Paul S

A few years ago I had to look for lightweight basses after an occasional acute back issue became a chronic one and had to sell off some favourites. Particularly sad to see the back of a Washburn Scavenger that was in museum condition. I loved that bass - loved the fat bottomed double cutaway symmetry of it - but it weighed nearly 11lbs. Since then I have moved over to 5 string - the problem then being basses that are light enough, despite the extra wood on the neck and hardware, and that I like. For me, and my back problem, a wider strap helps but is not the answer. Not short scales but I now have four 5 string basses that are 8lbs or under and comfy enough to wear for a couple of hours at a time. I still ache next day but nowhere near as much Maruszczyk Jake 5 - you can specify what you want - mine was chambered basswood with lightweight hardware, single Delano pup, passive. No QC issues with mine, it is fabulous. Musicman Sterling 5 modded to passive with the same pickup as the above - having all the original electrics removed lightened the load considerably. Although, to be fair, it started off as an unusually lightweight one in the first place Yamaha BX-5 - I love this. It does the Hohner B2V small body/headless vibe but with an upper horn so it sits better on the strap. And smashes the Hohner out of the park in terms of quality. Fender MB-5 - the 'forgotten Fender'? MIJ, basically a different shaped Jazz. The lightest full body of the bunch at just 7lbs.

Couple of my favourites. Not complex but just define the song.

Cameo was the original.

yes, everything the Duffy version lacks. My little band do it like this but stripped down to guitar/bass/drum. I really like Christopher Cross' 'Ride Like The Wind'. But I also like this cover by Saxon. Not keen on Biff's voice, never have been, but the riff seems to flow nicely as heavy rock And here is one that is kind of reverse - famous cover of little known original but I actually prefer the original - at least how he plays it live. 'Rio De Janeiro Blue' was a massive hit for Randy Crawford but written by a guy called Richard Torrance. Again my little band does this, lovely to play.

Thank you Silvia. 'Need' is a word that rarely enters my vocabulary so I get what you are saying completely....

A Westone Thunder Jet had 22 frets, fabulous necks, too. I believe some of the later 1A models also sported 22 frets. Might be possible to get either as just necks.

Thanks Mick. Not a million miles geographically but I suspect financially it would be

Here's another that been covered by a list of bands, originally recorded by someone most people have never heard of Billy Joe Royal but soon after covered by Deep Purple then, some while later, Kula Shaker. I like the power of this version by Gotthard - I believe this was flagged up on here a few years ago in a similar thread, which is when I first heard it.

Thank you, I may well take you up on that. Thanks. Thanks. I have been convinced to ditch the 5 string Stagg idea and will look more closely at the NS Design ones. I am sorry - having reread your post I seem to have misinterpreted what you wrote. Apologies. And, yes, I will think carefully before splashing out. It might be, when all said and done, that 4 strings will suffice for the amount of use it gets. Thanks again all for your input.

Thank you both. Interesting that you both report the same issue with the B string. The stand isn't an issue as I modded the Stagg to play on a tripod a la NS Design but it makes sense to see if I can try a 5 string before either carving up the Stagg or shelling out.

Your advice started off nicely with the first sentence, which actually makes a lot of sense. But then you just spoiled it by being rude for two paragraphs. What a shame.

Oh learned ones I seek opinions and expertise. Since moving on to 5 string basses it seems logical for me to swap my 4 string Stagg EUB for a 5 string one. It is for just occasional use at the moment although my little band keep threatening to do a lot more 'acoustic' gigs which would see any EUB I owned getting a lot more use. No bowing, just piz. I see 2 main options: Convert the Stagg to a 5 string - there is a thread on here somewhere about it. here, in fact I would have to buy a whole new set of strings as well, not just the tuner/nut/bridge change costs, as I currently have black nylon Innovations and they don't do a low B. There does come a point when I would think - it is only a Stagg and, after spending perhaps £200 on it it is still only going to be a Stagg. Get one of the NS Design EUB models, of which there seems a confusing array. For my purposes the WAV5 link here would probably do but what are the differences between this and the more expensive models? I 'think' the omni is just a strange shaped 34" scale fretless - bit like a posh Dean Pace? An Eminence 5 string would be luvverly but in reality a bit too rich for me, I think. Converting the Stagg would be the cheapest option but is it bending it out of shape too much? I'd really value some real life experiences of the various NS Design models, if anyone has played a few. At the moment I am finding it hard to decide so any thoughts are welcome.

