Roger Phillips

Genius indeed. Saw him with L Shankar at Zeffirelli's in Ambleside years ago- also saw is father Ustad Alla Rakha with Ravi Shankar in Leeds in the late 1960s. Roger

What! No mention of Gibson's famous short-scale basses. I've three EB-3s, a couple of which are now for sale, not because I don't like them, I love them, but in my later years I wish downsize- don't want them ending up in my estate. I'm a Gibson person (got some Thunderbird "76"s too), but like all Fender aficionados- they'll have Gibsons, I've got a 1967 Fender Jazz in my arsenal. Roger

Just last year I developed arthritis in both wrists and ankles; with regards to the hands I visited my GP (was it carpal tunnel?). He ticketed me for xrays and when the results were back he confirmed I had advanced arthritis in the wrists. It's my six-strings I can't play now; my fingers just won't hold the strings down for chord work- thumb won't even clasp round the fretboard binding to hold the bottom E which is very depressing. All those lovely vintage Gibson's will have to go. However, I'm hanging on to my EB-3 and '67 Jazz as I can just about play them. My mother, recently departed, told me it's no fun getting old- she saw 102! Roger

Aye, I'd go along with Dad3353's comments. It's like a capstan and by the looks the holes are spaced for quarter turns. Roger in the South Lakes.

BJH; that takes me back 23 years when Les Holroyd's red Gibson Thunderbird "76" came on the market. I still have it along with a black one, sunburst and a white refinish; the natural one went along with same-colour Firebird, Explorer and V to North London around 14 years ago. That suite is now dispersed. Merry Christmas. Roger

All a bit off topic. Roger

1 Pastorious 2 ? 3 the late great Stevie Lamb, very much in the Pastorious vein; see "Youtube First Moves, Birdland. Roger Phillips

Owt by the late Jaco. But the first to mind is Chas Chandler's opening bars to the Animal's version of "We gotta get out of this place" Roger Phillips

Always been a sucker for Gibson shortscale basses. First one I bought (locally) was a late '60s EB-0 which had had a terrible refinish in matt maroon emulsion, but it was a Gibson. I took it to a local dealer to hang on his walls after I bought a slotted headstock EB-3; that was the one I shouldn't have bought. I then had an idea regarding the EB-0; I'll get it back with another refinish in mind. Back to Lancaster whereupon the dealer proudly said he'd got some money for me, merde. Colour was to have been 'Thunderburst', a sort of Silverburst variant. It's all part of the GAS; The EB-3 went after I got a '67 EB-3- narrower neck then a '62 -3, supposedly a one-previous-owner which I didn't have time to enquire about as time was running out to get back to Euston for my train back yam. Both these need to move on since I acquired my '65 in Pelham Blue (thank you Dave, hope all your cats are doing ok. By the way would you be interested in that red Thunderbird '76'? Also have a Medallion Firebird from a late musician). Don't start me on my six-string collection. Roger

Have you considered train; Google advance tickets (two or three weeks) on Trainline:- PRE to Carlisle then across to Newcastle. Not long ago I could do it from Oxenholme for around £13, bringing back home my EB-3 in Pelham Blue. Roger

Blimey, the last time I heard of CuNiFe was when I replaced all the brakepipes on my car- originals were all mild steel I think. Roger

Either the 1969 or 1970 Isle of Wight lineups, thank you very much. Creme d' Meths, aka Roger

I've used very fine wire wool, partly to brighten up the frets. BUT: either mask the pickups or ensure none of the wool gets near them. Roger

Was going to suggest Old Greys Yard guitars, but see they have shut up shop. Get a day ticket on the Tyneside Metro and check out Hound-dog Guitars in Whitley Bay. Coming back on the clock-wise direction there's various Cash Converters/ Generators in the Wallsend and Byker areas. Don't know if Curvy Sounds in Heaton Hall Rd. might have what you're looking for. Roger

I would have said the above is Sonic Blue, but of that age in that colour it would have morphed in Surf Green. Roger

Well I don't actually play, just used to jam locally. Every time the Mustang Sally riff started I always wanted to rush to the stage and sing the Stones 'Down Home Girl'. Whenever a Thin Lizzy song was announced, bet ya bottom dollar it's The Boys Are Back in Town; for a two-guitar band why not Emerald. And don't get me started on Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird. Scenic in the Mist, aka Roger

Seem to remember Allianz used to sponsor the readers' ads pages of the Guitar and Bass mag. when they used to do them. Stopped buying the monthlies when they ceased to do those pages. From the above post it might be worth giving them a try. Roger

I'd never use WD40 on musical instruments; as mentioned above it's a Water Dispersant- I believe the formula was established at the 40th attempt (without consulting Wikipedia). It's difinitely not a rust preventer. Currently I'm using a military spec cleaner. Most pots have an opening abeam one of the three connect points into which I squirt the cleaner, most likely a type of isopropyl alcohol and while still in liquid state rotate the knobs many times. Roger, S. Lakes

Not watched the video, no time left on my concession, but Chris B. was certainly a big influencer bringing over the likes of Sonny Terry/ Brownie McGhee; no mention of Alexis Korner from the same period. What a brilliant program he had on Radio 2 on Sunday evenings. Roger

Just looked at the posts since my first of 22nd inst; the "disgusting" commission rates I wrote are those charged on hammer prices in the auction rooms- nowt below 25%. Roger

Howdo, E Sharp. I haven't used any of the suggested shops- just have another for you to try, and again, don't know if they do commission sales: Andy Baxter Bass. I don't have the means to post photos on-line as these mails are via a concession; I have four Gibson Thunderbird "76"s to go and a couple of 1960s EB-3s, all "enjoyed", but need to be disposed of. Not sure if to put out mail-shots to dealers to invite tenders or submit them (reluctantly) to a sale-room with reserves; current commission rates are downright disgusting. Roger in the South Lakes.

Week-ending 11th February: that was a bolt out of the blue and shouldn't have happened. Stevie was a well respected musician and session bass-player living in the Cotswolds. His services were called upon by many including Leanne Carroll, Stevie Windwood and I'm told, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton; spent much time in Ronnie Scott's. He cut his teeth in Kendal, North-West England in jazz-rock outfits before moving South. He passed away during an operation to remove gall-stones and had a cardiac arrest. Condolences are due to his wife Fiona and his parents Ian and Daphne in Kendal. Have a look at Steve Bull's youtube post of last autumn: First Moves play Birdland (Weather Report); I'm in tears. Roger Phillips

I'll stick with my circa January 1967 Jazz in well-gigged Olympic? white (inc headstock). It'll probably end up in my estate; that and my Pelham blue EB-3. The four Thunderbird"76"s can go including a red one which belonged to a fellow in East Lancashire who used it in the studio. Roger