ossyrocks

A gratuitous '70's bass collection shot. '73, '73, '78/79 Rob

I would like to add too, that once again Will at Bass Bros was great to deal with, I can’t recommend them enough. This was my second purchase from them and both times have been great experiences. Rob

The previous owner has just been in touch as a result my post! I’m quite pleased about that.

This mysteriously showed up at my house yesterday? (Cheers for the heads up Tony!) I spent a little while last night tweaking it to my liking, a little truss rod adjustment, LaBella LTFs, saddle height and intonation, and pickup heights. It will need some new foams under the pickups (already ordered). But, by the end of it, I got the action low and it plays really well despite the original frets being fairly low by now. This bass has certainly lived a life and has all the marks to show it, but it’s a joy to me. It will be going with me to rehearsal tonight for its first outing. 1973 Jazz Bass. Rob

That ‘73 Jazz Tony @Reggaebass pointed out at BassBros. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for, sunburst/tort/rosewood/blocks and original. Same year and configuration as my other vintage P bass. The price was right too. I just couldn’t not buy it. Now I have to think about paying for it! 70’s B width P necks are just the business. I don’t like the wider nut, so I have no desire for the older vintage 60’s ones. Good luck on the hunt. Rob

I’m working out how I might keep hold of it having just made a rather speedy purchase tonight, cheers Tony! It’s become one of my go to basses since got it, and I’ve only had it a few months. It’s only 8lbs 9oz with the covers off, so it’s a really comfy bass to play. The neck is a big round handful too.

The closest thing BassBros has now is a stripped finish '77 for £2099. Andy Baxter has a '75 with replaced guard for £2995 - https://www.andybaxterbass.com/collections/fender-precision-bass/products/1975-fender-precision-bass-sunburst-2

'78/'79 like this one, probably around £2500. This might be coming up for sale soon.... Rob

Cheers Tony. I've sent them a message about this one. Watch this space! It would be a perfect partner to my '73 Precision in Sunburst/rosewood/tort. Rob

I used to gig this one, in my previous life as a guitarist about 20 years ago. The band was led by Les Walker (Warm Dust), fabulous singer and all round lovely man, RIP.

That’s this evenings viewing sorted! Cheers

Tower of Power popped up in my Recommendations on YouTube last night. Wow, I’m embarrassed to say I’ve not listened to them before!

Chaps, I’m unbelievably grateful for this input. I’ll be curating a YouTube playlist of all the above very soon. I’ve found these playlists a great resource. I just run my laptop into my little Phil Jones practice amp, and groove the evening away playing along. By all means keep ‘em coming. Rob

I’ve just sold my little Rumble 15 to Mike. Really nice to deal with. Cheers.

I don’t know! It’s why I’m asking really. I suppose I was naively hoping for a guaranteed gold plated top 30 tunes of funk, in a book, with lead sheets. Someone here should publish one. I’d buy it.

Totally see your point, and probably agree. It's why we need PR, or at least an alliance of the progressive candidates.

Ha ha, I love how this forum auto corrects my stinky poo !

These are tunes that I wouldn't necessarily consider to be funk in their original form, except maybe Cissy Strut. In fact three of these are tunes in the pad for Jazz Jam, and three of them are in the setlist for my own band (not Cantaloupe Island). My band do a funky version of Watermelon Man, based on one I found on Youtube "Studio Jams" I think I need some education on what is defined as funk. I already play Superstition, I Wish, Cissy Strut etc. I'm thinking there's more funk than this. Deep funk, out there funk, serious stinky poo.

Nice one Tony, I'll have a look at that thread.

That's one vote! Scott, if you're following, it's a start! I actually stood in our local government elections on 4th May. I was a "paper candidate" for the Green Party, who stood a candidate in every available seat, 63 in total for Lancaster. I polled twice as many votes as the Lib Dem candidate, so was fairly happy with that. We now have the second biggest green council in the UK with 21 councilors. Perhaps I should have promised more funk and groove, that might have swung it for me.

I admire the guy, he’s made a success of what he’s done. I have a good mate who tried a similar thing and it worked out pretty badly for him, so I sort of know how hard it is. Like others here maybe, I’m never comfortable criticising people via the internet. I do subscribe to his channel, but I’ve managed to mute or unsubscribe from the marketing stuff, so now I just look at what interests me. I have found lots of his stuff useful and informative. The future of SBL, wrong answers only - perhaps he will run for political office on the basis that we would all be happier with more groove in our lives. Rob

I had a very enjoyable evening at the monthly Jazz Jam in Lancaster last night. Got up and played on five tunes, which was rather good. Anyway, got chatting with two guys who run a monthly funk jam, who on occasion are short of a house bass player, and they asked if I would like do it when required. Absolutely I said. Now, with Jazz Jam, there’s a pad of tunes provided, 95% of it from the Real Books. Is there a funk equivalent? I’d like to get some funky grooves really nailed on, stuff people can recognise and relate to, and most of all jam to. I don’t want to learn exact bass lines from exact songs as such, but just provide a comfy platform upon which people can express themselves. Failing that, I’ll just be riffing the odd tune I know, or improvising on the spot, and emphasising the one. Rob

Andy Baxter has a ‘68 P bass, under 9 lbs, B width neck and nice condition. Given the prices I’ve seen recently, it doesn’t seem expensive in comparison. https://www.andybaxterbass.com/collections/fender-basses/products/1968-fender-precision-bass-sunburst-1 Rob

You’re never too old! I picked up a bass for the very first time in Nov/Dec 2021 at the age of 56. Practiced at home every day, got bad GAS, bought amps and basses, then thought I should venture out. My first outing was to a local monthly jam in October 2022, and I didn’t take a bass, too scared, I lurked in the background and sussed it out. It’s a jam where there’s a setlist/book on a table to choose tunes from, and copies on stage for everyone to look at. There’s a lot of tunes in it. I took a pic of the front page list and vowed to return the following month with at least three I could play. The next time I went, I took my bass and did play on two tunes with the other musicians. Over the next few months, and keeping attending the jam, I found myself in a band with the house drummer and some other musicians from the jam, and we play gigs every month or so, sometimes two gigs, for actual money! We get along very well, and I would now call them friends. This all gave me loads of confidence, and allowed me to stretch out musically and become a better player. A few months ago I answered an ad on JMB for a bass player for a nine piece band with horn section. I auditioned and landed the job. That band is the most challenging musical experience I have ever had, really complicated stuff, but I would say that I’m swimming not drowning. A journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step. Rob

I've never measured mine before. I tend to tweak until I'm happy. Like Tony, I play with flats and a light touch with fingers. I set the relief to be as close to flat as I can get without heading for a back bow. Sometimes this is absolutely flat and sometimes it's the tiniest bit of relief which I then can't be bothered to take the neck off (again) to tweak out. Then I take the action down in increments across all strings in turn, re-tuning each time until I get a buzz, and then come back up until it's gone. Measuring the two I have out on stands this morning, which are a 1987 MIJ PB-62 and a '78 P bass, both are around the 1.5mm at the 12th fret mark, perhaps up to 1.7mm depending on the viewing angle. They feel nice and low, which is how I like them. Rob