BigRedX

Exactly. For me it is difficult to see what benefit having your Fender assembled by custom shop luthier brings, especially when the design of the component parts is no different to the standard production-line models. None of those classic, and now very valuable, instruments from the early days of production (pre-CBS) got any special treatment during the manufacturing process, and if anything modern production methods are far superior to what could be achieved with the 1940s technology that was originally used, so a modern Fender instrument off the production line should be a superior instrument. Make you wonder if Fender are deliberately holding back on the quality of their other instruments, so that something out of the Custom Shop can be guaranteed to be better?

The differences in tuning are so slight between a standard fretted instrument and one with true temperament frets that unless you can guarantee you are fretting each and every note that you play without stretching the string any more than required for it to be properly stopped by the fret and only moving it in a perfect downward direction with respect to the fingerboard then you are going to negate the compensation offered by the true temperament frets. There are problems when you try and bend strings. You are also tied in to a limited range for type and gauges of string. Also if any of the chords played are created by pressing down the same string on two different frets (such as a standard barre chord on the guitar) then the extra stretching of the string will negate the composition of true temperament frets. True, a standard fretted instrument in a very slight compromise in tuning, but the true temperament fretted instrument is just as compromised. The compromises are different, that is all.

But only works if all the other instruments in your ensemble are also true temperament, otherwise some notes between the instruments will be out of tune.

Plywood is perfectly fine.

Whichever of the Line6 Helix range does what you want for the lowest price.

Surely it's got more in common with the Memory Moog?

Interesting. Any idea what the nut width and string spacing at the bridge is? How do I ask a seller a question on Gumtree?

As I say each time the subject of streaming comes up I'm amazed at how many people have apparently ditched their vinyl and CD collections in favour of something that mostly requires and internet connection and could quite easily be gone tomorrow. The important thing to remember is that NONE of the streaming services actually make any money. They are either loss leaders for the parent company's profitable divisions or being propped up by fickle investor confidence (and what will happen if that confidence should evaporate?) For me they are fine for checking out music provided that it was released in the last 10 years and is broadly US/UK centric. However none of the current services will ever replace my CDs and vinyl because there is far too many artists and albums that I consider essential listening, missing.

Can someone give some good starting point settings for the B7K emulation? Because the default setting sounds horrible and every adjustment I make seems to make it worse.

Those would work. I'd probably go the second route to save on blocks.

I've spotted another potential problem. Unless the two outputs can be configured as two completely independent outs, you can't use the volume control to set your on-stage volume without also affecting any DI to the PA. The Helix (full version) allows me to send one output at full volume to the PA and the other via the Helix's volume control to my FRFR stage monitor.

I only need to use more than 6 blocks if I have snapshots with very different sounds in them that I get by turning on and off blocks. Without snapshots and without having dedicated footswitches to turn blocks off and on, I doubt that only having 6 blocks is going to be a massive problem to most people. However I personally couldn't live without the snapshot function as there is too much latency when switching between very different sounds without using snapshots.

IMO audiences want the bassist (or any other member of the band) to look as though they belong in the band. That means being dressed appropriately, having the correct instrument for the band image, and presenting themselves on stage in a way that fits in with the overall band performance. Other than that unless you are horrendously out of tune or out of time they really don't care.

Manual is already available on-line. Nothing specific about the power requirements other than they recommend that you use the supplied PSU.

Surely that defeats the object of it being battery powered?

Got a prompt reply from Newtone basically saying that because the strings are wound on a Hex Core, I don't need to worry about cutting them before fitting. It would have been a good idea if the packaging reflected this advice. Anyway the strings are a higher tension than the ones originally fitted to the Barracuda as evidenced by the tail-lift of the vibrato mechanism. I'll need to adjust the vibrato springs to compensate. However they are IMO much better strings for both feel and sound, and at £18 plus P&P a set a far more affordable alternative the the LaBella Round Wounds. I'd whole-heartedly recommend these if you are looking for round wound Bass VI strings.

Enjoy your new bass. For getting the best out of a Bass VI, have a look at this thread - in particular EssentialTension's posts about strings, set up, shimming the neck and replacing the bridge. Then move on to my review of the Bass VI including more set up and modification advice. Then you might want to have at look at this thread about the alternatives.

The binding and inlays on that look fantastic! Yet another quality build.

What platform? If you have a Mac you'll already have Garageband which should be perfectly adequate for your needs. Otherwise Reaper is essentially free and has a large following here so you should get plenty of help (although you're more likely to get a quick and useful response if you post any further questions in the "Recording" section of Basschat).

Everything I have bought from Thomann has arrived the middle of the week after the one in which I placed the order, irrespective of the day the order was made or the size of the item ordered.

Just looking at your set list, it appears that a lot of the original versions of the songs feature more than a little sequenced parts in their backing. What does your band do about those? If they are included is your keyboard player expected to program them up and provided the means to play them back? Oh and "Together In Electric Dreams" is not by The Human League, it's by Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder. There's an important difference [/pedant]

For a normal 5 string set a low B string tuned up to C will be lower tension than the standard E. Have a look at D'Addrario's string tension guide.

I would agree. It's also a rubbish bit of design to leave any part of the valves exposed. It might look cool but it's not in the slightest bit practical.

I find it incredible the number of people who put their faith in streaming services when AFAICS none of them are actually making any money and are either being propped up by the profitable parts of their parent company or through 3rd party investment. The only service who were turning a profit - Soundcloud - were only doing so because they weren't paying any artist or publisher royalties. Streaming services are fine for checking out new (to me) music although if your tastes run to non-US/UK artists or back catalogue for bands that are now defunct, you are likely to be disappointed in their offerings. Neither AppleMusic or Spotify can manage better than 70% of my CD and vinyl collection, and many of the missing artists or albums are ones that I would consider indispensable. So for me it is CDs first and foremost for audio quality, durability and general convenience. Secondly vinyl - ideally with a download code. After that the music has to absolutely brilliant for me to consider investing in a download only version. When it is possible to do a limited edition run of 100 glass mastered CDs (no crappy CDRs) with full colour sleeves for under £350 and 500 CDs for only £150 more, there is absolutely no excuse for not having a physical version of your single/EP/album available.

Here's my early 60s Burns Sonic, which was my first bass bought in 1981. It had already been heavily modified when I bought it, and I had to make further replacements (the bridge, machine heads and all the electronics bar the pickups) to keep it in a playable condition. And here is my newest bass a Burns Barracuda Bass VI bought earlier this year. Out of all the easily obtainable Bass VIs this is the one that suits me the best, although it still has several short-comings notably the string spacing at the bridge due to using an unmodified version of guitar vibrato system. It will probably end up being replaced by something custom made to my specifications.