Steve Browning

I wonder if Alan Lancaster is lurking out there somewhere. Any ideas Alan?

A music shop in Portsmouth recently got a mint Laney stack from a recent widow who asked if they would give her £250. She was given the full market price (rather more) and the stack was sold to a collector in Canada. It can happen - and in Pompey!

Worth noting he's also an excellent guitarist and is quite a frequent visitor to local jams and takes a Blues Bay Session amp with him.

Let me know and I'll bring a chair and some popcorn. Stewart is very passionate about the unreliability etc of valves. They are the work of Beezlebub in his eyes and will gladly tell you why, at length! He's a lovely guy and super helpful but be warned, he's very evangelical.

Probably all sorted now but just discovered Alan Clark, who is based in Widley, just north of Portsmouth. He has been Des O'Connor's sound man for decades, which means he has a wealth of experience. I recently took him my wonderful old Bass 400 for him to 'un-mothball' and he was quick and very knowledgeable. Can't recommend him highly enough. I can supply his contact details if you wish. Stewart Ward (of Session amps) also is excellent. He is based in Basingstoke. He (as he says himself) is very busy with new Session products and he also makes excellent cables under the ClearTone brand name. Google Award Session for his details.

Rob. I have 3 spare Mesa 12ax7's. You are very welcome to one. Of course I could have just texted that to you but this way everyone can see what a great bloke I am. :-)

Not sure where you are in West Sussex but Stewart Ward (Mr Session) is in Basingstoke so not the longest drive. He will (as stated) give you excellent service but DO NOT ask him about valves - even as a joke!!

I'm not sure if this helps but the A/E Precision is prone to an imbalance between the passive pickup and active piezo. There is a buffer circuit you can install which levels them out. Best Google if that would deal with the problem you are trying to overcome. Must fit one to mine!!!!

Pure guess and no idea of cost but, if the bass is perfect in every other way, can you get a luthier to reshape the neck to B profile? It must be possible in theory and you should preserve everything you like about that instrument. One of those factors would be how compatible the neck and body are and replacing the neck is always something of a gamble, even if it fits perfectly.

Hi. I reckon you want a bass with a B profile. These were prominent in the late 60's and early 70's and is my favoured neck. Just a bit wider than a Jazz and less than a full blown Precision like yours.

Bought a valve pre-amp from Fionn. Sent out immediately and arrived superbly packaged. Great comms and great guy to deal with. Steve

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1492455285' post='3280434'] He seems like a lovely guy and quite the player, but we should be careful of the deification of folks. There's a logic in using lines to aid intonation, but there's a hell of a lot of logic in improving your ear and muscle memory too. [/quote] This was sort of why I replied as I did. We all play as we play. No-one can play like me as well as I can and, similarly, I can't play like anyone else either. That's just as it should be. In truth it doesn't matter either way. I happen to prefer the look of an unlined (and both of mine are unlined) but that's just me. The fact that I could never get the hang of slapping led me to tell anyone that it wasn't a valid way of playing a bass. Maybe I should change my username to Devil's Advocate.

Naked. Just because Scott can't play without lines doesn't mean you can't.

Have to agree here. The Walkabout and M-Pulse 600 are similar and sound superb. Why bother? Because the sound is just immense. Not a lightweight solution but lighter than the full valve experience. Very much IMHO of course.

You just want a bog standard Precision fretless. None of this Tony Franklin business. There are a number of different types. I have had a rosewood board one and now have a natural with a maple board. I think you may be looking at a second hand one rather than new but then I am not hugely up to date. I don't know how you stand on lines (cheating :-) ) as they seem to be lined these days.

A hugely talented singer.

The SKB FB4 case is brilliant for Precisions. I junked all my other cases for these. About the only case I have come across whre you can shake the case and not feel the bass rattle around inside.

Met up with Mark Palladino at a gig and he told me how his brother compares his gig with the Who to his gig with D'Angelo. Let's just say they were polar opposites.

Don't let that put you off. The instruments are superb and they look stunning.