NancyJohnson

I'm just resurrecting this thread, simply from the perspective that I bought the book a couple of weeks ago, started it at the weekend and am about 300 pages in. Let's get the preliminaries out of the way. I was a huge fan of Japan pretty much from that first single, many gigs attended, much vinyl (and CDs) purchased, blah blah blah. My fandom waned when Tin Drum came out; the band had changed/evolved(?) to such a point that they were unrecognisable from the band I loved just a few years before. That said, I'd still cite Obscure Alternatives as one of my top five albums (despite it being far from a band favourite). After everything finished, I followed David Sylvian's solo output almost exclusively, I mean, why would I need solo LPs from bass players or drummers? Given everything, aside from a small pile of print cuttings and Paul Rymer's (quite excellent) Nightporter website, I can honestly say I don't really know much about the band beyond the specifics. It's been an interesting read (so far). The book is a bit erratic in as much as it jumps back and forth rather than being chronologically correct, so each new chapter requires a bit of a headwork to know where you are. There's a few eye openers...failed marriage (who knew?), the lack of money, naive contract agreements, poor touring decisions and the obvious David Sylvian references. In these 300 or so pages, I really do feel for the guy, in as much as one can given his circumstance. It's probably easy to say he was effectively living the dream, our dream, of being a musician in a well known band (and various collaborations) and an in-demand session player, but in truth he was bearly making a living; I find it staggering that he was getting less than £15 a week in the early Japan days and at one point he writes that Japan royalties barely covered his council tax or car insurance, but not both. I'll grind through the last 100 or so pages. I suppose the one thing to come out of this is that you just don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. P

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1410294091' post='2548001'] Nancy, you are not a big fan of Mr Clayton....I can sense these things! [/quote] Sense you well, young padawan.

Bleurgh. I rest my case. I'm going to bed.

I just don't get it. Clayton has whored his name round so many bass manufacturers, I've lost count. I really just don't like the guy, met him once and he was thoroughly unpleasant. He's not that good a player and (go on, do this) a quick search on his name in Google images just seems to show hundreds of the same photo...the same smug look on his face, a la; [i]I'm-not-looking-at-my-bass-and-you-know-I-think-I-just-cracked-out-a-very-smelly-fart-as-well[/i]. Right place, right time I suppose. Dee Dee? At least the guy played and effing Precision. Maybe I'm just tired. P

John makes a 3 knob U-Retro unit...the pots are stacked and on cables so they'll retro fit the bass. Where this falls down is the active/passive switch. You could just poke it into the cavity and leave it in the on position. The preamp shouldn't (shouldn't!) draw power when the bass is plugged in. The other alternative would be to go with a 2 knob solution and use the third hole on the body for the on/off switch. P

In answer to an earler point, wasn't the bassist on the first album David Paton? He's the guy who used to front Pilot.

After deciphering your post, my advice would be if can afford a Gibson go for the Gibson.

**No affiliation** Rare but pretty tatty Gibson Thunderbird Gothic on the link below. The guy doesn't mention it's a Gothic, but it is. These were limited run models, the unsold morphed into the Nikki Sixx Blackbird model, apparently under 150 globally. Hot pickups, crabby three point bridge. £850 probably a bit too high, but a very cool bass. P [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-Thunderbird-IV-Bass-Guitar-Original-USA-with-Case-4-string-Right-Handed/121408059540?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D23984%26meid%3D3843cc94326a45d0b3039faed638a591%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D9421%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D291219495334"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-Thunderbird-IV-Bass-Guitar-Original-USA-with-Case-4-string-Right-Handed/121408059540?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D23984%26meid%3D3843cc94326a45d0b3039faed638a591%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D9421%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D291219495334[/url]

Nikki Sixx had a straight flipped Thunderbirds (Spector). Fernandes did a copy of it. I think Gary/Cetera has a couple.

Cool watch. P

Reading through this list it's interesting to see how varied most individual member tastes are, but how those in the hard rock/metal fraternity aren't citing much out of the genre. P

Gelfin...possibly the first time I've seen anyone mention Fugazi here. With the Dischord link, you really need to check out Shudder To Think if you haven't already! P

I doubt anyone will be remotely interested, and call me an old fart, but my keepers: Japan - Obscure Alternatives Rich Kids - Ghosts Of Princes In Towers Queen - Sheer Heart Attack Screams - Screams Aerosmith - Rocks Aviary - Aviary UFO - Strangers In The Night Van Halen - Van Halen The Clash - London Calling Summercamp - Pure Juice Shudder To Think - Pony Express Record Jellyfish - Bellybutton Jellyfish - Spilt Milk ...oh,and a few more. P

Experimenting. Probably only one at a time, but hey, who knows?

Pedaltrain Mini arrived today from Thomann...good deals at the moment. I think it was inevitable, if only to keep everything in one place for convenience. A little disappointed that the power supply (Harley Benton) won't fit [i]under [/i]the the Mini, but there'll be a Pedaltrain Volto thing coming before Christmas, so I can live with it. A nice neat solution,so well pleased. P

How do these old 4001s compare to the new(er) 4003s? By way of comparison, my area is Thunderbirds. I played a Bicentennial about a year ago...neck was like a Precision, it didn't sound that great and it just felt [i]wrong[/i]. The newer ones, yummy. P

George, our resident Rickmeister, says I can adjust the bridge pickup position by loosening some mounting screws on the underside of the assembly. (I thought the pickup was glued to the underside mount.) I think that my be a job for when I change the strings next. P

OK, pictures. Rick and Rig: Reclining of the rug: I suppose if there was one thing that was a tad disagreeable it was the chasm left when the treble pickup cover came off. I bought a pickup bezel from RickySounds. They're made from a hard rubbery material and come flat, with a raised thumbrest or coved (this is the coved version): I'll knock a half point off for Rickenbacker's quality control as the treble pickup isn't glued into mount correctly; it's been installed off-centre and at a slight angle. Boo. Doesn't seem to affect the tone. So there you are. P