4000

I’m 55, but as an 8 year old kid probably knew the words to most of their songs by heart. My older cousins were hugely into them and I used to stay with them a lot. They were the first band I ever loved.

Not really unlucky getting something drastically wrong when ordering a custom build; there are so many variables, unless you really know what you want. For instance it may be a body shape you've never played before that turns out to be uncomfortable. With mine, my first was a 6, simply because I fancied a 6. Over the next few years I came to realise that a 6 really wasn't for me. When I ordered my Rim bass, I'd only played one very briefly. Turned out I had problems with the ergonomics relating to a nerve problem I had (nothing wrong with the bass), so I had to move it on almost immediately. With another build I had the neck made based on an early Warwick Dolphin that I was having a honeymoon period with, in spite of the fact I was used to much slimmer necks with much narrower spacing and a much smaller fingerboard radius. And even though the neck was the same dimensions as the Dolphin, it just didn't feel the same. So I ended up with a neck that didn't really work for me on any level, and it was a through-neck (I don't tend to use bolt-ons), so I moved it on. These things happen. If you're used to playing, say, Jazzes and you order a custom spec Jazz shape, then you've got much more chance of it working. What I will say about Sei, is that for me, Martin makes basses that typically feel very slim, comfortable, relatively lightweight and very fast to play, which is my preference. The nearest I'd say are Everson and GB; Paul's Everson's basses are criminally overlooked.

Was that a back bow easily sorted by a trussrod adjustment or something more sinister?

Not only are the current pickups hotter than the vintage ones, the pot values are different too. Putting 500k tone pots in may help, but for true vintage tone you may have to rewind or replace the pickups, assuming that's what you prefer.

Surprised about your issue with the B; my 6 string Sei headless had the best-sounding B string I've ever played. As to the OP, Martin for me too, but it's really up to you. I've yet to play a Shuker I've liked, although I'm sure Jon could make one. Whereas I've had 5 Seis, including 2 customs. The problem is, as Soledad says, you really need a good idea what you want, which I didn't at the time. Martin is my favourite luthier though, and is a fantastic bloke; I've known him since '96.

Well I played a couple of BTBs in The Gallery the other day, and unfortunately I didn't get on with either the body contour or the flat radius, so I'll have to pass on a Volo.

Funny you should say that, I once accidentally smashed his nose with the headstock of my old Jaydee whilst leaping about the stage (in the days when I could, in a different band). His nose was pouring for the rest of the gig.

One of the singers in the band used to actually announce over the mic when someone had made a mistake mid-song. Unfortunately he's one of those people who opens his mouth as soon as a thought enters his head, so it never occurred how unprofessional he was being. After it had happened one too many times I've gave him a bollocking and he's not done it since.

Ditto, although ironically it's actually worst when I can hear myself too clearly. I like to hear myself "in the mix" and if I'm too loud I really start to panic about what I'm playing, no matter how well I actually know it. I do suffer with chronic anxiety and depression and have ptsd though, which maybe doesn't help.

The thing is, for many bass players the most important thing about an instrument is how the sound fits in a mix, not how it sounds in isolation. The sound of a bass, or any other instrument, is just another brick in the wall of the sound of a band, unless you're a soloist. Mike Rutherford mentioned in his autobiography that at one point he was playing a Steinberger guitar, which was small-sounding, and that was exactly what he wanted at the time because it was easy to fit in a mix and didn't interfere with anything else. I've experienced the same thing many times when recording various instruments. Indeed my chosen instruments have occasionally been much harder to get to work in context than others I like the sound of less.

In my experience, great instruments are pretty random. You could play 2 of the same bass made on the same day, vintage or modern; one might be great and the other terrible. It's also worth bearing in mind that someone else might come along and think the opposite due to differing preferences; I've seen that happen before now.

I've had more issues with necks on new/recent basses than many of my older ones.

The part of this that amuses me is that to my ears their reunion concert sounded terrible, weedy and lacking in balls, compared to old footage.

