Leaderboard

On Saturday we rocked up bright and early and set up at one of our favourite venues in Bolton. Our dep drummer walked in just after 8 with his phone to his ear and a stunned expression. He said his elderly mum had had a fall and was on the flooring her kitchen and he had to go sort her out with an ambulance. He said he'd be back asap. A bit of a shock, but we decided that our only way forward was to play the two sets acoustically, instead of the 4-5 we were going to start with. Our dep drummer didn't reappear as he was in A&E at Wythenshawe hospital and his mum was only seen at 2am. I felt so sorry for the dreadful situation with his mum. He sent us an awful photo of her bruised face. He did exactly the right thing. Fortunately it went down very well and we even threw in some songs we'd never played together before. It's such a pleasure to have my new guitarist in the band. There's enthusiasm now, as opposed to the 'getting through it' that we had before.

I used to have strong feelings about/against it, but firstly it's what shops such as Bass Direct/Bass Bros do and we don't have a problem with that. Secondly (and more importantly) we never know what a person is dealing with in life, quite a few members have lost their jobs recently, or have other financial problems (divorce/increased cost of living etc), and while I've historically tended to flip basses for a loss here, if I were in a difficult situation financially and struggling to pay the bills/put food on the table, I'd have no problem doing it for a profit. I hope it doesn't come to that, and I suspect I'd probably still make it clear where the bass came from. Basschat is a strong community the members of which are 99.99% of the time highly supportive of each other, even to the point of happily donating gear and even money to other members with problems. Perhaps part of that charitable ethos is also to allow other members to make a few quid buying and selling?

No useful content but thought I'd show off my appreciation for my two shorties!

Yes, it speaks positively mate 👍 In similar vein, and I won't embarrass him by naming, but one long-standing member here bought a bass from me, sold it for more, and sent me 50% of the difference out of the blue. Did I expect him to? Absolutely not. Would I have been pissed off had he not done it? No. Did I appreciate it? Hell yes

So as its rained pretty much non-stop since 30 secs after I brought a load of wood for the cabinets, I thought I'd think about something I can do indoors. I want to make the 8" cab easy to use with my Warwick Gnome. My original intention was to print a cage on the back of the cabinet that the Gnome would slide into. Then I looked on the bottom of the Gnome and there are four M3 holes in the base. They are quite deep, but I didn't want to open the unit up to check, I needed a few mm maximum. So instead of building a large (and easily broken) and cumbersome cage, I made two sliding angular rods. I'm sure there's a proper name for this type of connection but I have no idea. The inside rod connects to the base of the Gnome, the thinner side is the base and the larger is away from the base. The outside section connects to the back of the speaker. This is dead easy to print, about 20 mins for two of them and works very well. There are three screw holes in the larger that will fix the two rails to the back of the cabinet and that's it.The amp will just slot in and gravity will hold it down. The inside rails are slightly thinner than the four rubber feet so the Gnome will still sit on a desk or another speaker with no issues. So my intention is not to take them off as they don't interfere. I like simple (and elegant) solutions Rob

This topic has been raised numerous times with the same opinions offered. If someone is happy to sell an item to someone for price A and the buyer then does a little tinkering, freshens it up, plays it for a while, then sells it on for price B (higher) I really don't see the problem. The problem would be if the buyer misled the seller by saying something like "Please can you sell it a little cheaper as I only have X much cash and this is an item I have always wanted" and then they flip it for a profit straight away. I have bought literally thousands of guitars and basses over the years, my 'buying rule of thumb' is to never buy something for a price where I'll likely loose money if I sell it. This has given me a fantastic opportunity to play with more basses/guitars/amps than I EVER would have had I paid absolute top dollar all the time. It's also meant many many people have made a sale at a price they were happy with. Being honest, on balance I've probably made a little money on most basses etc. I've ended up moving on down the line, but they have typically left me in better condition than they arrived. I've also sold basses to known BassChatters at X price to the see it listed for a much higher price a week later. So be it, I sold the bass so I then don't have a stake in what that buyer does with it after that - I've got my cash. While direct profiteering might not be in the spirit of BassChat, I don't have an objection to it so long as the seller wasn't misled by the buyer. We dont complain at Bass Direct and Bass Bros making their back end, nor about literally any shop we buy anything from. Just my two cents!

