Kiwi

Just buy a multi effects unit capable of routing. Lexicon MPXG2's can be had for a song these days and offer four channels (two paths in stereo) which can be combined any way you like. There are probably more recent floor units that can do the same thing, like the TC Electronic Nova system.

I've noticed an ever-so perceptible increase of graduate vacancies in my industry - the planning/construction sector. I think things are turning a corner but its like watching a fully laden Panamanian supertanker do a three point turn while laden down with the snagged ships of a Spanish fishing fleet. God I miss the UK though. I never truly appreciated how intelligent the average English person was until I worked in NZ local authority. Yes there are some stupid people in the UK but whatever examples you can think of, I'm fairly confident I can find better examples in NZ. Economically though, NZ has been well managed considering how small and vulnerable to overseas markets it is.

[quote name='musophilr' timestamp='1348858104' post='1819293'] If you can afford to drink coffee with barristers in Cafe Nero you can't be that skint. At least you're keeping well paid company. My mum knows a lawyer whose kitchen floor area is bigger than the footprint of my entire house. I obviously went into the wrong profession. [/quote] Maybe he meant Barista?

I thought Cliff Richard had died when I read the title.

If I'm just sitting down to enjoy the act of playing bass, I tend to go for fretless. It feels so much more expressive.

Dammit, I'm looking for a comedic power trio and I have an Alembic. So close but gonna have to sit this one out.

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1348432885' post='1813646'] Arr, defending your bass choice now i see, don't you like it when someone points out issues with something you may own?? This is why I don't make posts on things that may be disrespectful to owners, so i steer clear of being critical of others choices, as it's not neccessary. I could happily post to all sorts of threads on here being negative about all sorts of instruments, but they would serve no purpose, and show little respect. Personally I don't give a hoot what you think, especially when it comes to vintage Fenders, as you are clearly out of your depth. But you obviously enjoy it, so I'll humour you.[/quote] I'm not brand loyal at all. Most instruments disappoint me in one way or another, including Alembic. It's very interesting that you read so much into what I typed though. [quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1348432885' post='1813646'] OK, there are two Series 1 Alembics on eBay.com at the moment, so not much to demonstrate my point at this very moment, however, one of which has lamination issues. The seller, who appears to know what he's talikng about (I'm sure you'll have something to say on that), even makes reference to this being a common issue in the ad. Thats 50% of those listed, with lamination issues, which, is not opinion. Here's the link. And yes, I've seen countless others, many in person, with significant delamination. [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1977-vintage-Alembic-series-1-bass-rare-very-collectible-year-model-KOA-BEAUTY-/280954016459?pt=Guitar&hash=item416a2a12cb"]http://www.ebay.com/...=item416a2a12cb[/url] [/quote] It's not really a clear example of the issues you talk about. The seller just mentions laminations as part of wear and tear but there's no indication of what has happened and where. We'll just have to take your word for the rest of it. Alembic wouldn't never admit to there being a problem unless they had no choice but if the lamination issue was as significant as you say, I'd expect to see a lot more online discussion about it. However I'm open minded about the issue and would love to learn more.

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1348424358' post='1813470'] Vintage Alembics, great basses, great quality when they were made, and the Series 1's & 2's have been considered collectable for a number of years. The last few years however, has shown major faults that occur long term. I've been interested in these for years, and owned 2, great basses to play. 90% of examples you see now, have laminate issues, particularly on the neck. the multi-layering used, or adhesives, do not appear to stand the test of time. These examples have typically been around the £3k mark for the last 5 years, and have not been appreciating as well as many other brands. Collectors are now being wary of these, because of the quality issues. This has made mint examples rise in value, but I for one, wouldnt buy one anymore, because you could pay £3k for a Series 1, with no issues, only to keep it for 2 years, then it starts delaminating, as many others have experienced. [/quote] "Many others"? I'd be really interested to know your source(s) for this. The only laminating issues I'm aware of with Alembic have been with the headstock joint but those have result in a crack in the finish rather than delamination due to shrinkage. Its not a big deal. They're very solid, well engineered instruments.

