NancyJohnson

This is a bit of a loaded question for me, so let me ask you these questions: #1 If you put Rickenbacker pickups and the guts into any bass (in the right positions, obviously) would it sound like a Rickenbacker? #2 Which variant of Thunderbird pickups? #3 In a blind test, would you be able to identify a Thunderbird from another bass? #4 What's your reasoning for doing this?

It's a little sad (and to be honest, not unexpected) that a discussion which started out barely 36 hours ago as the possibility to actually do something fun, has deteriorated into the usual knob-gag innuendos and Carry-On-esque double-entendres. No wonder the country is in such a state. Christ on a bike @Sercet, if you want a Shergold, there's eBay. There's an original four string one up on there now with a buy it now of less than £400.00; I'm sure you could convert it to a baritone for somewhat less than this project will cost you. I need a drink.

It's taken an awful long time to get the tone I've wanted. Tech21 stuff was a revelation, as to was dumping the old Ashdown gear I was running and getting the Hartke endorsement (the Hydrive cabinets were dreamy, lightweight, bright etc.). Right now, tone heaven. Racked poweramp, Tech21 GED2112 or the new dUg stompbox. The biggest revelation though has to be the Barefaced Big One that I won at the SE Bass Bash a couple of years ago. I took it out and gigged with it that night and it's just outstanding and is my number one really. I'd like to experiment with a pair of 1x12s or a matched 1x12 and 1x15 (TKS 1126 and H115), just so I can run the GED2112 in dual channel mode and then bridge the amp/daisychain the cabinets should the application arise . The whole backline set up I run works brilliantly with any of my basses, from the couple of cheapies up to the really expensive Lulls and Hamer.

I was at three or four..all Hammersmith Odeon. The 1980 section of Whitesnake Live In The Heart of The City (CD2 or vinyl sides 3 & 4). Blackfoot Highway Song Live. The live album that's now bundled with the 40th anniversary of Rush's A Farewell to Kings. Whether it counts or not there's also a couple of BBC transcription albums too. Japan at Hammersmith Odeon and Specimen at The Paris Theatre.

I think it'll be a case of whittling down the specifications once we get enough people. I suppose as I proposed this, I'll try and drive it forward as far as I can. We're all different and we all have differences in opinion and taste, but bear in mind that if there's enough potential with #1, we could do this more than once. The one thing that I've already noticed is that there's love for Serek basses and short scales; like I said initially it's not about copying what's out there, it's more like trying to do something different or raise an long extinct bass (or guitar design) and working with Eastwood to put a twist on it. It may sound brutal, but this isn't about producing a budget version of a Serek; just save up and buy one.

The reason behind my mindset of going Eastwood was the prospect of relatively low build numbers, along with the facts they've made a name for themselves knocking out models quirky guitars and basses for a long, long time and their entire business model depends on that. With all due respect to Chowny/Retrovibe, I don't see anywhere like the craziness or scope of what's going on at Eastwood.

The K200 would look a whole lot nicer with a Spector style headstock.

Hey Rich I don't want a Thunderbird...if I did, I'd buy a Gibson (or another Lull). I'm pretty confident the price would come in at under £1K, yes. The most expensive Eastwood Customs come in at $1300 or thereabouts, but I'd qualify these as being very well specced; most seem to come in at sub-$600.

At this stage let's just see how many people would be interested rather than throwing in suggestions. If we get 50 people interested, then we can decide what we want to try and do! It would just be too easy for me to say, 'Let's do a Thunderbird,' but that's not really the point here. It's an opportunity to perhaps resurrect a long deleted model (I could quote, umm, Dan Armstrong for instance) and put our own twist on it, or create something entirely new.

Pretty much. Like I said, there's little point making a Fender clone, but there's a great opportunity here to produce something really decent and fun. Once we decide what we want, we can tweak everything else from woods, hardware etc. thereafter. Michael Robinson at Eastwood said to me via email that if we did go ahead, they'd also put it on their current project page as well (obviously to generate more sales).

I'm wondering whether there would be enough interest for us to get a minimum of twelve (yep, that's right, twelve) Basschat footsoldiers to sign up for a run of Eastwood Custom Basschat Edition Basses. No design specs yet (but if you want a Fender clone, go to Andertons), no choices of finish (yet), no prices (yet). Let's see how many say yes first and then we can start discussing.