If I'm putting a bass or anything else up for sale, it's because I don't need it anymore. What happens to it after it has gone is no longer my business and TBH I really don't care.

My thoughts exactly. It used to annoy me, especially when it was clear where items had come from (and what people had paid) but it can be more complex. The economic argument (“it’s worth what someone will pay”) is a truism, and it fails to tackle the morality of doing so. As an example, I was asked by a friend to value the items her deceased husband had acquired. She would have taken what I said was fair. That could have been £100 or £1000. (In the end, I wrote advert text for her and she sold them privately.) Sometimes it’s not all that it seems. I bought a Pedulla from an auction for £900 (I was there to bid on another item which I won, but it’s a handmade mega beast of a bass). Add fees to that (£250), new strings (£75), the tools to work on it (truss rod tool needed to come from the States £20), parts (new bridge adjusters £20) set-up (£100) and the new bass was a little more costly than purchase price. If someone saw I’d paid £900 at auction, selling for £1500 would seem usurious, but it’s probably what it cost me.

Some things in life you know are bound to happen somewhere along the road, you just don't know where, or when. Today was that day for me. By sheer luck everything aligned: the instrument itself, locally for sale, within budget, generous tax return which sweetened the already more than fair deal, and a feeling of "If I don't do this, I'm going to regret it massively later". So, since today I became the proud 2nd owner guardian of a September 1966 P-bass. Fully original, including the case, except the missing bridge cover, and some filled holes where someone installed other tuners, but the ginormous Klusons 546's cover those up very nicely. In a very, very good condition (buckle-rash the size of a coin), frets at de-facto factory condition, slightly faded red, but still plenty present,... And that patina, that's something you can't fake (nor the smell). Rather lightweight, very resonant, a bit neckheavy due to those tuners and the very light body, it has that extremely pleasant 60's C-shape (wide, but thin). It has the newest additions that were introduced in 1966: Indian Rosewood fretboard, a 45° bevelled pickguard and the wide frets. Made by the same people that made the early 60's ones, using the same methods, and virtually identical materials... just under a different contract. It has seen some action, but it was also very well babied and cared for. And given it's a '66, it's an absolute growler. There's something about '66/'67 basses that gives them more raunchy punch compared to 1965 or 1968 onwards. And if it's good enough for James Jamerson, it's good enough for me! Going to install an old set of LaBella's tomorrow, see if I can reduce the action a bit. Also: going to thin out the heard a bit. Given I've now got "the original", the "American Original '60s" may leave the premises, my Jazz Bass as well, my 500/1 that hardly saw any use, maybe the EB3, although: that's so quirky I might just keep it. But with this, I kind of arrived at the end of the line.

Wait ... you can sell basses?

I am imagining all around the country there are bass players with a 2m length of black downpipe in their garage, with a little 6" piece sawn off the end

Knowledge is like good food and drink. It's best when shared. ☺️

First coats of satin nitro…..

Sometimes wish it wasn't! I remember once putting a wanted ad up for a Wolf Endpin for my double bass. Three days later, one arrived at my door after being sent by someone. That's the Basschat I like. Guy didn't even ask me to pay postage.

I believe instead of flipping, you’ve flopped.

There’s a guy in Bristol who runs an online guitar shop in Easton. His business model involves scouring Gumtree, Facebook and buying cheap stuff at Gardiner Houlgate. He may make a few quid in his job, but even better, he’s taking unloved instruments and making them playable and used again. Thats the kind of flipping I respect.

