Paul S

Sad and horrible to read. I have a tree surgeon live next door to me who does all my tree work for me and a few years ago he made an error of judgement. He was lightly pruning a tree, holding small branches and cutting them off, at the time roped up about 30ft into the canopy. However he misjudged how heavy a branch he was cutting was and once he'd cut through it the weight pulled his arm into the chainsaw. He had already taken his pressure off the throttle so the blade was braking - it only went through skin, fat and muscle but no further - but it made a mess of his forearm and kept him off work for several weeks. Made worse, of course, by the fact that he was way up in the tree and his buddy had to try and get him down. And that is a guy who spends all day every day using a chainsaw. Luckily there was no permanent damage other than some slight nerve damage. Mrs S won't let me anywhere near power saws.

I see where you are coming from. Once I discovered that occasionally T-birds came in at 8lb I suddenly HAD to have one for much the same reason. At one point I thought 'T-birds are a young man's bass, not for a thick waisted middle-aged man'. But now I'm a thick waisted old man I don't actually give a toss. So I got one. Just BC (Before Covid), sadly, so not even used it in anger yet. But I can take it out the case and strike a pose any time I like 🤘

There was what I think is sensible advice on the radio this morning. If in doubt ask yourself 2 questions. If I got stopped by the police could I justify my journey? If I picked up the virus, could I pass it on to anyone who is vulnerable?

Playing with a pick is a complete non-issue. Bassists have been using picks since there were electric basses and many of the most iconic and influential players use(d) a pick.

Sigh. if only it were a 4 string.

First time I saw Bonnie Raitt. Her voice, her guitar playing, both used to such devastatingly emotional effect. Never heard anyone play slide guitar like that. The control and subtlety, timing, note choices just blew me away. The way she slowly increased the vibrato in the note, the light and shade. But mainly her singing - it just made me cry. Only during the sad bits, obvs.

Probably the same sort of places and conditions that everything we all use, every day, comes from. Clothes, electronics - you name it, all cheap labour. I stopped wondering a long time ago 'cos it is a situation that has gone too far to be fixed.

Muchas gracias!

Could a proud owner please weigh one of these? Ta.

my ex band toyed with the idea of this but we never got round to it in the end:

I've used Essex Amp Repairs a couple of times and, tbh, wasn't that pleased with what they did. I can say the same for some repairs they have recently done on a couple of amps I know of that clearly had faults they were unable or reluctant to spend time identifying. I would unhesitatingly recommend Electronic Music Services They sorted out my Mesa Boogie prodigy 4:88 when it blew a fuse and took half the pcb with it. Cost me an arm and a leg, mind you, but that wasn't their fault. But recently I have become more acquainted with a chap called Leighton Jennings and he is now my go-to guy for everything. He is a one man band working out of his garage, makes guitars and amps, repairs them, top bloke. Also vintage record players! Both are nearer than Witham, too!

.... bridges, strap pins, sandpaper, masking tape, nice paint finishes.... What a mess!

Yup. Absolutely beautiful. Moved on a few times since now.

Maybe I have been very unlucky with Fenders and very lucky with Squiers but I have handled many, many Precision basses and the best three were Squiers. Two of them JVs, one a Fender logo one, the one I have kept (below) a bit later in '82. The other one was a medium scale A series. I have no agenda, no shares in Squier basses, no axe to grind with Fender - I just wanted to keep the ones I liked best. And they were Squiers. I would say to anyone who reckons JV Squiers are ordinary, just pop round here and have a go on this gorgeous thing

A new craft knife! How exciting. 😄 Be really interested in the weight of this one. Basswood, according to specs?

Extremely good, thanks - you?

I think the logo is great. But I look at that and think 'it is a gorilla, not a monkey' Sorry.

Not sure if this is a good example or not? A damned fine choon, either way

Lost the lid, obvs.