the only bass he's owned for the past 15 years. He'll never sell it, and I'd like to think he's got me on his will to take over the ownership if he snuffs it! I'd prob trade it for a P bass though..... [/quote] One thing working in your favour is that you know you want a Fender-style bass, presumably from what you have said a Precision with a 1.625 inch nut width. If you are familiar with and like that design then it would take quite a lot for a decent builder to irrevokably mess that up for you . It's a tried and tested design and you should at least end up with something in that ballpark. I would back off on the heirloom status thing , though. Don't put yourself under that "once in a lifetime" pressure . If you want to buy a bass and can afford it then buy it and hope for the best. What's the worst that can happen ? You might get the bass of your dreams , or it is a let-down ( unlikely) have to cut your losses and in the process learn a bit more about what you do and don't want from a bass. Either way , it will all work out O.K in the end.

Two things immidiately spring to mind . Firstly , this invention could be part of a conspiriacy to kill Neil Peart. Secondly, for any drummer under the influence of drink or drugs, this could be either the best or the worst experience ever.

Saw Pete with U.F.O many times back in the day, and I had that live album , too. Hope he makes a full recovery and gets back to rockin' that Gibson Thunderbird very soon .

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1384194444' post='2273826'] Hilarious. [/quote] Thanks!

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1384004926' post='2271788'] Well, despite the best of intentions, last night and today has seen an orgy of neck-swapping and pickup changing, and leaving anything as stock is seemingly beyond me. While I'm entirely happy with the outcomes, why is it that we seem to tinker so much with these damn things? [/quote] For some people, tinkering is half the fun . Maybe you don't actually want a bass so much as you want something to do? Nothing wrong with that , I hasten to add. If you like experimenting then go ahead and experiment. Maybe you will discover something really important. The most important inventions and discoveries in history - electricity , penicillin , Kellogs Pop Tarts- were all as a result of someone who just enjoiyed pissing about because they were bored.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384156452' post='2273221'] Indeed and in both respects One was born in '63 and one in '83, excellent years [/quote] I don't want to sew the seeds of discontentment , but if you could swap those respective dates round you would have a pre-CBS Fender and a relatively pert younger woman ... win-win !

I don't want to go over the same points as a lot of other folks have made , but I would just like to say that , from my own experience , the only thing worse than being in a band with pushy people with very definite ideas and opinions is being in a band with people who no apparent motivation, strongly-held ideas or opinions . Maybe James needs to find people as driven as himself . Making a living playing music is a very hard career to sustain for any length of time , though , and even a lot of musicians in bands with record deals that you see on T.V are barely scraping a living by most standards and have no real security . If you really want to be a professional musician , that is the life you are signing up for, so when you say you want to make playing original material your main source of income, James, that is great but don't be under any illusions that your income from doing so is likely to ever be very significant unless you are both extraordinarily talented and/or lucky, and even then you will probably struggle financially . I personally know people in bands that have had several hit records , done World tours and have big media profiles who have had to sell their guitars and take awful day jobs just to be able to feed themselves when their career flatlined and their record company unceremoniously dropped them . I know it's a cliche but it's true : music is a very tough business to be in . Are you sure that is what you really want? As for playing covers , I enjoy it tremendously and I don't care too much what anybody thinks about that . It's a good job I enjoy it , too , because the harsh fact is that once you reach a certain age in this game , your most credible avenue for keeping playing music is to be playing covers.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1384165766' post='2273336'] [url="http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/arts/news/pubs-are-about-company-not-getting-drunk-1-3181729"]Pubs are about company, not getting drunk[/url] Good article in the Scotsman over the weekend. [/quote] Hang on a minute, Scottish people telling us that pubs aren't neccesarilly about getting drunk ? . That's like me telling Suzannah Reid that it's not about sex, I just think your an incredibly talented journalist and television presenter. Or like me telling Carole Vorderman that she is not just a great arse to gawp at on T.V but actually genuinely really clever , i.e not quite true.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1384178443' post='2273561'] True, all true, and also add in the fact that drink-driving became (with astonishing speed) social suicide about 20 years ago, that the Courts have been steadily more and more prepared to act on complaints about noise, that cable TV and the Internet have taken over many people's lives, and that we're at the tail-end (I hope) of the worst recession in living memory. There is no purpose in saying that the death of pubs is caused by X, or Y, or Z. It's caused by society doing what it does, which is constantly changing. The pubs which will survive will be those which either change with the times (e.g. gastropubs) or which find a genuine function to fulfil in the community. [/quote] This is absolutely right . Pubs , like any other business on the High Street, are potentially a victim of social change . Businesses come and go, often reaching the point of demise because of changes in the wider culture of society at large. Look at how many bricks and mortar shops have been forced out of business by competition from the internet . Who could have predicted that thirty years ago? But those shops hadn't been there since time in memorium , were once themselves the vanguard of a new kind of consumerism , and had no divine right to exist . Even though they often serve as a focal pont within certain communities , ultimately public houses are no different to any other commercial enterprise . If people don't spend enough money with them or they are badly run , they fail. The homogenisation of Britain's pubs is a terrible shame in so many ways - the huge variety of pubs was one of the most individualistic and endearing thing about this country- but their conglomeration into chains of theme pubs is just another example of the inevitable and unstoppable march of Globalisation . In other words , wherever there is money to be made , big international businesses will be making it , rather than smaller organisations or private individuals. They have the financial muscle and therefore the political influence necessary to dominate , and they are using it systematically to wring every penny out of wherever they can , regardless of the wider consequences for society . Wouldn't it be surprising if it were any other way, though?