To my mind a back up amp should be capable of doing what the main one can do so it makes perfect sense to have a similar amount of oomph. It is, for me, more about size and weight that makes an amp qualify as back up, not how much it costs. I use a Quilter Bassblock 800 which is tiny but perfectly capable of doing the job. Which is a good thing as the first time I took my Mesa Boogie Prodigy Four:88 for an outing one of the valves blew taking much of the pcb with it. Quilter to the rescue.

I have to say that being a cack-handed, clumsy buffoon with zero patience I always enjoy reading these build threads with awe and admiration. But you seem to have elevated the craft to a higher level - I guess it is because you have spent a lifetime working with wood professionally to then turn your hand to making these instruments. The detail on the inlays and bindings, just the sheer quality of the workmanship (can I say workmanship?) are just sublime.

So all those years of study at University, then internship then general practice are a waste of time. Just hang out with those that are qualified and that'll do! Amazing - could solve all the problems in the NHS that way. 😂

'Heart attack' is a catchall term for so many different problems - advice for the wrong one could be misleading at best, life threatening at worse. If I were in your shoes I'd be looking for the advice of those who treated you and know exactly what your problem is, not a bunch of random bass players who have never met you.

Or this one - love the stripped down feel of the playing. Maybe not so much the shredding...

No need to be funny about it, fella. Just pointing out something you may or may not have known that the guy you are pointing out to that a lack of reading and theory sets you back has some decent gigs under his belt. Probably higher profile than most of us.

Clearly, as a bassist who has played with Knopfler, Lindisfarne and numerous other elite from the northeast of England, this lack of theory hasn't set you back too much, Michael?

You know, I have been following this thread since it started and still have absolutely no idea what the point of it all is. Anyone else confused? Bean9seventy - you seem to have invented a whole new way of punctuation, let alone bass playing. On topic - or is it? - I do recall Mark King saying in an interview that he started playing the way he plays because he wanted to play like the start of 'Rise' by Herb Alpert. Which does sound exactly like a slowed down version of Love Games.

Blackie Lawless of WASP embraced the concept, too.

Great job Warren. Really like what you did with the stills at the end.

I have had expensive gig bags in the past but now use TGI Extreme ones. They don't quite offer the same protection as the Mono bags but then they are £40 and, at that price point, better than anything else I have tried. I'd say, value for money, they are hard to beat and if it is just to be used for loading in/out the car as opposed to being abused in a van then it is more than good enough. https://www.normans.co.uk/product/tgi-extreme-series-electric-bass-guitar-gigbag

Here is one of my faves. Used to play it like this in a band as our last number - always seemed to come as a surprise when ti all kicked in

My main weakness I would also consider to be my main strength. My weakness is that I am not a very technical player, have very little understanding of musical theory and don't have many 'chops' so can't improvise or do things on the fly. I just copy and paste my bass lines. I learn by ear and, as a result, it sometimes takes me a long time to get a bassline down. Lessons would help but , at 60, I have neither the time nor inclination. I do, however, have a decent touch and ability so that what I do learn I end up playing pretty solidly. I don't ever overplay - because I can't. I've seen some extremely talented and technically brilliant bass players who have all the chops but, to my way of thinking, often feel the need to use most of them most of the time and , as a result, massively overplay. Also because I can't busk a tune I will learn it which, if that is what we have decided to do, makes life easier for the other band members. If you like - I know and feel comfortable in my space which then allows other band members the room to expand a bit if they want.