Let us know if you come across one. 🙂

Not against the rules, but certainly against the spirit to immediately repost for sale at a profit. My problem…I buy stuff but rarely move stuff on. I have purchased a few things here, always to use not flip, and if it’s not quite my thing I will re advertise here after a bit of use but at no more than I bought it for…then again others might say I’m a fool to myself 🙂 If I have had and used something for a while and do decide to move it on, and the market has moved that’s a different matter, but not as a buy and flip. Certainly don’t expect me to resell the Wal I’ve had for 40+ years for what I paid for it 🤣

I’ve encountered problems from both sides on this: One bassist took 20 minutes to put her lead and bass into her gig-bag. That’s 20 minutes out of the 15 minute changeover, putting me under pressure to get set up swiftly shall we say. On finishing a gig immediately the next bassist was up on stage unloading his gear. My rather frank “the sooner I can get to my effing gear the sooner I’ll be out of your effing way” was both effective and motivational.

I was looking for a second PBass to use alongside my Player II Nearly went Squier but decided to try out these new Standed series It’s a nice bass and fretwork and neck is lovely to play. Noticeable difference in tone from the ceramic pickups in as much as it’s brighter and clearer sounding, less warm and vintage and more modern Set up out of the box was decent apart from pickups were not set slanted to match neck profile etc Slight tweek on truss rod and she was playing sweetly Wasn’t sure about the Olympic White colour as it’s more cream than white but it quickly grew on me. I did own a polar white and I thought it was closer to that but I would say closer to cream Tuners are good and work well as does bridge etc For a £500 bass I think it’s a nice balance of quality, tone and cost. A workhorse gigging bass

Coincidentally I used my 8 with a TC Elf last night at rehearsal, I usually go straight to PA but I have a new drummer and we aren't locking in as well as Id like so I thought using back line would be more familiar than PA and monitors for him. The little 8 sounded really lovely straight out of the box and remarkably just like the PA sound. It kept up with the drummer nicely too. I had all the controls set flat and didn't need to adjust anything, I'd say its a good pairing.

<waves>

If someone manages to sell a bass for more than I sold it to them, then more fool me. If I didn't get the market price right and someone else did then I have no issue with that.

I’ve done all 3 with items bought here and from other sources. Sold at a profit Sold at a loss Given stuff away My question is at what point does an item become “flipped”? One day, one week, one month?

Dovetail 🙂

You're still doing better than I am! Selling things even at a loss seems rather difficult.

It's never going to happen (I always aim to sell on here at mate's rates - maybe my mistake) but I would be inclined to do that myself. I know there are dealers on here and their pricing indicates who they are. I would be unlikely to want to sell to them.

I don`t see any issues in buying something at current market value, then selling it some years later at the then current market value. Similarly if lucky enough to pick up a bargain and selling it at market value, well the new buyer isn`t being ripped off as that`s what the item is selling for. Still looking for that `59 Les Paul up for a tenner at the local boot sale, it`s there somewhere......

There used to be a website called 'phat fingers' (or something) where you could punch in (for instance) 'Squier' and it would search eBay for near misses, like Squire, Squeer etc. Right, I'm off to search for a Febner Jizz Base.

This is a moral question which applies to any asset someone buys, then sells. They're buying with the express motive of making a little money. That's what some people find offensive - now, that's the interesting thing to dig into. Personally, I think any transaction is atomic - it's what happened, right there, right then. The seller agreed to sell. The fact they might find out they could have sold it for more when they see it listed and sell for more is actually irrelevant - and feeling aggrieved on their part as a third party seems pointless. We know some platforms will get more - basschat, reverb - and some less - (maybe) eBay (depending on who listed it - again, the person listing it has listed it at whatever for their own reasons!), Facebook, etc. People sell stuff for varying reasons - could be a distressed sale (can't make the rent, bills to pay, etc). All those are valid reasons why someone gets a bargain. That they decide to flip it, is entirely their business - they bought the bass, it's theirs to do with as they will. What makes more sense is to educate. Give people the confidence to research what a bass is worth - even if it's as trivial as knowing how to filter on eBay for sold items (I always do this before I sell anything) - you can get ideas of what you should be paying for something (or indeed, selling it for). Caveat.... everything, I guess! I know it sounds terribly dispassionate, detached, etc - but you're not going to alter the sociopaths by pointing at them and saying "but it's wrong" - better to starve them of their exploitable population. Which goes for a lot of stuff outside buying and selling at the moment.