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1384109308' post='2272868'] Thanks chaps. It's a bit late to start treating the bass with care. It's been mistreated all it's life, including being set on fire and thrown off stage regularly by it's first owner. It was rebuilt in 1978 with a new fingerboard and body because the originals were so badly scorched. It is very battered and I've never taken great care of it in the 34 years I've had it. The pick ups are the loudest and deepest sounding of any passive bass I've played, including other pre CBS Fenders. Over the past few years I've bought a lot of Jazz basses, but none of them come close to the depth of tone and volume of this bass. Many of them have developed faults quite quickly, like dodgy output jacks, while my old faithfull with it's original '63 electrics has never missed a beat. It's in an ugly, heavy old beast, but still by far my favourite bass and I hope it continues to be as reliable for the next 34 years. [/quote] Without wishing to sound disparaging , if it was rebuilt with a new body and fingerboard in 1978 , its' provenance as being described as a 1963 Jazz Bass is spurious, to say the least . The greater part of it is a 1978 Jazz- style bass, albeit with the bits and pieces from a 1963. . If it was an all original 1963 bass and someone had taken care of it , it would probably be knackered by now . My own recently - made Jazz Bass with specially overwound Custom Shop pickups is the best I have ever heard , and I get to play a fair few old Fenders on a fairly regular basis . I wish you could play it and see what you think . As I have said before , some old Jazz basses work fine , but more and more of them sound like crap, I am sorry to say . It seems to make absolutely no difference in whether people buy them though , so if I owned an old Fender I wouldn't worry too much about it affecting the value.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1384110155' post='2272878'] They're the same thing, aren't they? ...Aren't they? [/quote] Of course. .

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1384109645' post='2272872'] Does that mean a bass played by a couple of generations of experts will sound better than one that has been played only by noobs? [/quote] Do you mean Basschat "experts" or real experts?

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1384108563' post='2272849'] I wouldn't say it's likely, but it can happen. It's usually due to the pickups taking a knock or just plain old bad luck due to the wire breaking. Treat the bass with care and you should be fine. I've had tons of old basses and never worried about it myself. A personal prospective about rewinds: I used to have a '64 Jazz Bass with rewound pickups, sounded spot on and like other Jazz Basses of that period because the right guy rewound them. I later sold the bass to a mate of respected vintage guy Phil Harris, via Phil. The bass was a refin and the price wasn't affected by the pickups and he wasn't put off I recently bought a '64 Precision pickup which needed a rewind for my '66 P Bass which I had a Lollar in. I sent it to Bass Doc who did an incredible job, to the point where the rewind would go unnoticed by 99% of people! Rewound pickups don't put me off it they are done sympathetically to the era. [/quote] Rewinding old Fender pickups is, by neccessity because of their advancing age , getting to be very common . I read recently that Geddy Lee , for example, has had to have the pickups on his prized '72 Jazz Bass and similaly aged main backup '74 Jazz rewound by someone . Bear in mind that there was nothing particulaly esoteric or complex about those old Fender pickups to begin with . They were relatively cheap to manufacture and did a good job . The worst case scenario is that someone would have to abandon the original pickup for one of the many newer substitutes on the market , many of which are so good that the sound of the bass will probably improve anyway. It might compromise the resale as a vintage bass , but you may well end up with a better sounding bass overall as a result.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1384107968' post='2272843'] My Fender Jazz bass has it's original 1963 pick ups and they've never been rewound. It has been used regularly throughout it's life, with virtually no maintenance. Is it likely that the pick ups will fail soon and if so why? [/quote] They won't fail as such , but they may start to sound increasingly quiet, , thin , microphonic and lacking in bottom end . Some go wonky , some don't . If yours still sound good to you then don't stress over it . You could always try listening to a vintage -style Jazz with some pickups designed to replicat the vintage Fender ones when they were new , such as Lindy Fralins , and see if you noticed much of a difference to your own bass or strongly favoured one over the other.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1384102878' post='2272770'] Oppps Sorry!!! [/quote] It's O.K , just don't let it happen again.