All I am asking for are examples where Leo Fender sacrificed time and cost in the interests of quality.

So back up the points that you believe are invalid. Yes I'm an admin and I've edited my post for clarity. But I enter this topic being TOTALLY up for being shot down. Just feel some clarity is due, thats all. BRING IT ON.

I don't think Fender cared too much about the wood at the time. It was JUST a material. The weight, mass, density wasn't a concern because there was no precedent at the time. OK so they could have been in a position to be discerning, for example, deliberately selecting old growth ash or alder or maple. But the level of awareness about what specifically makes a good bass wasn't around then. I think they were just taking whatever was available and, so long as it satisfied the expectations of the public at the time, it was good enough.

Benefit of any doubt is duly given. However I don't care about nostalgia or romanticism. Basic law of project management is that there are ALWAYS trade offs between time vs cost vs quality. It's possible to achieve any two, but the third will be compromised. So given mass production means time and cost are prioritised, the logical conclusion is quality gets compromised. Some questions in my head are; Was the selection of wood done on the basis of tone, availability of supply or cost per unit? If the wood was so important (as claimed by so many sellers) what contribution did fullerplast make above and beyond what an 80's JV Squier offered? I'd love an opportunity to separate the myth from the fact because there seems to be so much bullshit about vintage Fenders given the context they were produced in. If that happens, hopefully I'll learn something in the process.

Before this discends into a polemic argument I'm not saying that Fender produced crap instruments either. But they WERE mass produced. Mass production requires compromise. It's a process optimised for time and cost. Quality is important but not as important as time and cost. So...let the debate on the quality of craftsmanship and mass production begin.

You haven't done your research.

I hope Bruce has a good lawyer, with comments like that.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348353774' post='1812760'] I agree wholeheartedly about questionable quality of many vintage Fenders: [/quote] I'm not saying preCBS fenders are bad quality, just that there wasn't any craftsmanship involved and the whole production process was very pragmatic. If anything their pragmatism probably adds to their appeal. But the point you make about the poor quality of the seventies Fenders causing players to reconsider older instruments is a good one but in hindsight wasn't enough to send prices crazy.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1348340170' post='1812625'] the British importers had an amount of new sunburst guitars refin'd in fiesta red as they were more saleable. But don't count as a factory refin.............. [/quote] Custom colours were often sprayed over standard finishes. [url="http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html"]http://home.provide....fh/fenderc.html[/url] Herbie Flower's '59 Jazz is a good example of that and he bought it in New York. Fender were NOT about producing high quality. They were about manufacturing to meet a massive demand created by the emergence of rock and roll. Any claims about the genius of Leo or the high standards of quality in old Fenders are questionable in my view. Leo was a very good product designer, not a musician and he designed the instruments with mass production in mind. Part of the reason Fenders are popular is because Fender were able to claim a significantly greater market share than Gibson thanks to that output. On other threads I've mentioned that the whole vintage bass thing was started by nostalgic baby boomers and the flames of interest were fanned into a blazing inferno of hype by retailers and stockbroker/collectors. My old high school art teacher has a '63 strat which he has had since the late 70's when they were still cheap. It's in wine red tint and all original. Can't begin to think what it's worth now. The days of being able to invest in a vintage model of instrument are over I think. The market is much more niche and specialised now. Collectors in 80's instruments are still brand loyal and driven by nostalgia but are looking for the ultimate example of a particular model. For example, the ultimate Alembic, Musicman, Steinberger, Yamaha etc.

Why now?!!!!

I like her attitude - confident, sassy. Love the playing too. But the vid just screams oreo cookie and no taste.

Do you mean this? [url="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemRevisionDetails&_trksid=p2047675.l2569&rt=nc&item=330786164879"]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemRevisionDetails&_trksid=p2047675.l2569&rt=nc&item=330786164879[/url]