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[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1360515271' post='1971536'] It would have been more news worthy if it had been the other way round. [size=4] [/size] [/quote] True And it does make a change from 'I caught it off a toilet seat'...

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1360507380' post='1971353'] I know nothing of One Direction other than they sold their souls to Simon Cowell and are very successful. Are they song writers? [/quote] Weren't they the ones who might have caught chlamydia off of a koala bear?

It really depends on what I'm doing at the time and which instrument is most appropriate to achieve that. I have a very 'it's just a tool' attitude to my basses.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1360510624' post='1971435'] I may be wrong - but I took the OP to mean just gear that was bought on here & then sold on at a huge profit shortly after, thereby denying another BCer who would have had a greater need for the bass rather than just gaining £££ his/her chance. What you describe is fair-do's, buyer beware, etc & probably one that we'd all follow. [/quote] No mate, it was me that gave a poor example. We insist that prices for items are shown and, as far as I'm aware, we don't do 'gazzumping' - it's first come first served (for straight sales at least). I can't really see how we can make a more level playing field than that for the original sale without heavy regulation - something that none of us would want to see I'm sure. As for what happens after that original sale, tampering with that probably brings us into a whole different ball game of controlled sales, price fixing, restrictive practices and probably a whole raft of other things I haven't thought of (or can't spell).

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1360509901' post='1971412'] However, I think there are some hidden traders on here though. They should declare themselves. That's the unfair bit. [/quote] BC has had them from time to time but we do keep an eye out for these and shift their activities into the Affiliates section. With the 1000's of posts we get on here and the fact that all the mods (even me occasionally!) have lives outside of BC, some of these will inevitably slip through the net. So, if anyone thinks they've spotted a trader, report it and we'll check them out.

I think it's about proportion. If I went off to a car boot sale and picked up a pre CBS Fender Jazz Bass for £20, cleaned it up, stuck a new set of string on it and then flogged it on here for £400 would there still be a complaint because I'm making 20x what I paid for it? As long as a price is fair (and that will undoubtedly be assessed by potential buyers) then I don't really see a huge problem. If it's not fair then it just wont sell - that's how sales work.

Ibanez SR series. They've been reputed to have the thinnest, fastest necks on a production model for many years now. To be perfectly honest, it always sounded like one of those 'empty' marketing claims to me, but I swapped from being primarily a JB player to an SR player about 12 years ago and wouldn't go back now. The neck is a little bit cramped and it takes some getting used to though.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1360486401' post='1970973'] Maybe you should spend today safely languishing in a chair, spending your time on Bass Chat [/quote] ...making sure I don't fall off of it of course...

A comedy of errors tonight. A 50th birthday party, dead easy... Shut my foot in the door of the van and because I was wearing trainers instead of my usual boots, I managed to bruise my ankle. Setting the gear up it became obvious that we needed to run a power cable over an entrance way, so off I limped, hooking the cable up out of the way, making totally sure that everyone was going to be safe. I chose the only three legged table in the venue to step onto, overbalanced it and landed in a heap amongst overturned chairs. Add a bruised back and sore thumb to the list. Gig played, money paid and everyone happy. We then start the kit breakdown and carrying various items out to the van. I nipped around the opposite side of the van to avoid bumping into someone carrying something, straight into a knee height wall that someone had left just sitting there! The effect of having a brick wall impede your knees whilst walking forwards at speed has a certain inevitability about it. I contemplated that inevitability before picking myself up from the other side of it moments later. Add a bruised knee and grazed hand to the bruised ankle, bruised back and sore thumb. Man, this is a tough business... EDIT: The highlight of the night had to be where a member of the audience walked up to us during our break and asked "What's that funny tall thing with the stand?" The sensible answer would have been 'an electric upright bass' but I couldn't resist the urge to reply "That's Colin, our singer"

[quote name='rk7' timestamp='1360401462' post='1969757'] I'm really looking forward to seeing the lacquer applied. Martin does a 'magic trick' during wood selection, where he pours alcohol/thinners on the pieces and the full grain is revealed. Both the Ziricote and the Wenge look amazing when this is done so I can't wait for Finishing! [/quote] I'm a real sucker for wood finishes. I'd describe that as gorgeous already but if Martin has yet to do his magic tricks and get the final finish on I'm gonna have to find a whole new word!

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1360402644' post='1969766'] Just remembered, Bothel. [/quote] I had to read that twice...

Please tell me it was rubbish and I didn't miss anything...

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1360418740' post='1970052'] I would get a plug in tester for a few quid and try all the sockets in the venue, you might find no earth or a weak one probably even a few with other problems like reversed polarity [/quote] +1 Essential safety device for all gigging musicians - you've no idea if the venue electrics have been installed by an electrician or a myopic DIY bodger and it only takes a couple of seconds to test a socket. We've found a few dubious sockets over the years.

Well if you can't strip it, why not go completely the other way and respray it?

That dangling thing is a voltage regulator. It would have been bolted to a piece of metalwork somewhere - the metalwork acts as a heatsink. Unfortunately, that's not going to be your problem solved - if that was the problem then the unit wouldn't even power up. It looks to me that someone has had a go at repairing it, given up and not reassembled it fully.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1360367168' post='1969619'] Speakon. Obviously you'll then need another cable (same guy does speakon-to-jack leads), but honestly you'll never look back! [/quote] +1 Jack leads were fine when there weren't better alternatives, but there are now.

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1360369528' post='1969653'] A gripe, though - the very functional stand looks absolutely horrid, especially compared to the shapely form of a real double bass... [/quote] Doesn't matter in my case, the audience are far too busy looking at me...

[quote name='LessIsMore' timestamp='1360363924' post='1969557'] My first and most sh*te bass was a Rosetti Bass 9 - blockboard body, jazzy Fablon stick-on covering with weird plastic trim around the body, 3 pickups, a curious rotary pickup selector switch, total rubbish.[/quote] As bad as that RB-9 was, Rosetti eventually became the UK distributors for Gibson, Vox and I seem to remember Ovation coming from them as well at some point. With the exception of Rickenbacker, most of the high end gear seems to have gone from their portfolio these days.

...and we're still no closer to whether roundwounds are better than flats...

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1360348735' post='1969175'] Thats what I like about NS Designs EUB instruments - they all come on a variety self supports ( I use the standalone tripod ) and you can just walk up to the instrument and play without needing to hold the thing upright ( see my separate thread about DB and EUB injuries!). I have just sold my CR4 and I would most definitely go with this again if I need an EUB ...and for the fantastic sound ( arco and pizzicato ) ! http://www.nedsteinberger.com/instruments/crbass.php [/quote] +1 I'm an NS owner as well and I love that little stand. It's leaves everything in the right position to just walk up and start playing. Only bugbears I've had was a problem with the split pins holding the head section to the stand dropping out (but the original design was easily improved on with a nut and bolt) and the collar on one of the machine heads vibrating loose and rattling (dab of clear nail varnish on the thread before retightening it fixed that).

[quote name='rk7' timestamp='1360064095' post='1964144'] Angie and the bass! [/quote] I'm used to describing instruments as 'really nice' but that is truly gorgeous. EDIT: Apologies to Angie, I'm sure she's gorgeous as well.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1360338920' post='1968984'] Grown up as in an experienced gigging and recording musician. [/quote] I knew what you meant. I was just being childish.

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1360355810' post='1969384'] I love Jethro Tull. Goodness, I feel better for getting that out in the open. [/quote] Superb band.

Have I wandered into the wrong forum by mistake? I could have sworn you lot p*ss*d yourself laughing at my admission of liking The Wombles last year. How the times change...

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1360322285' post='1968506'] Looks like it's going to be a good one, and maybe - just maybe - one with less slapping than usual [/quote] One can almost hear the sound of buttocks relaxing at that news...