neepheid

Maple without protection goes browny-grey from the pushing down of strings. It eventually turns into this grotty halfwayhouse between maple and rosewood which looks like compressed fingernail dirt. While I'm sure the decision is purely aesthetic, a pristine new unlacquered maple board won't stay pristine for long. Eventually it'll look like this: Mmmm!

Instruments are to be played. My wife would ask me to sell any basses I don't play. Mind you, I agree with her so she wouldn't have to ask, it would just happen.

I've got it now, the red is an example of a date being scribbled in pencil on another bass. I'd want to see more than an 8 to convince me it's a 1958.

Why is it suddenly red in the picture with the supposed proof of age?

It's worse than you think - VAT is 20% at the moment... Dunno what to tell you - currency fluctuates, sometimes it's advantageous to buy from abroad (remember when the US$ was worth around 50p and VAT was only 17.5%?) and sometimes it's not.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1327612430' post='1514319'] I'd sell one of them and get a G&L L2000 Tribute. Great basses, and you have the best of both worlds, as you can go from active to passive at the flick of a switch. [url="http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/TributeSeries/basses/L-2000/index.asp"]http://www.glguitars...-2000/index.asp[/url] [/quote] Yes, but the active mode on an L-2000 is just a line boost, the tone controls are still cut only, just like a passive bass (they operate on the output from the pickups before it hits the preamp) and the treble boost setting sounds horrible to me. Don't get me wrong, I really like mine (I have mine in passive mode all the time, the MFD pickups are plenty hot without the help) but it's not the same as having an active EQ which can cut and boost frequencies.

[quote name='Jimmyp28' timestamp='1327593424' post='1513935'] yes of course some one trying to voice there opinion in manner of open debater on a website that is dedicate to that very ethos is truly ridiculous, what was I doing and thinking. Good to though there are so many open minded people who are out there willing to debate issue like adults and not just jump to troll like behaviour on the internet. Thank god I have realised the error of my ways. Thank you Fan boys I truly am a changed man. [/quote] Oh dear. Let's get one thing out of the way, I am not a "fan boy" - I do not own one of these basses and I do not aspire to own one. At the risk of being ignored again I will attempt to engage you in the "debate" you crave. Do you want to buy one of these basses or don't you? If you do want one then I could see you having a gripe about the prices if you don't have the readies. If you don't want one then I don't really understand why you think its your place to poke your oar in. Did you put in any of the work in the production of these basses? Did any sweat drip off your brow as the wood slowly and carefully took shape? No, and therefore In my opinion (seeing as you're so fond of opinions) you've got no right and no supportable platform from which to preach about how much someone charges for the product of [i]their[/i] labour. I would estimate that damn near everyone wants to pay less for everything. You're not exactly being revolutionary or revelatory here. But here's the rub - you don't get to set the price, the manufacturer does and they will charge as much as they think they can get away with and still make sales when it comes to high end commodity goods. If they get it wrong, they don't sell product and they go to the wall, or they sell at a loss and go to the wall, or they don't make enough profit to reinvest in better equipment/people/resources and suffer a slow, strangulated decline. Short of performing some sort of communist coup on the entire world in order to control prices on a worldwide scale, I don't really see what you can do about it other than have a good old moan, which to give you your due praise is something you have shown yourself to be particularly adept at. Now that it hasn't gone the way you wanted it to (and considering that the "debate" was based upon opinions rather than facts and it took place on an internet forum, are you really surprised?), you seem to be flouncing off in a huff. What a damp squib of a crusade!

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1327529448' post='1513078'] Shame, I was looking forward to that. I completely understand the reason for the rule and support it, but could the rule be modified to include occasional builds from builders? I find it really interesting. (I realise this would therefore need someone to keep an eye, but I'm sure if any of us felt things were going beyond the interesting we could point it out.) [/quote] Surely all that needs to be done is the builder encourages the customer to come on here and get all excited about their imminent arrival?

