SlapbassSteve

Reported him too. Not how ebay works that.

[quote name='Dolando' timestamp='1354757082' post='1890165'] I did look to the swing bass stings. I heard that they wmeat up your fingerboard quite a bit. Do you know if thats the case? [/quote] Over time they do mark the fingerboard, but it'll be purely cosmetic and won't be a problem for a good long while unless you're gigging four nights a week or something. I've always found it a sacrifice well worth making for the improvement in tone... thats to my ears though, someone else might say the exact opposite. I've yet to hear a single bad thing about wizard pickups, if you're going to change yours out they sound like the way to go! Still not convinced they'll affect the fretless tone much compared to a decent setup and some rounds. Have you tried adjusting the height of the pickups yet? I hated the sound when I first upgraded the ones in my MIM Precision for a set of Dimarzios, but a later height adjustment changed the tone quite a bit, for the better.

For a jaco or even just a half decent fretless sound you're better off getting a set of Roto swingbass, and setting the action nice and low. Personally I absolutely hate the sound of flats on a fretless, so it's roundwound all the way, especially for the fabled 'mwahh' factor... pickups shouldn't make too much of a difference if everything else is set up right, a bass with 'mwahh' has it whether plugged in or not

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1354730719' post='1889753'] See, this kind of thing grinds my gears far more than someone trying to haggle a price. If its "only a two minute job to fix" or "its missing part $Y but you can get one on eBay for a few quid..." then major alarm bells start going in my head as a buyer. If a seller can't be bothered to spend the "few minutes" to fix whatever the supposed "minor" issue is, or won't spend a couple of pounds to replace a missing part on a bass worth hundreds then I start to have major doubts as to whether or not I want to deal with them. [/quote] That's fair enough, although not everyone has the soldering iron or the know-how to replace a fiver's worth of faulty potentiometer or whatever. I've bought a couple of basses now where someone's attempted a 'two minute fix' and royally messed up the entire wiring or setup of the bass/guitar- in all cases I'd rather they'd have left it and saved me the job of unpicking their MDP-style handiwork! In the case of my amp it wasn't actually a loose connection, just the nut on the input itself wasn't quite as tight as it should be, I simply didn't want to take it all apart and risk damaging an otherwise new amp to fix what was essentially a cosmetic issue. Thought it more honest to mention the tiniest details then to spring every little detail on the prospective buyer when they come to view it..

I'd sooner have low offers then no offers, but I have been amused in the past by 'your item is only worth X new, so I'm doing you a favour by offering Y' offers... but this is the winner, had a message from a 'Mr Bargain Hunter' on Gumtree once- [quote][color=#000000][font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]Is this the same Amp GAK are selling for 95 new? With A guarantee? And no lose connection? 12 month warranty? Never used and with a box? [/size][/font][/color][url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/epiphone-valve-junior-5w-head/2008"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/epiphone-valve-junior-5w-head/2008[/url][/quote] No intention of buying, just trying to save joe public from being ripped off... he was even kind enough to include a link to the amp on GAK's website in his message bless him, but at the time I thought the £70 I was asking for basically a new amp(the loose connection was a two minute fix with some molegrips that I didn't have time for at the time) was fair. Went for £120 a week later with a Marshall 2x10 cab thrown in, once I'd finished rolling on the floor laughing.

Lovely Tele that, the neck maple reminds me of a Lite Ash model I had recently.

Cheers folks! That Victor Bailey model looks beautiful, but I'll hazard a guess if I can find one anywhere it'll be out of my price range. Fender's CB-100CE is about £100 cheaper then the Kingman, does anyone know if that is any better unplugged or at dealing with feedback? [quote name='kerley' timestamp='1354358231' post='1885097'] Could always get a U-Bass and really fit in? [/quote] Was looking into one of these as a mate of mine has one, they look and sound fantastic but I always struggle to get those massive rubber strings in tune! There's also a bass solo I get in the set where I feel the need to properly shred the neck and that'd be impossible on one of these sadly...

