Jean-Luc Pickguard

I wonder whether this is where Ned Steinberger might have got inspiration for the headstock on my CR5M upright?

LaBella make a danelectro-specific set of flats which are perfect on my longhorn. LB760FDLHS - 42, 56, 65, 83

I always use a strap as it is just more comfortable when sitting. Each of my basses has its own strap and I don't change the length when going from standing to sitting. My preferences are comfort strapps - I use the XXL ones on my thunderbirds, and decent suede ones (Levys or similar) colour matched to the body for most of the others.

Thanks chaps. I found the option on ebay to cancel and was able to mark it as "buyer requested to cancel" I still had to pay 30p of the PayPal fee out of my pocket and can't do a second chance offer to the other bidder without losing the discounted final fees. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

I had an unopened set of my previous favourite strings going spare which I listed on ebay when I got the 'Free listing plus Max £1 final fee offer. Someone bid on them and in the dying seconds someone outbid them by a quid and promptly paid. A short while later they messaged me saying they made a mistake and didn't want the strings as they just realised they are tapewounds not flatwounds even though the listing was clearly titled and the strings were described correctly. If I cancel the transaction I don't think I'll get back the full paypal fee. Also I've checked the terms of the Max £1 final fee offer and if I offer the strings to the first bidder on a 2nd chance offer, I'll have to pay the full final fee as the offer won't cover it. How should I cancel the auction & transaction so the winning bidder gets his money back without it looking like I'm the one backing out of the deal - so I can minimise my losses due to this timewaster.

This would be a perfect subject for a reputable guitar improver to convert to a four string for someone with a perchant for giant foam hands

Are those tuners supposed to be bums or titties?

Don't let a certain "Guitar improver/bodger/ruiner" see this or we might be seeing a rash of six-stringed saz conversions on ebay for fat-fingered saz players with more money than sense, and a corresponding lack of the seven-stringed variety.

It was relisted and someone actually bought it

yes they are: https://hipshotproducts.com/products/hb3-bass-tuning-machine You'd need to check there's room on the headstock for the large footprint of these though, I think the HB1s are more like the ones usually used by EBMM: https://hipshotproducts.com/collections/bass-tuning/products/hb1-bass-tuning-machine-1

Kebab sticks sound like a very good idea - I'll have to try using some next time.

I just use cocktail sticks - cut off the pointy end and jam in as many lengths of the stick as possible in without using glue. Not sure whether its better or worse than any other methods but I've never had a bridge fall off.

Janet Kay - Silly Games

... and the ones with the palm leaves look like they'd be ideal for my ubass

I've used this to get rid of sharp ends when the temperature & humidity caused fret-sprout: https://www.superdrug.com/Make-Up/Nails/Manicure-%26-Pedicure-Tools/Nail-Files-and-Buffers/Superdrug-Poka-Dot-Emery-Board/p/720751 Protect around the area with masking tape so you don't attack the wood/finish & it should be a straightforward job

That really is a thing of beauty, it looks to be in great condition for the age.

You only live once, and you don't know when you might see another for sale. go for it.

Nice!

I had a hipshot BT2 extender/detuner installed on my '81 precision (not currently installed on a bass so I *could* probably be persuaded to part with it.) When installed alongside the original Fender-branded schaller BMF tuners, the extender lined up with the original tuners perfectly. There doesn't seem to be a way to dismantle the Hipshot to remove the key, however I have had success with 'peek' metal polish to shine up nickel-plated tuners that had a fair amount of patina , So if you want them all to match, getting rid of the patina might be an option.

How the hell do you lose a himalaya? To lose more than one is just careless.

SCAM! - see other thread

Definitely a scam: The URL to 'buy it now' is NOT on ebay.com but is on the "item-3422824924.online" domain so there is no buyer protection and multiple would-be buyers could in theory send £2000 (or other currency equivalent) and lose it. Reported!

Seems like he who must not be named has a rival

In my experience some basses need more adjustments than others. My Jazz bass always needed regular adjustment and I have adjusted my Thunderbird vintage pros this week (which have a slim neck that feels much like a Jazz). My chunky '81 precision and JMJ mustang have not needed any adjustment this year so far. The orange-handled allen tool described and shown in the photo of the first post is made of Chrome Vanadium steel which I believe is a step up from the manufacturer-supplied allen keys. Also the truss rod tool Fender supply with USA-made instruments has a ball end like this one and I never had any problems with that for adjusting with my Jazz.