Shaggy

I have to agree. I always find these threads slightly depressing due to the utterly predictable Brit tendency to put down anything perceived as successful. I’m not a massive fan of the Stones (though “Gimme Shelter” will always be in my all-time top 10 songs), but their sheer longevity for both creative output and for putting on high energy live performances is staggering - I’m pretty sure it’s a feat that will never be repeated again in the world of popular music. Respect 😎

Absolutely true; and for me the strongest associations are indelibly linked to my romantic life. Fiction Factory’s “Feels like heaven” completely takes me back to bittersweet memories of early 1984 when I and the first real love of my life were going through a rocky time.....🤔 My all-time favourite album, takes my right to the best summer of my life doing voluntary work at a Marine Biology station on a tiny island off SW Ireland 🙂

Just noticed it looks like that site I mentioned for the TRC does the knobs you’re after as well: https://reproguitarparts.com/#!/Electra-Westone-Volume-and-Tone-Knob/p/199597582/category=1391098 edit: also just noticed they’re sold out, but if you contact them I bet they could source some more

Great score bartelby 👍 - as for the TRC I guess you can carefully touch up the logo; if not, these guys will make one for you: https://reproguitarparts.com/#!/Electra-Westone/c/1385115 They custom made a creme version of the TRC for my Thunder II, which is now also part of their catalogue.

We had the same experience a couple of years ago when clearing our parents home; ended up giving away their lovely old iron-frame upright piano for free. Nobody wants them; I guess they take up too much space and the modern compact electric pianos are so good. There was also an antique harmonium in the house (technically mine, as I’d bought it on impulse from a junk shop when in my teens....) which had a slightly more interesting exit. A Finnish heavy metal band touring the UK and passing through Cambridge happened to notice it posted in the Freeads, took it away, and used it that night as part of their act. I assume it was probably destroyed with a flame thrower or something (which was a shame as it was a beautiful thing....), but I guess better to go out in a blaze of glory than mouldering away in a garage somewhere.

Prather a poor shot of me also playing a natural RD Artist (my first RD). Cab behind me is a Mesa Boogie Diesel 2x15 Road Ready, so I was clearly keen on heavy gear back then......

Probably a dull question, but I assume it’s an old ‘un rather than the Krist Novoselic reissue? Tricky one, as vintage prices seem to be all over the place right now, and “rarer” doesn’t necessarily equal more desirable / valuable, in fact it can work the other way. Might be worth looking at Andy Baxter recent sales, as he sells a lot of vintage Gibsons and seems to have a pretty good handle on realistic pricing. Personally I wouldn’t go above £1.5K, but then again personally I’d be holding out for an Artist model anyway - much nicer 😉. (I’ve owned 4 of them, so am a bit of a fan....)

Lovely, though it’s aged to a kind of a shoreline gold! 👍 As I recall, Benjamin Orr of The Cars used to play one with that finish.

A proto-Warwick really....... I rather like it, other than the pine body being a bit 1970’s kitchen unit 🤔 I used to own a ‘60’s Framus Grand Star 6-string acoustic jazz guitar which was fabulous.

Now up to £33..... looks like the bones of a good bass there, minus the very silly pickup surround - you’d have to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod (or route a notch by the neck heel of the body to access), but I’ve had a few bitsas like that.

Interesting - prices seem to have plateaued recently; I guess partly down to the global economic situation and partly there’s been a bit of a spate of selling, presumably owners taking a chance on getting the best price now. As that spate dries up I suspect prices will creep up again, as Wals will not only continue to be perceived as investment items, but also are still very much used by pros and session musicians who will pay what it takes to achieve that sound. It’s been said before; £10K might seem a crazy price to us, but a pro / semi-pro violinist or classical guitarist could easily pay ten times that for a top level instrument. I’ll be hanging onto mine though 🙂

Yup, that was my first proper rig; 4x12 was homemade - the local music shop was doing DIY “flatpack” cab kits in decent birch ply, with Celestion drivers. It wasn’t all bad in the ‘70’s....... I’ve been as guilty as any on BC for slating Carlsbro Stingray amps, but to be fair; they did what they were supposed to do, i.e: amplify, and mine never let me down. The combos were proper fugly, mind. 🥴

OK, that’s definitely a cue for more pictures......😉

Ah there you have it, no other explanation needed.....😉

Circa 1977 an anonymous neighbour had the Police on us for our punk band practicing too loudly in my Mam & Dads garage. 🙁 These days there so many ways to play silently / quietly / virtually I don’t think there’s any excuse. Unless you’re a church organist.......

I hadn’t realised Gordon Smith were still making guitars & basses; I used to own a mid-‘80’s GS Galaxy semi, one of the very few basses that I’ve regretted moving on. They had a reputation back then for making quite plain, unfussy instruments, the designs rather derivative of popular Fender & Gibson models, but hand-built to a very high standard. Can’t say I’m that fussed on the bass in the OP, but glad to see they’re still around and hopefully the quality is still top notch.

More than a modicum of truth in that, although the most romantic memories of my late teens / early 20”s were spent at Cambridge Jazz club in the early 1980’s (“The man in the moon“ on Norfolk St.), which was always completely packed out. Listening to good Jazz music live is an amazing experience, but for some reason I simply can’t do it in the house - of all the many hundreds of CD’s I own, only one is a Jazz one (almost inevitably; Miles Davis “Kind of blue”).

Common misconception! I think mainly as they’re normally strung with flats, with which they sound quite convincingly double-bassy but not much else, whereas IMHO they’re nicer with rounds to really bring out the harmonics and top end. I have a ‘58 and a “69 “D”. For me - like a few above I’d love to try a Ric 4005, I reckon the coolest looking bass ever made. Though I have heard the tone described as “thin sounding and disappointing”. Otherwise, wouldn’t mind a go on a Gus.