Music

I still haven't spent anything like as much time doing musical activities as I had expected/intended to.  I have achieved one thing though, which is to write some music for some lyrics offered by a friend who does poetry, and that sort of thing.  Actually I don't like songs, as a rule, but I regarded it as a challenge.  Of course the downside of this setup is that you hear my contribution you have to listen to me sing, which takes a little getting used to. Anyway, here's the first go, with no mastering:

https://soundcloud.com/wacht-nacht/know-your-enemy
 

Since then I had a bit of fortune.  I started to look at the idea of a cheap bass guitar, and found what looked like just the thing on Gumtree late last Sunday night; a Westone Thunder Jet, just down the road in Chagford.  So after a few text messages, I arranged to go and have a look in the morning (no problem, when you've retired, of course).

When I got there, the woman said "I know it's underpriced - I've already had six more enquiries this morning".  And so it was - the guitar seemed OK (more below) and came complete with Yorkville Bassmaster 1x15 combo amp, and a tuner.  And a strap. Total advertised price: £50.  I offered £60.  Seemed only fair, everyone seemed quite happy.

As bought

Despite the silly name, Westone Thunder basses from the '80s are generally regarded as well built instruments of better than average quality, and are even slightly collectable nowadays.  This one seemed to have a rather high action, but the neck wasn't bowed at all.  I was hopeful that I could improve it with the truss rod, but sadly, that didn't prove to be true.  The truss rod turned out to be already fully tightened, and anyway only seemed to affect the main part of the neck.  Mine seems to have a tiny kink where it meets the body.  I removed the neck and reseated it after deburring he holes and cleaning everything but it didn't change anything.  So I settled for setting it up like that - including filing the nut and setting the bridge pieces unfeasibly low. The end result is that it's got a very acceptable action but you might get a buzz if you bend above the 15th fret.  I think that could probably be fixed with a bit of judicious fret filing, but for now I can live with it for £60 - or if I sell the amp, even less.  Anyone want a bass combo?

I assumed I would need to shell out a significant proportion of the £60 on a new set of strings (especially seeing how the existing ones had been fitted - ugh)

Ugh

but even that wasn't necessary.  A little cleanup and refitting them properly - ahh!

Ahh

The amp is finished in a strange blue carpet material which works well as a cat scratching post, apparently.  Apart from that, it's in good nick (home use only, and not a lot of that, I suspect) and works admirably.

So maybe there will be another version of "Know your Enemy" with a proper bass line, and maybe a longer guitar break.  Comments and general abuse welcome, of course.