Hi all, I'll be looking to spend up to around £300 on an acoustic bass in a couple of weeks as my ukulele group(4x ukes, and meself on bass.... don't laugh...) is really starting to go places. I've been using my regular basses so far but it looks a bit mixed up with four ukes and then myself swinging a massive great Paul Simonon-style Fender Precision around on the end, I stick out like a sore thumb. It'll be handy for busking over xmas(we've been hoping to apply for a spot in Liverpool One) and I've been after an acoustic bass for some of the duo gigs I've been doing too, so I reckon I can moreorless justify the expenditure. Came across the Kingman series and they look beautiful, especially that neck! Has anyone got any experience with them, live sound etc? Not had a decent acoustic bass before so I'm not really sure what I should be looking/listening for -any thoughts? Are there any other basses in that price range I'm overlooking that'd be better? Cheers!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1354197503' post='1883418'] I can't understand why any musician would want to limit themselves to a single instrument. [/quote] Great point. Bass wasn't the first instrument I took up, and it wont be the last, though it's by far my favourite(and biggest earner so far). Diff instruments provide different approaches to music as a whole. In previous lives I was a jazz keyboardist, ukulele player(abar 5 years before all those blinkin' hipsters decided they were trendy again), and then when I decided I wanted to play bass, I had to learn on a short scale guitar because finding a bass cheap enough for a 14 year old in my lonely part of Shropshire was like looking for rocking horse sh*te. When I did finally get hold of one I never looked back, but it's been really handy to have the other stuff on tap. I do still basically just play lead guitar on a bass though

I've got a pedalboard I've spent about £500 on and and only used once or twice. With a lead and acoustic guitar to cut through, and playing in a covers band so having to keep things reasonably tasteful, 9/10 times they're barely noticable anyway. The tone cuts through the mix far better just straight into the amp, although I do sometimes miss the compressor.

Cheers for all the info folks! Shame it's not quite the bargain bin I was expecting once you've imported, but there is some beautiful stuff on there... one day..!

Hi all, after seeing a few mentions for the Japanese site Ishibashi I though I'd investigate, and there is some lovely stuff on there! Just wondering if anyone's had any experience with the site before, and any info such as how long it generally takes postagewise, and if there are any issues with import tax or anything?

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1353360857' post='1874296'] What are pickup covers actually for? [/quote] Apparently back in the 60's they though it cancelled hum or something... also the original bridge covers used to include foam mute pads to damp the sound. For some reason they never include the pads anymore though, or even the other ones that screw into the body. Personally it depends on the bass, my main Jazz (see dp) has a pickup cover because it looks the business, but I'd never use a bridge on a jazz without the mute as they're massive. Had a Jamerson style P once that had both covers, looked and sounded boss.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1353198184' post='1872713'] I wish there was an ignore seller option so I could lose that amp covers guy. [/quote] Agreed. That and the chap in the states that buys new Fender basses just to sell all the parts separately.

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1353107543' post='1871826'] This is one of my pet peeves, the number of sellers that mis-advertise Squier guitars and basses as Fenders. Take this listing as an example: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/two-electric-guitars-one-flying-v-and-a-showmaster-by-fender-/200846839062?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2ec3678d16"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item2ec3678d16[/url] The seller is selling two guitars, one of which is Squier Showmaster (easily identifiable from the Fender model by the reverse headstock) but is clearly advertising it as a Fender. I don't want to come across as the "Ebay Police" but this is one of my pet peeves so I emailed the seller letting him know that he is selling a Squire Showmaster not a Fender one, explainig the difference, not that I expect he'll change the listing. It's a bit like advertising a Skoda as a Lamborghini (well they are both made by VW aren't they). [/quote] You're not alone. It seems kinda petty if you think about it too much, but it absolutely drives me up the wall.

I think deep down we're just all really jealous of his madskillz with a set of files and/or assorted garden machinery.

