skej21

[quote name='Moos3h' timestamp='1421771744' post='2664817'] Is that really true? I find it hard to believe given the volumes they shift....? Not calling you a fibber, just wondering how that's really achieved in practise. [/quote] Yup. Visited the factory and have seen Mr Eggle's workshop myself :-) he's a busy man, that's for sure! Barnes and Mullins are a fantastic distributor and they know a great product when they see it!

Faith every time. All solid woods and most importantly, EVERY Faith guitar has its last QC check done by luthier Patrick Eggle himself. The guy who designed the guitar and provided the training to the guys who constructs them is also the last person to check the guitar before it goes off to the store/customer. If he isn't happy that it represents his name to the best standard, it doesn't go. That's the kind of company I would want to buy my guitar from!

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1421613347' post='2663333'] I know it's an old thread, but really tempted by one again, and I found this video on YouTube I just had to share: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaK7elkqb1w"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaK7elkqb1w[/url] GREAT playing, GREAT tone, and a GREAT bassface! [/quote] So weird but this is next on my list and I found that video today too! Love the idea of fitting it with some Aguilar DCB pickups, stringing it E-C and getting an ebony ramp fitted! My local store are doing 24 month 0% finance over £500 too, so might bite the bullet before it ends on 8th of February! This is a really great bass for the money. I've played one extensively and need to get one to call my own now :-)

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1421518658' post='2662232'] IMO there's a difference between a 'stock' bass and something unique. Assuming insurance, a £4k Fodera is replaceable with a near identical model, but a £4k vintage XYZ, could have a neck shape / tone / feel that was irreplaceable. Still wouldn't be digging the garden with it, just less paranoid locking it in the boot. [/quote] Surely a 'stock' bass is less likely to be replaceable? If you own a 2002 Fender US Standard, you can't replace it with the EXACT same model as it's not in production anymore. You'd have to get the 2012 US Standard instead which will have a large number of differences, such as neck profile, pickups, colours etc. If you bought a custom bass, you could ask them to make you something MUCH closer to your original one and are quite likely to remember working on the original for reference. If I had a bass and needed to replace it, I'd understand it wasn't going to be exactly the same but I'd want the same love, attention and detail to go in to it and you'd get that if you went back to a custom bass builder like Fodera IMO.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1421517698' post='2662209'] Some people have no taste, and more money than sense. [/quote] That doesn't make it a bad business model to exploit that though ;-)

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1421510090' post='2662117'] Well there's the answer as to why some guitar companies use the PLEK machine for their factory set-ups - it might not be better but it's quicker, simply a question of economics. [/quote] Yup :-) that's certainly how it comes across when the guys at G&L are discussing it's advantages.

So the sandblasted blue strat in my local store spent 3 days between arrival and sale... Fender haven't got a clue! ;-)

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1421258611' post='2659087'] Proabably sounds better than a Rickenbacker [/quote] I dunno. I always thought Rickenbackers sounded EXACTLY like the back end of a scooter!

Thought I had my fuzz needs sorted but this just popped up... I love my other aguilar pedals and I have a feeling this is going to end up on my pedalboard. Damn you NAMM!! Every year i get suckered by your shiny new toys! http://instagram.com/p/x7reSyJFQP/

Just sold some strings to Dan. Nice guy and quick payer. Asked me to upgrade pair age to make it easier for him and offered to cover the costs. A true gent and a credit to this forum. Don't hesitate in dealing with Dan :-)

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1421432132' post='2661229'] That must be a problem with the Chandlers machine. Charlie was always very keen on the Plek. I believe he had the first one, when at Kew, and developed and beta tested it. Lakland and Lull Plek all their basses. If those guys were getting variable results then they wouldn't be using the Plek process. Having said that, the guys at the Gallery did a very good job when they leveled the frets and setup my bass the old fashioned way last year. [/quote] G&L also Plek all of their USA instruments too. The Plek machine must be doing something right. Apparently it only takes 20 minutes to scan the existing neck and do the work. Good luck finding someone who can do a job that accurately and quickly without wanting any money!!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1421439582' post='2661371'] OMG they're genuinely clueless! http://www.gak.co.uk/en/fender-limited-edition-sandblasted-american-standard-precision-bass-sapphire-blue-transparent/109012 [/quote] In their defence, they did a 'transparent Crimson' Strat with the sandblasted finish and it's much nicer (IMO!)... The bass looks horrible!!

