Paul S

The headstock is a great job. Looks really nice like that to my eyes - I don't think all basses suit a matching headstock but that is brill. Did you stain the fingerboard black, too, or is it just the way the pic came out?

That black one is gorgeous. What model is it?

I think how much an instrument costs and ability to play it is a non-issue. 'Cost' is a relative thing anyway. The price of a Fodera would be off the scale for some of us, for others just loose change. When it comes to buying anything at all my mantra is if I can afford it, will enjoy it and want it I will buy it and I see it as no-one's business other than my own. Well, apart from my wife

That's a good way to regard it, I think. My desert island bass would be a Precision. Doesn't stop me enjoying (and hankering after) a whole lot more, though.

I really dislike overplaying. I once shared a gig with a soul band and the bass player overplayed his way through the entire set. Huge player and technically miles better than I could ever hope to be but, for me, his eagerness to show off his chops ruined the gig. My own playing is rather 'agricultural'. I don't understand very much music theory, can just about read tab and, as an absolute last resort (and given enough time) could eventually decipher some dots. Nor do I have too many chops to show off - I play well with a pick but my fingerstyle is ragged beyond 8th notes - anything else just forget it. But I've learnt that these deficiences can actually work in my favour. Generally speaking I have always played covers and so I learn the bass lines I need to. I always play for the song because the song is all I know and, as a general rule, the people I play with like that. Within my limitations I've a decent enough touch, even if technically incompetent If I need to come up with an original line I just think back to other runs etc I have used in similar music that work well then cut and paste them all together. A kind of Blue Peter approach. I keep thinking that one day someone will find me out

Well done Lozz. Genuinely heart warming story from a genuinely nice guy.

I know exactly what you mean. I do find the 3 point clunky but, then again, can live with it. The Vintage pro/Embassy one looks like a more efficient solution even if it isn't quite as appealing. Also I rest my hand on the bridge when I palm mute and it looks like it would be more comfy than the 3 point. At the end of the day I think it will boil down to weight. As soon as either a Classic or Vintage turns up that is under 8.5lbs that will chest the tape.

Probably looks and tone equally. Something about the look of a Thunderbird that I find appealing. And, try as I might, I don't get the same thrill looking at an Embassy. From what I have read both the Classic Pro and Vintage Pro sound and feel authentic: the Classic being darker and more like the modern Gibsons, the Vintage having a brighter sound more in line with the first 60s models. That plus the bridge being the main differences. I am hoping that weight might also be a thing.

Just to revisit this for a bit, how does the Classic Pro compare with the Vintage Pro in terms of weight - anyone know?

Lucifer's Friend. Somehow they passed me by at the time but I'm enjoying catching up. First album, anyway - they seemed to change direction a bit after that.

If you are set on buying new I would also take a peep at the Retrovibe website - David's basses are exceptionally good vfm. But, really, buying secondhand will get you so much more bass for your dollar. And if you are buying blind you can't go wrong with a Yamaha BB424 which leaves you some change.

Indeed, I have them on all my basses other than an Antoria EB-3 copy that I feel needs the extra zing. The first thing I do when I get a new bass is stick a set of TI Flats on it. Anyone who likes the feel of flats but not the 'dull thud' should give them a go, because 'dull thud' they most certainly are not.

I read it as drums/bass locking together rather than a chops showcase. Could be wrong. How about Radar Love, if a bit a Dad rock is acceptable?

A band I was in for a few years used to do a lot of this kind of thing. Couple more Psycho Killer, Talking Heads Is She Really Going Out With Him, Joe Jackson American Girl, Tom Petty

'Maneater' by Hall and Oates - great song to lock drums and bass.

Sadly for me 8.5lbs is bang on heavy as it is at the very edge of what I can use. I'm on a crash course for 65 so maybe should think twice My Gibson 'bird was 8lbs and I really shouldn't have sold it - maybe I could have that inscribed on my headstone . Trouble is I go through phases of thinking they are a young, slim person's bass, not a thick-waisted old man. Then occasionally I think I don't actually care and and the GAS starts all over again.

Thanks Ben, might just do that. I read The Apparation Phase and enjoyed it, btw I'm currently ploughing my way through a boxed set of old 30s and 40s horror that I think you'd enjoy.

Thanks.😀 I was hoping they might have the odd one that was a bit lighter as even 9lbs is too heavy.

Having hastily sold a lightweight Gibson Thunderbird I am mulling over the idea of replacing it but - ever the tightwad - without paying Gibson money. I understand the 'Vintage Pro' is is the pick of the Epiphone Thunderbirds. Can anyone who has one please weigh it? Be interested to know if they are consistent. Muchas gracias Edit - also wondering about the Classic Pro, how it compares weight-wise. Or anything else-wise, actually. I had kind of disocounted it for no particular reason but reading more it looks like a cracking bass as well.

