Webby308

Possibly worth offering gear to Gardiner Holgate auctions. They do a big guitar deal every 3 months. One of my basses is in the next sale in September. www.guitar-auctions.co.uk If nothing else, browsing their latest catalogue is a nice experience!

Yep, I got lucky. It's always a risk with guitars that old, but thanks to a decent setup (Joe White Guitars), it plays as well as a new one, but has that nice worn in feel too. One of the conversations we have when I take it to a rehearsal or gig is wondering about it's history. We came to the conclusion guitars should have to have a history logbook type thing so you know where they've been... one of things I'll start when I'm ruler of the world...

I managed to get a YoB guitar a few years ago. I was after something from 1967 (yes that old), and wanted to gig with it, so it needed to be better than firewood. After many years searching, I bought a 67 Jazz bass from Andy Baxter, and after a decent setup it's a nice thing indeed. It's not my first choice to gig with, but as 99.9% of the public can't tell a 67 from a £200 catalogue jazz bass, then interestingly I've not ever had someone point out that it's the oldest thing at the gig (apart from me and our drummer).

I did take it back to Wal in the end. Amazing service and a pleasure to visit them. I would have loved to have spent more time surrounded by amazing woods and bits of guitar too. If in doubt take a Wal back to where it was born! Thanks for the other options anyway!

Thanks everyone - always great to have the advice.

Can anyone offer advice on a good tech who could take on a Wal that drains it's battery? It used not to, so something has changed and when I look in the cavity at the back, all looks well - no lose connectors/wires/solder joints. I know it's just physics (and likely a dodgy jack) but I can't see anything and don't trust my limited skills to fix this. Somewhere in Surrey/Hampshire/Berkshire is fine as I don't think posting it will improve the problem! Cheers!

Thanks everyone - it looks like some trimming is the answer, so now (after looking at Strings Direct), I just need to make a choice!

Just noticed I still need to learn how to spell lengths...

I've been looking to change from flats to roundwounds which I assumed would be an easy thing. Obviously there are loads of choices of strings, but I keep running into trouble finding the right lengths... The bass in question is a Wal Mk1 fretted, and I'm after strings that finish (if you see what I mean) just after the nut - rather than needing 15cm or so chopped off. Does anyone out there have any suggestions of strings that are 37 inches from the stop in the bridge to the first machine-head I could consider? All the examples I've been recommended have been for long scale (or 34 inches) and are obviously not what I'm after... Thanks!

I think karma (in a bad way) exists, as I was telling our drummer about this thread on the way to our gig last night and we we saying we've got off lightly compared to some of the stories here... so guess what? It was out turn last night... Firstly our lead guitarist amp failed 4 songs in - the only time he didn't bring a spare because he was car sharing with out other guitarist... fortunately one of the audience (who plays in a Bowie tribute band), went home and lent us his spare. Lucky or what? At this point my phone in my pocket managed to dial 999 twice - it turns out Iphones can be fired up without human intervention when performing.... Then the singers wireless mic started weird feedback hums at random, then the other guitarist broke a string, so one song was bass, drums and 5 of the usual 6 strings whilst amp surgery was talking place... The second set started ok, then the 2nd guitarist's IEM's stopped working, then to top it all about 30 minutes from the end I got a huge nose bleed that covered everything (shirt, jeans, shoes, bass). It's bloody tricky to play and sing with blood and snot adding to the rock and roll look... Oh well, hopefully that's our chunk of chaos this year, but you never know these days...

Great read and oh so true for so many of us who've played in bands over the years... Really funny and I enjoyed the bass gear nerdiness section too.

Thanks guys - plenty for me to research here. To think I only joined the band to play bass and sing a bit and now I have to understand all the twiddly knobs and cables for everyone else too... Funnily enough the guy at the studio we rehearse at offered us this HUGE Allen and Heath thing - we are going to take a look, but I suspect Abbey Road is missing something looking at the picture... Maybe a bit much for pubs etc...