Shaggy

Terry bought my Mesa 2 x 15 Deisel cab last month, and helped me out big time by paying up front even though the plan was to meet, which allowed me to fund the Alembic I was GAS-ing for. Then what with the snow and ice and having to reorganise my trip, he didn't see his cab for over a month! Finally met and delivered the cab at a rather soggy Gordano services last weekend. Really easy deal, Terry's a great guy and communicator - would deal with again anytime

Oops bit of a late one this, but Chay made my old Ovation Magnum 1 very happy by giving it the proper Ovation case for it to live out its autumn years in comfort in Shaggy's retirement home for knackered old basses. As for Chay; he's a good guy, plays bass, and he's Welsh - in other words there is no higher feedback possible and he's entitled do whatever he likes short of rogering the President's wife. Maybe even that.

[quote name='Clarky' post='1082732' date='Jan 8 2011, 11:16 PM']Errrm, just bought this beautiful Alembic Series 1 from lozbass (these are Loz' photos, hope thats OK but I have either a rubbish camera or am just bad at taking photos). Its a fully refurbished 1982 bass that really is as good as new, and weighs only 9.2 pounds. [attachment=68206:IMG_1722.JPG][attachment=68207:IMG_1719.JPG][/quote] Hmmm.......I'm [i]sure[/i] I recall someone posting that they weren't keen on "short-horn" or "wood finish" Alembics....... Seriously mate, for me that's the best bass on the forum, no contest - what a great score. I acquired my '76 long-scale Series 1 last month after *[i]coughs[/i]* years of GAS-ing for one, and they're simply astonishing basses. Im chuffed for Loz too, as he can now doubtless afford some other amazing bit of short-scale Alembic exotica. If you ever sell, PLEASE check with me! The Pino's not half bad either!

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1081749' date='Jan 8 2011, 01:28 AM']I had this built entirely because I was awestruck by the sound of Jimmy's custom bass after going to quite a few of their gigs. Two days after it was built John Birch died, so this here is the last ever guitar that John worked on. Re his Gibson EB3:- Jim mentioned to John Birch in 74 that he was thinking of having a white bass built. This was just after John had built the Superyob for H (Dave Hill) & Nod & H had had a couple of guitars customised. Shortly after Jim's red EB3 from the early hits videos went in for a set-up to John Birch. When he got it back John had removed the neck pup, resprayed it white & put a new fuzztone into it. Jim was livid, but got used to it. It was stolen from JB's workshop during a break-in a few years later. Shortly after that Jim had his sunburst custom built; though it was tagged "John Birch" it was actually built by JayDee who worked for John Birch at the time.[/quote] Cheers for the info, and that's a really cool bass - I was tempted by a John Birch "Rickenbacker" a while ago (but I was at my default "skint" setting...... ).

[quote name='GeeCee' post='1081531' date='Jan 7 2011, 09:10 PM']Laurence Canty had something similar done, as did Alphonso Johnson I believe using an Ibanez Musician bass. It does make sense, slapping and pulling on the lower notes, fretless on the high notes.[/quote] Quite liking the look of that - I had a fretted one new in '80, but it didn't have that little extended top-string curve at the end of the f/board. Lovely basses.

I'm a confirmed vintage Gibson fetishist, but these and the Ripper / Grabbers have never really done it for me. Some iconic players have played them though - my favourite would have to the great Jim Lea of Slade (or was his a John Birch "copy"?)

I'd have thought it would have been an ebony board if that fretting arrangement was original, but could be wrong. It was common on Kramers of that era - can't see the point of it myself. Lovely Wal BTW!