I recorded 'Barracuda' a couple of weeks back and just went straight into my mate's Zoom desk using my JV Precision strung with TI Flats, with tone and volume fully open. He can sort anything else out. [ramble]There was a story as to why my mate Andy (a drummer I had been in a band with for 5 years or so) and I decided to record 'Barracuda', other than it being a killer track. Last summer I answered an ad for a start up classic rock band, the intention being for a bunch of retirees to get together once in a while, rehearse, maybe gig. I asked Andy if he was interested and he was. The guitar player managed to get a lady singer interested - she was a backing singer in his function band, and her partner was a keys player with backing vocals. It all sounded very promising, especially when one of the first tunes to get discussed was Heart's 'Barracuda'. The vocal for this is always going to be a tough call so to even suggest it kind of set out the stall. Or so I thought. After many weeks delay for various reasons we had our first meet up - and the singer hadn't learnt 'Barracuda'. In fact she hadn't learnt anything other than the tune she already knew. Which was 'I Love Rock and Roll'. Which I would have thought was about as easy as it gets but apparently caused this particular lady some problems with phrasing, despite reading it from an iPad. Or perhaps because of it, I dont know. And, to be honest, the guitarist didn't cut it either. My mate and I graciously bowed out. Having learnt 'Barracuda' we were keen not to waste it... but the vocals! Andy had been in a band with a lady who had the chops but he hadn't seen her for some years. He got in touch and she was keen, so that set that in motion. Meanwhile he has a guitarist pal that he had contacted and he has just recorded the various guitar parts. Just waiting on the vocals, which I am looking forward to hearing. [/ramble]

My blues trio have a 'similar' fan. A 70 year old widow who turns up at all our gigs and thinks we are brilliant. But the dancing... it is zombie dancing. Not 'Thriller Video' zombie dancing, though - this is like someone has died, come back to life and a small not yet decomposed part of their brains has half an idea of what dancing used to be like. I can't watch.

I dislike red guitars with a passion. For some reason I bought a red Fender Precision Lyte with faulty electrics and decided to refinish it. I remember why - it was cheap Precision Lyte basses have matching headstocks so I decided to refinish in the body black and remove the red on the headstock and finish in clear. IME a little red paint goes a long way but it actually came off just fine and I did what you are intedned to do - had a new replica decal made that included the original serial number. Couple of coats of clear, job done. Looked good, in fact. Unlike the body refin - I ended up handing it over to @Andyjr1515 who worked his magic on it. Sold on since, of course.

That is lovely. Shame they are so bloomin heavy. Something about the tone those earlier Thunder 1a had was rather special. A real 'Precision but not Precision' woody character which seemed especially to suit the fretless. At the time the 'budget' fretless was the Squier VM Jazz, which was fine, but the Westone knocked spots off it. It seemed like it wasn't trying to be anything other than itself. The later ones were lighter but I wasn't so keen on the pickup.

This. But also different back injuries can bring their own individual issues and what helps one doesn't necessarily help another. In my case, long term I've had a weak sacro-iliac joint and used to see an osteopath who specialised in treating said joint - the local hospitals and doctorswould refer patient to her. One time when I hurt my back more seriously I saw her again, both assuming it was the same area that was injured, and ended up in worse pain than when I went in.* It transpired I had done something completely different - prolapsed disc - and what she had done was actually quite dangerous. So I would recommend, if you haven't already done so, find out exactly the cause of the problem as the treatment can vary or even conflict. But, yes, whatever the issue pilates, yoga - anything that concentrates on the core muscles and spine will help generally. I end every afternoon with a 30 minute set of stretches working from my neck downwards (no more stiff neck, either!) and most mornings will go for a walk, which seems to help reset my spine to default somehow. However, for me, the single biggest factor is a lightweight bass. These days I aim for 8lbs. I tried a duo strap but couldn't get on with how it felt - more like a girdle than a strap and, despite the adjustment built in for different wearing positions, never managed to get it feeling comfy. But that was me - I tend to play my basses with the body angled back on my hip rather than flat on. *As an aside, this was the day before I went on a holiday to Tenerife. The flight was horrible - we hit some turbulence and that was really painful! 2 days in, and faced with the prospect of not being able to do anything at all, I had to seek out an osteopath with the help of the holiday rep who did all the ringing round. The guy I saw (who luckily spoke near perfect English) was meticulous - sent me off for an MRI scan the next day (just Euro 200!) and I went back with the results the same day. Some deep tisssue stuff unlocked the muscles and resulted in being able to do some walking, so the holiday wasn't a complete write off - plus my holiday photographs included the MRI scans

The Longhorn and the '56 single cut, which are both short scale. Although they look different they sound pretty much the same. Also the long scale DC sounds pretty much the same as well. Based on that I assume, but don't know, that the others sound alike as well but I never got to try any so far. Despite the lack of solid materials they seem pretty robust (I haven't broken one yet!) and are amongst the lightest basses you can get. For me the pick of these is the Longhorn - I've had a couple although don't own one currently and I just love the shape - but they are decent basses. At one point I had the '56 and a Hofner Ignition Club side by side as I wanted a lightweight hollow thump in my life and the Dano was a better bass by some measure.