FinnDave

Put me right off my dinner - please post a warning in future!!

The guys there are musicians and enthusiasts first and foremost - every time we go to Devon, a trip to Ashburton is essential. My wife had a favourite coffee shop there, and I am always warmly welcomed at WM. That guitar sounds like just the sort of thing that would appeal to them. They have a well equipped workshop and very experienced staff there as well. I have no connection with the shop other than being a very happy customer.

I can thoroughly recommend WM guitars in Ashburton, Devon for the quality of their set-ups. They carry very few mainstream guitars (or basses) but have an interesting and quirky stock, all of which is set up perfectly in their workshop, and there is usually a label attached to each instrument with details of the action and relief. The shop is run by some lovely people who couldn't be more helpful.

As promised, here's a couple pix of the bass that caused my early retirement from this year's challenge. I am sure that once you've all seen this, you'll agree it was perfectly understandable.

Likewise, I try my best to avoid Beaconsfield, as I have had several mechanical breakdowns there. The most memorable was the total destruction of the engine of my Harley 30 mins from home after riding over 1600 miles in two days from Finland.

It would have taken you a lot longer to get back to East London from Swindon! I was just depping, so it was an easy in and out.

We were booked from eight til eleven, I'd packed up, been paid and driven 40 mins home by ten past twelve!

NYE was definitely last year - well, mine was, anyway! Also now considering an offer of another Jazz bass in exchange for one of my Ibby sixes.

My experience of the Oxford PMT is the same - everything I have tried there has been well set-up. I tried and then bought a fairly expensive Sandberg there last Saturday and have since gigged it happily without touching the set-up at all.

No way mine is going anywhere after it's debut gig - what a sound!

I gigged the Sandberg I bought yesterday this evening - wonderful tone!

I'll stick up a picture when there's a bit more light for me to take one.

One of Ibbys has Nords, the other Barts. I've still got them, but they are up for sale. I bought the Panther Special, natural woods and a three band EQ. I'm playing a low-key rehearsal and gig later today, so will find out how it sounds in that environment, but the best judge of it will be next week when I'll be playing a full rehearsal with the Dudes in Leicester. Hard to say how it compares to the Fenders I have as it is strung with the original steel round wounds, and the Fenders are using LaBella flats. I may well change to flats after today, just need to get used to it. It has the most comfortable neck I can remember playing, everything just falls under the fingers. It was very hard to resist - so I didn't!

I'd never even thought of buying a Sandberg, and I only went into PMT to kill some time while waiting for my wife. So yes, a completely unexpected impulse buy. I'm shocked by my recklessness as well!! I just spent the last 90 mins playing it plugged into my Rootmaster 800/ Super Compact rig (at 'in the house on a Sunday morning' level) and I don't think it's an impulse buy I shall regret - lovely balanced feel and sound. I'll try it out for a while, but it is very likely that I'll swap the original pre-amp for one of John East's little marvels - once tried, everything else is second rate - and I like to support local businesses I'm unlikely to buy anything else major this year, I've blown the 2020 budget before the first week's out!

I'll stick one up in the morning, too dark for pics now

Four days in and I've failed spectacularly - I wandered in Oxford PMT today to kill time while my wife was having her nails permed (or something) and wandered out an hour later 1800 quid lighter and the owner of a rather splendid Sandberg bass - so that's me out for the year!

I played in central Oxford last night (the Wheatsheaf) with a local Grateful Dead covers band that asked me to dep as their regular bassist was away. A fun evening playing music I know and love without the pressure of satisfying 100+ eager DeadHeads. It was a monthly event with three bands, the other two were originals and very good, we were the exception and people were decent enough to stay and listen to a bunch of old blokes playing old music. I played my active MiM Jazz bass through the main band's bassist's rig, a small but powerful MarkBass head and an Vanderkley (??) cab - loud and punchy sound, quite impressive.

That's my trouble, Al, I've always been a slow learner. It wouldn't have worked, anyway. My wife is currently at work keeping me in the style to which I have become accustomed.

Naturally!

Worth knowing, as I'm just up the road from Abingdon (Standlake). Thanks!

Is that the one that used to operate out of the shop on the corner as you come into Abingon on the A415, just as you go round the corner by the traffic lights? If so, I think he's moved to Wales now.

Much as i'd like to agree, I have to say that when I have merely changed one wife for another, people have made a right fuss about it!

Dave Smart is my go-to chap, lives on Cumnor Hill, google Smart Guitars. Tell him that Dave from the Grateful Dudes recommended him to you , that should jump you straight to the back of the queue! I live between Abingdon and Witney, we are almost neighbours!

And me, sadly!