Steve Browning

I have to say it's very generous to describe a 1963 AVRI as a YOB bass for a 1963 birth year.

Pound for Pound depends on what you want. If you want shiny I would go Fender Japan reissue and upgrade the pickup. If you want worn in I'd go light relic Limelight, although Mark won't do a sunburst (although he will do a colour over sunburst - must lack confidence!!).

I notice that it is claimed to have an alder body at one point but basswood lower down.

I put that together myself. Squier body (I think it was a Pro-Tone) and Might Mite neck. I made two and gave one to a nephew. The black one was donated to a local mental health charity. I had started playing bass when Queen emerged (just) but Queen II gave me my sound and my playing style.

I know what you mean. The Bass Doc on here made 3 of the tort plates on the front row here using the better quality tort from WD Music and I think they are pretty good.

,,, but needs a tort plate to be authentic.

No expert but I would be looking at the neck relief, the nut and making sure the frets are even. All these could affect the action and your ability to just wind down the bridge.

This was my last experience of the the Bass Gallery. Just after Boogie brought out the Subway series of cabs, I ordered two (15s) from the shop. The first one arrived and the second took a little longer (from the Boogie end). Once I had the pair, I ran them up and there was a clear rattle coming from one of them. I did everything I could to check things over (made sure all the screws were tight etc) to no avail. Eventually, I contacted Boogie (luckily, a good mate is an endorsee) and Boogie conceded that the speaker must be faulty. Through the Bass Gallery they agreed to send over a replacement speaker. As someone who has a 'real' job to keep a roof over the family's head, I couldn't easily get time off to head up to London but the guy who was going to do the swap (I apologise for not remembering the name) actually delayed leaving for his holiday (that day) to meet me at the shop. he didn't rush around but took his time to open up the box and remove the speaker ready to swap out the rattling one. After getting it out the trouble was evident. The guy stapling in the wadding had obviously reloaded his staple gun and a block of 4 staples had dropped in and stuck to the magnet, near the cone. With those gone, the speaker behaved as it should. Having opted to keep the original speaker, I was offered the replacement one free of charge - on the proviso that I would return it if Boogie wanted it back. They never did and so I have a spare speaker in case I ever need it. I doubt I will becaue my diesel 2x15 has lasted for 30 years without fault. Before then, I had only bought a wreck of a Precision from the shop so I was not any kind of regular. I was hugely impressed by the level of service and customer care shown. For that, they will always be my number 1 store.

I am not very vocal on cab choice but I do confess that I find the deluge of evangelical praise for Barefaced to be very tedious. Yes, they're light. Yes, they're efficient but then so are plenty of others. They are not the answer for everyone (they weren't for me, in case you thought I wasn't speaking from experience). You could pretty much exchange the word Brexit for Barefaced at times!

I would think 'budget conscious' rules out Barefaced and many other options. The OP wants us to be imaginative on his behalf, not tell him what he can't afford.

No apology needed at all. I expect Paultons Park adverts were fairly regional and I'm along the coast at Portsmouth.

Like what you did using 'hoot' in your post!!

I don't think I expressed an ignorance of new music. I expressed contempt for the ignorant assumption that we were ignorant. There is plenty of modern music I like.

So does that mean you'll not bother with your pointless criticism in future - pointless in that we aren't worth your youthful effort.

Although he did use the pickup when recording the soundtrack for Flash.

I have to say (reluctantly) that even the Foo Fighters were underwhelming. I know one of our number has a great gig with Rag'n'Bone Man (and long may it last for him) but all I see is Grossburger from Stir Crazy, a huge guy from whom emanates a voice you don't expect. Up until last night I've never seen him perform any other song.

Ah so you're going for his current look! Sorry John, if you're lurking.

I have two Fender Japan 75 reissues which I have changed to decent tort plates. The bass he used the most initially was a 67 with a transition logo and the reverse tuners. The 69 he had (and was eventually sprayed black) had the later logo. The two I have sport that later logo. My BoRap bass is a 72 which has been stripped but also has a tort plate. There is a fan site (I think it's called Deaky) list all his basses and their various developments. http://www.deaky.net/beat/bass1E.html

Ah yes. If the question was 'which is the video you'd appear in if you could' it would be Don't Give Up without question - and yes, I'd be Peter Gabriel!!

............ and Rickenbacker. Ok, I made that up.

Torn between Bohemian Rhapsody and the proper (full) live version of Sultans Of Swing. I bet those opening Bb's caused a draught through that Acoustic rig of John Deacon's.

........... and I don't like actives. Vive la difference and all that. There's so much choice out there you don't need to force yourself to like something.

You already pay VAT on goods from Europe. German VAT from Thomann, for example. You will see any import duty charged but that will be the only extra cost I would expect.

Ah, the sweet smell of that greener grass!! The JV will always be more highly thought of (they seem to be the pre-CBS of the post CBS age), but that doesn't make it a better bass for you.