Steve Browning

Nice bass but typically horrible attempt at a tort guard. Far too red. That's always going to be the problem, good tort guards are like hen's teeth. Great starting point though as Japanses Fenders are superb instruments. I bought 2 or 3 from Ishibashi.

I went more for the Bohemian Rhapsody vibe.

Hello from Waterlooville. Have you had a look in the Southsea Guitar Centre? Good place to look for s/h stuff.

Exactly that. If you want Flea's bass line then go and hire him. When playing covers I will include any important elements (if there are any, of course) but, otherwise, you get what I reckon works best. Personally, I can think of nothing worse than painstakingly reproducing any 'official' version of a song.

Yes, they're like Ivan - Terrible!

They've just to take the right Steppes.

A bit of a chill round the Urals!!

I thought about it but it just seemed too Volga (I'll get me coat).

Will we? I mean, seriously? 😉

In my band, we take out all the expenses and divvy up afterwards.

Hook my thumb onto the pickup cover.

Back in my VAT man days I had occasion to visit Wayne Kerr plc at Bognor. They were in the defence industry.

Could you take off the guard, draw round it on a piece of paper and mark the holes to produce a template?

James Morrison at Bexhill, De la Warr Pavillion. The guy has a simply phenomenal voice. Can't really say the band was the grooviest ever which was disappointing but JM himself was superb.

Devon!! I did correct myself as I thought, for some reason, you were near Swindon!!!

Yes indeed. I remember than thread very well. It all got quite surreal in the end. I know what you mean. I had the Bass Doc make a total of 3 tort plates for me. I seem to recall he used a WD 4-ply material that looks identical to the 70's real thing on other basses I own. Infinitely better than the awful tort plates on Fender's own reissues and even on the JV Squiers. Here's the thread.

Were either you or your brother ever in The Distants (or Distance maybe)?

No insulting Simon Mayo. He's my twin - we were both born on 21st September 1958!!

I would think Philip Green has more to worry about!!

Blimey, that's some resurrection!!

Ah, so you to understand why the first name of the band is 'Experimental' - we all play the wrong song at different times! There is some recording and I think Simon is trying to wrestle it into some form of coherent shape so it'll probably never be seen again! I'll post something when it surfaces. So pleased with the basses. The Lindy Fralin pickups are a revelation.

GM was using Stramp amplifiers at the time. A German make I believe. Rory's amp looks as though it may also be a Stramp. Seemingly our Ange has a thing for curly hair!

I had one. The rear door was opened using the same type of key that train guards carried to open doors on a train (funnily enough). Used mine with an HH 2x15 and then an old Ampeg 2x15. I didn't have it for too long but I remember it performing well without any issue. I don't remember it too well and suspect it was a little under-powered. I have a feeling it made way for an Acoustic 220.

Certainly recently Brendan (O'Neill) has been making notes with a view to a book himself. I hope that sees the light of day.