Stub Mandrel

A few people mentioned cleaning off a sticky coating with isopropanol. I've had a few things with a 'soft touch coating' (e.g. a gps and a mini-speaker, amongst other things) that went the same way with age, so I assumed this was what they meant. http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Soft_Touch_Removal

The one I bought looks the same, but has hard plastic without a soft-touch coating.

I'm more worried about guitarist's nipple... may have to get a pair of pasties!

Can you see the bottom row when you are playing it?

Extreme relicking... Perhaps not fair to use a guitar with a tremelo? Surley the absence of frets has a huge effect on tone 🤣

I'm surprised; all of the acoustic guitars/basses with a fitted preamp I have tried have similar output to a normal active bass, let alone a passive one. Was it just a lack of volume or a lack of 'presence'?

I wish I hadn't googled that.

I'm assuming they reduce the handling noise on an acoustic...?

Probably because most are marketed to beginners who assume fret lines will make playing easier. In reality, they are hard to see when standing, and once you get some practice you discover your fingers pretty much know where to go anyway.

In my view the construction of the bass has more impact on the sound. A through-neck headless lightweight with a vestigial body will have more sustain than many heavyweights with bolt on necks.

I find that if you get a selection of 2.5kg and 5kg barbell weights and wrap them in gaffa tape (to prevent scratching) you can add variable amounts of extra mass to you bass. With the help of an assistant it's even possible to add or remove extra sustain, bottom end and presence just by varying the mass as you play.

Three colour tobacco sunburst, transparent blue burst, candy apple red. But in all honesty, I like some variety. Six string wise, my satin finished natural Ibanez is very lovely too, as is a white Tokai SG not sure it would count as 'olympic'.

Well, I got this: Minor scuffing, but essentially a £400-£500 bass of £70 🙂 I like the sound and feel of Tanglewoods, but it might need a bit of a setup, if it hasn't been done already. MIght put black tapewounds on it.

We have a progster in our midst!

Approved, by the Campaign for Realistic Avatars. 🙂

Don't... anyway only a fool would call that 'low end' whatever teh price tag 🙂

Blocked video 😞 But yes I have heard her playing before. 🙂

That's how the headstock got broken off - disembowelling a unicorn.

I have an upright, straight strung, piano in fully working condition, pre-1950s, a tad scruffy, previously belonged to a colleague whose mum was a piano teacher. One string has a slight buzz when you release it or nearby keys, it's probably the E below middle C. The tuner tweaked it to get rid of this, but it came back, I think it's a dodgy damper but it should be curable. Free to anyone able to arrange transport from Burton-upon-Trent area. Movable by two strong and willing folks, three to lift up into a van. I'm willing to assist.

Saw an older couple with a very oddly shaped wooden case today (like an L-Tetris piece). Asked if it was a large saxophone. Thought they said it was a cittern, which confused me a bit as I couldn't see where the headstock would fit. They were headed for antique shop. Turned out it was a sitar of good make (I was assured by an apparently knowledgeable shop owner, who was expecting its arrival). Sadly without bridges or strings (drone or main) it looked in good condition 21 frets (I didn't count), wrapped in a golden throw inside it's padded case that was more sophisticated inside than out.

Tasteful. Subtle. Sophisticated...