Matinee gig at the Fiddlers Elbow in Camden - 1pm - 5pm. Confirmed my belief that there's a reason gigs usually start after 6pm. Also, was recovering from a bout of covid, so spent most of the afternoon wearing a mask and keeping my distance from everyone. Also, spent our set having to concentrate extra hard to remember my parts courtesy of covid brain. I brought my GK Fusion S 800 and my recently purchased GK 4ohm 4 x 10,which sounded immense. Other bands were lovely and we made a few fans. Overall, probably one to forget though.

If I buy something it is mine and I can do what I like with it and that includes selling it for double or burning it in the garden for BBQ fuel - but I am not a hypocrite so that must be the other way as well: if I sell a thing and the next person manages to sell it for double - that is their good fortune and I am pleased for them. I'm an adult and I did a deal I was happy with at the time. Hindsight is a waste of energy. Once I've sold a thing I no longer care about it. Perhaps the next owner will sell it for a loss, or maybe for a profit. Either way it is not mine anymore and it leaves my mind. It's not an "anti-community" stance, it's a really "Why on earth should I get a say when it's not mine?" Stance. What next? Should I be upset if the 3rd owner after me makes a profit? Or only if it's the next owner? Advertising something at a higher price does not mean it will sell, and if it does, good luck to them. There are many reasons for a bass selling for more and for less. Perhaps the market improved / got worse. Perhaps there was a bidding war by people who only just discovered the item was available. Perhaps the model has somehow been associated with a recently exposed nonce and now nobody wants them so the value tanked. Perhaps the original seller really needed money and had made the decision to sell undervalue for a quick sale. Irrespective of the reasons why the buyer bought it they assisted the seller. They cannot be expected to offer a higher sum "just because" and they shouldn't be expected to sell at an undervalue themselves. Even if they bought it with the intention to sell at normal market value (or higher) they still did a deal with another adult who made the decision to sell in a way that suited them at the time. Slagging someone for later selling at a higher price is no more or less silly than slagging the original seller for selling at an undervalue and making others of the same model harder to shift at market value. Inflation and depreciation and simple desirability can change quickly. Several years ago I sold / part-x a very nice bass on here and the person buying it gigged it extensively and then decided to get a new one built with slightly different specs so he put "my" one up for sale. Another member of this "community" sent me multiple messages demanding to know exactly what I had sold it for (with the part-x value etc) and seemed to be demanding that I feel outraged that it was for sale at a price that might have been higher than I got. I pretty much got a lecture that me not caring about something that I no longer owned was a problem and that my refusal to tell him the details of a private transaction was against the community. It was a level of pathetic entitlement unworthy of anything claiming to be a community. Most amusingly that member has advertised many items way above market value / used sales on here and ebay etc. This happened again when I sold a pair of Mark Bass cabs donkeys ago and a different member actually had the balls to ask me for a breakdown including the shipping as I had sent them to mainland europe. He wanted to work out the cab price from the postage included price. I promise: if you buy a £100 pedal from me and manage to sell it for £300 I will be thrilled for you. Me being happy with the sale at £100 will not be affected by you managing to sell for £300.

Just buy ordinary round rainwater downpipe, it's a standard size of 68mm outside diameter and has to be a standard size to use all the fittings. I stick to this or 110mm pipe as they are going to be around for a very long time. I used to specify ready made ports but the availability changes all the time and it put people off building. It also comes in black

Software is awful - packaging says it comes with ToneX SE but it actually comes with ToneX CS which is an inferior product and limits what can be downloaded from Tonenet. The standard ToneX one comes with ToneX SE. I'd have sent it back for this alone if my youngest hadn't damaged the packaging. Some of the captures are great - for what I do the clean mix is a godsend as I'm not a fan of Cab IRs without a blend. There's a night and day feel difference between this and standard modellers though. I saw great reviews about the SVT models but it's the Aguilar and GK Fusion models that have impressed me. Some of the stompbox drive options are good too. Hope this helps... any more info needed let me know!

