Burns-bass

Hi Jon, all in the recycling now I’m afraid.

I make more money picking up loose change off the street than I have done from music, so I can’t compare really. I write stuff that nobody reads for magazines, websites and businesses. Work is steady if not spectacular.

My mum and dad encouraged me to play music (keyboards and so on) but after a few failed attempts, my dad said politely: “you’re on your own.” I saved you and bought a guitar and an amp myself, and played it constantly for about a year. Since then they’ve done everything to support me, including watching some truly terrible shows. We didn’t have much money when I grew up, but they paid for a guitar lesson every couple of weeks to get me started which was incredibly helpful and I can still remember today. I traded up the guitar and bought a Kay bass guitar for £15 and it all started.

Separate the art from the artist. Lovely looking bass.

Sounds like you love it as much as I do!

I’d happily never listen to any of these guys, ever. That’s the beauty of music!

Indeed. I don't want to drag this into a Vulfpeck good v bad discussion. As with music, so with people - we all love what we love. If it makes you happy, then all power to you!

Agreed. There is some incredible new music out there. What I’ve found as I’ve become older is that I have no time to seek out new music or be challenged by it. Some of the best albums are ones I’ve grown to cherish not instantaneously loved. When I was growing up music was everything - what I did, how I socialised and how I met many of the people who mean the most to me. Now it’s something I listen to on the way to and from somewhere, what I play when I’m working and (briefly) what I can immerse myself in and enjoy. Believing that the past was somehow better is a national obsession in this country. This thread in itself typifies that. Rather than fixate on what’s not around, embrace what is and get people to recommend you some new music. I have recently discovered Michael Kiwanuka and Vaudou Game. (I also share the OPs dislike of Vulfpeck and Snarky Puppy. It’s academic jazz funk stripped of any passion).

Anyone who has the decency to phone these days sounds like a keeper to me.

This isn’t an investment but a speculative asset. Unlike a gold ring, for example, it holds no intrinsic value. When my dad saw my 66 custom colour jazz he described how simple it would be to strip it off and repaint it. When I explained how much it would affect the value he just laughed.

It just becomes nonsensical after a while. I play DB too and a completely had carved and entirely bespoke double bass created by Martin Penning would be about £25,000. This is the culmination of decades of craft, the best quality materials and the highest quality workmanship. This is a production line bass, built from cheap and replaceable parts by unskilled tradespeople. Madness.

I sold one like this for a good price (maybe it was this one). Can’t remember exactly what it was, but possibly around £1500? I got it in a partial trade for a 64 Jazz and it was an exquisite bass. It somehow felt a little cold to me when I played it. I think it was guilt when compared to the one I traded with it and certainly no criticism of the bass. Anyway, I love these instruments and I think what he does is fantastic and I love this one. I nearly bought it, in fact, but have no disposable cash.

Phone them up and demand to speak to the manager. Personally I’ve received good service from PMT (Bristol) and they’ve been fair and reasonable. Perhaps it’s the individual rather than the business. I hope it gets sorted for you.

Sorry to hear this. I’ve never received such poor Service and hope it’s sorted for you. Nobody deserves that when you’re spending over a grand!

The authenticity of that jazz has been debated on here and the consensus was not good!

I bought a classic bass and it’s absolutely wonderful.

I love the rule that you don’t play open strings.

This is most of their output. Alice Cooper does a fantastic show on the radio from his own abode.