Maude

So it's actually a very authentic copy then? 😂 To be fair I am a fussy git. Which makes anything I do a nightmare, as unless I can get it absolutely spot I'm never happy. It's a curse I tells ya! 😁

I had to sign up to Facebook for band reasons and didn't want to use my real name as I hate all that previous acquaintance 'wants to add you as a friend' shite (if I haven't stayed in touch there's a reason). It's not really a 'stage name' but I signed up as Lowdown Al (Allan being my real name) and it's kind of stuck as a stage name now as obviously that's what it says when I'm tagged in stuff. If/when I'm introduced on stage it's usually "On bass, Lowdown Al, lowering the tone since '73". My username is another story, which I probably should've used as a stage name looking back. 😁

Mine had tail lift and I much prefer heavy strings so something had to be done. I figured as the bridge was 'knackered' and would need replacing to use heavy strings then there was no harm in butchering it. I drilled two holes through the big rear flat area (OK slightly curved for the pendants 😉), countersunk them and put a pair of stainless steel screws through and pulled the tail down flush. It's been perfect for five years now. Rickenbacker started doing this themselves I believe, although somewhat more elegantly.

Yes, I realise all of that. But you'll be the first to admit you'd rather see a genuine TRC on a faker rather than a Rickenbacker one. As it is definitely a Matsumoku build and all the information I have is that it was in originally branded Aria, and I have a Rickenbacker and Rickenbastard TRC to hand, what TRC would you opt for? There's a only one of those four that it could possibly left the factory with, or would you choose a different brand name that Matsumoku built for completely randomly. Leaving it off is not a an option either for aesthetic reasons. I completely understand that a brand name on most Japanese fakers is irrelevant as all you can be sure of, once the TRC is gone, is which factory made it but I've gotta to pick something.

Because the previous owner took the Aria one off 😁. But I know what you mean. I've considered a 'Matsumoku' one in the Rickenbacker style but that's wrong as well. I've got no reason not to believe it wasn't badged as an Aria originally.

My Aria came with a Rickenbastard TRC. I have a spare Rickenbacker one but I don't want that either. I really want the original Aria one but can I find one? Annoyingly the previous owner had swapped and said he had it somewhere (in the middle of a house move) and would forward it on. I've since messaged but nothing.

I'd have only been able to collect it today, I have to go somewhere and the bass is about 10 miles further on... But happily, it sold last night. Not surprising for a fiver.

I've just realised we're now just over 3/4 of the way through the year. Well done to all those still in, and a scornful, finger wagging, shame on you to all those that have caved in to the shiny temptation of new gear. I'm currently being tempted by another bass that I don't need, or really want. A fairly hideous Kay rickenbacker faker with the wrong pickup and pickguard... But it is only £5!

I've had a 424x and 1024x, I still own the 424x. In fairness I had already done a reverse P mod on the 424 so would probably lesson it's resale value against the 1024, but I genuinely prefer the tone of the 424 over the 1024. It sounds slightly more aggressive compared to the more sedate 1024. At the time I remember likening them to a gobby teenager and an elder gentleman. I couldn't really campare fairly though as one had halfrounds and a reverse P, the other coated rounds and a standard P. I think if I could have two again I'd have a 414 and a 1024, a 2024 would be great but out of my price range I think. As for your dilemma, I think if they weren't too far apart in price I'd have the 1025, if you struggled to justify the extra for the 1025 then I'd be perfectly happy with the 425. I have several Yamahas and every one is an excellent bass.

Hourglass - Squeeze

I've had a HW 4005 for about 6 years (in my profile picture), bought secondhand but only a year old. I don't know how long Harry has been making them, and whether he hadn't mastered finishing then, but the paint finish wasn't great. It's a mapleglo and the clearcoat was very orange peely. It wasn't horrendous and the previous owner was happy with/hadn't noticed it, but it bothered me. I flatted and polished it and it was fine then. Everything else is fantastic, the woodwork and attention to detail is exceptional, checker binding, crushed pearl inlays, the fretboard colour, everything, perfect. I've seen many other finishes of his which are great so maybe mine was a bad day, who knows. It was my main gigging bass in my Mod/Northern Soul/Ska band, which has now folded but I can't see me selling it any time soon. It's a beautiful bass and after a couple of little changes to suit me better it's a one off.

Who Are You? - The Who

I know. It was a joke about their slightly odd scale length, not being a 'standard' 34". Hence the laughing emoji after.

I know Ric bashing is a sport but I love a good Ricky. But if, and it is only if, the body size and neck length are the same as a normal 4003, then I can't see the point in this short scale. Yes it'll sound slightly different but with a full size body and neck then you've lost a lot of the appeal of a short scale. Just move that bridge back, put a horseshoe in the space created and make it sound like a real Ricky should. Unless the body and neck are shorter, then ignore me, I'm talking shite. 😁

A standard Ric is shortscale isn't it? 😁 Seriously though, are the necks on these a standard neck but with the bridge moved up a few inches? To me, the whole point of of a short scale is to move the fretting hand towards the plucking hand, not the other way round.

I know we've moved on from sliding pickups, but the discussion is now placement and I've had an idea. It's probably not a very good idea and I'm just thinking out loud really but bear with me, and maybe it doesn't belong in this thread but there we go and here we are. If the area between bridge and neck was filled with single coil jazz pickups, or similar slim pickups, and wired via a rotary switch then you'd have the largest range of tones. But, that's a lot of complicated wiring and the pull of the magnets would choke the strings, not to mention the shear weight of it all. Which made me think. If a pickup with no magnet doesn't produce a sound(?) then could a huge pickup the length of bridge to neck be constructed with multiple coils inside, each the width of all strings, permanently wired to an output (via tone if wanted) and a sliding magnet be used to 'activate' each coil in turn. There's various easy ways a lightweight sliding magnet mech could be produced, and there's no moving electrical contacts to sort out. I assume you'd get 'bleed' from the coils either side of the activated coil as it magnetises the string, but it could be interesting. Or am I an idiot? 😁

It now says 'comments are turned off'

Cheapo plywood or multi laminate? It's all in the wording.

I know. Late 80s to late 90s TV and film largely passed me by as that was my serious drinking period. No time for frivolities like TV. 😁

I've just realised that somehow I've ended up with three Kay basses. One infinitely inferior to these, one of these and one infinitely superior to these. I don't half own some shite! 😂

The yellow one is £151 at the moment, a lot of bass for that money!

Is this a good time to admit I've never seen 'This Is Spinal Tap'? 😬

E=mc² - Big Audio Dynamite

Hole in my Shoe - Traffic

Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus