lou24d53

That's lovely...I've still got the CAR 75 AVRI we traded...jeez, how many moons ago...?!

It's all boxed up in it's case, hasn't seen the light of day for nigh on a year though, for two reasons, firstly I've moved onto Precisions mainly now in my current band, but it's also way too lovely a bass to take along to the gigs I've played of late......

We're headlining the afternoon slot of the ModStuff all-dayer in the Spiegeltent at County Square in Paisley on Saturday 12th October, prior to the annual scooter ride out from the Vespa Scooter Club.

I haven't had any much to update on this over the last few weeks - as my foot is currently enforced off the gas due to my upcoming rant......Bass Direct......aaaaaaaaarrgrgghhrhrhrhghhhhh....!!

Once this build is complete, I can state with full 100% confidence that I will never, ever, ever shop with them ever again as this experience is / has been utterly excruciating...!!

Tomorrow will be EIGHTEEN WEEKS to the date of placing my order...(Lindy Fralin Pups - Tonestyler Bass Ten - Hipshot Ultralite Tuners - Hipshot Bridge - Hipshot Thumb Rest - String Tree - costing over £440.00)...and I still haven't seen one single item of this order to date...!!

The initial delay I was advised due to Hipshot having to manufacture the bridge in the US and, as previously stated, I was happy to wait with this initial ten week delay as quoted as it gave me time to get the neck and body finished. However I have emailed SEVEN times since the original quoted date of mid-July to chase up the order and as far as I am aware, the bridge currently still hasn't left the US. Regardless, I have had nothing from my order issued from Bass Direct to date. Latest email (prior to the one I have just sent) had the manager respond to me to say that they were still outstanding a few items and they would get back to me with dates. Other than the ToneStyler, there is not one item of my order which is currently noted on the website as being Out-of-Stock.

I'm still waiting...................

It also does me no good in the long run for me to cancel my order for a refund when collectively I will end up paying far greater costs to source these individually, if indeed they are all even available elsewhere in the UK.

#TotallyScunnered

+1 on Transferwise

I'll admit to being very apprehensive at first use on a recent sale, but it was as effortless as it was flawless to use...!

I also like that you are aiming to replicate different era P basses, I've already got a 2011 Standard US and building a Custom 54, but I'm also thinking towards a 66' Slab now...to complement my Who covers band...the bug just gets you once you start...👍😁👍

Awesome...👍

I'm also enjoying watching folks that know how to build basses and can adequately document it on one page, and I'm on three pages and I'm still polishing the body...😂😂...

Been off work two weeks, all BD communications have been suspended until Monday, however will email then and ask what's going on, as I was intimated it would be this week. If nothing positive, I'll be cancelling £440+ worth of order.

In the meantime, here's the 1st of the 2000 grit wet/dry sand pics, wasn't going to post them, bit since I've responded...😂

Still a 2nd sand to go, curing time, then final oil and micro-mesh buff...😎

So we're now another two 1500 grit wet/dry sands down and it's starting to come 'alive'...there's definite signs of a shine beginning to come through.

Planning on another two sands at 2000 grit wet/dry, leave it for a week to fully cure then a final Tru-Oil polish coat and see where we are.

I've also been reading up on the "Well Oiled With Adamson" PDF and I've got the 6000, 8000 and 12000 grade micro-mesh pads and the lemon oil on standby for a final, final buff just in case.

Went back to that video and thread that originally inspired this build and have started my attempt at going for a high polish.

Whilst it's still a long way off being a high polish, the photos below don't really do it justice...it's as smooth as glass and working it's way to a soft sheen at present.

Currently the body has two seal coats of Tru-Oil, a wet sand using 600 grit w/d and two wet sands using 1000 grit w/d.

I'm off work this week, not away anywhere and weather looks as cr@p as you'd expect in Scotland for August, so plan this week is for two w/d sands each using 1500 and 2000 grits, so hoping this time next week we will be nearer where I'm aiming for.

In the meantime, I'm off to see The Cure in Bellahouston Park, probably catch a death, but hey-ho, it's only Rock n' Roll...🍻🍻

Well, funnily enough, I was contacted this morning by Rothko & Frost to tell me that they've resent out three replacements in the script font, so that's exactly what I am planning on doing now. 👍

Decided it didn't need a 2nd grain fill, it's absolutely smooth as glass all over with the one.

Gave it another fine coat with Tru-Oil and tried to buff it up to a polish...not quite there yet.

Used a cotton cloth to buff up and in-between rubs using 6000, 8000 and 12000 grade 3M Micro-Mesh.

It's currently got a soft sheen to it, without being highly polished, so I think I might repeat the process tomorrow. I've read using lemon oil in between buff coats helps remove / prevent fingerprints and smears...might also need to look out the latex gloves...😱

Anyway, a couple of pictures and a 'fess up...the string ferrules are polished nickel and the neck ferrules are chrome...couldn't locate the string ferrules in chrome...😬

Btw, wee bit early trying out the shielding, I know...the pup shield was removed as I was sanding...

Marc purchased my Lakland Skyline Decade from me two weeks ago, which was shipped to Finland and received absolutely hitch free.

