NancyJohnson

For some reason Reverb has started directing advertising at me with Orange Matamps being highly featured. How does Reverb know that back in the late 70s I bought a 100w one of these at an ex-hire place in Chalk Farm and that it caught fire in a rehearsal and that we put the flames out by pouring Coca Cola in it and that I sold the charred husk to a dealer in Denmark Street for £60 and that these are are going for thousands? How would Reverb know this? 😂

I have Drop-D tuners on a couple, don't use them much, but they're there just in case I love Dunlop Straploks. [Edit]. While I put Dunlops on every bass, I feel that D-tuners aren't appropriate on every bass. I would have never considered putting them on a Rickenbacker or one of my old Thunderbirds, just wrong. Spector yes, my old Aria-P, yep, my Hamers? Nooooo.

Elixirs supply chain to UK/Europe seems to have been a bit hokey this year. Because they don't do extra long 5-string sets, I ordered a set of 14087s and a single B-string (15433). The 14087s took about three weeks, the 15433 another month after. Luckily, because they last so long, I won't have to replace these for a while...the B is out of stock (1-2 months delay).

The P-bass in the photo is mine. 1978 Aria. Every time it goes out, I put a scrape in it. It's odd, I love that bass even though it's not really me at all. I just love it because it was a surprise (and very cheap) Gumtree purchase, I bought it back to life and it lives. Swapped out bits and it's never failed me.

Gibson site shows pages of Les Pauls, SGs, 335s and pointy 'designer' stuff, but basses are limited to the SG Bass and Thunderbird in two colours each. If they don't make these you'd just have a handful of disgruntled bass players going 'hurrumph!' and the whole launch would just quietly go away. That said, expect to see the handful they have made in their Reverb Demo Shop. Gibson just seem to be so out of touch with their (potential) customers; perhaps yes, thousands of people do actually want more Les Pauls and SGs, but there was also massive interest (still is) for a faithful reissues of the Junior double cut, Firebird FB1, Thunderbird II basses.EB2s etc.

Wings Over America. Then it'll be Band On The Run.

Despite being double-jabbed, I'm still quite worried about mixing with a load of people. Reluctantly it's a 'no' from me. Sorry!

Just scanning through this, it's a pretty woeful exercise in not joining the dots, especially considering the evidence. I also find it alarming that the proprietor of the auction house is a friend of the person who bought the guitars. Jeepers.

I just got sent some audio sent through from some studio sessions I did eight or nine years ago. For one reason or another, I never got copies at the time and we struggled to find someone to do vocals. Studio owner moved location, was going through some old hard drives at his new setup and sent me over audio. It's just pre-production stuff, but lovely to hear. PAUL&CARL_1(1).mp3

This is what I tend to noodle on. To be honest, I'm not entirely certain about the DG head tonally, so I tend to use a GED2112-DI or a DP-3X into the effects return.

Just re-reading this thread. By way of observation, I remember back in the 70s the only exposure we seemed to have of gear was through Beat Instrumental or the Bell catalogue; there was no way (on a paperboys wages) that I was going to be able to stretch to a Fender, so copies were the way forward. I have zero memory of there being Precision copies at all; in truth this is the one I wanted. I'm sure there were P-bass copies, but it always seemed to be Jazz copies.

This was my thought.

Honestly, while there was innovation at work with this model, it wasn't that good. The guitar itself was only one part of the package; there was a controller unit (about the size of a class-d amp) that you needed to carry around too. Gibson argued that it wouldn't have been cost effective to pull out the tech out of the guitars, revert them 'normal' and make good, so this stunt was the only way to go. There was this nonsensical comment about 'dangerous metals' being used in the manufacturing process (but those metals were clearly ok if you owned the guitar, eh?). This publicity stunt backfired horribly for the company. Whoever thought this was a good idea should have been given the sack. It does raise the question if what happens to other the scratch and ding Gibsons that don't make the grade? Probably get pushed over to the custom shop and converted into distressed 50s reissues.

I was shuffling through a load of Harry Nilsson on Friday; I'd Shazaamed 'Best Friend' (not on Spotify, boo), so just picked through some albums. It was like listening to an early 70s version of Jellyfish.

It does seem a bit insane to 'liquify' shipments without making an effort to return to sender; if that's the truth, then jeepers. Words kind of fail me here. It would be interesting (just from a point of perspective), to know whether this is a rare instance or normal practice. Can you imagine the tangible loss of the GSP destroying a true one-off, something rare/vintage (I seem to recall a 'priceless' violin going into a crusher, here) or prototype because it was oversized or too heavy?

I've bought several units through John's website without any issue, just worth considering that he doesn't offer a next day service. I spoke with him last year about an issue and the inference during the call was that the business operates 100% hands on and he's over everything. Probably needs to take someone on to handle admin/payments/despatch. Not wholly certain whether he keeps stock of everything or simply manufactures on an ad-hoc basis.

I understand how loop pedals work but not exactly the tech behind how the multitracking syncs up. I've always thought of these units as limited in that you can only add loops; you make a mistake and that error is there until you stop. I think the first time of seeing these things in action was seeing KT Tunstall on Later... (for the record, she played Black Horse and The Cherry Tree Even against her label's order, the rest is history, I suppose).

I think there were always bands that seemed to be playing at every gig you went to...Girl were a bit like that. You know that Andy Prince/CN is a member here? His brother Victor played drums in a couple of things I was involved in at college in the late 70s.

I would wholeheartedly recommend some of the stuff band members have recorded elsewhere. Nathan Larson is the way to go; he recorded as Mind Science of The Mind (quirky angular post-hardcore) and the quite wonderful Hot One (kind of 70s influenced glam-metal, very sweary); there's also a white-soulboy solo record called Jealous God. He's also written three excellent books too (The Dewey Decimal System, The Nervous System, The Immune System). Craig Wedren's is seemingly carrying the STT with his solo work. It's all nice and weird.

I've adored Shudder To Think for 25 years. This footage is an unedited thing from MTVs 120 Minutes. I just adore the silence and then the power. This is arguably the best line up, Nathan Larson on guitar, Adam Wade on drums. Stuart Hill is a highly underrated bassist. You're going to either love or hate Craig Wedren's falsetto vocals; there's no median. This clip is 28 minutes of joy for me...

If you like things built out of old skateboards, check out Woby Design on You Tube. Until very recently he operated out of a shipping container in Los Angeles. He makes some wonderful stuff.

I gigged mine twice, both times someone tried to make off with it. I do have a little chuckle that I'd gig with basses worth two or three times the 4003, but because these people don't know what they are, perhaps they aren't coveted like the 4003. I heard two blokes talking when I played this sh*thole in Kent...I gave my Hamer FBIV (value, £3k+) an outing; I heard one guy say, 'What bass is that bloke using?' The other guy answered, 'It looks like a Thunderbird knockoff.' Which, I suppose, is what it is.

Nope. But then, given John Hall's seemingly tight grip on things, I doubt whether things will change until he retires. Perhaps Rickenbacker are simply happy with the quantity of instruments they manufacture and the price they sell for; maybe their company ethic just doesn't call for making huge profit.

Just reading through this thread is giving me pangs of desire for a 400* again. Despite the instrument's minor failings (neck profile, the treble pickup bezel/surround, that effing monstrosity of a bridge, the high visibility/theft issue), it does sound fantastic.

I paid less than half that for a pretty minty one. I'd jump at another one, but that one isn't worth a 1/6th of the selling price, even if the neck can be salvaged.