Cato

Since joining up here in 2015 I've bought Squire VM70s Jazz + new bridge, pickups , wiring loom and pots. Sire V7 fretless Fender Deluxe Precision So, I'm a bit of a lightweight really. In the previous 25 years I got by with a Washburn Status and an MiM Jazz.

In the guitar/bass world word of mouth is everything. Gibson's reputation is currently circling the upper bowl of the toilet, like a turd shark. They're almost at the point where no matter how good a new line is, people won't be willing to give it a chance.

I haven't actually used his services myself, although I am considering contacting him, but not for a set up. I suspect that something dire has happened to one of of my skinny stringers during the summer heat, the action has shot up and I can't get it down or intonate the thing.

There's a guy near me who charges £115 for his 'professional' set up. That includes fret dressing and an electronics check. Last I heard he had a waiting list so there must be a fair few people willing to pay that for his services.

Well at least they've started making Thunderbirds again. The main thing that's struck me about Gibson in the last couple of years is the huge range of horrible colours they now have available for the various Les Paul and SG models, a trend they seem keen to continue for 2019. The thing is, some of the lower budget models actually seem to be really good value for a USA made guitar, but only if you want them in faded turquoise or rancid vermillion.

Well, I'm a big Herbie Hancock fan and have nothing but respect for Chick Corea, but I don't think that was anyone's finest hour. The whole thing sounds like a Saturday afternoon in a keyboard shop.

That's not just Stingrays, just about every bass that 3 years ago was retailing at the £1000-£1500 ish mark has shot up by a similar amount. It's like the manufacturers have adjusted their prices to allow for the weakness of sterling, then rounded that figure up to the nearest £500.

There used to be a story (possibly an urban myth?) about a time he ended up in hospital with severely burnt man bits after a roadie packed the firework into the cod piece the wrong way round.

Before about 5 minutes ago if someone had asked me if fancied a pink 51 style P bass, I'd have given a polite but firm 'no'. That's stunning.

I avoided p basses for years because I thought they were boring. Then , like a lot of others, one day I tried one just to find out if I could see why there's so much love for them and I finally got it. I still prefer my P basses with an extra J though.

The Fender Deluxe PJ was the answer for me. It's probably the closest to a 'best of both worlds' solution.

I'd guess the focus will be on their online content. I'd bet that these days their online readership absolutely dwarfs their physical sales and targeting advertising to local regions won't be a problem.

Impressive stuff. Although I do now feel a bit dizzy after watching that clip.

I know what you mean, but I also get really strong Roy Orbison vibes from the vocal which really raises the song above the rest of the current crop for me.

I always listen to Radio One in the car. Every now and then I hear something I really like. This one has turned into a bit of ear worm recently (but then it is getting a lot of airplay) and I'll probably listen to his album at some point. Radio 1 is a lot more diverse now than it ever was when I was a kid. They cover a lot more genres nowadays than the manufactured chart pap which defined the station in the 80s and 90s. I suspect today's yoof have less restrictive listening habits than my generation did.

'Derriėre or donkey?' has a nice ring to it. It would be good name for a game show.

I'm singing backing vocals along with about 100,000 other people on Iron Maiden's 'Live at Donnington' from 1993. Not albums but I was also at the Birmingham NEC gig where Alice Cooper recorded his 'Alice trashes the world' live video and at the Chili Peppers gig at Slaine Castle which was released on DVD.

I've seen the Foos live twice, once supporting the Chili Peppers in Ireland and again headlining Hyde Park. Both times I was really impressed. I've tried to get in to the albums, but never have, but live they are superb.

It was Axe as advertised on the back page of Kerrang when I was 15. When I upgraded a few years later I defretted the Axe with a pair of pliers. As far as I know it's still lurking in an eave's cupboard in my parents house.

Any of these any use? https://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/search-results?i=1;q=Guitar+Sheet+music;show_all=products&gid=&owner= Although even some of these are being offered at several times their original retail. It might be worth having a look in a few other charity bookshops though.

The most local music shop has really scaled back on it's electric bass and guitar stuff in the last couple of years, basswise they only really seem to sell entry level Ibanezes these days. I still pop in occaisionally because although the guitar range is also fairly limited they do get some interesting stuff in from time to time, at the moment they have mid range Yamaha Revstars and a couple of really nice looking Washburn Archtops, but in terms of price there's nothing I've seen that isn't cheaper online. A few years ago the shop was mostly electric guitars and basses, everything from starter kits up to limited edition USA Fenders and Gibsons, now they seem to be focusing on acoustic folky type instruments and a few high end electric pianos, I guess that's what sells for them these days. I also live about ten miles from Bass Direct, but I've never been in. Maybe one day I'll get round to popping in for some strings or something.

Four basses and three guitars. I reckon I've got room for at least another 3 of one sort or the other.

Even for an acoustic that action is getting towards unplayable territory. As a general rule of thumb, once you've got the basic technique down, playing barre chords shouldn't require any real physical effort. On that guitar it looks like it would require a fair bit of downwards force even quite near the nut, let alone further up the board.

The only store in UK that I've seen that regularly has US G & Ls in stock is the Great British Bass Lounge, even then it only tends to be one or two at any one time. Other than that you really don't see them around very often in the UK. My impression is that their US production output isn't large enough to export many instruments outside the US