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Here's my fretless Musicmaster, now complete. It sounds fantastic 😎

I received a couple of these in the run-up to our last gig and thought no more of it - they were trapped as spam and a quick look through the source code uncovered quite a few red flags. I thought it might have been a one-off, but I've had another one today from some more supposedly big-shot US lawyers. This one's a bit cruder than the earlier supposed missive I had from Cravaith, Swaine and Moore, but it's still a scam. It's a nasty one, though. For one thing, both those companies really exist and they genuinely are large legal firms. Everything apart from the alleged 'infringing video' link resolves to real URLs and email addresses. I've been on the Internet for 37 years now and thought I was wise to this sort of crap but it still gave me a jolt. It is designed to do one thing and one thing only - panic the recipient into clicking that supposed Facebook link. It looks like it's been shortened just to fit nicely on the page, but in this case it really has been shortened. Here's what it looks like under the bonnet: <p style="margin:0 0 8px 0;font-size:15px"><strong>Infringing Link:</strong> <a style="color:#0b5b7a;text-decoration:none">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr>108692607419559/videos/...</a></p> In this case, it's dead - clumsy work on the scammer's part - but in the earlier one, it led to a shortened URL. Hovering over it displayed the actual link - bit.ly/something_or_other. Expanding the shortened URL - you can find plenty of sites that will do that for you - showed it led to a page stating that 'Unexpected traffic has been detected from your computer' with a link to click. Click on that link and you'll be asked to log into 'Facebook' - it's actually a fake login page. If you take the bait, bam - these scumbags have your login credentials. And just to add insult to injury, Faceache took the post down and restricted my account when I uploaded these annotated screenshots. Let's be careful out there!

Mostly because it’s involve a trip to Leicester! These victims have suffered enough already…

I think it is a good choice, she was recommended to them by someone they trusted, she can clearly do the job and more importantly, although she is known, she isn't a 'name' like Portnoy or Grohl that everyone already has fixed ideas on.

I think I'll sleep better tonight knowing all this so thanks for all the advise. The more I think about the shops response the more it surprises me. They were not rude or dismissive but I just got the feeling that they didn't seem too concerned. I would have liked a call back when they said they would rather than me chasing them. At the end of the day it was a 1200 quid bass and not a pack of strings and I have every reason to be worried.

Is there a raffle or is it swap shop or something else? Happy to bring something down to be raffled off. I suppose a stroppy nineteen year old is off-limits? Two smelly and feral cats? A dodgy Scotsman? All suggestions welcomed. Thanks Rob

I think that people are missing the true significance of them taking Anika Nilles out on tour - they are ensuring that there will be at least one woman at a Rush show!

I'll get there. The aim is to make a bass or guitar that looks and plays like a decent guitar. As you say, 3d printing is great for some things, it does allow designs like this, that you can't easily do with wood. They also sound pretty good. I'm sure a Fender aficionado would complain its not as good as their 62 or 72 or 82 Jazz but they have other advantages. left handed is easy, changes to accommodate different sizes is fairly easy. The metal work is not too bad now, it's about 90 mins depending on how much I have to cut through. The end build is strong, I was a little surprised that joining bits together works so well, so that's an issue resolved. The next one is the finish, and thats where its been a bit hard. Given some of the chemicals I've brought, I'm fully expecting a visit from the boys in blue asking whats going on I've yet to buy 2.5 tonnes of ammonium nitrate though so that might work in my favour. Thanks Rob

Sadly for you all, I'm still fine. I'm not even a vaccine denier or anything. Looking forward to seeing you all peeps.

Still boggles my mind that body shapes designed from the ground up for headless still have the tuners sticking out like that.

The "top-of-the-shelf" stuff such as pre-CBS Fenders, certain Ricks, '60s ThunderBirds, Wal, Alembic is likely to stay on the expensive side. Other gear will eventually drop in price, since less people seem to have disposable funds for vintage stuff, and those who do want the pieces that I was referring to above. That's a very pretty instrument you have, but an EB-2 is not an easy bass to sell. Never was. It's not even a matter of price in most cases, you just have to bump into someone looking for that unique appeal that these instruments have. I was lucky to find a buyer for my '68 two years ago. Good luck.

