Jackroadkill

Die, Die My Darling (I'm suggesting that because my band plays it!).

At the moment it's You Could Be Mine, by Guns 'N' Roses. It's bloody fantastic!

A thought on the backbone; could it be thinner if it was on the top of the body, and therefore subject to less moment from the strings? This may make it able to be a bit thinner and lighter.

She's looking great, Rob. I really like her.

That's fecking outrageous.

I was born in 1979, so no.

I'd have one of those, that's for sure.

That's a heartbreaking circumstance. Sincere condolences, Gasman.

I wallowed in despair, then fired the drummer.

That looks like an early 70's case...

That's superb; it takes me right back to my Slimelight days and the bands I never quite got off the ground. I must come and see you play.

Yes, but I waited until the band were leaving the rehearsal space before I did so. Like I said, not my proudest moment!

If only I had - that would have been the world's longest toilet break, wouldn't it?!

That's not a cow - 'er's an heifer!

I quit a band once; I climbed out of the toilet window and ran away. Not my proudest moment, but neither was rejoining the same band a year or so later only to quit again because, despite the assurances, nothing had changed.

Think you may be missing a letter. I don't fear for music; folk have been fearing for it all my life (remember how "home taping is killing music"?) and it's still here. Yes, lots of it is shite, but that's what the skip button is for.

We used to play there 20-odd years ago! A blast from the past for sure - glad you had fun.

"Commensurate with age". Swallowed a dictionary, have we? Used gear is used gear.

That's a superb analogy. I find that technical playing (of any sort, not just bass) usually turns me off, as I prefer the music to serve the song rather than just show the skill of the players. I'd rather hear one note that really makes you sit up and pay attention to a hundred that are all icing and no cake.

They'd be brave lads to start on the chap with a four-foot lump of wood in his hands!

Yeah, man - what a great way to spend sixty nicker! I'll bet you're well chuffed!

I'm just wondering if it isn't the material that's letting you down here. Instead of a single lengthways aluminium bar, what about four or five stringers that are arranged parallel with the alignment of the neck and "up on edge", so to speak?. There'll be more stiffness and less weight - but it would necessitate redesigning the central part of the bass to accommodate these. Potentially the bridge could be bolted to these, too.

A proof-of-life post for this build; I have a scratchplate (cream / manky white), a BBOT bridge (although this may get subbed for a high mass one later), machine heads and a very nice set of high-output Toltec pickups now. The pickups might have too much output, but I'll worry about that later, as they can always be moved on once the build is complete. As the weather is finally starting to show signs of getting above 5 degrees Centigrade I'm planning to buy the paint next month. I'll be using this paint: https://perfectpearlsandpigments.co.uk/products/candy-apple-red/ with the appropriate primer and silver coat. I'm tempted to go for a metal-flake silver coat but this might be a bit much.... What do the BC hive mind think? I'm not saying I'll go with the advice, of course....! If I can summon the enthusiasm I may even paint the front of the headstock, decals permitting. Obviously I won't be spraying it until it's a lot warmer. I think the next jobs are to do a bit of fret work and get a nut blank sorted, and then rub down and possibly fill the two rough patches I created whilst stripping the sunburst off the body. Cheers, JRK

Opera; The Habanera, from Bizet's sublime Carmen: Another perhaps obvious choice; The Queen of the Night's Aria from Mozart's The Magic Flute. And lastly, the maestro himself: Not to everyone's taste, granted, but opera gives me something that I don't get elsewhere.

I didn't know Nick but he was always kind and supportive to me on Basschat. Reading through these posts it's clear he was a man very much loved.