My main formative influence, along with Barry Adamson What a wonderful legacy to leave, but what a lousy way to go

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1070366' date='Dec 27 2010, 06:56 PM']i like to think im opened minded most of the time when it comes to music...me and my sister were not a fan of the Smiths when we were growing up.. as ive got older i love them...just wonderful music..in my naivity i could never see groove in there music..but as ive gotten older, i totally love there music.. i could listen to it all day.. also is Morrissey not the coolest dude! two of there more popular tunes [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjkMhwNWcbY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjkMhwNWcbY[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRa3jIzZ1EY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRa3jIzZ1EY[/url][/quote] Bubinga - who [b]are[/b][i][/i] all those people in your avatars? I know it's been asked before....... [quote name='foal30' post='1070623' date='Dec 27 2010, 10:54 PM']I'd say the Smiths are not only one of the best bands from England but also one of the most important. they don't sound anything other than English great lyrics interesting guitar player very good rhythm section high quality tunes = the sum is greater[/quote] Absolutely +1 The Smiths were like a shot in the arm at a time when the charts were dominated by sh*te New Romantic / synth-pop / proto-House / Hair metal twaddle. I remember being around a friends house one drunken evening; she raved about this new band and played me "Reel around the fountain" - just knocked me out. Love him or loathe him, Morrisey is a frontman par excellance, and he and Johnny Marr had their finest songwriting moments together. "How soon is now" must be in my all-tine top 5

Using that great leveller of the human race - ebay - as a measure, I've generally found US sellers more courteous and helpful than Brit ones, who frequently won't even ship within the UK. I've imported 4 top-end vintage basses and many bass parts - no problems, and way cheaper than here. Shame about the VAT rise

It often impresses me picking up a 1960's solid-body bass how "modern" they can feel, - especially the Industry-standard basses still around today - and I guess it's because weight has come full circle since then; the '70's and '80's were definitely the era of the [b]heavy[/b] bass (with notable exceptions). I've got a couple of modern basses, but easily the lightest solid body I own is a '65 Thunderbird IV The ubiquitous '60's short-scale semi-acoustics of course can be featherweight, but will [i]never[/i] feel / sound "modern" - nor should they!

I know I've posted this before somewhere, but first rig (1977) was a Kalamazoo KB bass through a home-made amp made by my brother that looked remarkably like an IRA bomb of that era - mind you, he even built in a distortion circuit (now works for Siemens, clever sod......) Cab was the wooden carcass of an old TV set that I spent forever stripping and varnishing, with two speakers scrounged from my Dad's old Bush radiogram (probably about 3W each despite being around 10"). It literally fell apart like a comedy prop on the first gig, as soon as I cranked it up. Had to then share the keyboard players Selmer amp. Replacement was a 2nd hand Carslsboro Stingray head into a home-made 4x12 (proper Celestions mind) - undoubtedly a POS but I felt I was finally a Rock God. Kids these days with their Ashdowns and Hartkes, dunno they're born, [tuh!]

I can understand and sympathise with those with spinal / muscular conditions making weight a critical factor (professionally I'm a radiographer after all) but for myself I quite like a heavy bass to get physical with. I regularly gig my Gibson RD Artist which has to be the heaviest production bass ever - although the Custom fretless MM "Sabre" I made (now with Chris2112) is heavier still. Likewise amp rigs - when you're lugging a huge PA around a heavy bass rig is just a bit more of the same, and if everyone in the band helps it's never a problem.

"Lola".......

[quote name='retroman' post='1061579' date='Dec 17 2010, 02:09 PM']Very slightly OT, there's .......... also a '64 Thunderbird II on Ebay US if the vintage ones float ya boat as well [/quote] This one? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gibson-Thunderbird-IV-Electric-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ200555215870QQcategoryZ4713QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp5197.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5717224143617745605"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gibson-Thunderbird-I...224143617745605[/url] Looks nice, but bizarre that he's cut and pasted the blurb for a modern T'bird IV to describe a '60's T'bird II. Also looks a bit too shiny not to be a refin, though could be wrong Mike Lull do a nice take on the 60's T'birds; [url="http://www.mikelull.com/Instruments/T_Series.htm"]http://www.mikelull.com/Instruments/T_Series.htm[/url] - nicer than the current Gibbos IMO, although bound to be pricey