Musical instruments

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Being a bassist in a fairly busy pub band (I was actually gigging last night), and occasional back-up-holiday-and-sickness cover bassist in a rock functions band, I do have the odd clank plant knocking about...



Fender Geddy Lee signature Jazz Bass,
1969 Fender Precision,
modified Harley Benton MB4 ( really nice sounding),
Ibanez PJ,
modified Hofner Shorty,
Washburn acoustic bass,
J&D 3/4 jazz that I noodle on and I'm teaching my lass to play,
modified Squier CC '54 Precision, soon to be modded with a musbucker,
Harley Benton Beat Bass (out the same factory as the Hofner Ignition, at half the price),
Steinberger bass.

Rickenbacker 4003s in Fireglo on order, estimated delivery around August time.



And setting up for last night's gig...



I can also play guitar, mandolin and double bass, but good old fashioned manly, meaty bass is my passion.

So what instruments do you lot play?

 

[Betsy]

I'm a vertuoso on the triangle..

 

[mk one]

A nice selection of guitars you have there.

I suppose i am a drummer first, it is what i started playing first and spent many years learning. I was lucky in that the neighbors never minded so could spend months in the, i imagine, early basic repetitive beat phase. Drummers are always in demand so was never short of anyone to play with, everyone i know is a guitarist. I mostly jammed, played with a couple of bands but for various reasons it was never for me. I always looked up to session musicians and learnt to read notation and play any style, favourite being Latin, so musical on a drum kit, and also Jazz. Had a few nice kits over the years, have thought about getting another but again, it is having somewhere to play them without upsetting the neighbors.

I did learn to play bass for a while, slap bass but that didn't really last, then i moved on to guitars, got myself a hollowbody and started to learn Rockabilly and fingerpicking type tunes. After an accident i could no longer use my fingers on my left hand so as therapy i started to learn to make shapes again, and as a keen Jazz drummer i decided to stick to a single style and learn jazz guitar, well the shapes at least. It helped no end and i eventually learnt to play basic jazz, also being reminded by friends that Django had missing fingers and could still play.

I did get quite a collection of guitars at one time, sold a lot of them now, kept a few of my favourite playing/sounding ones. Still have my Squire Pro Tone Fat Tele, best sounding jazz guitar and the nicest built and finished guitar i have ever owned, that includes Custom Shop guitars etc, did have the Pro Tone Thinline also but sold that one. Kept my Gretsch Historic acoustic, beautifully made too and quite rare now, along with a couple of Tanglewood exotic wood acoustics which just play so nice. Have kept a hollowbody, my Washburn J6S Montgomery, lovely looking guitar. And i also have a few strats in various states knocking about, which while i really like the necks i never really play.

 

[mdvineng]

A pair of Epiphone Elites from Fujigen in 02. There's also a Tokai VSB80 from 81 in the house and a Michael Kelly patriot Ltd with SD pearlies too! Since the nodules in my lefthand started to grow, 14 of them and counting, less and less playing is done due to the pain building up. Used to gig in the 70's doing the usual rock classics and blues numbers. The Elites are much better than my original Gibson versions from the 70's. The Tokai is a bass that can be a PB or JB and is just a lovely long scale guitar. I'll try and get some pictures later.

 

[The History Man]

Got a few geeeeeetars.

Built this a couple of weeks ago. Old pic of afew

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Does anyone else have a Charango in their house? Or a hand pan for that matter.

Both the wifes, not mine.

 

[enc]

A nice selection of guitars you have there.

I suppose i am a drummer first, it is what i started playing first and spent many years learning. I was lucky in that the neighbors never minded so could spend months in the, i imagine, early basic repetitive beat phase. Drummers are always in demand so was never short of anyone to play with, everyone i know is a guitarist. I mostly jammed, played with a couple of bands but for various reasons it was never for me. I always looked up to session musicians and learnt to read notation and play any style, favourite being Latin, so musical on a drum kit, and also Jazz. Had a few nice kits over the years, have thought about getting another but again, it is having somewhere to play them without upsetting the neighbors.

considered an electronic kit? ... play through headphones

 

[enc]

My "studio" (spare bedroom) Bought my first synth in 1984, a 10 year old (at the time) Arp Axxe which I still have

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I have an interface on my pooter and during the lockdowns were using BandLab to record tunes to keep us interested. It worked out well, as it meant we could practice by playing off each other, even if only to a recording.

Mind you, because we earn money playing we eventually used the loophole in the regs that allowed people to meet for the purposes of "maintaining professional competence". Aimed at the likes of pilots, train drivers, etc, but it legally also fitted us. Once this came to light the local rehearsal studio - curiously, owned by a fellow ex copper I used to work with - took some legal advice and reopened, and we were able to meet up and play.

 

[enc]

I have an interface on my pooter and during the lockdowns were using BandLab to record tunes to keep us interested. It worked out well, as it meant we could practice by playing off each other, even if only to a recording.

Bandlab is a decent bit of kit especially considering it’s a freebie