Just adding the obligatory comment about being offered one for -£300 in the 80s

Alright guys - I've just picked up the bass from Steve at Chapel guitars. The neck has been finished with Osmo Polyx which looks and feels great, so we'll see how it holds up. The loom is installed and working nicely with the now straightened pickups. I was sent two bezels by Gig.ink so I actually found stacking them game a lovely 'ramp' feel around the neck pickup, so that's what they're doing at the moment. I've only used tape so I'll see how I get on over the coming weeks. I've set up the bridge to my liking - despite being 'better' than the stock one I can't get the intonation quite spot on, but it'll do. Certainly, height adjustment is easier. Just a few snaps for now - I'll get some better ones to show off the neck. It's nice to be using the original neck with the fishtail tuners, which work fine and seem OK with the full scale strings which have been bedded in around the posts and bridge. Really pleased with it!! Bonus picture of my parent's new puppy, Lois. She's the gentlest little dog I've ever met. So quiet and just absolutely delightful (the previous two were absolute shits at this age!)

Some of you will have seen that CMC Audio have today released their new Fuzz pedal, which integrates an envelope filter into the sound. I’ve had it for a little while now as I happened to get chatting to Christoph about fuzz pedals around the time this was around 90% developed. FWIW, I paid for mine, so this is not a marketing spin, I just wanted to start the conversation around it as I believe it deserves all the exposure it can get! I made a very quick video for Instagram this lunchtime haha, with a single tone: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPguOWSiO9J/?igsh=Z3pkcnk4c2V3NDk5 And I know Si Francis and a few others also put out vids, which I (or someone else) can post below. Cheers Si

I've been really looking forward to this one. The demos make it sound capable of a ridiculous variety of tones. The low gain settings sound thick and some of the wilder ones sound very useable for synth bass. This strikes me as the first real competitor to the Doom 2 (but I'd be keen to hear @Sibob and @pilotbicycles's experiences) so it'll be interesting to see how things play out.

Thanks for remembering Nellie ❤️

Ive had this before and for me the bass which was pretty expensive did turn up a few days later, which I think might happen with yours, really bad response from the shop though, they should have more respect for their customers, there’s excellent advice above as always , hope all works out well for you bigthumb

The courier should refuse to deal with you; they are the shop's agent, not yours. It is well-known that couriers may "sign" for recipients and often leave signed-for items unattended. The Consumer Rights Act details your (ahem...) rights. Also, if you paid by credit card then that gives you further rights.

You're super covered so don't panic. However, I have had similar before that if a courier knows he's not going to make it on the day/time its supposed to be there for they will sign for it saying delivered and bring it the day after. Naughty, yes and a flippin' nightmare but it has happened to be ( on a £5k bass I sent to a customer ). Hope you get the bass, but at worst you'll get your cash back. Not cool on the shop in question though, they should really take full responsibility.

I hate those people pretending that as soon as the courier has picked up the parcel, it's not their responsibility anymore... Sorry, but as long as it's not in the recipient hands, it's the responsibility of the sender, who, by the way, is the only one allowed to lodge a claim. So, push the shop to act the legal way and simply ask them the proof of delivery: If they can't provide it, ask for an immediate refund.

I have 19, but the total spend is probably a fraction of what some BCers have spent on a single bass, and as I have= plenty of room...

Wronger than a wrong thing - as proven by the fact that they contacted the courier for you anyway. The retailer is the courier's customer, not you, so if it goes astray, it's on them to chase it up, and on them to make things right with you if it goes wrong - that's what insurance is for. It has happened to me before, not a fake "delivery" but a Sire D5 just disappeared like a fart in the wind between Thomann and myself. I contacted Thomann about it, and to give them their due they didn't wait too long before giving it up as lost and sending another one. How the retailer deals with this will determine their competence and worth. If it goes badly, I'd like to know who this retailer is so that I can avoid them in future.