Harmony H22 batwing , SG , and Gretsch Thunderjet 6128B , all with flats , I’m a thumper.

Once again, Bill goes above and beyond with advice and help. Mods, please make him a Grand Master. He probably won't be fussed, but it's the least BC can do. Edited to add: Have since found he's already a GM. Just wanted to record my appreciation of his generosity in sharing his knowledge and expertise. Good on ya, Bill.

I made a little tilted stand for a speaker to sit on, rubber feat, 4020 extrusion and I printed the sides up. Not sure I'd put an Ampeg 8x10 on it, but for small speakers and cabs, dead easy.

This has happened to me several times (and I've done it too) and it's always a nice gesture.

I spotted the post that the OP is referring to and found the local sale by googling (I was bored, OK!) My take is that this is like finding something undervalued at a car boot sale and subsequently selling for the market price - and it will only sell on BC if the price is right. My real gripe is that in 17 years on BC I have only ever sold at a loss, which says a lot about me!

My take as well.

The free MODO drums are pretty decent too. Very customisable with some great snare sounds

My guitarist friend who took part in this 'experiment' uses an OC5 for guitar, exclusively in poly mode, and loves it. I don't play guitar, and so my comments are exclusively about bass. It certainly sounds good in the way he uses it on the inferior stringed instrument I used to own two MIJ versions (Octaver and Octave), that I used for years, long before the OC5 came out. I also had one of them (Octave) modded by Max at sfx to increase the gain (not in the same way as my current one) as the drop in volume did my head in, but I can't vouch for it in the context of comparison with the OC5 (but can vs the other OC2, see below). That said, I'd be mightily surprised if there was enough or a difference that anyone could notice in a mix/not under a microscope. It makes sense that the MIJ ones fetch more, as they are an older version of a sought after pedal and 'originals' in most walks of life seem to hold greater value. Anyone paying more for a MIJ because it's 'better' in any way that can be measured is almost certainly mistaken As I mentioned above, I used to own an Octave and Octaver MIJ and only ever compared them to each other (and an OC3, but let's not go there!). I couldn't hear any difference back then in the rehearsal room or live (though I never did the kind of analysis I did here) - if there was a tonal difference, it was minor and only something you'd hear in a recording or if you really wanted to. The Octaver was fetching more money as it was the OG so I sold that and kept (and modded) the other. That was sold on years ago before I recently picked up this MIT. I agree totally with your closing statement. The OC2 sound has serious mojo, and using it because it sounds great is a no brainer... but only in the same was as using an OC5. If you don't own either, unless you're a collector, there is zero reason to own an OC2 over an OC5 IMO.

Bit of a late report, but I was like a burst ba' yesterday. Saturday night, played at the Balaclava in Fraserburgh with Nine Lives. We'd had a few weeks off and I was struggling to get myself in the mood, ngl. Just felt "off" - didn't help that we got set up in good time so there was about half an hour of hanging about, punctuated by people coming up to us and generally getting in the way, which was its usual irritating influence and I think I let it get to me more than usual. Thankfully, once we got going, the cobwebs were shaken off and I got right back into the actual business of performing and hopefully entertaining. Played pretty well, a few wee bloops but nothing worth anything more than pulling a funny face and having a laugh with the drummer about. Also threw a new song into the set for the first time (Foo Fighters - "The Pretender") and it went really well, both from a playing perspective and audience reaction, so looks like it's a successful addition. Gear was the Burny LSB-80 followed by the Reverend Triad into the cubes of doom. Actually, I was really pleased with my sound, especially with the Triad - just used series combinations all night and it fair punched a hole in the air!

We did a ticketed charity gig last night at a local music venue. It was our gig, our singer organised it all (the venue also helped masses). As we're still a newish band, this was our 6th gig, it was a bit squeaky butt timeas to how many would turn up. In the end we were absolutely chuffed to get a decent number there. And a great crowd they were as well. It was a really cracking night and we raised several hundred £s in the end. We had support from a former band mate of mine, who did a great solo set and went down a storm. We're all still buzzing I think.