LewisK1975

Looks like I may be able to come to this one too - pretty sure my Sunday is going to be clear and I can't think of a better way to spend it. I'll add what Gear I'll bring when I confirm with 'er indoors. It's a couple of hours drive, but I think it'll be worth it..

Don't know for sure - but in the 3rd pic where you show the back of the neck, it looks like the headstock section is a different piece of wood to the rest of the neck? You can see a diagonal line where the different woods appear to join? Perhaps there was a headstock break and that section was replaced? Could be that's how they were made in the first place, but that seems unusual to me.... The nut alignment should be easy enough to sort out, tap it off and re-glue it in the correct position.

Ashdown sell em for a quid through their website: http://ashdownmusic.com/shop/product.php?id=2515 There's a dropdown box on that page where you can select which VU meter you want to buy, at the bottom of the list you'll see the bulb.

i think the only real advice here is to get it to an amp tech? Intermittent faults are a bugger, but if it's now dead, it should be easier to diagnose...

+1 - they repaired my ABM1000 for free, all I paid was the cost of postage to get it to them..

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1490567411' post='3266090'] All inbuilt wifi is pretty pants in my experience - defo one for having a play at home or rehearsal... but for live use, I'd definitely want a more resilient router. There will be as many people who will have an opposing view but there you go. Check out the Facebook forums for the Behringer X stuff and you'll see it comes up on pretty much a daily basis. [/quote] I resolved to simply use my X18 with a wired connection to laptop. No good for wandering around out front I know, but I generally do the mix from where I stand anyway... I think I'll take it wireless one day, so then a trusted, competent person can make adjustments while the band is playing rather than having to relay messages to me in between songs...I prefer baby steps when it comes to these sort of things!

[quote name='The GroovyPlucker' timestamp='1490566015' post='3266078'] they might be on the new white version, 1st 2 editions had spb1's.......I think anyway.... [/quote] 1st edition 2001 (MIJ - LPB clouor with the red pickguard) had the SPB-3 [attachment=241847:steve_harris_signature_p-bass_naam_2001.jpg] 2nd edition 2009 (MIJ - Blue sparkle with mirror pickguard) had the SPB-1 [attachment=241849:SH2009.JPG] 3rd edition 2015 (MIM - White with mirror guard and WHUFC logo) has the SPB-4 [attachment=241848:bass-guitars-fender-steve-harris-precision-bass-2015-2.jpg]

I've also been lucky enough to meet him a couple of times and have had some e-contact too. Genuinely helpful chap, and his knowledge is seemingly endless.

Just realised something looking at these photos - Why is it that Basses without pickguards look better with a matching (or at least a coloured) headstock? YMMV!!!

[quote name='Bridgehouse' timestamp='1490371905' post='3264723'] The maker is well known over on the fretboard - he doesn't advertise, and there's no website. Most of his sales are for a charity he helps to run. If you pop over there and search for gspbasses you'll see plenty of his builds. Sadly the only way I know to get in touch is through the fretboard. Sometimes he does a bulk sale of stuff he's done on the classifieds there and you can pick up a really good quality body and neck for circa £250 - £300. The quality is actually quite astounding.. [/quote] Thanks! Not a member of the Fretboard, but now I may have to be...

[quote name='Bridgehouse' timestamp='1490364650' post='3264624'] Body and neck were GSP Basses - I specced out what I wanted and after the usual wait time, they appeared! Brilliant quality. Here's a daylight shot as promised: [/quote] Tell me more about these GSP Basses please?!

GAK have it advertised at £759 'available to order'..

Looks like you can blend the channels too, useful if you have a bass with two outputs, like a R**K or a Yamaha Attitude, reminds me of the old LMK amp.

Don't forget, along with talent, ambition, etc, you also need confidence, or at least the ability to look confident in what you are doing. That's a huge part of it too IMHO. An average player with a shed load of confidence is more likely to 'make it', than a shy type, regardless of ability/ambition. It is true though, that you could get lucky and fall into a very successful band which requires only very rudimentary ability..right place, right time etc..

Nice, I had a VM5 for a while, that was hardcore aged but certainly was one of the most well made Basses I've ever had my grubby mitts on..

Lovely stuff! Nice Bass too!