A while back (quite a while back) Eastwood Custom were open to suggestions as to which guitars they should do next, so I proffered an homage to the Charlie Lobue bass that Gene Simmons used to use in the early Kiss days (detailed below). Always thought it was a great looking thing, really nice wide cutaways and easy access up the dusty end. Eastwood actually replied, which was nice. The guy said he also had fond memories of that bass and he'd add it to the list. Beyond that, nothing, sadly. I'd buy one and I'm pretty certain there's enough Kiss fans out there that would do so as well. 100%. I'm wondering now. Could we try and get Eastwood to do a Basschat model? The Lakland owners group were able to do it. There's more of us here. I suppose it would just need to be something a little different (viz. You can buy Fender clones from just about everywhere.).

It's a weird one. With Eastwood guitars, I'm initially drawn to the shape and in my head I kind of know that with a) my heavy handed approach to playing and b) my heavy handed approach to playing, sticking any of those Eastwoods (or any guitar really) through a decentish amp would sound OK. (Have I ever told my Van Halen story here? Maybe that's for another time.) Bear in mind too that these are not Gibsons, Fenders or whatever, they're Eastwoods, they're copies, homages, nothing more. We are just too hung up on things being Gibson or Fender or Warwick or Spector or whatever. You only have to look (in the nicest possible way) at how precious members of this very forum are about gear. There's this thing here where people seem to think that just because they have a Chickenbacker or a Tokai/Epiphone Thunderbird that they're going to sound just like a 4003 or an IV. Not going to happen. Man alive, all my Thunderbirds sounded a bit different from each other nd they were all Gibsons, similar, but different. That said, we have to remember that tone is subjective. Honestly, I really don't give a toot about whether a volume/tone potentiometers or the wiring is from 1965 or last week. The main thing is whether they make the bass quieter or sound woolly when used. Same goes capacitors. It's a nonsense. Once you're playing in a band environment, all those nuances are lost and you generally only hear the whump (and let's face it, it's a vanity thing, no one in the listening audience is really interested in how the bass sounds).

Does it really matter?

I like dipping into the Eastwood Custom site every so often. It just throws light on how a manufacturer can actually work with the buyer from a pledging perspective and in part resurrect old designs. Credit to them for making some nice looking tenor electrics. The microtonal model they're listing as a current model looks nice too.

Before I started playing properly, there was a guy locally who let me borrow his Jedson. For me it was just the coolest thing ever. My first proper bass was an Arbiter, just like the one below. I had it for a while, sold it for £30 and then bought a Columbus Jazz Bass copy (£65).

...and whaddyaknow!

There's a very long thread elsewhere as to me leaving the band I'd formed seven years ago. People are just asshats really. Stupidly, it took a while to get over it; so much time invested and work to keep it together. I went out for an Indian last night with some friends and they asked whether I miss it. I just answered no and then showed them a photo (below) of the old band, headlining a gig in Reading last weekend playing to six people. It was precisely this, the unconditional acceptance of every gig offered and playing to next to no one (it happened) that led to the cracks. I mean credit to them for continuing to grind through gigs like this, but frankly it's just not worth the effort.

I'd love this, but I'd prefer a first run Hamer Cruise Bass more. Sod's Law...I'd probably swing for this and a Cruise would come up in a few days.

Look, I know it's not eBay, but these are pretty rare basses (under 50 made) and there's a bit of love here. I found a Gibson 20/20 online, Premier Guitars, Sydney. It's currently on sale for 1,200 AUD, which in Sterling is around £690, so for one of these basses it's a steal. I contacted the seller, sadly the insured shipping comes out at 424 AUD (£240) and you'd need to factor in import duties (<5%) and VAT on the bass and shipping (another £190). They said they can reduce the shipping if they discarded the hard case (non original), assuring me it could be 'packed it well in bubblewrap). At around £1,200, I just found the whole cost somewhat prohibitive and dropped out. It looks as though it may have been signed by Ned Steinberger too - if you right-click the image below and view the image in full-res, you'll see a signature. If you have deep pockets, check here: http://www.premierguitars.com.au/product/gibson-steinberger-2020-bass-usa-1987/ The contact at Premier is John Spence.

I really don't like Foo Fighters. Can't really put my finger on why. A bit like Weezer. They have all the constituent parts that mean I should adore them, but I find them a bit meh.

Look, I don't profess to being a Nirvana, Foo Fighters, QoTSA, The Crooked Vultures or Probot fan, but I do find Dave Grohl somewhat endearing. This has just dropped on YT. The first eight minutes is documentarist, the final 23 minutes is an instrumental track wholly recorded by Dave Grohl. It's pretty intense. It's also pretty good.

Just following on, XLR cable arrived and all connected up. Definite difference from the treble perspective. Whereas via the 1/4" jack output I rolled the treble back to the 10 o'clock position, with the XLR, the same treble response is closer to the 3 o'clock position. Much better.