Kev

Has anything been confirmed about them bringing out a version that is actually useable in a live context without an additional midi switch/hub? Even just a version with an actual DIN input would work for me, but I just resent the idea of having to buy additional equipment just to have access to more than 1 preset with your feet.

The cost of production line basses really is getting out of hand. £2.5k for a Thunderbird with that kind of quality in the finish. Just grab a Nikki Six Epiphone.

I don't recognise them by that product code, but if they're the steel Hi Beams, they'll be somewhat brighter than the nickle Funkmasters.

They look quite nice. Roasted Maple is a funny one, people were paying $$$ extra on high end basses for roasted maple not that long ago, now it seems to be used as standard on the cheapest of instruments.

I have 8 9v in my case at last count, had to throw 3 away as they didn't pass the lick test

A fair point, but its the ease of just pulling another bass out of the case or off the stand, switched and done in less than a minute, that makes it worthwhile. And I wont even dignify no bass for the evening with a response 😂

Interesting, its my experience of watching other musicians panic on stage when something goes wrong that makes me be as careful as I am about ensuring I'm ready for any eventuality I can avoid, however well maintained my equipment is. There's just some things you can't plan for, however unlikely it may seem. Only last year did I watch a band have to cancel their whole performance because one of the guitarists broke presumably a crucial string, and had neither a backup nor a spare set of strings to use. It just looks SO unprofessional, and I've no idea what a band may expect as far as their fee goes.

Thankfully none so far. But what's your plan if it does? String break - would you expect the band to stop whilst you restrung, or would you call it a day? Decharged battery? Sudden intermittent loss of signal due to a faulty jack socket? Strap button pulled out? I've had all these things happen in rehearsal over the years, and all would have derailed a gig if I didn't have a backup with me.

As others have said, if you're gigging, two basses are a must. There's just no way I would go to a gig with one bass, as you just never know what may happen. I can totally get how a bedroom bassist may have one holy grail bass and not care about any others though. A decade or so ago I was in that position, when really the only other basses hanging around were just waiting to be sold after being "replaced". For financial reasons, a combination of expensive taste and lack of disposable income, I now actually only ever have two basses at any time. Conversely, I use a Quad Cortex now for all effects/DI needs, and my only backup for that is plugging into the house amp/DI. I effectively take all of my equipment to every gig as a result!

Amazing. I've never had a Spector and/or a Tonepump preamp, and all I've ever known about it was that its boost only. How bizarre.

Still following with keen interest. In my head, most of what you're looking for is still in the Wal pickup design. The Wal character exists fully in a passive Wal and is enhanced by the pre, so it rules the pre out for me. Perhaps you're right and it is all in the neck build/material?!!

You clearly weren't following the guitar forums in 2020! 😂

As mentioned, the Iron Ether thing started some time before Covid. Bur yeah, theres obviously something in the water as there as so many pedal builders all but disappearing, its a shame

Turns off people like me though, who just get annoyed with that BS. I just can't think of any good reason why the builder of a range of pedals, who has previously distributed to stores across the US as well as a quick moving stock supply on their website (and stopped doing so prior to Covid/parts shortages etc), now needs upfront payment and a 4 month lead time to build one pedal, and one pedal only, in the range.

I don't know what that is, but I'm sure there's more to building that than there is building a fairly simple pedal that must be nearly a decade old by now!

If you've followed Iron Ether over the past two years, any stock builds he puts up disappear. Instantly. Even this preorder was gone in hours. I can't see worrying about sales is the issue. If he can't afford to buy parts in for a few pedals, it's a bit concerning isn't it? 🤷‍♂️

After 4 months? I thought the money back guarantee was shorter than that to be honest? Even so, I don't understand why they need 4 months. No cash flow issue as they have it all from the preorder sales, unless the cash is paying for something else... And thats the worry.

Yeah it's gone now. Much as these guys need support, given how many pedal builders are just disappearing right now, paying up front for a pedal with a 4 month lead is a hell of a risk to take. Yet people are clearly taking it...

Over $300 now and a 4 month wait, 100% payment up front? It's an odd shift in what has been a rather odd business model the company has had in recent years.

Both in stock at GAK , interesting they've dropped the price by ~10% already