NancyJohnson

I put a PJ set of EMG Geezer Butlers in one of my Hamers a couple of months back. Initially I'll say that tone is subjective, we're all different. The (35 year old) stock DiMarzios in the Hamer were a bit shrill/toppy for my liking, I'd read decent things about the GZR sets, so felt it was worth a punt. I tend to play with everything open, so the aim was to set things up for this. Took a bit of tweaking to balance things out though; on initial install the P-pick did everything you'd want - literally just installed it and we were off an running. The J/Bridge unit was a bit less straightforward - it just added a tiny bit of ponk and it was noticeable how much output it drew from the circuit when both volumes were on full and the tone was open; I did start thinking that I'd wired things up incorrectly (nope). It was more a case of just finding a decent height so that the J-unit complemented the P...a bit of trial and error, but success. I like how they sound compared to the old DiMarzios - wider tonally, hotter, a bit of scooped minds. Recommended.

I suppose I have a bit of bias, but gold hardware on red does it for me. I wouldn't have bought a Spector with gold hardware if it had been any other colour.

Doris Day at the moment.

I do wonder how many newcomers to bass/guitar buy gear that is so poorly set up that they just give up because it's too hard to get a note out of. By way of backstory, my nephew (18) had guitar lessons at school, which I worked out pretty early on were frankly useless; I recall him sight-reading Mull Of Kintyre and making an acceptable fist of it - he didn't even know what the song actually sounded like. He was 12 or 13, crying that it was too hard and saying he just wanted to stop 'learning', so he did. To my surprise, on a visit to the family early last year, he'd bought a new Fender Jazz bass and a little Rumble combo from his savings; while he was making his own gravy here, the bass itself was unplayable and he was on the cusp of jacking it in again. Action was well over a centimetre at the 12th fret, nasty neck front bow, the strings were just horrible (I'm assuming the dealer must have had this in the shop as a demo model, so god knows what was growing in the rounds). I set the bass up and as there was nowhere to get new strings, I ordered some off Amazon for him and we boiled up the old ones (shudder) - could have made soup. It played wonderfully despite the strings still being a bit yuck. He was made up. Point here being that manufacturers and retailers alike, it's all about shifting units. I've never played a new bass from Gibson or Fender (or MusicMan, or Rickenbacker, or Spector for that matter), that didn't need a decent set up before it became properly usable. Amazingly (as mentioned earlier in the thread), cheaper (let's just tar everyone with the same brush here and say 'Eastern') makers (viz. Sire) seem to have no issues sending out instruments that play straight out of the box.

I'm reading an essay collection about Power Pop, there's a ton of bands that I know the names of, but don't really know about. I've just put together a playlist for Badfinger. Let's see how this goes.

Can I ask a question of @warwickhunt? What is the drive for a P-body/J-pickup configuration? Wouldn't a Jazz Bass just do, or are you hankering for a Jazz tonally, but from a Precision shaped body? The first thing I thought was (if you're on a budget and if this is just a feeler thing), source a P/J configured body - a Squier maybe - pretty certain the P-routs on these budget models are pretty generous (viz. huge and oblong), so you won't need to get the chisels out. Then get a new scratchplate cut to accommodate the J-pickup.

Blimey, what a munter of a headstock!

In answer to the OP, band lineups ebb and flow. Have you never seen any of Pete Frame's Rock Family Trees?

XTC. Moreover Andy Partridges demos for Skylarking (from the surround series box set).

I don't play keyboards as such, but I know the notes. Some very good mates of mine needed some keys for one song, so I did it for them. Little midi keyboard into an iPad (or something similar). Droooooning synthy sounds.

I understand the desire for purchase/ownership; at one point I was into double figures for Gibson Thunderbirds so believe me when I say that these Studio models look like Thunderbird IVs, they're an underwhelming model by comparison. As @BigRedX has already pointed out, they're just very ordinary basses with a Thunderbird shaped body. I've attached two photos below of Firebird Guitars - yes, I know they're not Thunderbirds, but this more than demonstrates the differences. Which one would you rather own? If it's the one with the white scratchplate, then save up for IV.

