discreet

Surely you also need a fretless with flats and another with rounds? That would make 4... then of course you'll need back-ups for those... so at least six. Better make it eight, just to be on the safe side... then one for noodling in the shed and another for noodling at the office. Better keep one in the car boot for emergencies... hmm...

Yes, high-level GAS is when ignition occurs, your buttocks get singed and you leap up and get the credit card out! I'm down to two, but trying to justify a Vintage 4V MN purchase. It's very affordable, it's the right colour combo (no refin needed), the hardware and electrics are of sufficiently good quality to make upgrades uneccesary, it plays very nicely, it sounds great, it looks the business and... you just can't have too many P basses! Have I sold it to you yet?

I agree. Would you like to donate one to the South London Spector Project? It's a very worthy charity that supplies Spector NS2s to disadvantaged, overweight and unemployable 50-something men who suffer from bass guitar GAS in Forest Hill, SE London. One of the white ones would be nice. Thanks.

That's the best one.

I bought a set of La Bellas with an E string that sounded like it had a foam mute on it. Thunk! Bass Direct sorted it for me (after blaming both me and my bass for a while) and in the end I had the CEO of La Bella send me a freshly-wound gratis replacement from the States, which was nice. I think this may happen with flats more often than is generally let on. Also, flats don't seem to like being cut to length, so I don't. Despite their apparent robustness they are actually quite fragile and need careful handing. They don't like being constantly removed and restrung, either. The silks shed like a scabby cat. Once the outer winding is compromised you have yourself a long metal cable-tie. I carefully wind the whole available length round the tuner post. Haven't had a problem since, and this also ensures the string is right down at the bottom of the post for a good break angle. Which is what you want.

That's the conditioned response...

They certainly have a great rep both here and elsewhere. I really like the look of the white one with the maple neck, albeit an earlier model. For around £250 it must surely be a bargain. GAS!

Some great basses here! Don't understand why you're having a dig at them - it must be tunnel vision.

Maybe not, but it's in a bad way...

Missed this entirely, but I'd be happy to play either bass. I've owned both, but moved the Lakland on. A whimsical decision, as usual - I'd be happy to own another. They're very good basses.

True, but golfers would never use just one club and very few (if any) painters would ever use just one brush. A better comparison would be with a pro orchestral player - do they have more than one violin, cello or trumpet? And there are pro and amateur players who are also collectors and investors. And collectors and investors who don't play at all. And I bet there are pros who just use one bass and amateurs who have large collections. I don't think any pattern or logic can be applied in this case.

I don't have time for scything comments, I must plough on.

I'm finding these puns harrowing.

Erm... ironing board? Aircraft carrier? Office desk? Might be useful for hanging coats on, with a few hangers... and so on and so forth... seriously though, I don't like it. I don't like it one little bit and I wish I hadn't seen it. Now, where's my drug box... aeiough! Fetang! Bonnngggg!!

...i.e. always.

You can put the brakes on through your playing up to a point, but pushing and pulling a drummer who is less than metronomic is no fun at all and turns what should be a pleasure into a tedious chore. But on the bright side, some of them do get the idea eventually. Maybe have a word about It?

You should do that more often. They just dont know! We tend to play slower at rehearsal, knowing full well that adreniline will kick in at gigs and speed everything up...

Makes all the difference. I've played with lazy drummers who just 'play along' rather than be instrumental in creating the time and leading the groove (if you know what I mean). These are wannabe, deluded passengers who make life more difficult than it needs to be, and I want to punch them!

It's a good thing, you can't really go wrong with Ashdown. Not a boutique brand or anything, but since when has that guaranteed a useful, great-sounding rig? Never, that's when. That combo should be a solid workhorse. Just make sure you buy a portable fire extinguisher to go with it. [JOKE]

Of Mice and Men...

Are the new V4s really that good? Was looking at them the other day. I've had low-level GAS for a Vintage P for some time now...

On the other hand he may have been saying exactly the opposite. I'd take a solid, workmanlike drummer who can play in time over some idiot who tries to be flash and sounds like a cutlery drawer falling down an escalator any day of the week.

I think 'wow' is an appropriate response. I'd be washing up 24/7 to enable a collection like that.