Paul S

Yes, i saw that thread but they don't seem to have worked out too well? Anyway, having a capacious waist ensures I have a supply of ex-belt picks for some while.

I had a weird kind of pearloid finish white one for a while - RBX800A bought on here and sold on here about a year later. Gorgeous neck, completely odd bridge. I found the tone fairly harsh, though, and had I kept it would have wanted to change the electrics somehow. They usually go for peanuts, so an extremely good buy secondhand. Top of the range in its day, I think?

Thanks for your input Felt ukelele picks - might well try one of those. Also foam under the strings, which I hadn't thought of either. All the other stuff - adjusting the angle of pick, distance from bridge etc I have tried. Well, apart from washing up liquid bottles and sticky tape, anyway. But, yes, the best thing is to keep practicing playing with fingers until I can do it properly. Strange how we vary - I find pick playing completely intuitive but finger playing totally alien.

That is interesting. Looks liker a good bit of kit - can you get them here or are you buying direct from the USA?

I voted 'yes' because I use a Boss OD-3 for one Muse track (which doesn't really do the job properly but it is as close as I can be bothered to get) and an EBS Unichorus that I used to use to try and get a Phil Lynott type sound on another. But I'd rather not, really.

I play with a pick. I would like to be able to play fingerstyle as well as I can with a pick so I have both skills at my disposal but, try as I might, don't have sufficient control, consistency or speed. I practice and improve, but not quickly. At the moment I am learning songs for a new blues band and, for some tracks, could really do with less attack - something nearer to a fingerstyle sound but still allow the greater speed and control that a pick gives me. Rolling off the treble/playing nearer the neck/using the fat end of a regular pick etc didn't cut it. After trying a few soft plastic/rubber things that went wrong I wondered if leather might work. I tried an old strap but it was too floppy. Then I found an old leather belt I wore when gardening that has gone a bit hard - I cut the end off that, shaped it a bit - perfect! Weird kind of sound, not quite fingerstyle but a reassuringly soft plunk. Yet easily controlled like a pick. I'll still plug away at fingerstyle as it would be nice to be able to nail it. But for now I have a whole belt's worth of soft picks. Anyone else discovered a Blue Peter approach to playing?

Thank you Sir, appreciated. A little wider than I had supposed - probably enough to make me not buy one, whatever the weight. I had one of its first cousins for a while, a Hayman 4040 and my first 'proper' bass and the one that made me realise I don't like wide necks. Built like a tank, neck like a floorboard.

I recently put a Hipshot Supertone bridge onto an Epiphone EB0 and was *really* impressed by the quality. One of their A style bridges might do the job - not sure about screw holes etc but quality-wise it knocks spots off a Gotoh 201 I put on another bass.

There's another one just popped up on eBay. Like bloody buses. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHERGOLD-MARATHON-RARE-MK1a-STEREO-OUTPUT-BASS-/251210147150?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a7d4aa54e"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHERGOLD-MARATHON-RARE-MK1a-STEREO-OUTPUT-BASS-/251210147150?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a7d4aa54e[/url]

Mr Snickers, while you are here, can I ask you how heavy yours is and how wide at the nut? I *think* they are under 9lbs and sub-40mm wide necks, but my memory isn't what it was.

Wow. There was one on Gumtree recently for a sensible asking price. [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/shergold-marathon-bass-guitar--made-in-england/1005073697#gallery-item-full-3"]http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/shergold-marathon-bass-guitar--made-in-england/1005073697#gallery-item-full-3[/url]

Not sure if this is helpful or not but I had a set of long scale flats kicking about which, after asking on here, were fine trimmed down a bit and fitted on my EB0. Maybe you already have some old ones somewhere?

Bought a BT2 detuner. Great price, dispatched immediately, beautifully packaged. A pleasure doing business. Cheers Jim!

JTUK - I am genuinely interested why you always dismiss Barefaced. You are their probably their most vocal critic on Basschat yet as far as I know never give a reason why you don't tlike them - only some mysterious oblique reply. Why don't you like them? For me, and for so many people, they are as near to perfection as can be bought in terms of lightweight gear but if you are aware of an issue then surely you should say what it is?

OK, ta.

Whilst admirers of Hamer on here, does anyone know anything about Hamer XT basses? There is a double cutout one on eBay at the moment. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271130240739?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271130240739?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[/url] Nice looking thing but any good?

A nice Westone Thunder Jet has just popped up on eBay. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290837899409?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290837899409?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[/url] These are passive, unlike the 1A, and have black hardware making them real stealth machines. They are also lightweight, made of alder I think. I have one that I have hot rodded with a P-Retro and it is the dog's danglies.

Okay. Picking up on Dave's suggestion, I soldered a wire to the pickup cavity tape and also a wire to the control cavity tape. I'd never done this before but it worked surisingly well. Well, I was surprised. I bundled these with the earth wire from the bridge and soldered them to single wire which went into the relevant connector on the unit. Result - no hum. Or, at least, as little as makes no difference - with the tone control rolled off a fraction it isn't noticable. Well, not to me - but my ears are shagged anyway! Fitting all those extra wires inside the cavity is a bit of a squeeze but nothing dislodged in the process. Yeehah! Edit - just saw your reply while I was doing mine - thanks for that.

Thanks for your suggestions. Deepbass - no dimmers here. I've made a good earth on the bridge, ramming down the wire into a screw hole, so I don't think the bridge is the problem. GreeneKing - what do you mean when you say 'link out the pup'? Dave - Sadly I have no idea what I am doing! I can read intructions and carry them out but if it doesn't go to plan I am pretty well stumped. Yes, makes no difference active or passive. I checked the lugs in case it was that and it wasn't. It seems to me that something in the unit wants to be earthed but I don't know where to start. Trying not to pester Mr East but may have to.

Help! I've just fitted a P-Retro into my P- Bass but despite shielding all the cavities with copper foil I am getting a hum that gets MUCH worse when I touch the controls or the pup magnets. Usually, when I get a humming it stops when I touch the strings, but this time these are fine! Evidently I need to look at something but I don't know where to start for such a specific hum - any suggestions? Ta! Paul Incidentally, I have fitted P-retro to two other basses and a J. East to a Precision Lyte - but this is the first time in a proper P. Bass. Wizard Trad pup. Just WOW.

I have a two-tier system. For rehearsing I use a small holdall to carry all the bits and bobs i think I might need just for rehearsals - a few spares of stuff like strings, instrument leads, extension lead plus small folding stand etc. For gigs I have a larger holdall that I put the smaller one inside plus all the extra stuff I think I need for gigging - extra leads, gaffa tape, more extension leads, little tool kit, more strings, towel etc.

I always ask both questions as both make a difference to me as to whether I would buy a bass. Nut width - I don't get on with a neck wider than 40mm. I haven't got small hands, I just find them much more comfortable. Weight - I have a bad lower back and wearing a bass that weighs more then 9lbs is uncomfortable intitially, next day it is extremely painful. (edit - before anyone trots out the 'it isn't about weight, it is about balance' stuff - for me and my particualr issues it IS about weight as much as balance) There are a lot of basses out there - no need to have one that doesn't suit. Happy new year!

Shameless plug for my BILs Gretsch double neck guitar/baritone. Thread here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/150586-gretsch-g5566-jettm-double-neck-l375-ono/page__p__1884515__hl__gretsch__fromsearch__1#entry1884515"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry1884515[/url] I seem to have deleted the pictures when doing some tidying up of my profile, so here are a couple. Offers around £350...

I've put in in an old brown paper envelope inside a shoebox, waiting for the day I put it back to 'stock' and get shot of it. Would you have a use for it?