Paul S

That looks great! Getting mildly excited, too, as I have sent Howard my old Fender Musicmaster that he is routing out and installing a P pickup in, together with a new pickguard. So my new 'Mustangmaster'®©™ is on its way back home any day now.

Thanks for that. I think that is my main concern - I do prefer 40mm or narrower necks but also the P bass configuration. I guess I just need to try one and see!

You've owned both - which do you prefer... and why?

Thanks for that - I knew the answer would pop up straight away! I have just sold on a Silver Series Precision, as it happens, and it did have a 40mm wide neck. Nice as that was, I believe the JV series are an extra bit bit special, though? I think maybe I should try and have a go on one, see what I think of the neck, before spending out on one. Although Leeds maybe a bit far, Luke - you don't come down south at all, do you? In terms of the components etc, are the early big Fender spaghetti logo ones any different to the later ones? I know they are a bit rarer.

Question for the JV Squier fan club. I am toying with the idea of getting a JV Precision. They seem to hold their value well, increase a little, even. But primarily I would like to have one to play but this is where I think I am running into trouble as I only really can play basses that are lightweight and have thin necks. I have read a lot of the for sale ads here and many seem to be lightweight - well, under 9lbs anyway. Do any of them have thinner necks? I see some at 42mm and shallow, but were any slightly narrower? And was the combination of narrow neck and lightweight body ever made? Ta

Bought some strings from Jas in a smooth transaction. Good comms, nice friendly fellow, a pleasure to deal with.

I wondered whether a bunch of overweight musos (not me, obviously...) might call themselves 'Fat (insert name here) and the Gastric Band'

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1380544134' post='2226750'] My 1979 Marathon weighs 8 lbs and compared to my 1974 Fender Jazz at 10.5 lbs it's seems really light. [/quote] Compared to most basses it is really light! Hopefully mine will just as light - balsa or obeche or similar. I absolutely love the shape of these, just hope it works out ok.

Incidentally, I found a thread on the Shergold forum started by the guy who bought my old Hayman 4040 - he took it to bits completely and started to restore it. We got as far as sanding the body and re-filling the neck screw-holes then no more updates. Interesting to read it weighed only a shade over 9.5lbs - well, in bits it did. Maybe it weighed more when assembled... http://www.shergold.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1475&hilit=autopsy Makes me look forward to my one even more. Still, I have a week on the Italian Riviera before then.

Will do. You found one then? Or is it some kind of secret practice of yours involving headstock holes?

I am, as it happens - a great forum. From back when I had the 4040. I had a Masquerader guitar as well for a short while. Once the new bass arrives I'll take more detailed pics and dig a little deeper.

I have a Midget and a Compact and can't imagine ever needing to buy another cab. One and/or the other can do pretty much anything I'll ever need them to. They weren't cheap, but I have probably saved the expense by now is not going to the osteopath so much. Alex doesn't have a bad bone in his body and makes one of the best products out there! I just cannot for the life of me understand some of the posts about Barefaced. One or two guys here almost seem to hate him and the product, the vitriol is barely under the surface. Yet no-one has ever particularly stated exactly why. I don't get it.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1380483093' post='2226014'] Having seen Bonamassa 4 or 5 years ago in Manchester (really great gig), I went to the show in Blackpool a couple of years ago and I was really disappointed. Much less blues, much more a 'look-how-many-guitars-I-have-now' w@nkfest. I won't be going again until something dramatic changes. [/quote] I saw him at the Royal Albert Hall a few years back and that exactly sums up my feelings. 'Look at how many guitars I got, look how fast I can play, look how many times I can repeat that fast phrasing' And the sound was bad - how do you manage that at the Albert Hall? Up until then I'd been a bit of a fan.

I didn't ever weight it as I didn't need to know exactly back then. But trying to mentally compare how other basses have been since I think it must have been over 10lbs. Not exactly helpful But if this ends up being the same body and neck as the old 4040 then I will be PMing you pretty sharpish.

Interesting. Should have spotted the hole in the headstock! Well, it will end up being a trip down memory lane - I used to have a Hayman 4040, got rid of it because it was too heavy and the neck was too wide! Maybe I've bought myself another one by mistake! Something to look forward to when I get back from hols.

That's good to know. I thought he must be because he actually appears in the list when you Google the name.

There is a fairly comprehensive pinned posting about earplugs here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/533-ear-plugs/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/533-ear-plugs/[/url] I have tried them all from those that look like fag ends to the moulded plugs with filters in - the latter are very expensive but work best for me. I have really poor hearing (hearing aids both ears!), so it is important for me to try to retain what I have left for as long as possible...

The neck *may* be too wide, but then again it is not deep. But they are light. We'll see. If it doesn't suit me I'll give you first dibs!

It had only just been listed, so I guess I was lucky in my timing to have a look. BIN was £200 plus £15 carriage. Can't go wrong for that. Pickups were originally fitted by a reasonable well-known luthier called Jim Cairnes, allegedly. Actually I can link to the original listing: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHERGOLD-MARATHON-BASS-GUITAR-/321218729128?ViewItem=&item=321218729128&nma=true&si=12J5O61V2Vx5qIV7YZkfyKZ9Sgo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHERGOLD-MARATHON-BASS-GUITAR-/321218729128?ViewItem=&item=321218729128&nma=true&si=12J5O61V2Vx5qIV7YZkfyKZ9Sgo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557[/url] I'm off on holidays next week so it will be coming when I get back - I'll get a decent look and noodle then.

My pleasure I think this is the only one I can link to now the auction has finished.

Bloody Basschat!! All that build up of Shergold GAS made me buy one on eBay just now. Scruffy as hell, non-standard pickups, but it should put my Marathon demons to rest. Expect to see it for sale on here in a fortnight ...