Likewise. Upper bout looks like a huge, pointless expanse of unnecessary bulk. Looks like it could be shaped into something with a bit of coherence but that ain't it.

This - but new music, in a studio, Not bloody Tom Sawyer & Spirit Of Radio for the 578478547854785784th time.

That diagram shows the 3015LF, not the 3015. The 3015 works best in 70 liters/2.5 cu ft (net) with 200 cm2 port area 35cm long for 45Hz tuning.

I've never seen the attraction, personally. Played a couple and wasn't particularly impressed. And now at £8k? Nah. The rich collectors are welcome to them.

I know Danny and he's a nice guy! Unfortunately, he's not a big lad and I can't imagine him wanting to get involved with anything potentially as serious as this. It is one thing to get annoyed and call out a YouTuber over ripping other YouTubers off (and then to benefit from the resulting online publicity), it's quite another to get involved in a case going through the criminal courts in the country he lives in, with a guy who is a career criminal and who has been known to make physical threats!

It’s well known to my browser history too 😅

My old bass tutor has a DB , maybe I should call over to him and see will he give me a run on his DB?

So from that… finally got a spare evening and did the first stage of rebuilding … yes the octabass will fit in that gap, no it’s not going on as the hx stomp model is pretty good… so it’s empty. We all know nature, and this thread, abhors a vacuum…

It's a little surreal for me as well. Can't believe things have come together like this but I'm thrilled to be making it happen.

Proper investors have an abundance of cash but the everyday player with an interest is having to make adjustments to pay the bills. There seems to be more stock than ever but the crème de La crème still sell fast!

I think there’s a general lack of ‘fun money’ in people’s pockets at the moment.

Excellent.

You put your buckfast in a glass? Must be a posh boi from Edinburgh...

Bought a Bronco recently. Modified it. Now it looks like this Brief project diary HERE for the curious.

Wow! Don’t like the attitude of that music shop in Sheffield . If it were me , I’d send an email addressing my disappointment about their lack of concern , care and customer service. Plus of course I’d be telling them that a replacement or a refund is the only possible outcome if they don’t do a proper investigation. I’d also go straight to trustpilot! As for the courier co , straight to trustpilot also .

I’ve used mine regularly through a barefaced 210, and it just about can keep up with a drummer but not with a completely clean tone. I’d imagine the 310 being just about perfect for it. I have plugged it into a BF 610, 810 and a big twin a few times - they were sublime! Great head

I don’t know much about Rush, but unlike a lot of these tings it doesn’t seem like a cynical cash in (looking at you Oasis). More seems like lifelong friends who want to experience a big stage for possibly the last time.

We had all five members of our bluegrass band together yesterday for our only rehearsal before our Tuesday show at a Legion hall in North Bay. We usually play festivals with the audience seated on the grass in front of the stage but some distance away from the band so it will be interesting to see how it goes when we are right up close to them in a long narrow hall where the bands set up against a long wall. This will not be a real bluegrass crowd so the BL decided to do a show that traces the history of the genre and we will play songs from the 1930's to more modern bluegrass and I will be explaining how the songs fit in as we go. I just got the "script" from the BL yesterday so I am working on smoothing it out and doing a little research as well as trying to memorize as much as I can. Excellent musicians and it should be fun, just hoping the sound man will get us set up so we sound our best.

Session bassists aren't just working in studios, they're playing live and touring with bands as well and thats where you might use something more interesting. Cradle Of Filth might be looking for their next bassist (there's been a lot) and they might want you to use an active bass with super bright tone and a huge effects board. They'll then fire you mid tour because Danny Filth got out the wrong side of his coffin that morning.

I guess they're a lot younger than me and don't remember the halcyon days of bass rich pop, funk and fusion ☹️.... or more to the point, know that their audience don't. oh I feel old.