Stub Mandrel

Google 'free vector software'. Choose a basic package, you don't want to spend weeks learning how to use it!

I would guess that most body shops could spray it for you if you did the basic prep first.

Sacriledge! (only jestering)

It seems to me that people are I'll rise to the bait. I'm quite happy to accept a lot of people don't like that sort of music. Me, I like a bit of Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra or Stanley Clark and George Duke, much of which probably would sound much the same to you. I may be male, but I'm not young... and I'm impressed by the fact it's good melodic playing, not in your face. I aspire to play like that - technically I'm quite capable of doing so but I'm just not inventive enough when it comes to improvising. I can't help feeling that if he'd been pumping out some super-slappy funk or eight to the bar blues some people would be just as quick to criticise.

The weak point of the Squier Jaguar VM SS bass is its feeble j-bass bridge pickup. I've put together a short tutorial on improving the pickup's response with alternative stage 1 and stage 2 modifications. The stage 2 mod is remarkably effective in my humble opinion!

In the pre-internet days we used to call it 'word of mouth'... <edit> I like a bit of fusion although in a few parts it gets close to what they used to play on TC 'interludes' back when I was a lad. I would say that the stand-out aspect of that track is that it showcases good technique rather than outstanding chops.

If the 'controller' is a 'microcontroller' it is a tiny 'computer on a chip'. It may well cost pence but it will need to be programmed before you can drop in a replacement. If so, I'd ask the manufacturer if you can send off your board for the chip to be replaced by them and be willing to accept the cost being rather more than pence.

For most of its life it probably didn't even have an e-string fitted. Keith wouldn't have been bending the low string (I won't call it A as it was probably G) and the high-fret wear might be the result of strumming (as per the top horn). Sherlock.

These ones: Stagg ones are fairly close, cheap eBay ones almost identical externally, although neither has the bevel so they clip on or the pyramid spikes that bite into the strap and they both would need the smaller washer..

Mine comes from fingerstyle guitar, happy using anything except my 'pinkie'. 😲

WTF??? 🤣 Indeed.

Agreed, originals with much smaller washers than modern ones. I have a pair here 🙂

<Pedant> We didn't have colour coded eylets in the 80s.</pedant>

B2s thrive on abuse 🙂

@ped Another forum I use that has the same software uses 'vigilink anywhere' (I think) which basically is a divert on any links clicked and sends them through a revenue generator so if someone links to an item on Amazon (for example) you get commission if they buy. No ads required. <edit> I think that is the right version, ordinary vigilink seeds the whole site with links to irrelevant products which is more intrusive and annoying.

In the early days of spam, a New Scientist columnist wrote "I experimented with clicking on every pop up that appeared on my computer for a year. My pen_s is now ten feet long."

I use adblock plus but disable it on sites I want to support, also by default it lets through advertising that meets some sensible guidelines (e.g. no repeated animations, no pop-ups). It let the old Roto/Elixir ads appear, and I was happy with those.

I bought a Blackstar Fly for quiet guitar practice and its usable with a bass, so I imagine the bass-specific version is very good. My 'proper' bass practice amp is an Orange Crush 25, which has a 'pad' button that keeps things sane. Actually had a (very civilised) jam last week and I left it on the pad and barely went over 1/4 on the volume, I reckon you could do an 'unplugged' gig with it or even a small pub. Downside is no DI ou,. Advantage is that any and all basses sound fantastic through it, disadvantage is that it seems to impose the 'orange' sound so if you are 'Mr Trace Elliot' it may not be your cup of tea.

Well that's proof alone that rock bass playing is not a refuge for failed guitarists...

I have an old Japanese Maya p-bass with a tortoiseshell scratchplate. I got a nicely aged pickguard effect when I scraped the white gloss paint off with a knife... replaced with a stock item that is a ringer for a 62 scracthplate. I made one for a 'new' guitar and chose off the shelf vintage yellowed effect rather than a harsh white material.

I love the way the drummer's face says "Wow! I'm part of this!"

And sometimes the opposite. The album version of Doctor Doctor is insipid compared to the classic live recording.

Why not head for a decent sized bass shop and see what they have for you to try out?

Worth adding the basses you linked to are NOT 'decorative' ones. Harley Benton is Thomann's own brand and has a decent reputation of good budget instruments; the deco ones are QC fails and the mere fact they weed out the bad ones should give you some confidence in the full price ones!