Old Man Riva

I love this. Didn’t realise for many years that it was actually a cover!

Another song I loved as a kid. This had a real other-worldliness about it. Something different going on. I think Errol Brown was a really underrated songwriter. Can’t think of many songwriters who have a breadth of work, in terms of Top 10 singles, that can be unashamedly ‘pop’ one minute and then cover subject matter such as suicide and interracial relationships the next. A talented guy...

Bass arrived from Germany today via UPS. All good. Hope deliveries arrived safely for others on the thread...

Apologies here also...

Just to add a bit of context, the “news source” may have supported remaining in the EU but the journalist in question has advocated us leaving the EU for decades. So whilst the source may be a surprise the views of the journalist aren’t. (that’s my one political post of the year out the way early!)

Excellent! If you like that then definitely give their 2019 album, A Song For Paul, a listen...

Ghost Funk Orchestra - An Ode to Escapism https://open.spotify.com/album/6AX1AtiHx6eDnD9srRxEIR?si=jwicOAiuSxOhunMsC8XVqQ

It certainly can be, which is why it’s good to check around in the way you’re doing. I’ve had a couple of near-misses when buying in the past, but I genuinely feel that it was more down to people’s lack of knowledge and them not doing proper checks than any deliberate attempt to rip me off - that’s how I choose to view it, any road! Have you got your eye on anything in particular?!

I bought a ‘65 Jazz from them about six/seven years ago. Gary was brilliant to deal with, he brought the bass over beforehand for me to try. He also spent loads of time before I purchased the bass giving me a lesson on what to look out for when buying vintage instruments! I’d phoned around a few vintage dealers before buying the bass and when doing so asked who else they’d recommend (not an unfair question!) and Gary’s name came up a number of times as someone to buy from...

Paul Desmond is one of my favourite players. On any instrument. His tone is beautiful. If you’re diggin’ that then the recordings he did with Gerry Mulligan are well worth a listen. Before lockdown I was due to see Darius Brubeck (Dave’s son) at the local (Loughton) Methodist Hall. Ah well...

My courier status shows the location as Stanford Le Hope. However, in a more detailed view, it doesn’t show that the item has arrived at the facility - in a similar way that it showed it had ‘arrived’ at Herne Boernig in Germany on 23rd Dec and ‘departed’ Herne Boernig on 24th. It’s a mystery of Scooby Doo proportions!

Same here. Ordered/bought a bass from a different German store on 21st December. It was couriered via UPS (collected on 22nd). Status says delivery is scheduled for today (prev. was due yesterday) but that it is currently delayed due to “Eurotunnel traffic disruption”. UPS services (Standard delivery) were paused around Christmas time and a note on their website says that they will resume Standard service from 4th January, so imagine the bass will arrive next week at some point. My order has a reference as Stanford Le Hope as the location but I’m assuming that’s the next intended location rather than where it currently is as it doesn’t show as arriving there. My understanding (from the Government website) is that, as the item was purchased/couriered before 1st January, there won’t be any unpleasant additional cost surprises due to our new trading arrangements with the EU. So it’s just hurry up and wait!

I really like that! I know what you mean - “it’s a ‘bird, not quite a ‘bird” - it feels a bit RD Artist-y, which I know is a (not quite) ‘bird shape, but still... slightly different. I wish I’d bought one of those reissue Pelham Blue NR basses when they were out a few years back. Macari’s had one in the window for years after they first got it in and the price dropped to around £800 at one point, I think. Not a fan of the black p/up covers but have to say they look lovely on that bass you’ve posted - that said, if it were me, I’d be going for chrome!

I know what you mean! I found it so uplifting watching that...

Thanks all (and to PM messages), really appreciated - Basschat community, again, giving sage bass advice! I emailed Lakland yesterday and within the hour received a really helpful response from Brian (I’ve never been a social media user/member so Facebook etc. hasn’t been an option!). I’m sure working with them I’ll get what I’m after, though have a feeling I will need to order via the more expensive USA Series option, albeit for only smaller changes to the Classic Series (lighter body weight, darker rosewood fingerboard), which is a bit of a shame (though there are bigger things going on in life so I should shut up and stop complaining!). Thanks again!

... so, this is a Christmas song from 1975 that I bought as a kid. It was a double A-side (the flip side being the more familiar In Dulci Jubilo) and reached the Top 10 in that year. It used to make me feel happy and sad in equal measure - still does! And the first line surely has to be the most surreal opening line of any Top 10 hit ever!

Duly noted!

Some people make it look effortlessly easy..!

Love that, thanks for sharing! There are some really nice jams in there as well - the intro is something I really like. To my ears they’re such good players, with a real ear for the songs/singer - and that Jazz Bass sounds tubby as anything! One of the discoveries for me during lockdown was JJ Cale, after a mate recommended his music to me. I knew a few of his tracks (Cocaine, After Midnight) covered by others but as I didn’t like the artist in question the songs just passed me by. Then I listened to the JJ Cale versions and it all became clear what I was missing out on!!

Some good mentions so far - and, from a poppier perspective, I’d also add the Attractions to the list (I went to see Elvis Costello in the mid-90s and the band were absolutely superb). Perhaps a less obvious choice would be these...

Inspired in no small part by meterman’s Cal Tjader post...

Oh Kev, I couldn’t find the right words to describe how wonderful they sound together!

As an update... the B-15 is now back! As stated above I took it to Sickamps in Harlow following the recommendation from jimmy23cricket above - thanks to Jimmy for the recommendation! It turns out that one of the output valves had failed/shorted. Sickamps replaced the matched pair of output valves and also the rectifier valve. They also rebiased and cleaned all pots etc. with DeOxit cleaner and generally gave the B-15 a good going over. It sounds amazing! I bought it second hand from Guitar Guitar a few years back (a new one would have been too cost prohibitive) and, whilst it had sounded good, it always buzzed and crackled a bit. Also the ‘66 bias appeared to be on the trebly side, lacking bass - I assumed this was the sound so always opted for the warmer ‘64 bias! There are now no buzzes or crackles at all, and the ‘66 bias, whilst brighter than the ‘64 bias, now has real depth to it. As I say, I couldn’t be more happy with the outcome or impressed with the service... Top marks to Sickamps!!

PM’d!