Frank Blank

This is a big part of why I chose this bass, that clean precise sound is exactly what I’m after in some of our music. It’s a combination of the playability of the neck and those pickups.

Feeling a bit agricultural. That’s a phrase I’ll be using from now on...

I listen out for new stuff all the time, I’m fifty-five. I don’t hear much anymore that particularly dings my dong but I (think) I understand that, it seems to me to be a combination of things. Firstly most people have ‘their era’ so to speak, usually the music they were into as a teenager, luckily for me this was Punk. I was introduced to music by my brother who is seven years my senior, he played me (or rather I listened to whilst he did) lots of prog and later Steely Dan and Eagles. Then the Punk thing happened and overnight I turned into a spiky haired vandal who lived in a squat. This was ‘my’ music, ‘my’ time, I stopped listening to the stuff my brother played and set out on my own musical adventure in ‘my’ scene. So now I hear music and I realise that very little gives me that visceral thrill that music did back then, but that’s because I’m older and have heard more things. Now I appreciate the utter brilliance of Steely Dan and I still listen to Yes and Pink Floyd alongside the Punk and particularly Post-Punk stuff of ‘my’ time. I realise I’ll never hear anything that will affect me as deeply as the first time I heard Metal Box by PIL or the first time I saw Bjork perform in a squat in Vauxhall fronting an amazing band called K.U.K.L. So when I listen out for new stuff I try to take into account the fact that nothing is going to top that or be so invigorating. Bearing this in mind I still enjoy some new stuff, my tastes have changed, I listen to a lot of Gillian Walsh, I like Jane Weaver, Laura Marling, I’ve finally caved in to Jazz. Mind you, the first time I heard Sleaford Mods on Jools Holland I was really digging it so the Punk thing has (thank Bog) left it’s indelible Mark on me but I have got to temper that with the fact that I’m not getting a second go at being that teenager wide open to the new world...

Ah yes, with dots higher up... God I’ve got to stop looking at that bass, where’s the day gone?

Will be along.  1) Cetera - Spector NS2 & Legend 4X, Dingwall NG2, Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird, Yamaha BB3000, GK800RB head, Genz Benz Neox212 cab, Tech-21 Dug DP3X preamp/pedal 2) Ezbass - Maruszczyk Elwood L 4 string fretted (J pickups), Maruszczyk Elwood L 4 string fretless (MM pickup), Rickenbacker 4003s, Rob Allen MB2 fretless, Phil Jones Flightcase + PB300 3) Happy Jack - AliKat DB #004, Mike Lull 54P, all I need to play a doubling gig (that evening) on those two instruments 4) BlueJay - Eminence Upright (left-handed), loads of camera equipment 5) obbm - TBA  6) Nancy Johnson (Paul) - The Big One, rack (GED/poweramp), possibly the dUg DP3x. A bass. 7) MacDaddy - Shuker bass(es), Snapdragon Folding bass, Flattley Bass Poison Ivy. 8 ) prowla (Paul) - Maybe a Ric or two and fakers, maybe a couple of Statii, maybe J- & P-basses. Probably a Markbass amp & cab and a pedalboard with some FX. 9) Stingray5 - Old faithful Stingray5; Tune SWV4-BB bass; Eden EC180 1x15 combo. (I also have a gig that evening so may leave the Eden in the car but happy to bring it in if anyone asks).  10) TrevorR - Wal Pro II E, Wal Mk 1 Custom, Aria SB700, MarkBass LMII and Traveler 2x10, pedalboard. 11) TheGreek - Mesa M Pulse 600 head/ Powerhouse 1x15 cab and The Psilos bass built by Andyjr1515 12) JapanAxe (Graeme) - most of the stuff in my signature! 13) Wolverinebass (Andy) - Maybe some Wounded Paw effects/signature preamp and a bass. 14) Frank Blank (Frankè Blanké) Rob Allen Mouse, AER Basic Performer, Fender Modern Player with modded fretless neck, Ibanez SRC6/SR500, cake.

Me too. mine is lined, I figure I need all the help I can get! But that board looks glorious. I wonder about lines vs dots vs nowt on the board...

I’ve had a few over the years, four I think and never really got on with any apart from the last one, a Rob Allen Mouse, I barely play anything else so I think if you are feeling this about your first then you’ve hit the mother lode, I’m not surprised mind, that bass is a jaw dropper.

I purchased an Ibanez SR500 today. I recently sold an SRC6 and within a week was really regretting it, so I got another. As much as I enjoy the SRC6 I don’t use it when writing. Mostly I use my Rob Allen Mouse when writing but lately I’ve been missing a bright 4 string fretted electric bass for writing. I recently purchased a Squier Jaguar but for some reason I just didn’t get on with it but I really dig these SR Ibanez-es-ez’s Anyway here it is... Here it is with the SRC6... Sod it, here’s the team...

Lord, that is glorious.

In that case I’ll bung it in the car.

I have an Ibanez SRC 6 and it is strung with La Bella 767-6S strings, which I really like. I’d now like to put a similar set on my Squier Jaguar. Now I know I could just go look for a similar set, of same gauge, short scale, same make but I always find asking on here usually brings a variety of results and opinions that are highly useful so any ideas, recommendations, thoughts?

Just wondering if anyone would be interested in a fretless RA Mouse and an AER Basic Performer?

But one’s duty nonetheless.

Front row under the e of ‘the’.

Not only was I at this gig (the loudest I have ever attended) but I’m also on the cover pic of the album...

How exciting, my first bass bash, if only I had an interesting bass to bring along...

I concur with the AER, although I play a Rob Allen Mouse through mine (an AER Basic Performer) and not an upright it sounds amazing and over the years, both at small local gigs and large Jazz gigs I have noticed just how many people use them for acoustic and electric uprights.

Discuss it with him, no better way than chatting with the man who made it. Mine is a fretless and I really struggle seeing the line markers on the edge of the fretboard, I’m considering luminlays but the thought of cutting into such a beautifully made instrument is disconcerting to say the least.

Email Rob and ask him, I have a Mouse too and have emailed queries to him, he is most helpful. Here’s what it says in the FAQ section of Rob’s website on this very subject... Can I add a magnetic pickup to my bass? this is possible in theory, but not practical or cost effective. The work for this needs to be done at an earlier stage in the construction of the instrument. In addition, special electronics are needed that can blend a magnetic pickup with a piezo. If a highly skilled repairman wants to do this work it can be done, but I do not offer this work as a modification.

As I’ve still not found the perfect (or even near perfect) electric bass yet I’ve looked at some of these basses with some interest for some while now and guess what? Not looking at them anymore.

Mind boggling and just, I dunno , too brilliant to put into words...

What a great bass player, as they always are with NMA.

Just watching Suzanne Ciani performing Improvisation on 4 Sequeces on the BBC Proms, mesmerising and just so good...

My favourites too.