Studio. Stripped back Gibson cash in. Yuck. Well, I wouldn't buy it; if nothing it's simply from the perspective that if you're desperate for a Thunderbird you'll pull the trigger on this then wonder why you didn't just buy a IV.

Rainy Saturday breakfast. Pecan and banana pancakes, strawberries on the side. Coffee, fresh orange juice. The Isley Brothers. Life is good

I've been in plenty of situations of being the 'headline' act where other bands have used our stuff. Drummer just bought an old beater kit, so he was OK so long as any drummer using it used their own pedals/smare/cymbals, from my perspective, if someone asked nicely I'd probably say yes. That said, I used to get royally whizzed when bass players frankly ignored my requests and saw my gear as being the opportunity to see just how loud they could play. Another facet being headliners rocking up with a 1x12" Rumble combo, seeing my kit and literally salivating at the prospect of using it. (This also happened with one of my basses too, I had a white Gibson Thunderbird and was asked by one guy whether he could use it for his set as he'd 'never played a real Gibson before.') I played the Dublin Castle about three years ago, bill-wise we were the meat in the sandwich, 1st band used my stuff (I new them, so fine), headliners also used my stuff - they were literally up on the stage and plugging in seconds after we'd finsihed and didn't even ask to use the drums or my kit - and their set went on and on and on and on and on. No help with the load-out, no mention of thanks and they stole one of my guitar stands. W*nkers.

Lest we forget, he also favoured Henhouse Rotisseries and Tumble Dryers towards the end.

Limbeck. I'd never heard a note of theirs until yesterday; plenty of mentions, but never bothered. It's really good. Suprisingly so. It just seems to sound like a lot of bands I like just went into the studio and recorded an album.

Back on topic, Geddy Lee. Yup, genius from a playing perspective, genius from a multi-instrumental perspective and he seems a genuinely nice person. The only thing really is his voice; adored it early on (I entered the building with 2112/All The World's A Stage and snuck out after Signals), but I find it too shrill and he's obviously suffered over the years. To quote Pavement: What about the voice of Geddy Lee How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy? (I know him and he does!)… His tone is instantly recognisable to those who know his work and despite being called out as not knowing what I'm talking about and advised I was deaf elsewhere in these hallowed pages, Mr Lee's pretty distinctive tone was, for a very long time just Precision/Jazz/Rickenbacker(s) into Ampegs, so the signal chain doesn't get much simpler. Who is going to begrudge a player of his calibre the option to just transition to Tech21 racked gear? (Which is apparently 'all scooped mids' according to my accuser.) So yes, genius.

My mum used to buy me Disco45.

Lovely!

I think you'll find it's pick n' mix that rules.

I haven't spoken to Al in quite some time. Hope he's well!

Just as an aside, the Spice Girls recorded demos (yes, I know, demos) at Creative Control Studio in Bracknell. They were based in Lightwater, just down the road. I've used that studio several times with different bands.

'Stop' by the Spice Girls just came on the radio. I asked my wife if she remembered when they did this at the Brit Awards...I remember All Saints being on just before them and how they were just this uncoordinated mess, then the Spice Girls followed, perfect choreography. Despite my punky/metal roots, I'd be stupid not to recognise this as being a perfect slab of pop. Forget Geri's Union Jack teatowel dress from the previous year, this, my friends, is THE definitive performance. 23 years ago. Blimey.

I'll admit I wasn't familiar with Crafter Guitars. Just had a look...unsure which model it is, but there's one that's very similar to the Gibson Chet Atkins SST. Might need to check these out too.

Opened discussion with the wife last night. Always have to play this little game, plus, she's contributing indirectly to it anyway (I have unspent and forthcoming birthday monies incoming). After breaking it to her that a Taylor looks my preferred choice, I just pointed out that it's over a grand (chortle) and it might be a good idea to get one from the US. We always have to do this little dance; she knows it's going to be more expensive than a grand and just wants to make me squirm a bit.