First, let me say how much I appreciate the time and thought that you've all put into the various ideas and suggestions you've generously shared with me. It's amazing to have the support of so many experienced, knowledgable people... but I think we've reached the point at which this is becoming less of a "Thunderbird Club", and more of a "Help the Bald Sasquatch Find a Bass" club. I'm looking forward to seeing a couple measurements from the Pro-V neck, but after that, I'll take the cornucopia of information I've acquired, and see what I can do with it. Again... thank you all SO much!
Second... the time you've all invested in me, gives you the right to know why I'm such a PIA, so here's some more personal crap.
Just prior to Christmas of 1985, I had a rod fused to my spine to correct a pretty severe curvature in my spine (scoliosis). 16 - 17 years later, I started experiencing the most intense pain I've ever felt, in my back. It was misdiagnosed, and therefor ineffectively treated. It was about 5 years later that they finally figured out what the real issue was. Because of the rod in my back, my spine is effectively a straight "bar" from between my shoulder blades, to just above my waist. As a result, the first free vertebrae beneath the fused portion of my spine, has shouldered all of the burden of my existence, and has been mangled. According to the spine specialists, it's inoperable. Furthermore... I was informed that further damage was inevitable and permanent (unless I spend the rest of my life in bed). Their only advice, was that I "learn my limitations". At that point, I didn't view government assistance as an option, and I had a home, a wife, 3 daughters, & 2 dogs to feed. I had been working in construction/maintenance, and continued to do so for quite a few years until my wife ended our marriage. A few months after that, I applied for disability benefits, and have been waiting for the approval from the court system for over 2 years now. Just to give you an idea of what my back issue is like... by the time I'm done showering & shaving... my lower back burns like it's on fire, my whole body shakes just from trying to hold me up, and I spend the rest of the night on the couch (or at the computer) in pain. Standing & walking for more than just a couple minutes is challenging to say the least. I now have arthritis in my back and knees. I get weird random muscle spasms and ichy/burning sensations several times each day (frequently in my left arm). To top it off... I've had 2 surgeries on the tendons in my left hand, and though it hasn't bothered me in a few years... carpal tunnel syndrome has had it's way with me as well. The only reason I've stayed alive, is my daughters. The only reason I
WANT to be alive, is the bass guitar. I don't want anybody's pity (you can toss that in the bucket of wasted emotions, like regret)... I just wanted to enlighten you as to why this neck thing is as big of an issue as it is. Also... it was more important to me that my best friend in the whole world wind up with my Les Paul, than it was for me to have more money to buy a better bass. I'll have $1,500.00 to spend on a bass... no more, as I have no income now, nor for the foreseeable future. This eliminates the possibility for saving up for a custom shop piece. My boundaries are set, and I have to work within them. I'd love to find something around $1,000.00 so I could get an extension cab that would allow me to get the full 500 watts out of my amp, but I'd happily spend the whole wad on the right bass if/when it comes along. As I mentioned in an earlier posting... it's gonna be with me 'till I die, so I wanna do the best I can.
Hopefully this answers a
lot of different questions you've probably had about me. I'm an open book to anyone that wants to talk more about any of this, but I'll encourage you to contact me via PM so as not to fill more of the club's pages with my crap.
My life got a whole bunch better when I met you folks, and I appreciate each of you.