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1384078589' post='2272423'] WHOW that was good. Saw Tony with Firm and he was mightily impressive then with that distinct fretless growl from his Jaydee bass. This is a great match with Sykes and Appice. Need to get this album. Thanks for that. Dave [/quote] I used to play in a band with a guitarist who idolised John Sykes and Blue Murder were his favourite band . He had his hair like John's , except he was ginger (!) .. I too had a Jaydee at the time , but I had already grown out my mullet for a more classic one-length style more reminiscent of the Wonder Stuff. If you had a band nowadays that looked like Blue Murder in that clip people would think you were so far ahead of fashion that it was some kind of post -modern ironic statement. and you would get in all the trendy magazines . They look so ridiculous that I can't find words to describe them and they are an absolute joy to behold . These men are in possession of a very, very special fashion sense , even by the standards of the late 1980's, and I salute them. They were a good band , though , and should have had big success at the time .

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1384101869' post='2272756'] FWIW I find it funny when folk try to draw a parallel between the maturing of a violin / cello / double-bass and the maturing of a Fender, or any other electric bass. There is no comparison - that's an undeniable scientific fact. The violin and all other instruments constructed using a sound-box of wood, create their sound by the strings vibrating the wood of the sound box. The box is manufactured to work through the wood being under stress and vibrating to create the sound. The character of the vibration will change over the many years through drying out, penetration of beeswax, or other substances and the vibration of use. This can be scientifically proven by analysis of the wood. The wood in the electric guitar or bass might vibrate and give some small character to the sound, but the sound is formed almost exclusively in the electronic components. Yes, the cloth and resin found in the old pickups may well have changed over the 50 years that an old bass has been in use, but there's no assurance that these materials wont fail and need replacing in another 50 years; unlike the wood of a violin that can continue to be functional unless there's an accident. If the pickup materials in a vintage bass fail and if they can't be replicated you can be sure the value will collapse. So we may celebrate the increase in value now, but it's possible any owners of vintage basses may do well to sell now, rather than keep them to the point of failure. It may well be true that the change in the cloth and resin in the pick-up may have changed the sound of the bass guitar, but we can't be sure as we also can't be sure we are replicating the amps and the recording technology. What we also can't be sure of is if a bass made today will change in in the same way as the old ones did. Pickups are made differently today. So the break-down in the materials will be different. So it's very possible a bass made today will sound exactly the same in 50 years as it does today. So, sorry guys, but if you're looking at keeping your new Fender for 50 years it may well totally fail as an investment. So past performance is no guarantee of future return on investment. IMHO Anyway, what about "Road-worn" basses? I can see there's an achievement in keeping a bass in mint condition for 30 years. Is there any achievement in having a bass that looks like it's been dragged behind a car round the M25 or burnt in a house fire? [/quote] Someone talking sense on Basschat . How refreshing. Is that [i]really [/i]what we want , though?

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384048065' post='2272333'] It seems to me like you just fancy a new bass And looks seem to be one of the main driving factors. If you really want to buy your 'perfect' bass, you need to PLAY a whole bunch of basses. Eventually you will find one that floats your rubber duck. It will attract your attention because it looks ace and you feel compelled to pick it up, then you will find it feels so lovely and gorgeous in your hands and magical notes and flowery phrases seem to flow from you, like this is the best you've ever played. You will get a sound that will make your belly tingle, a sound you've never had before. Anything else and it's not the perfect bass for you. Then give it 12 months to see if, really, you just fancied a new bass. [/quote] This is very sound advice on many levels , but at the same time I have to say, that is a perfectly reasonable course of action to take a punt and order a custom bass , or buy a bass you have never actually played , providing you are willing to accept that it is a gamble. If I think about it, I didn't play any of the basses I have bought in the last twenty years before I bought them , and even if I had I would still have bought most of them , including the ones I didn't like that much . It's very easy to fall in and out of love with basses. I have got basses now that I ordered because they interested me , didn't like when I got them and then grew to love them over time. I would never have had that rewarding relationship if I had based my decision on a half hour demo in a shop. By the same token, I have bought basses in the past that I tried in shops and enthusiastic about and then never really gelled with in the long term . It's all so hit and miss. If there are very definite things you are sure you do and don't want then a custom order can at least help you check off that list of requirements. A lot depends, of course, on how important the money is to you and how much you can realistically expect to recoup if your custom build doesn't come out how you would like and you want rid. Nowadays , if I order a bass and it is dissappointing for whatever reason , then that is no great shock, surprise or tragedy to me. You just have to accept it as part of the game. The more research you do beforehand , the more chance there is of a satisfactory outcome, but be aware that you are taking a risk , regardless.