Not even necessarily most of the time. I would suggest SOME of the time. My favourite-sounding bass that I've ever owned or played (and yes I've done blind tests) remains the first of my 2 current basses. I wish it was the other one, which I prefer the look of, but it isn't. It didn't cost much when I bought it, though it happens to be worth about ten times that now. And of course whether an instrument sounds better or worse than another is entirely subjective. What's dull-sounding to one might be perfect for another, and any instrument will sound different in different hands. I've yet to play any custom-built bass by any high-end luthier - and I've played hundreds - that has a sound that has really blown me away, because most of them seem to be trying to achieve something I don't really want. I've played many that look amazing, are beautifully made and play fantastically, and I've really wanted them to sound great, but have they, in terms of what I want? No. To be fair, I've also never played a Fender-type - vintage or otherwise - that has really blown me away sonically either; they just don't do it in my hands, although I've heard them sound fantastic in the hands of others, as the sound of an instrument is a combination of the instrument and the player.

Not a daft theory. A change of position will affect how it feels and how your body reacts. Re the OP, it could be age-related, or injury-related, or something else entirely. Do you have any nerve or cervical disc issues? This can affect your hands, even if the hands themselves aren't a problem. Due to various spinal issues I started to have problems playing certain types of basses in my late 30s, having previously had no problems with anything. That's progressed so that now (55) there are very few basses I can play. In fact at the moment, I've limited it to my Rics, which are the only basses I can really play more-or-less pain-free. A jazz is one of the worst for me. The offset body causes me crippling pain in my right arm, no matter what I do or how I position it, and I can't float the arm due to my cervical disc problems. I sold a backup Squier P the other year because I was experiencing hand and arm pain every time I used it. I even had to sell an Ibanez SR because it left me in agony. With some basses it's the left hand, some the right, some both. What I would say is that if it continues, it may be worth seeking professional help. It may also be worth biting the bullet and giving up using the Jazz altogether, or at least until you've identified the cause.

Having had Barts in a few basses, the only one I’ve really liked them in, with hindsight, was a Pedulla. They’re far too dark and polite for my tastes, typically. If I were you I’d have a word with Martin Petersen. Obviously he’s made loads of basses like yours and including yours, with doubtless many, many different pickup and preamp combinations. Also, have you thought of trying passive? BTW, yours is a beautiful bass, one of the nicest super-Jazzes I’ve ever seen.

Oh I don't. I'm enough of a fan to have a good idea of what he's like, even though I'd never actually met him, and I think his remaining relatively shy and humble is quite something. I meant more that it was a shame that I didn't get to say thanks, more due to the veg burrito! Although it's fair to say it probably saved me from myself. 😉

Absolutely. But of course the fact that it has been played on many of what a large number of people would consider Greatest Ever Guitar Moments makes all the difference. It does make you wonder how much it would be going for if Fred Bloggs down the road had played it though....

My main bass has a name, but it wasn't really named, as such. When I first bought it and first used it at rehearsal, many years ago, I said something to the effect of "finally, everything I play sounds like I always heard in my head, it's like hearing the voice of God". The name stuck and everyone I know has referred to it ever since as The Voice. I suppose not unlike Bernie and The Beast...

Oh, and I would expect the Black Strat, in spite of - or maybe because of - all the work done on it to fetch absolute shedloads.

He is indeed. He's also my favourite guitarist, my favourite male singer, and was part of the band who created my all-time favourite album, Wish You Were Here, which completely changed my life. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw him walking towards me at Euston station in October last year. I had a mouthful of veg burrito at the time, so didn't get chance to say anything, which was probably a good thing in some ways. As he got near to me he obviously noticed recognition dawning on my face, turned his head away and walked swiftly past me. A shame though as I would have liked to have simply said "thanks".

One thing that consistently baffles me is the 'either/or' mentality I see from people. 'Punk/whatever is great, prog/whatever is crap', or vice versa. I love Yes, Floyd and Genesis. I love The Beatles and ABBA. I love the Stranglers, The Pistols and the Damned. I love Ellington and Basie. To use someone's earlier example, I love both Never Mind the Bollocks and Bat Out of Hell. Why does it always have to be one or the other?

I've had 3, learned something from all of them about the process, and moved them all on.

Ditto, at 2 separate Manchester events.

I wish I could get a birth year bass for that. Double it and then some... For my 40th I had a custom Alembic made, sadly now sold due to weight issues. Budget was slightly more than yours; would now be probably be going on 3 times that. You could get a decent custom for £3k (Everson, ACG, SEi or GB, just about, or numerous others) or a vintage (but not too vintage) bass. Depends what floats your boat.