Shaggy

A seminal one for me - Magazine's 2nd album "Secondhand daylight", Barry Adamson at his funky and melodic peak. Mick Karn obviously well represented in previous posts but I'll mention again - just because. Technically much of his best playing IMHO was on "Gentlemen take Polaroids" (not so far mentioned), but "Quiet life" remains my favourite.

WD Music tort guards are proper celluloid, I've had a couple: http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/pickguards-c62/fender-basses-c111 - not as nice as Simms or Spitfire, but pretty decent, and cheaper. Used to be around the £50 mark but seem to have gone up a hell of a lot since Brexit.......

Briefly owned the OLP Tony Levin model for a while on a whim, and have to say it was rather nasty. Worth forking out a bit more for the Stirling I'd have thought

Had my eye on this, with a view to swapping out the transformer into my US-spec Walkabout to convert it to UK voltage (currently using a step down transformer which kind of defeats the point of an ultra portable head) - but no way for that kind of money, and maybe just as well as I'd have probably ended up with 2 dud amps instead of one bulky but working one......

"Oozing with mojo.......". (Gone out of fashion a bit, this one) "Tastefully reliced......." "would trade for [bass worth twice as much] with cash my way......" "Can't prove it, but previous owner told me it was made out of wood from the true cross and owned by John Entwhistle......."

Seems to be a common theme of converted radiograms here, so I'll add my pennysworth.... My first amp (at 16) was a completely home made SS head built by my elder brother (who was a bit of an electronics whizz and went on to work for Siemens), that closely resembled explosive devices used by the Bader-Meinhof gang and their ilk at the time. Cab was the 2 speakers from the family radiogram ripped out and mounted in the wooden carcass of a de-gutted TV set. The cab entirely and spectacularly self destructed during the first practice with the band (this was the early days of punk) 1st bass was actually quite decent - A mid-60's Kalamazoo KB-1, cost me £25 - took me a good while before I learned you actually had to change the strings once in while though Happy days!

Seems to me a similar kind of exercise (including the eye-watering retail price....) to Warwick's Jack Bruce signature and Star basses - essentially modern boutique takes on the humble Gibson EB-3 and EB-2. Don't remember any fuss about those - maybe because Warwick is a more mainstream manufacturer than De Gier? I'm a huge fan of the original T'birds (see: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/180496-the-welsh-fenderbird-mk-2-a-quest-for-perfection/page__p__1715729__hl__thunderbird__fromsearch__1#entry1715729 and http://basschat.co.uk/topic/76091-gibson-porn/page__st__60 ) - it's a quirky but brilliant design, very much of its time. There were certainly flaws - mainly the fragility of that big volute-less mahogany headstock, also the limited range of adjustment on the bridge (as BigRedX says), and tendency to neck-dive. But IMHO any "improvements" tend to take away the essential Thunderbirdyness of the design. Like many others here I'm not keen on the body cutaways of the Lowlander, but it's a nice bass, and I'm sure it's beautifully crafted

Likewise, bought a P bass harness from Chris - smooth and easy deal - thanks fella!

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1506887917' post='3381845'] I immediately thought of John McGeoch (Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, PIL, etc) - very well thought of amoungst musicians but pretty much unknown to the rest of the world, which is a real crime as he was definitely one of the most talented and influential guitarists of his time. [/quote] Beat me to it. Fantastically original player, but his playing always complemented the song rather than dominating it Somewhat in the same vein I'd add Charlie Burchill (Simple Minds)

Squeeze, last night at Pontardawe Arts Centre - my favourite small music venue around these parts Almost all the old hits and some decent newer stuff; one of the few late '70's - '80's bands I didn't get to see back in the day. Glenn Tillbrooks voice as plaintive and distinctive as ever and playing some nifty lead guitar; (I saw him solo in the same venue a couple of years back) songwriting partner Chris Difford happy out of the spotlight strumming rhythm and just singing lead on "Cool for cats" The awesome Yolanda Charles on bass (a 5-string Jazz bass) - fluid and funky basslines played with totally effortless cool; really the antithesis of the "less is more" style I generally prefer, but it complemented their simple classic pop format surprisingly well. Bass mixed too low as usual though!

[quote name='GussyG' timestamp='1503850532' post='3361170'] Hi there fellow bass peeps.. first post here, just looking for some nfo/opinions on topic title I'm looking into buying a semi ac ... to help with my tonal armoury in the studio, I have a stingray 5 and a JD super natural and I'm very happy with them, but.... but I've had a few jobs come in and I'm in need (from time to time) of that retro tone that I just can't get from my long scale bass's. looks aren't that important as I'm not gigging anymore, it's all about the tone!!! I'm looking for that classic woody retro tone, flat wound strings with that clumpy midrange sound, I have a budget of around £500 (could push a bit more for the sound) not in a real hurry so prepared to wait for the right one to come along thx in advance bass peeps [/quote] If your solid body basses are long scale then personally I'd go for a long scale semi; of which there are some great examples - Epi Jack Casady, Lakland etc - easier for hand memory when swapping between basses and personally i don't think a shorter scale adds anything positive to the tone. I have 3 short-scale semi's - a Gibbo EB-2, EB-2D and a Vox Wyman, but use a long-scale Steve Smith custom "EB-2" strung with TI flats for gigging - by the sounds of it I was going for exactly the same sound as you.

Met Angus today in sunny (not...) Gordano services on the M5 to prize his rather lovely Kramer 450B fretless into my hot sweaty paws Top Basschatter, great communications, top guy to deal with, and like me has a fetish for old Brit motorbikes too! Deal with in confidence Thanks fella

A second very easy deal with Lee, bought a Hipshot de-tuner from him. As before; great communications, great price, and fast despatch - thanks fella!

The solution of course...... is more cowbell - https://vimeo.com/158218608

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1503662132' post='3360071'] Cambridge High School for Boys or the Perse? Which Bonzos? I thought Bubs went to Netherhall. (well he was big enough to count as most of the BDDDB) [/quote] Perse, I was there '69 - '79. Could well be wrong about the BDDDB - it was one of the school "urban myths", likewise that Syd Barrett lived on Long road (which the school backs onto) and that Arnold Layne also lived close by. My brother went to Netherhall - the Netherhall lot would take the mick mercilessly out of us Perse boys because of our particularly ridiculous uniform.....

Pretty poor compared with some of the foregoing, but: 1. Previous owner of my Kramer 650B was Dave Swift (of Jools Holland's band) 2. Singer /songwriter / guitarist (and mate) in my main school band was Mark "Boo" Hewardine, later of "The Bible" and then respected singer / songwriter. 3. Backed Gary Pickford-Hopkins on bass a couple of times - vocalist with Rick Wakemans band and Wild Turkey, best known locally as one half of Gary and Taff. A real gent. 4. Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd) was a former pupil at my school, and I once found a book with his name signed in! .....which I wish I'd kept... . As were most of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah band. 5. Andy "Wal" Coughlan runs the studio local to me and has produced a couple of demos for my band, plays bass for Gary Numan (among others) - owns a very nice brace of Pro IIe Wals (which I've played...)

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1503423022' post='3358125'] It's easier to just let Sterling explain.... http://youtu.be/R2ZRWzEBIzE [/quote] Thanks - seems I was being thick, just browsed a front-on pic: https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/160608298360007-496769--music-man-stingray-40th-old-smoothie-c00982?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0bT_hq_r1QIVLTPTCh1CkwMkEAQYASABEgKTDvD_BwE which shows the strings running between the poles.... Whatever next, eh?