Dave Vader

[quote name='tonyf' timestamp='1368713920' post='2080557'] In my teens in the late 80's and into the 90's, I used to love going into WHSmiths and buying Guitarist and Bass Player. In those pre-internet days, it was a real high point of the month. That thrill of something new to read, pictures and reviews of gear that caused a real lust fest. Interviews too. Mind blowingly informative at the time but I guess somewhat pretty pedestrian by today's online standards. Nipping into the local music shop to pick up Making Music too. Free but always pretty informative and a real cross section of articles, ads and reviews. I guess part of it was also the ritual of "1) grab Making Music 2) browse the musician's wanted board and 3) mess about for the next four hours playing everything in the shop until 4) walking out not having spent a penny". Happy days. Did I tell you that I remember when all round here was green fields? You youngsters would never believe me. T [/quote] Yes, I used to love Making Music, I had a pile of them somewhere, but i think they all got thrown out in one of my many house moves. Music and Equipment Mart also used to have a really great technique section too. I still have a few old mags with tabs/transcriptions I wanted to keep, and a fair few with Rory Gallagher interviews as well, haven't read a guitar mag since the 90s though, the internet turned up and made them redundant. Oh, that's not quite true, somebody bought me a copy of one last year as a jokey Xmas present, it was disappointing, I figured it was because I'm 20 years older now, but seemingly not. You did used to get a note for note transcription of about 4 songs, plus the bass lines, and various other useful licks and riffs and technique bits though, dead handy.

The board on my no 1 green P-bass is now 25 years old, has seen no oil ever. Did get caught up with a load of strippers (not the fun kind) when i was taking the finish off the neck, also got dried out by the white spirit I was using to clean off the crappy old bits of finish. It is fine, frets still in, frets still fine. The only oil that gets to it is sweaty gunk from my hands (and there's a lot of that) that has only ever been cleaned off while I was stripping the finish off the neck that time. Strings get the odd WD-40 wipe when they are starting to sound crap. That's it really.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1368700308' post='2080275'] THIS POST IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT A RECORDING !!! [/quote] Yep, get some mics in that room now.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1368624287' post='2079347'] I have millions of ideas too, it's just sitting the f*** down in my studio and starting to arrange and record them I got a new recording system and I'm only just starting to get the hang of it, I find it daunting and have to push myself to geet in there. I have a fair bit of pro recording for an album to do aswell which will definitely push me to learn it quickly! [/quote] Ha, same same same. I just installed reaper. So far so good, that performance meter is a godsend, now I know which plugins are trying to run the CPU at 250% I know which ones to turn off. The really good sounding ones unfortunately

[quote name='Owencf' timestamp='1368624094' post='2079343'] Sorry i meant Paul S see above [/quote] Makes a lot more sense that way certainly Owen.

I destroy strings with sweat, so I dry them off after every gig with a beer towel, I also give the back of the neck a wipe at the same time, ironically I think this is what is taking the finish off..... I have given up trying to stop the pickguard and pickup screws rusting into nothing ness, it didn't work.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1368621312' post='2079264'] I'm a better finisher than a starter tbh. [/quote] We need to work together, I have a million ideas, and maybe 4 finished songs floating about at the moment.

[quote name='Owencf' timestamp='1368623299' post='2079327'] Sitting or standing ? [/quote] Standing (unless you didn't mean me) As in the picture of me in the avatar with my EUB held up by a well placed knee twixt endpin and body. Staggs might not work like this though.

I have gone for the "jam your knee in by the endpin" method. Works ok on the Harley benton, don't know about the Stagg. Have used the brace thingy as a coat hanger instead...

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1368613217' post='2079117'] Devaluing the brand? In what way? [/quote] Good point, they're not getting any cheaper as a result. Which is a shame.

I've done a few instruments with Danish Oil, rub it all in, leave it over night, repeat until you get bored (my SG has 11 coats of the stuff) it is not hard-wearing, but it does look nice. And here's a link to the album of the project if you're interested. [url="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.485840470966.262456.720195966&type=3"]https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.485840470966.262456.720195966&type=3[/url]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1368555027' post='2078525'] I need to go and have a lay down somewhere cold and dark. [/quote] and my work here is done....

Is you thumb pointing down (like what Flea does) or up (like what Mark king does) Thank you for ignoring the obvious jokes and not taking offence

Are you an up-slapper or a down-slapper Debs

[quote name='magee' timestamp='1368544676' post='2078295'] I don't know about the bass, but Glen Hansard still plays the guitar he plays in the film, which I think is a Squier. He was very famous in Ireland for years as lead singer with The Frames (who were at times extremely good, at times a poor Pixies knock-off), and won an Oscar for a song from a movie in 2008 that he also starred in. I covered music in Ireland for a few years as a reviewer and his press guys put out a release after a series of shows in, I think, Poland, where he lost the guitar and was distraught. It was found not long after. [size=4]Just shows you don't need the big gear to make a big impact. Knowing this has not dampened my gas one bit. [/size] [/quote] I saw that movie, that's where i recognised him from.... thank you.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1368540534' post='2078202'] I'm not actually 'anti' slap - it's fine and good in the right context. At a rough guess, I'd say that you're probably hitting the string harder than you actually need to. [/quote] I think he's right there, more of a tap than a slap.

Most songs are pretty formulaic, after a while you just know where it's going to go and you go there all by yourself. Instinct then

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1368530244' post='2077988'] I'm 'relic'ing my basses but it's taking ages; I've built them and now I'm gigging like a bastard! [/quote] You have made the rookie mistake of doing the job properly. My half-arsed finishes are all coming off beautifully, although ironically, I may need to refinish them again before they become unusable.

Ah, it was the other one then. That's got wizard trads in, also very nice. Thanks for the niceness, as you were.

The Spaced Invaders (80s tribute) i vaguely remember you saying you were there. I was probably playing the mean green P-bass at that point. In the Pen and Quill.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1368467416' post='2077451'] Great Caesar's ghost! That's £248.53 for a 4/12 shipped free to the UK. Slap on the customs and you're looking at about £330.00 Mind you, it's a bit horrid, that purple (ymmv, etc.) [/quote] I like the purple, I am feeling proggy, my birthday is soon.... Hmmmm... maybe

Actually I think you saw me using them in Taunton a few years back Phil

I've got the alnicos in my go-to P-bass. They are very good indeed. They've been in there for years and I've never considered changing them, thumpy and vintagey and cheap. Sounds like a P-bass should.

That's a shame, that green finish is nice, if only he hadn't taken all those chunks out of it.....

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1368444752' post='2077046'] What? [/quote] You heard me.... Wheelbarrow, yoghurt, it's that simple.