neepheid

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.

Just received a bridge from Nick. Item in excellent condition, well packaged and promptly posted. Good comms maintained throughout (including a slight bank related snafu where my transfer had gone through but wasn't appearing at his end). I've experienced a highly successful transaction, and if you deal with Nick then I'm sure you will too.

I have just taken delivery of a Hercules mini stand from James. As has been stated above - good comms, item well packed and rapid delivery, you can't ask for much more than that. This is trading on BC as it should be.

[quote name='Shambo' timestamp='1327018777' post='1505454'] No guitar ever lost value because it was owned by a smoker. The ony reason people say from a "smoke freee home" is because they're trying to validate their non or ex smokieness. I kinda knew what sort of responses to expect. [/quote] What wonderful opinions you have, they are truly magnificent - strong, forceful, clearly genuine and believed in. Please stop presenting them as facts.

I've been using a Hartke 3500 since I started playing bass "properly". I love the tone of the amp, it's very flexible, and it's plenty loud. I started using it with an 8ohm Ashdown ABM 4x10 and it was plenty loud in a band scenario. Now I use it with a 4ohm Zoot 4x10 and it's even louder. The last few gigs I've had it turned up to 4 out of 10. That's competing with drums, a keyboard, a guitar and a sax. Yes, the fan is a bit loud, mine's old so it starts off really loud and then calms down after it's been on a while. I really ought to look into replacing that.

I think the chrome control plate on top of the pickguard looks a bit silly. I get what you're trying to say but I think you're trying too hard to say it.

[quote name='woodyratm' timestamp='1326791259' post='1501852'] we're thinking we might just kill the band - then reform with another name (sadly!) in a few months time. If drummer doesn't get his act together. [/quote] That's a bit underhand. Aberdeen's a small place - do you think he won't find out? [quote] All these suggestions are great, but he's the kinda guy who will be totally upset by this. It may be cowardly but at least it keeps him from being totally destroyed [/quote] He'll be totally destroyed if you do what you propose above. If you just front it up and be open and honest then sure he'll be disappointed and possibly even upset but that's what relationships are about. Something I am still learning after 3 years of marriage is that while it seems wrong to upset my wife by expressing a negative opinion or dislike of something she is saying/doing/wearing, any short term aggro/upset is quickly replaced with a respect for honesty and security derived from feeling comfortable enough to be able to share the bad as well as the good.

19 sleeps. G'night all [color=#6C737A][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] [/font][/color]

Fess up right away. Same as if you ding someone's car.

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1326735478' post='1501287'] Shame about all the venues that have closed because of the smoking ban. [/quote] Access to your detailed and verifiable evidence for this phenomenon would be appreciated.

My Guild B402-A smelled a bit rank but the fur inside the hard case absolutely reeked! An intensive course of Febreze seems to have done the trick but it was quite disgusting. The bass itself seems to have aired itself out a bit over the months I've had it so it's not so noticeable on the nose. It does have some lacquer crazing but who knows if the smoke caused that, it's 31 years old after all. Everything else was fine. I don't know if it's a deal breaker as such, but it's certainly a plus point to me to know I won't have to be in danger of passing out when I receive the bass for the first time

[quote name='munkonthehill' timestamp='1326527738' post='1498370'] I am swapping my jag [/quote] Bit early for April fools isn't it?

Use pub economics. Let's say you consume £40 in a night out (booze, snacks, wasting money in bandits, taxi, kebab, whatever). Take cost of desired item. Stay out of the pub for cost/40 nights and put that money aside instead. Assuming you only go for one sesh per weekend - if your desired item is £1000 the you'll be able to buy it in 25 weeks. That's less than half a year! Simples!

Same here - I love a slightly mid scooped EQ when I'm noodling at home, but I have to change that to boost the mids when playing in a band context. Doing this makes sure that the only sad face on the stage is on the amp

Video from our most recent gig, thanks to my wife for taking the camcorder along [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HRlW1ZOBas[/media] Probably not obvious from the video but the bass is my Gibson IV through a Hartke HA3500.