Hi, I have the passive version in near mint condish, which I reckon is worth about £200. There's another on ebay at the moment(http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEADLESS-HOHNER-THE-JACK-BASS-STEINBERGER-/110976020268?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item19d6afaf2c) with a £200 starting price which seems to confirm this. I think the active ones in good nick are usually worth about £50-70 more(though I saw a spotless example go for £350 last year), so it may be worth your while sorting the electrics out and finding a replacement knob before selling. Hope that helps!

'made with Fender parts....' Always annoys me when people confuse Squier with Fender. Nowt worse then finding a cheap 'Fender Precision' only to find it's actually a Squier Affinity. This fella must be MDP's welsh cousin...

I remember reading somewhere that Billy Sheehan stopped endorsing Roto's in the 90's because of QC issues and occasionally finding 'dead' strings in sets... been a loyal Swingbass player for years and never had this problem myself as far as I know, but then again I'm not entirely sure what would entail a 'dead' string- perhaps that could be what's happening here if you've not had this problem before on the same bass?

Not in a rush to sell mine, but couldn't resist. [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/1964-egmond-princess-bass-guitar-semi-acoustic-rivioli-style/1002540935"]http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/1964-egmond-princess-bass-guitar-semi-acoustic-rivioli-style/1002540935[/url] -I suspect that's a zero too much for what it's actually worth, but I can dream...

[quote name='pst62' timestamp='1351245209' post='1849106'] £227? Hahaha [/quote] Too right! The £75 he paid for it in the first place was enough of a rip off, a dodgy satellite should only be worth around £50 to any guitarist in possession of all their marbles. And for £227 he could at least have stuck some working tuners on it, you can get a set of Grovers for £25 these days. Madness.

I wonder what upgrades'll be done to the GL's? I've been after one for a while, might be worth holding on even longer and getting a mim if it's better. Can see prices of the CIJ's skyrocketing when word gets out they're made in an 'inferior' place for the same money.

[quote name='Kubickiboy' timestamp='1349729716' post='1829864'] Anyone else fallen for the Squiers. Had a couple of Jazzes in the past (MIM and USA) but nowt compares funnily enough! [/quote] I've had my redburst Squier Standard Jazz since 2009(blimey, time flies, I only started in '08..!) and despite owning various other basses including a 'real' Fender Jazz worth several times the money I've always gone back to it. Closest thing I ever had to beating it was one of the Vintage Modified 3ts 70's Jazz basses, but sold that when I bought the Fender, something I regret now! Admittedly the stock pickups in the Standard were some of the worst I've ever heard in a J bass, but stuck a standard set of Fender Mex's in it recently and now it absolutely sings. Does an extremely good Geddy Lee impression just straight through my Markbass rig with no eq or VLE etc whatsoever, yet back off the neck pup and it does a surprisingly good attempt at the Jaco sound, albiet 'mwah'-less. Currently rejigging my food budget for the next semester to accommodate either the VM Jaco fretless or the Matt Freeman sig Precision...

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1349532399' post='1827452'] Oh dear. Someone has made the mistake of thinking that because one dreamer wants an absurd figure to part with his bass, then offering his own for 10% less constitutes a bargain. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1960s-ROSETTI-BASS-9-VINYL-COVERING-ALL-ORIGINAL-SAME-AS-EGMOND-2BV-GREAT-NICK-/300789040594"]http://www.ebay.co.u...K-/300789040594[/url] [/quote] Oh dear. I may stick my Princess on for the absolute bargain price of 1k then. Nothing ventured..!

It's not even a real fender... "[color=#000000][font=Arial][size=1]The head is silver and contains Fender Telecaster decalled on their in a matching blue. This could be passed off as an authentic Fender custom built tele and is beautiful none-the-less. It plays better than my real mexican Fender tele.[/size][/font][/color][b]"[/b] sounds rather MDP-esque to me!