Paul S

I'm not remotely interested in what the headstock says. I have a couple of Fenders that I gig with because I like them and they are comfortable. But that also applies to others - I regularly use a Westone and, if my back is bad or space is short, a Hohner B2A which people will generally take the piss out of. I just enjoy using different basses.

I am a huge fan of Westone basses. I think they are superb quality and unbeatable value for money. The shame of it is that most of them are too heavy for me to wear now I have done a number on my lumbar. I had a wonderful Thunder 1A that I would often pick up in preference to my Fenders. My one remaining Matsumoku bass is a pimped Westone Thunder Jet (bought for £77) - made of alder so only around 8lbs, and fitted with better pups and a P-retro - that I use regularly. Sounds huge and plays brilliantly. I have a SPB-3 to fit into it when I get around to it - should be a little better still.

And what we all want to know is, when will you start production!?

Thanks again. Just need someone with some scales to make an empirical post and we are finished! Yes, John - it would be interesting to know. Ditto my SGC Nanyo bass Collection and Fender Precision Lyte, both of which are stupidly lightweight yet still made of wood. One on eBay finishes in a couple of days - keeping my eyes on it.

I learned to play a guitar with a pick, so when I took up bass it was the natural move to carry on with one. I practise using my fingers for the whole 'choose what's right for the song' thing but am still unable to play with the same control, subtlety and speed that I can with a pick, so for gigs I exclusively play with a pick. Maybe when I can play to the same standard with my fingers I will be able to choose which style but, tbh, I don't feel that playing with a pick restricts me. I think the most important thing is to play in a way that is better for you - if you have a decent touch with one style and not another I don't see any reason to 'do yourself down' by not playing to your strengths. 99.99% of the punters aren't going to notice - probably only bass players!

Thanks for that. Probably puts it sub 9lbs and nearer 8 maybe. Which starts getting interesting.

Thanks for that. Your endorsements were popping up everywhere I looked so I guess you are a fan. For me it is as much weight as how comfy it is - my particular brand of lumbar problem seems exacerbated by wearing heavy basses, no matter how comfy they are. I'll see if one crops up more locally so I can give it a whirl. ta.

I don't know about an S2 but my I can certainly hear my Compact better when it is off the ground. But it was the same when I just used the Trace Elliot 1x15 on it's own sometimes. At least the BF Compact is easier to lift onto something! If all else fails I stick it onto one of those aluminium tool cases that I tote my TC Classic 450 about in - it isn't much but it helps.

I work for myself, am exactly as busy as I want to be or need to be and pretty well please myself, lucky fellow that I am...

These crop up from time to time - one on eBay at the moment - and they seem quite appealing, good range of sounds, nice skinny neck etc. But using both Google and the search function on here I have read conflicting things about their weight. Luthite is said to be a lightweight composite material, but I have also read that these basses are heavy compared to wood. Which is it? I think there are a few former/current owners on here that would know. Ta muchly! Paul

Saw them at Wembley during the Live and Dangerous tour way back when. Hard to take your eyes off Phil Lynott, hugely charismatic man on stage. I have an abiding memory of Brian Robertson dressed in white with a spotlight making him look very ethereal during the solo in 'Still In Love With You'. One of the best gigs I have ever been to. One of my bands do a few covers - Waiting for an Alibi, Chinatown (there's some odd timing in that one!), just started to have a crack at Emerald. Great fun - the dual/duel guitar thing sounds great.

James bought my Washburn Scavenger in the smoothest of transactions. An absolute gent to deal with, good comms etc. Cheers!

No. Think BluTack or chewing gum but not sticky. Anyway, I just tried a very unscientific experiment. Took a filter out of one of my moulded plugs. Dropped it. Did a spectacular slip catch to prevent it falling through a hole in the floorboard. Made a hole in one of the soft plugs with a pen, bunged in the filter, bunged it in my ear. Put proper one in other ear. Got my wife to shout. Seemed to have much the same effect on both sides. Got to be worth a fiver to try.

Well, they certainly mould to the shape of your ear and remould easily. So it must be just as easy to make a hole in and fit it around the filter. Ridiculously cheap, so got to be worth a try. I already have the £150 jobs but am bound to lose one/both eventually. I'll have a fiddle later and report back.

I got something similar for travelling [url="http://www.boots.com/en/BioEars-Soft-Silicone-Earplugs-3-pairs_39424/"]http://www.boots.com/en/BioEars-Soft-Silicone-Earplugs-3-pairs_39424/[/url]. They are a bit like blutack but silicon. Out of the packet they are too effective for me to wear for music, especially as I am rather deaf anyway. I wonder if you could make a hole in them and fit filters? I may try a diabolical experiment.

Not a fretless chap myself, really. But they sound very promising. Ta.

What I wouldn't recommend is what I did to mine and use Dulux Woodsheen coated with clear enamel...

How about the SGC Nanyo Bass Collection one for sale on here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/162040-fs-bass-collection-sb310-active-5-string-price-drop/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/162040-fs-bass-collection-sb310-active-5-string-price-drop/[/url] Top quality instrument.