I'm not convinced on the merits of phase reversal. My Guild B402-A has a phase switch and the out of phase sound is thin, nasal and compared to the in phase sound - horrible. I never use it musically, and only flick that switch occasionally remind me how nice the in phase sound is My opinion is that series, parallel and coil tap are by far the most useful options, musically speaking.

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1326195212' post='1493495'] Is the a particular contact cleaner or are they all the same? [/quote] Servisol Super 10. Other switch/contact cleaners are available, but this is the one I use and trust. I cleaned up an entire mixing desk with this stuff, including some pots which were totally stuck and had to be started moving again with pliers

Courier-proof packaging without a hard case is possible, I've done it many times. It takes time, thought and care, three things that some people are unwilling or unable to devote to the task. The basic premise is to put the bass in a gig bag and then wrap it heavily/pack it tightly in as much bubble wrap, foam, scrunched up newspaper, polystyrene bits as fills the outer box to make the whole package tight without risking bursting the outer box. The trick is to make the whole thing one monolithic object - absolutely nothing loose or moving inside. Once that state is achieved I am confident of taking on all challenges when it comes to accidental damage. This is just my opinion and although it means little statistically given the small sample set (circa 10 parcels) I have 100% success rate in getting basses to people in the condition I sent them in so as far as I'm concerned I seem to be doing something right. Most recently I have been using Interparcel/UPS but have in the past used Parcelforce (until I found out about the insurance limit in the teeny tiny print for musical instruments, hard case or otherwise).

Not sure if contrary opinions are welcome in here but the neck on every Jazz bass I've tried has felt wrong. Too thin and strings too close together. I read that some people have switched from p basses and I'm struggling to understand why! But if you like 'em then you go right on ahead and play the Hell out of that Jazz bass

[quote name='Austin7' timestamp='1325770560' post='1487371'] Gibson basses are actually my favorite. For quite some time, I couldn't even tolerate Fender. A lot of this had to do with the fact that many years ago I had no choice but to use a Fender Precision at a gig. I didn't like it at all; I especially didn't like the neck which seemed really cumbersome to me. In recent years, I've come to like Fender better, but still prefer the deep, rich sound of a Gibson bass. Nevertheless, I see no reason to sugar-coat things. Gibson does have problems and I feel they view their basses as secondary to their guitars. The quality control that I mentioned also seems to be a big problem. In addition, although I do actually like the "muddy" sound even of EB-O basses, I recognize that many others don't. I think Gibson bass players will always be in a minority. Of course, that's fine with me. I just play what I like to play and like what I like rather than trying to win any popularity contests. Based on my record, though, it's highly likely that Gibson basses will always be my first choice. [/quote] I'm not arguing with you. I'm not one to sugar coat things either - I've already mentioned my disappointment with Gibson's recent output. Gibson's main problem last century was persistently swimming against the tide, but at least it provided us with a plethora of different basses to play. I agree that they seem to care principally about keeping those Les Paul and SG guitars flowing, bass just isn't their focus, and I don't blame them for that. More people play guitar than bass. Look in any (non bass specific) music shop and count the number of guitars on the wall versus basses. Fender probably care more about their guitars than basses also - look at the latest output (the Select models) - it's 5:2 in favour of guitars. I hardly think that this phenomenon is limited to Gibson, it will inform the output of any instrument manufacturer who makes both guitars and basses. (This is aimed at the world at large, not you btw) Speaking of minorities, I don't see why I should tolerate half-baked BS based upon regurgitated stereotypes and prejudices. I don't get a lot of Jock jokes said to my face (or even online come to think of it) for being Scottish, so why all the "if you sneeze near a Gibson, the headstock falls off"? It hasn't happened to any of mine. I'm bloody tired of hearing it. So you don't like Gibson basses. You may actually have played a few to form this opinion. Well done, I respect your right to that opinion. That doesn't give you the right to present that opinion as fact, crack jokes and be a dick about it. (This is aimed at you, not the world at large btw) Out of interest, which Gibsons do you have, or have played/owned in the past?