[quote name='Jimmyp28' timestamp='1327492767' post='1512123'] I know we live in a very capitalistic society but surly there is a happy medium. Some way in which these very talented skilled artisans can get this to the general populus with out the need for for such high profit margins? [/quote] You didn't answer any of my questions. You don't have to of course, after all we do live in a relatively free world

I'm an effects luddite and it's mostly laziness - I just cannot be bothered to learn how to make them work. Don't get me started on multi-fx units - they're so festooned with knobs and buttons that they just make me want to throw it out the window. I find it doubly amusing that my job is technical (IT). I can program computers. Maybe it all just seems like work at the end of the day when I'd rather be playing the bass for fun. I guess low expectations help - as long as I'm in tune and can be heard then I'm happy.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1327486926' post='1511962'] "No", and "No". [/quote] So is that a "maybe" to the third one? [size=2](I know you were actually answering the questions at the end, btw)[/size]

[quote name='Jimmyp28' timestamp='1327450310' post='1511631'] Most people will hate this and yes am opening up a massive can of worms but I feel like I have to do some thing about what I personally believe to be the capitalistic and elitist. motivation behind some of the big names in the bass world these days, and yes this is one of them rants errrm I mean open discussions for intellectual debate. So this is my problem, companies like Fodera, Wal and kevin smith and to be honest any other maker who care to charge a ridiculous amount of money for there product, claiming that the price is justified. Its just flat out wrong, and there should be some form of ethical responsibility on there behalf . Am not disagreeing with the fact that these instruments are not brilliant in there own way (glad I got that disclaimer out of the way :-) ) But its just the fact that they charge an extraordinary amount of money for some thing which really is not justified in any other way other than the fact you are buying in to a brand. Tiffany do it all the time with silver, which I know cost nothing compared to the mark up that they make, these “high end” bass luthiers are no different. the whole problem I have with this is that once you start charging that much you are starting to make musical instruments an elites item, that is a commodity for the better off when in reality it would help every one if a higher calibre of instrument was available to every one and in turn that would help every one become better players. And I know of the saying “people will pay what that think that it worth” and it is a fair point to some degree, but this is my problem as well with that ethos. A, some one could possibly pay to little for an instrument that is worthy of a higher price. B. Some one could pay to much for an instrument that is not worthy of said price tag I think the point of this rant is that I want to open the floor to every one to actually speak about this and not be accused of “trolling” to put together there thoughts in a concise manner which can lead to a mutual understanding of people on every side. I know which side I stand on but I would love to hear what other people think that could lead me to understand why and how this has happened in the bass world. [/quote] Where is this actually coming from? Do you aspire to own one of these basses but can't afford it and are angry about it? If you don't wish to own one of these basses then what do you care what they cost? I have no desire to own a Ferrari, so I really couldn't give a toss how much they are, it's completely irrelevant. Me == confused.

I have used SE2, SE2A and SE3 preamps. The SE2 worked well, the SE3 is doing fine but I had 2 SE2As with dodgy concentric pots and gave up on it in the end. Given the choice you outline, I would put an SE2 in the SB301. Regarding power switching, you will need a stereo jack if the bass does not already have one. The ring and sleeve terminals break the -ve connection to the battery and are connected when a mono jack plug is inserted. Remember you'll have to find some place to stuff a battery.

Yes, there is a replacement for the 2 point bridge: [url="http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=326"]http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=326[/url] By the bolts/nuts on the E, A and D saddles, I'd say they were home-made, which makes the G saddle the real one.

Arriving in time for Moffat?

First off, welcome aboard. However, if this is a commercial venture (and it sounds like it is, you mention customers) then perhaps you should read this: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/394-forum-guidelines/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/394-forum-guidelines/[/url] Sorry for the party pooping, it's not my policy, and ultimately you can do what you like but better I point it out now than you find your threads being deleted later on.

Unnecessary? Probably. However... I think that fingerboards without front markers look unfinished, a bit like no-one could be bothered to put them in. I don't mind where they are, and I'm a sucker for things like crown inlays. If I bought a bass with no front markers I would find some way to add them. I also do look at the front dots while I'm playing. That's because I'm not very good or confident, and it's a another in a long list of bad habits of mine. So sue me. Having said that, I passed the audition for my first band with a Warwick Rockbass Corvette which has no front markers, so I guess I've been known to get by successfully on occasion.

Have you changed the A string lately? Is there a decent break angle over the nut (is the string wound far enough down the tuner)? How hard do you play?

Yup, unless it's a total bargain I would steer away from any bass photographed in such a way.

You don't say if you play in a band or with others in some other setting. The first kick up the backside my playing got was being basically dared on-stage to play with some mates by my wife. Then I joined my first band and I haven't looked back. Playing in a group gives context to what you're doing and helps you understand the role of the bass. Never mind that (in my experience at least) it's a whole lot more fun than playing on your tod at home.