I have finally started to practice again, after several years of putting it off. It is like riding a bicycle; coming right back.
I had a real nice Fender Precision (older scanned picture is from about 1987) that was stolen in a house burglary in Chapel Hill, NC. Apparently, NC is the burglary capitol of the world, as I was burglarized 4 times (2 in the house, 1 in the car, 1 in a self-storage complex) in 8 years, with a fifth time (another storage place) in VA. The insurance company offered to replace the bass, but Fender had switched to cheap wood by then. I played one of the new, Japanese-wood Precisions, and it was mid-range in sound, with very little sustain, so I took the payoff, instead.
Wish I could track down that original axe. It was sweet to play, almost effortless, and it talked right back to you through your fingers. When I strapped that thing on, it became an extension of me, and I felt I could do great things.
The bass in the cat pictures (Cotton is "playing " it in this pic) is an old one that I turned into a fretless, by removing the frets. I was going to fill in the slots with wood putty, but the strings didn't buzz at all, so I left it alone, rather than take a chance of damaging the fingerboard while sanding it back smooth. Just a little 220 grit to take out the splinters from the removals and it was ready to play. I have another used bass (Lyon) that I picked up for $100 to stay current with a fretted fingerboard, because I ordered my Carvin 6 string as a fretless.
I have wanted to be in a band since I was very young, but always seemed to get sidetracked. My goal is to start my own group so I have more creative control, i.e., not having to play any depressing songs, like "Turn The Page", or "Stairway To Heaven". I figure people pay good money to have fun and forget about their troubles, not to be reminded of them. I turned down a gig in a band (now, I wish I hadn't) because they had TTP in their play set, and also because the guitar player was a no-show, due to being drunk. I figured that was a bad omen.
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