Sean

7 minutes ago, Kev said:

 

I can't say I've picked that vibe up from anyone in particular, but I'm glad and proud it was spotted, our emails appear to have had an impact and it looks to be heading towards a happy ending  

There's not one post here that was against a happy ending of the bass being reunited with the owner. I went back and reread them all. In fact, there's no negativity toward Mark or the buyer. 

What there was, was some healthy non-conflict comment and information about some of the legal aspects and what could happen in similar circumstances, and a few well-meant warnings about certain couriers and practices.  I think it's been a useful learning experience and it reflects well on the community that we can have these discussions. 

2 hours ago, SumOne said:

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Gazz wasn't a real person, just an AI bot prodding about to see what word combinations get interaction.....or perhaps is a real person doing similar.

I doubt BotGazz uses a phone keyboard with auto correct that changes a misspelling of "tube" to "time". 

24 minutes ago, Aidan63 said:

This happens all too often, the parcel companies dispose of goods through the auction houses instead of actually doing due diligence and tracing items back and cross referencing with the lost and missing reports because to do the job properly is time consuming, requires humans, though tbf AI might help, and does not benefit their bottom line. You can be absolutely sure the auction house is indemnified by the parcel company and won't be responsible for auctioning goods which rightfully do not belong to the parcel company. Its what happens when the parcel company is owned by an overseas billionaire instead of the people of this country. And the politicians care not a jig, all is fair in the pursuit of efficiency and revenue generation.

 

A friend of mine had 2 gearboxes disappear never to be found - doubtless disposed of via whichever auction house UPS Castle Donnington disposal passes through, and somebody got themselves 8 grands worth of very specialised transmissions/130kg scrap metal, doubtless for less than scrap price.

Business relies on the ignorance of the average punter. A classic case is Debt Collection Agencies. They don't buy debt from companies/councils etc at discount prices, that's BS, they buy data. They then pretend that the "debtor" owes them money, send threatening letters, knock on the door, "can't pay, take it away" etc and that's how they they make their money. What they don't have is a legally valid deed of assignment and without that they have no claim, they are nothing more than a 3rd party interloper that has processed personal data in breach of DPA 2018. They are all part of the system. It's all covered in case law, it's all out there in the open but there's an entire industry based on criminal offence that breaches tons of legislation and Martin Effin' Lewis doesn't tell us about it. This isn't conspiracy, it's how the system works. 

What parcel couriers and auction houses get up to is childsplay in comparison to councils, utility companies, banks etc

18 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

I might be simplifying it but as I see it, it is all about the disposal of stolen goods... or at least goods not owned by the seller; rather than counterfeit et al.

There's the added complication of the goods being (in the eyes of the law) counterfeit or bearing an unlicensed trademark. It's illegal to steal and/or sell counterfeit goods and if due process is followed by police in the case that they are involved, the recovered will be assessed, categorised and if the boxes are ticked, they will be disposed of to remove counterfeit goods from the marketplace. 

Whether or not this particular bass will flag up as counterfeit is anyone's guess. It could slip through the net, get to the buyer and we all learn a lesson about applying decals to headstocks. 

If it doesn't, I guess things would have to be more like Nash Guitars.

16 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

 

Good idea.  I've done likewise; they can't ignore multiple messages... hopefully.

 

It looks to be a real bottom-feeder amongst auction houses. Just read the way everything is worded on the website, it's all threatening and warning and fees and BS. 

11 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I hope either Mark or Edlong21 call the police re this.

Basschat award for the detective work.  Brilliant.

Just be careful that plod doesn't follow the law and dispose of the goods. That would not be a happy ending to this story. 

Legally standing Wellers is currently selling stolen and counterfeit goods. 

4 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

(Well, that, and I still can't work out WTF he means by a "time amp"...)

A pound to a penny, it's autocorrect for "tube amp". 

Sadly not. There's at least a coach-load of us with older 4-string Spectors looking for these (in gold). Putting a GB7 on is about as close as you're going to get. I've got 2 of mine with "odd" Xtenders and no one, including me ever notices. I'd rather have a slightly odd one than not have one. 

4 hours ago, MipoKoco said:

Hello guys,
I’ve upgraded to a Fender Rumble 100 and added an Ampeg Opto Comp. Still using the same bass and the Zoom as well.
Thanks again for all the advice.
Any updated tips on settings or tricks with this kind of rig?

There are some excellent videos on YouTube that talk about how to get the best out of a compressor with bass. Understanding a compressor is a really useful skill as a bassist. 

Another thing to do is understand how changes in EQ affect the sound, not just solo but in a band context too.

6 hours ago, Jakester said:

Could do, but I think it’d be a bit dangly and still less than aesthetically pleasing. 