Transaction was completely glitch free, excellent communications.

Seems like a top guy, deal with confidence folks 👍

Cheers, Dougie. 

After last month's disastrous attempt, happy to say the decal has now successfully landed...near invisible already, and that's prior to being lacquer coated...so happy it's now actually on there...with two extra decals to spare as well...

In other news, last night using the Tru-Oil, I wet sanded to fill the grain using 600 grit wet/dry, then dry sanded it down with 1000 grit wet/dry.

I've only done one coat so far, but it's as smooth as a baby's bum already.

Going for 2nd coat today, as above, but using 1000 & 2000 grit paper. Then I'll proceed to a polish over the week.

I'm off holiday the next two weeks, so hope to make good progress on the finish aspects before I start with the hardware.

Btw, it only dawned on me after I had placed the decal, the line of the G string...I've eyed it through and I think (by chance!) it will miss the decal...very worst, it might strike-through the top of the "A. L." part, but it does so on my Lakland also, so I can live with it.

I also decided against the "Crafted In Scotland" decal. Had it positioned and let it dry, but last night I felt it looked too fussy, so managed to rub it off easily enough back to the lacquer finish with no smears or decal residue. 

Nah, I'm sure most would've done that given the circumstances.

Well, I found a use for half of it...long story...

Family was away for a long weekend, 14 of us in a big house in Troon, South Ayrshire, as my brother in law over from Oz and it was the wee boys 2nd birthday on Saturday, so a full day of presents, cards, cake, drink etc...

We got packed up yesterday and drove home, getting everything unpacked and opened up all the wee boys cards which hadn't been touched since Saturday afternoon...only to find around £300 of birthday money given to the wee boy was missing, completely disappeared into thin air...

After chatting with family, we now strongly suspect that the rental house we were in has been burgled as the wife's sister said she heard a bang in the middle of the night, like a door shut, but thought someone was up at the loo or kitchen, also bro-in-law saw a guy running about the street outside on a bike late at night, thought it strange at the time, but never mentioned to anyone...

We've logged a police report and they're coming out tomorrow morning to take statements and I've filed a travel insurance claim, but I'm highly doubtful of getting anything back, as we've no way of proving the amount, nor can we actually prove the theft.

There was no broken glass, damaged doors etc., no obvious point of entry. We are suspecting that the house would be known in the area as a holiday rental and that it could then be a copied key that's been used to enter.

It all sounds a bit far fetched, but there's too many people in the house for no-one to have heard any forced entry.

Anyway, upshot is I'm not having my wee boy lose out on some scumbag bastard stealing from a two year old...!!

4 hours ago, chris_b said:

Spend it on lessons.

You've obviously heard me play...😂

What a kind offer, who can turn down a mint Kit Kat after all...

I'll mull it over and might take you up on that...👍

I keep coming back to this. Looks awesome, but I've really no interest in Active basses, can it be used as / converted to Passive?

Just now, hooky_lowdown said:

I'm sure starving people around the would appreciate £600, or some other charity!

OK...this is a bass forum, I'm sure it was pretty obvious what I was getting at...but thanks.

3 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Honestly though - do another build if you are loving it

That's actually in my thoughts......

The recent Mustang chats I've read on here isn't helping...............

Just sold my Lakland Decade I had listed on here, literally just been collected by courier, now off to Finland.

I sold it as it has been hanging around my bass room...and whilst looking sexy and majestic, the fact remains it had been unplayed for a while as I've been using my US P Standard and have recently fell back in "love"..(erm?!)...with my Lakland JO Dudepit Jazz.

Anyway, as per the usual, I sold it as I was planning on thinning the herd, which was at FIVE until April and is now currently down to THREE as of this morning. Thing is, I'm currently in the middle of a Custom 54P build, but all parts are already ordered and already fully bought and paid for, with the accumulated credit card now cleared as well.

And now I have approx £600 sitting in my bank account currently burning a hole in my pocket.........

Does it ever end....?!!

To be fair to Bass Direct, at the time of my order, they did tell me that the Hipshot bridge I had ordered wasn't in stock and they would need to order it for me from Hipshot in the US, as it would be build to order.

They gave me a delivery estimate of around 10 weeks from the date of order, which was 30th April - which took us up to 09th July. I have emailed them today again, the 3rd consecutive Thursday in three weeks, for an update and been told they reckon another three weeks from now...which, if is indeed the date, will take the delivery up to week 16...!!

It's a "Hipshot B-Style Bridge, Aluminium, Chrome, 19mm spacing - FM2 American Delux String Thru" I've ordered, which is clearly labelled on the BD website for sale, retailing at £70.00, and even today it is still not saying they are out of stock.

It could be ordered directly from the US, however the average starting cost I've found so far is around £80.00 and that's before postage and customs costs are added.

I'm thon way, that I feel I've waited so long, I think to cancel now would just be cutting my nose off to spite my face...!

Now sold 👍

To be honest, I'm not too fussed about rushing it anyway, so I'll live with it.

I'm still waiting on my Bass Direct order too, since 30th April, purely down to the Hipshot bridge I've ordered coming from the US...fair to say the speed of this build won't  be setting any records! 🙄😂