Hi from Waterlooville!

[orangefriday]

Hi there

I first owned a bass 30 years ago when I was 17 to give me a break from all the techy subjects in college. It was made by Hondo and I'd pick it up, play both notes from "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks and then put it back in the corner again, satisfied that the world of rock'n'roll had benefited from my contribution.

Years passed and I progressed to a Hohner P-bass copy, playing "Peter Gunn", built a new amp and reconditioned an old Wharfedale speaker cabinet. Two mates and myself formed an unlikely band from two bass players and a lead guitarist, so I acquired a drumkit and we became "Head Cleaner", a front-room jamming outfit that could never play the same thing twice. It was still just a bit of fun when it was raining.

Fast-forward the usual quota of years to around 2003. The drumkit had long departed, but the bass was always there. I started doing some multi-track stuff with the PC and was finding out a bit more about how notes fit together and basic structures. I chanced upon a 6-string Gibson copy that looked a bit like a Zak Wylde bullseye, but was finished in purple. I named it Kim

Around that time I had to visit an Osteopath, and it turned out that he had a drumkit. Him and a couple of mates were looking to find a bass player to complete their band. Everyone was at the same newbie level so we met up and then spent two hours nailing "Teenage Kicks". To be honest, that was the first time I had played on a track with a start, middle and end without meandering off into nothing or relying on cut'n'paste to make it palatable.

We built on that success and added a few more numbers before the scary step of tackling an open-mic night. It was a great buzz to someone with a low excitement threshold and "The Bloques" as we are now known, were born.

With new found enthusiasm I ebayed my way through a Hohner B2A cricket-bat bass, a Peavey Cirrus BXP and a Fender Jazz before settling on a very early Vigier Arpege V4E. It has a truly glorious sound and is (mechanically) built like a tank. Being French the active controls are showing their age, but fortunately I prefer passive.

After years of stripping down and rebuilding all the previous guitars, in 2008 I fancied building one. MoonBassAlpha took around 10 months (an evening here and there) and is still going today. I wanted it to look like a spaceship. It doesn't, but it has pacman lights

Next I built a small (40W) valve practice amp and then in 2011 I felt the urge to produce another bass. SecondBass looks like a balloon animal, is awkward, heavy and unbalanced, but it is orange and slightly impossible so all is well.

I recently finished a class-D amplifier (more than 40W) and cornered silverfoxnik at a pub gig in West Sussex. He recommended I join basschat as it is full of like-minded people who would understand...

On a mildly serious note, for the ones out there attempting a build, I have also stumbled down that well trodden path (with lots of thanks to Melvyn Hiscock), and am happy to assist if I can. On the other hand if you regularly use a mixophrygian scale then I congratulate you on your choice and don't forget to convert it back to metric when you're done.

[Woodinblack]

Welcome, sounds like fun, but then you have to do what you can to entertain yourself if you live in Waterlooville!

Sounds like you should start posting photos of your builds, should be a lot of interest in there.

[quote name='orangefriday' timestamp='1477690957' post='3163934']
On a mildly serious note, for the ones out there attempting a build, I have also stumbled down that well trodden path (with lots of thanks to Melvyn Hiscock), and am happy to assist if I can.
[/quote]

You a friend of Melvyns then, or just from the book (or I guess as a customer from Telecoms!)?

[orangefriday]

It sounds like you've already visited

No, I just bought the book. I found it very good - pitched at the right level for me and full of practical advice. The rest was sweat & sawdust.

I'll attach a few pics of the toys when I work that bit out later...

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='orangefriday' timestamp='1477740729' post='3164151']
It sounds like you've already visited
[/quote]

I am from Portsmouth but I worked in Waterlooville for a few years.

I have heard many people say about Melvyns book being good. I have played bass to his guitar a couple of times last year, good guy (apart from the jokes!), I didn't realise before the last time I met him that I had probably talked to him a lot when he worked at Telecoms (now Nevada) back when I used to go there all the time.

[MacDaddy]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=6]"He recommended I join basschat as it is full of like-minded people who would understand..."[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=6][size=5] [/size][/size][/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=5] [/size][/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4]sad but true![/size][/font][/color]


[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4]but more importantly[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/color]

[orangefriday]

Nevada moved out of North End a few years back and is now in Farlington. It has recently changed its name (or been acquired?) and is known as PMT(!) I'm not sure if that was a good step or not, but it may get more search engine hits!

Good to hear you and Melvyn are still having fun.

[ped]

Pics of the Arpege please!!

[Paulgm1]

Hello from up the road in Horndean!

[orangefriday]

Hi Paulgm1! Good to hear from someone on the doorstep. We did an open mic or two at the Colonial Bar some time ago but it closed down. I'm not sure if the two are linked...

Sorry ped - I'd love to post a few pics of the Arpege, but I haven't worked out how to get pictures uploaded yet. Are there any idiot guides you could refer me too?

[ped]

[quote name='orangefriday' timestamp='1477775070' post='3164459']
Hi Paulgm1! Good to hear from someone on the doorstep. We did an open mic or two at the Colonial Bar some time ago but it closed down. I'm not sure if the two are linked...

Sorry ped - I'd love to post a few pics of the Arpege, but I haven't worked out how to get pictures uploaded yet. Are there any idiot guides you could refer me too?
[/quote]

You can use the 'attach image' function in the reply page, then click 'add to post' - or email them to me and I'll do it for you, [email protected]

I love Vigiers and have a couple of 80s graphite ones myself (Arpege and Passion). Always interesting to chat to another enthusiast.

[orangefriday]

Aha - there's a different button

Here's a few pics of the Vigier - this one is before he thought about graphite at all! You can see the truss rod cover in one pic, and presumably the date of manufacture under the neck pickup. I picked it up ten years ago and it has obviously been used a fair bit - slight chip off the headstock near the D tuner, crack in the walnut near the lower cutaway and some buckle rash on the back. According to the price list from September 1981, it cost around 7200 Francs!

The pickups have an amazing blend of rich and solid combined with crystal clear treble. There's virtually no fret wear though and my only real gripe is that the position dot markers on the side of the fret board look like they are brass inserts. Over the years the lacquer has gone and they have tarnished leaving them very indistinct. But it's still my favourite!

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It would be interesting to see how it compares to your examples, to see the course of development over time.

[ped]

Wow that's nice example - serial number is the number next to the rear strap pin, so it's number 002! I know Patrice made a few wooden necked basses (with brass laminate under the fingerboard) and I think the records of build dates only started with the slightly later models but to have the exact date under the pickup is pretty indisputable!

Mine is here http://basschat.co.uk/topic/291608-nbd-more-80s-graphite/page__p__3130880#entry3130880 6 years later than yours but one of the only carbon necked ones I've seen, and I've been into these basses for about 15 years now. My Passion bass is in that thread too, built in 1988 although it was bought as a 'chassis' without any electronics so it's been customised a bit.

I love them both and agree that the Benedetti pickups in the Arpege. I notice yours have neat brass inserts which you can see on the back of the body. Lovely example - and great to have the original paperwork, too.. My walnut is a lot darker but I don't have the wood cavity cover which is a nice touch.

Cheers
ped