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RIP Jeff Eckels

I'm finding this out rather late in the game, but very moved, as my last year at Berklee in the mid-1970s, I roomed with Jeff. I had a chance to play with him and his older brother Steve on a number of occasions, including one of my senior recitals. Jeff was mostly playing electric on his Jazz Bass through a silver Kustom rolled and pleated bass amp (to match his brother's guitar amp), but had just gotten his first upright. Even then, he was a great player. After I graduated, Jeff went on to play in the Thursday Night Blues Band, Phil Wilson's honors big band at Berklee.

I'm sorry to say that, a few years later, on April 3, 2023, his older brother Steven suffered a similar fate. Steve was a fine electric and classical guitarist, recording artist, educator, and published author of books on guitar and guitar pedagogy.

Imagine if Paul had found this hanging up on the wall instead of his Hofner...

Here's Toots in 1961, first on harmonica and then (around 1:45) on his Rickenbacker.
Crazy, my late father, a jazz guitarist, was a big fan of Toots, and also took up chromatic harmonica later in his life.
I inherited both instruments. I never knew Toots also played guitar. Thanks for a new nugget of info just in time for Father's day.

Active preamp for Aria Pro II SB-Integra with Dimarzio model P/J set?

Im using the same amp with a Maton JB4, which has the same pickups.
Can't help you with preamp choice, sorry...but here's some reasonably cheap options to try first.
Apologies if you have already tried them, I don't mean to come across as condescending in any way.

Have you adjusted the trim level, mid image and mid shift, high boost buttons?
Check that the amp has the correct 12ax7 valve in place.
Adjust pickup pole pieces.
Change strings.
A GK neo cab will sound very different to the Orange cabs
Thats not my rig.
What buttons?
Can't do much more with the pole pieces.

America never really 'got' these 12 British bands

Maybe it's because I read Mojo magazine for a decade or so that I got hip to some of this music.

I'd also add Fairport Convention (and all of the offshoots, especially Richard/Linda Thompson and Sandy Denny) to the list, a very British band with many of the eccentricities that the label implies.
Yeah, even the biggest Fairport alumns were somewhat niche tastes in the U.S. But at least I could always find Richard Thompson's albums, and most of Denny's.

OTOH, I wore out my copy of Promises by Whippersnapper (Dave Swarbrick). Then I had to do without for years; only recently has it trickled onto Youtube etc.
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Short joke songs that should have full versions

Apparently I missed the "joke" part of the title, an no one was kind enough to correct me.

On topic, a parody of the song "Bodies:"

Psychostick - Numbers (I Can Only Count To Four)

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Happy ending: they expanded the song to a complete version and made a studio recording:

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"Apparently I missed the "joke" part of the title, an no one was kind enough to correct me."

That's because Little Wing (and Hendrix) is a riveting song still. After I listened to it, I forgot what the thread was about and just marveled at it, again.

Technical question re: “pick emulation”

Michael's last post on here was at the end of 2022, so I suspect you may not get a reply or at least not anytime soon. I was curious about the technique you mention as don't think I'd seen him do something like that (I've never seen him live but watched many videos over the years). I did find footage from his show with Teja on Youtube which was really beautiful stuff but didn't see that technique used while playing in the duo.
I also found this recent clinic-looking video where he does a picking/strumming thing in a Beatles medley kinda in the style of Stanley Clarke's School Days:
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To me it looks like the pointer finger is doing most of the strumming hitting across the top of the nail for some edge but with other fingers joining in as well at times in a sort of flamenco strum approach. I do some "finger pick" approach usually favoring more thumb, but I grow the nail out on my thumb so am able to utilize the nail for a sort of pick timbre (I also grow the edges of my other fingernails out, but if I used my pointer-finger nail like this I would likely break it or wear it down too fast while my thumbnail is more hearty and a bit longer)

2023 G&L SB-2 Tone Control

Yeah post some detailed pictures of the pots and soldered connections! Otherwise its only speculation.

