Chiliwailer

If only Chris, that’s the dream! I fear I may still need a passive Fender in the cupboard for ‘security’, though wonder if these 3 months will change my mind 🤔

Cheers Doug, inspiring post and great to read about how you view that bass, and about putting the time and effort in too - similar to something I once read Mr Miller chatting about with his famous Jazz Bass. 👍

Not to be taken too seriously…I’m challenging myself to only play one bass for the next 3-6 months, with the other 2 stored away. Health issues means I just play at home now, so I don’t need a spare. I now play guitar more often so have less bass time and like the idea of having one bass to go along with the one electric and one acoustic I make good use of. I’m sure I’ll miss the passive/active and flats/rounds options that I really value, but my sentimental StingRay with a versatile John East preamp isn’t short of quality tones so it won’t be a hardship!!! I’m keen to see what a few months with only one bass does to my mindset, and use of that particular bass too. Interested to know if anyone has done similar before, for whatever reason, and how it went?

Doh! Forgot all about pre Brexit already 😂 Got ya now 👍

It’s about paying the duty first time to the country you’re in, whether that’s when it’s new, or anytime thereafter when it first enters the county. Unless you can evidence that the country already received the full fat initial tax i.e. with an original receipt.

Quite right not provabe it’s already been paid here - unless you once went to the States with some blank receipts from the UK guitar shop you used to work for, and bought some nice gear and made up the receipts…

In guitar shops the VAT only applies to the profit sum on used basses, as full duty would have been paid once upon a time before. So if the bass cost them £200 and they sell it for £300, they only pay VAT on the £100 profit. I presume it’s only VAT on the auction commission of 4.95%.

You can phone Fender and ask - I’m selling a Strat with that finish and a potential buyer phoned them this week, according to Fender the poly/nitro mix came about due to issues with the full nitro ones getting damaged and flaking easy. Pretty sure they explained it in more detail to him regarding the exact process. I have two AVRI Strats with it, the one I’m selling has some chips but no issues (yet?) coming from it.

This is a great site - http://vintagebassworld.com/description.php?manufacturer=Fender&product=Precision&year=0 My favourite book about Fender history is Fender the Golden Age, it’s not specifically about basses. But the golden era ones ate there, and the history is excellent. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=fender+the+golden+age&adgrpid=137332748607&hvadid=583480889248&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9045969&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=5628150757361082045&hvtargid=kwd-301829152221&hydadcr=17321_1802374&tag=hydrukspg-21&ref=pd_sl_30uov4oni5_e

Ooh nice one. I got the Duke of Tone MXR version recently, really like it. The comparison reviews are very good, but the KOT would be a killer gem to have 👍

That’s a good point Luke. For me, in the 90s, I was a teen enjoying quality budget brands like Aria and Hohner, other good basses were around too like Yamaha and Ibanez. But I aspired to a 4001, StingRay, or vintage Fender. Even on a modest wage, I was able to get them in my 20s. Just seems further out of reach now for someone in the situation I was in back then…?

I bought a new Strat recently Chris, luckily second hand, as it’s from the new Fender American Vintage II range and they are nearly £2k brand new. I remember when we sold CS basses at that price a short while ago 😢 Thing is, these Strats are sold out with a wait until end of the year, so people are buying them. I probably would have paid that too as I was picky about spec and the ‘61 has all I wanted. Just glad I lucked out and got one used (and as new)…. Under £1500, as it should be in my head too 😊

Makes you wonder why they aren’t making these regularly - great spec and choice 👍

£4200…. Damn that’s just crazy… Sad for the generation that’s coming into this whole new level of bonkers pricing on premium factory gear - GAS killer for sure, not even a 0% card would tempt me anymore at these prices.

Haha! I seem to recall Sterling saying “I don’t do reissues” on the Old Smoothie promo vid… its nice to see one 👍

Calling @MM Stingray 62 BFR - Retro ‘76 Ray 🤤😍 https://www.music-man.com/bfr/spring-2023

Oops, missed that somehow, very nice 👌

Liking that… but you know the score, photos or it never happened 😊

IMO a scratch that’s worth itching if you can. If you love it and you’re lucky enough to keep it then it’ll be a great move. And if you ever sell you shouldn’t lose cash. Guess it’s a win win as the long as the cash is there.

Finally, getting a Jazz Bass that I click with and can’t fault. Honestly didn’t think that’d ever happen again tbh