I've tried the solid connectors and they fall out quite easily. I was amazed. They also make the whole thing more cumbersome. 

For the majority of gigs I use the wireless just for soundcheck. However I'm going to get one of these Levy's pouches and make up a lead. 

The reason I bought the solid adaptors was to eliminate buzz rather than anything else. 

I think the Levy's one is meant to be used with a female to male extension lead. The bug plugs into the female jack and sits in that pouch then the lead plugs in as per usual. You just need to make sure the lead is the right length. 

The "Monty's basses" were all partscasters built in house to demo the pickups and were very impressive instruments. Unfortunately, they were "demonstration purposes only" and not for sale. I know that he could've sold a couple on the day, no problem. 

Did he not explain what a time amp is? If it's a device for making your day longer, I might be interested in one but I'd need to check in with Gazz to see if I should get one with valves and what modulation goes best with it. 

If you do see him, pass on my regards and tell him I said, "See you next Tuesday, Gazz." 

Nice to see a Spector on the front.  And it be a proper one with EMGs. 

13 minutes ago, police squad said:

Was that the pickup based on the early 70s. 

If so it is the best sounding p pick up Ive heard 

Yes, it was. I agree, it was rather special indeed. 

The Retro Wind P pickup sounded amazing to my ears in the room and also the pair of Retro Wind J were as good a pair of J pickups that I've ever heard.  If I end with a JJ configuration passive bass again, I'll need putting these in.  

Another great video from a BassBash hosted by @Mike Brooks.

There's currently a sale on bass pickups at Monty’s with 20% off using the code BIGBOTTOM at https://www.montysguitars.com/collections/everything-bass?omnisendContactID=683ad312daab087f10cdbde4

The code is active. 

I had a similar experience letting that maple board rocking horse poo BB2024MX get away. I'd still buy that. 

Great news. Enjoy the rehearsal tomorrow. 

A lot of us seem to have the same experiences with this. 

One friend of mine has asked me every time I've seen him for the last 32 years how the band is going. "How's band life?" Is his favourite question. 

Every time I see him he says that he'll have to come along and see us play one night. He's got no concept. I've been in at least a dozen regular gigging bands in that time doing a vast variety of material, covers, originals, playing different instruments etc.  My response is always the same, "Yeah, good, thanks. Busy as ever." 

I bumped into a former colleague last year that said to me that he was still intending to come see me play because him and his lad were such massive fans of the Blues Brothers. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I quit that tribute act in 2007.

I go out and see friends' bands and I pay if it's ticketed!

Second hand Gigrig is good stuff. It's very low profile. You can pick up the units 2nd hand and then buy any specific connectors new.

T-rex Chameleon fuel tank is a good option. I use both. 

No opinion here, just facts and the assumption that this bass bears "that logo":

1. Stealing counterfeit goods is a crime, no doubt and this incident undermines our confidence in couriers. 

2. Buying counterfeit goods isn't a crime in the UK.

3. Making and selling counterfeit goods is an offence. 

Here's the conundrum just as an observation.

If the seller/maker of the counterfeit goods reports a theft of those goods to the police they will have to give a description of the goods, which should include some facts about them not being genuine but "replica". If it bears an unlicensed, unauthorised trademark. We've had the conversation on BassChat about the IP and whether or not it's wrong many times over the years but as far as I know the police haven't. 

Counterfeit goods are generally confiscated, they aren't returned because they breach intellectual rights. 

Interesting.

20 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

 

I think its possibly a combination of what I'm playing, the tone I have in my head, the colouration of the vintage sounding Two10. When I was playing 50's Rock n Roll with an Ampeg/Ashdown head then I was happier and had no urge to change but since moving to fretless in a 3 piece original band playing more melodic, cleaner and more upfront in the mix, something just hasn't worked. Changing to the LM IV helped but it's still never been the sound I want.

You'll get there. It comes in stages. I could go further and say the cab isn't part of the equation but I won't. Or maybe I just did. Who knows?

It took me years to undo decades of conditioning. No one told me, I just took in little nuggets and absorbed things, tried stuff, listened to people who'd been on similar journeys, kept an open kind and pushed back on the masses (of BassChatters) that try to suck you in to their own established realities and then one day, "Boom!", sorted. It all dropped into place and became completely clear. Literally. 

I'm an evangelist about it, yes but I don't worry about it anymore, it's sorted. It gives me time to focus on my playing. 

5 hours ago, Linus27 said:

I like my BF Two10 and LM IV but it just doesn't compliment me as much as other setups that I've used.

Why do you think that is?

45-60-80-107 

D'Addario EXL170BT.

I use those on Spectors with EMGs and the Haz-clone preamp dimed through a GK and play lots of high register stuff. Sweet as a nut.

Other than that, it's all in the fingers.