I'm not sure what values G&L used for the factory tone mod, but would assume 250K Audio-taper pot and 0.047uf capacitor based on their other basses. I've owned two new G&Ls with wiring problems from the factory (luckily easy for me to diagnose and fix), so it wouldn't surprise me if there was an issue with yours. Also depending on the wiring it would be possible to accidentally disengage the Tone control from a harness without losing signal too (like say if the pot was loose and spun around and pulled a connection loose).

Has anyone ever built a case out of old luggage?

Following

I have an old Halliburton shell that I eventually want to house my pedals and interface
Do it! I didn't really post "process" pics because...well, there wasn't really a process apart from cutting the pieces to size. The foam is held in place by tension and the lip of the case. Only thing that's glued is the green styrofoam to the black pull 'n' peel that separates the amp section from the cables.
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'76 PBass value

Your reality may vary.

Wildly fluctuating realities in this spread. Multiply prices by 1.25 for our American friends. The pool of OG mid to late 70's P's is shrinking proportionately to the asking prices inflating. Sad reality is most of them are boat anchors and many of them are missing original pickups, which let's face it is where the heart of a P bass lies. And then you have the missing pots, lost OG cases, refins, PJ desecrations etc etc.
Over here I paid USD$4000 for my 74 last year, an absolute all original gem that I stalked in a store two hours north of London for over a year, when I finally was able to pull the trigger and it arrived, I could not believe no-one else had beat me to it. 8.5 lbs, OG case, original everything on the bass down to the solder.

HI-MIDS....LOW-MIDS ?

I usually boost bass, cut treble by a lot and boost low mids if needed. High mids are usually flat.
I usually boost bass, cut treble by a lot and boost low mids if needed. High mids are usually flat.
That’s how I eq mine exactly lol! Except treble I usually reduce a notch/ a hair as I prefer newer strings to do most of the heavy lifting

Fender Tuner pedal causing noise?

Interesting suggestion. Would that mean the Fender Tuner chassis is not insulated well?
No, it means that possible one of your other pedals is leaking current to the pedalboard and the tuner is sensitive to that. Since many pedals are fed from an ungrounded power source, ground references are not really defined.
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Official ATK Club (Part 4)

It looks like @trtl already found his bass, but for anyone who’s curious in the future, I love the neck on my USATK. I rarely have to adjust it, and it feels great. I’m not sure if the stability is a function of the design or if it’s just a good, solid neck, but I would have no hesitation recommending the USATK to anyone. The only downside, as people have probably noticed, is that the finishes fade very noticeably over time. 🥺
Oh yeah this is such a fun bass to play on. I finished replacing the switch, then I cleaned it and restrung with elixirs.
It really was built like a tank, as evidenced by it cleaning up very nicely after all these years. The neck is great too! Still don’t understand what’s exactly happening under the hood, but if it does its job well, I have no complaints. Gotta love that headstock too!!
One thing that I had to improvise was putting a shim in the B string nut slot. I saw Ben’s restoration log for inspiration, but I’m not sure if I’d want to cut off the nut like that. Would the CA glue and baking soda trick work?

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Please help check the legitimacy of this 75 p bass

Thank you so much. You sure pickups are original? I just want to know what I bought is all. If I ever sell it I want to be open and honest
Pickups are dated to 75. Tuners and neck are correct. Pots and wiring are also original. Bridge is original. All the solder points are untouched, it's got the correct ceramic dime capacitor and those pots even though the date codes have been obscured by solder are definitely OG. The cheap black and white leads are factory. Not sure why several have told you the pots/pickups aren't OG. Nice bass. Hopefully you've bought this by now and you've strapped a black/white/black guard to it. Or lashed out on an anodised black guard!

Does what you do require a speciific bass sound? Or do you need versatility... Or feel/play trumps all?

If it's a Fender P, J or Telecaster before 1976 I'll have it - I've played in bar band rock, pub rock, grunge metal crossover, EDM and now all I write is trip hop sort of stuff mashed up with Middle East stuff, oud, darbuka, ney etc, and my two beaten up early 70's P basses always hold up their end of the bargain. When I was 18 I went crazy and bought a Boss flanger and chorus but by the time I turned 21 they were gone, and ever since it's been tubes, 15's and a lead. If a bass has more than two pickups and three knobs I can't handle it.

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