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1421433651' post='2661255'] If you look at the Gear4Music site you'll see that a lot of higher end gear is listed as "Available to Order". In other words place your order and they'll get in for you with a time lag of anything from a few days to a couple of months. So they'll put it on their weekly order knowing that it's pre-sold. Highly useful this as they have no risk, I imagine that as they have your card details you would struggle to back out. Would you accept that from your local music shop, even if they ordered often enough to be able to offer shortish lead times? Frequency of orders is another area where the big on line people will always win over smaller shops. Steve [/quote] The 'available to order' thing online is b*ll*cks. It's down to stock integration. Basically, in this example, "Xmusic.com" link their stock to the supplier directly and if it's in stock at the supplier (but not the "Xmusic.com" warehouse) it'll say 'in stock - 3 to 5 days delivery'... This means they'll take your order, send for the item from the supplier and then forward it to you. If it says 'in stock - next day delivery available' that means they are stocking it in their own warehouse. 'Available to order' means they'll try and get one for you but aren't sure on the arrival date, usually because it's not in stock with the supplier or don't have stock integration with that supplier. In these situations, they hope that you'll give them the money and if they can't get it soon, they'll fob you off until it turns up OR they'll suggest you buy something similar that's in stock when it isn't available (as has been mentioned by another member who had this with PMT (?) when they promised to get an item they knew they couldn't get and the tried to cross sell to something else to try and keep the sale). There's so much nonsense that goes one behind the scenes with these things. We regularly had other stores buying stock from us at retail to sell on to at NO profit, just to keep the customer and hope the dealing resulted in return custom. It's crazy!

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1421440168' post='2661380'] Really wish they were doing one with fanned frets in the same spec / price range as the sr1205 with the graphite neck rods and nordy singles. [/quote] Me too. The same finish as the SR1800 and Id be in like a shot!!

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1421345051' post='2660228'] ^ shocking choice of finish too, "wow, now I can see where the woods join on the body!". [/quote] It's so 'side seaming' looks like a luxury feature on the more expensive models like American Vintage and custom shop lol

Quick payment and friendly comms. A credit to basschat :-)

[quote name='Moos3h' timestamp='1421176700' post='2658120'] This. ^ I take your point about declining markets but we owe shops nothing at all. If you like the item/price/service then do it but it the stock is in poor state then that leaves price and service. Why would you as a shop owner not try even just a little...speculate to accumulate and all that? [/quote] I completely agree. However, a significant point has been overlooked. The wages that high street music stores pay are pitiful. You can't expect to get staff with experience of set-ups, basic repair work and maintenance AND trained in sales when you pay peanuts. It's a catch 22, because you won't sell gear if it's not in decent condition but in order to get gear playing at its best, you need knowledgable staff (who cost more money!).

Hard to write something that hasn't been said. Bought a precision bass wiring loom from John. Super fast, pleasant and easy transaction with hassle free fitting and a significant improvement on the tone of the instrument. I also got a free screwdriver which proved to be invaluable as it meant I could tighten the screws on my glasses and have full vision of what I was doing lol! Deal with confidence :-)

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1421008726' post='2656176'] Molan There's no way I'm going to ask what the order was for. That's company business alone. Judging from the products for sale the charge could be on products retailing at £2000 odds and the company would go bust up to a retail value of £32,000 where it's about 5%. That's still a lot of money but in line with normal business practise. Import duty is 3.5% and Customs Clearance is £8 so the importing company's fee isn't high. As the VAT is pasted on to the customer it's not at issue here nor is the cost of importing and insuring small quantities of valuable instruments. My problem is Fender,Gibson et al banning companies from selling direct to the UK and forcing us to pay prices they set, not what the UK shops have to charge.It costs no more to ship a container from the Far East to the UK than it does to ship to the US. That's why I used the Squier example. I said those companies won't get my money not the shop used as an example. Hope that's clear, this is not a dig at UK shops. [/quote] You're actually right about Guitar Center having much lower prices. However, it is well known that that single store turns over more instruments (not profit!) from a single, well-known brand that has been mentioned by itself than ALL UK retailers combined. With that in mind, I imagine they are given a 'bulk buy' discount which they can pass on to consumers. In the UK, even chain stores don't have that kind of buying/negotiating power as they don't turn over stock as well, therefore prices are more even.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1420924645' post='2655202'] Which firms are moaning and have owners living in big houses and driving sw***y cars? Just interested because I've never met any of them. I'm not doubting they might not exist just interested to know who they are? [/quote] It's interesting how differently those within Music Retail are viewed by those who aren't! All these false ideas about huge profits, bad attitudes to customers and everyone living like Premier League footballers. I don't think anyone who has ever been involved in music retail would ever support those ideas as they couldn't be further from the truth. My friend worked for a VERY big UK music retail multiple and they used to have their lunch on the shop floor as they couldn't afford to have lunch away from customers as they needed the tiny commission percentage to top up their wages (which were substantially lower than a living wage!). Luckily, my experience was with a music retailer who paid a salary which meant I got paid the same whether I took £10 or £10k in a day :-)

I must admit, I don't have any. I own two basses at the moment that are 'keepers' (one of which I've had for 11 years now) but I honestly wouldn't sell them unless I was forced to. Everything else comes and goes, like most things in life and I'm fine with that.