Rich

I was never entirely happy with the tuners; they held pitch ok but they just felt a bit slack in operation and yes they looked cheap. They let the side down a bit. I replaced mine with a Hipshot HB6C set; much nicer tuning action, plus there was the added bonus of making the bass half a pound lighter. I've got no problem with the stock bridge at all.

Fixed.

My favourite gtrist! He actually started out with an old mangled Tele (see pic). In his own words: "Yamaha modelled it on a mutt Telecaster that I had been playing since back when I began recording with Atlantic, and that guitar was itself actually kind of a copy of a Tele I got from Danny Gatton, who got it from Roy Buchanan. Danny souped it up and sold it to me for $500, because he wanted to buy a used car. It was stolen from me at gunpoint many years ago." I've only ever seen him use the neck pickup. I'm surprised they bothered with a bridge pup on his signature Pacifica.

I have an ash V7 5-string and love it to bits, but if the V7 and P7 had been released at the same time I think I'd probably have had the P7 instead. Sometimes I'd like the thump of a P pickup at the neck, and the J just doesn't quite do it.

Behind me I'm in. Already on my calendar.

Bilston. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2388587394491478&id=100000207218400

What I love here is that Silvia just 'laughed' at a comment describing her husband's instrument as a 'whopper'.

My music collection ranges from Abba to ZZ Top, with Motorhead next to Mozart. From this, most of my music listening tends to be prog rock, prog metal or fusion, but the majority of my available listening time is in the car where I mainly listen to audiobooks at the moment.

The South West Bass Bashes organized by @scrumpymike have been roaring successes so far (next year will be #3, I believe..?), thanks mainly to his superb organisation and the simply a-m-a-z-I-n-g spread of grub put on by Mrs Scrumpymike and her band of elves. I couldn't make it this year, but wild horses will not keep me from the 2019 one.

And bloody lovely they are too. and I still owe you a chunk of reclaimed mahogany, I believe... *embarrassed*

If in any of them the bass is recognisable part of the basic melody (as per Silly Love Songs, for example), then you'll need it note for note. Otherwise, choice #1 will be fine. And listen to those 6 songs over and over and over again in the next week. If you can get them lodged firmly in your head, it'll help.

Oh dear. I get the feeling you're going to be looking for a new frontman on 2nd December.

Wow, now that really is a rare bird.

Nah, common as muck mate Mine is in the custom-order-only finish 'Strawberry Red' which I suppose might make it rare-ish?

Oh man, MAJOR jealousy from me. I would love to get my hands on one of those.

I play 5s almost exclusively these days, although I occasionally pick up a 4 and find no difficulty in swapping between the two. I'm going to be using a 4 a lot more in the future, as I've got a new project for which I'll be using a 4 string fretless. But everything else will be on the 5s.

Mark King's solo albums, Influences and One Man. His drumming on Influences is ridiculously good. And the One Man songs are refreshing for their total lack of bass pyrotechnics.

#4 is the only one that would float my boat. Trios are great fun and I like to sing plus of course the money only has to split three ways (as opposed to 13 with my current band...)

Yeah you're right. I hang my head in shame for expressing an opinion. I also take back my comments on Andie Macdowell, as I'm not an actor.

Just watched his youtube clip. Pretty dreadful 3 minutes and 41 seconds I'm not getting back. But I suppose it gave him the 'view' he wanted.

I would go, but unfortunately I simply cannot be ársed.

As long as it plays, looks and sounds how you want it to, no I don't think it really matters two hoots. Doesn't matter if it's a Stagg or a Fodera, a Behringer or an Aguilar.

I find quite the opposite. Playing through cans really magnifies even the slightest errors and makes me realise how unpolished I am.

Ooh lots of yummy wood. Lovely minimalist approach, and a real respect for the materials. I will watch this with interest. But not the headstock...

I love this bass. The drop tuning arrangement is brilliant.