Hellzero

Dave, To check the issue, just change things one by one, not all and everything at the same time. 😉 To me, it sounds like a dry solder in your amp which is a nightmare to isolate, so the best thing to do is redo all solders. That said, just checking around the voltage lowering resistors might be a very good start as it often starts there.

Wow !

Truer than the original. 🤣

Calling @Beedster...

@Niksonbass is apparently not in the U.K. 😉

I would go for a second hand NS Design as they invented the correctly sounding EUB (Electric Upright Bass). Eminence are great too. Check the Gollihur American guide to give you an idea of what's available : https://gollihurmusic.com/electric-upright-basses-which-one-is-best-for-me/

As it's the first single delayed 40th anniversary tour, it's quite logical Mark King is using his Jaydee basses as he is free to use whatever bass he wants. That's certainly the best gift he can make to his fans. The amp endorsement is another thing as it's MarkBass so he MUST be using them, but now I guess everybody seeing him live is amazed by the sound of the Jaydees through his new set up if you're close and facing it. I never liked his awful Trace Elliot sound.

Did he shrink as he looks smaller ?

Very good advises @lownote. As a fretless player myself, I will simply add that there's no shame to look at your neck and position from time to time, as even the best players do it. Also use your opened (it's a bloody past participle) strings to check your intonation while playing. Practice with a very good tuner like the Peterson StroboStomp HD looking at it instead of your neck, it will also improve your intonation and muscle memory. Remember to listen to the others as you will be the only one, except if there are non fixed temperament instruments in the band, to be able to adjust your pitch to what you're hearing. But, FIRST OF ALL, go to a pro luthier to have your bass PERFECTLY set up, it's the most important part when playing fretless. There's no secret to a perfect pitch : practice, practice, practice and practice !

Hoping for a fast re(dis)covery for the both of you. 😉

I don't use Instagram and the likes, so will have to check another way. I've seen Steven Wilson live too and it's always a delight. Porcupine Tree is different, of course, but it's still his project with Richard Barbieri, certainly less talk and solos, but very entertaining in the good sense.

They'll need a bass player live and it will surely be Nick Beggs as there's a perfect alchemy between him and Steven Wilson when it comes to (live) music. Just hoping they will come nearby... 🤞

Ladi Geisler has almost invented a picking style on its own. Terrific sounding and not enough known for his great jazz guitar playing or quite unique bass playing. Thanks for the reminder @lowdown ! 🙂

Fever ?!?

Indeed, very smart idea. I'll use this trick instead of a small square file next time I need to remove some glue residues or any asperity in the nut channel.

South of it on the North side of the railway going West near the far East Borgo's pass in the middle of somewhere.

Don't get me wrong, I love Mark King and the way he plays bass being it slap or fingerstyle (where he's a true master, remember that he's a Jaco fan and Level 42 was originally intended to be a fusion band without any songs, but titles or tunes if you prefer, as there were no lyrics). To me the best bass for slap has always been the Jazz Bass, but his signature model seems to have all wrong. Some instruments are a disaster and this is one.

I guess some of you have seen my for sale ads : they are more than complete. And I always get questions about things that are in the ad. No matter what or how you do it, people are too lazy to read, especially a long text or ad or anything obvious.

And what if they were smoking communist cigarettes while walking (dead) in Pripyat under the raditions ?

Lead it be !

Was about to say that @AndyTravis... And that may explain a lot of things as it's not really a Fender, but more an assembly of not the best pieces Fender had. Looks like a kind of joke and a rush needed endorsement. I had the opportunity to play one thanks to a friend of mine who is a Mark King (almost diehard) fan, but he came to his senses and didn't buy it eventually (maybe because of me telling him it was a real crap bass).

Eventually not such a good idea as lead would protect them against radiations.