Hamster

I sent off an e-mail to DR Strings in the USA to inform them of our concerns. Here's the reply I got from their president Mark Dronge (used with permission) [i]"Dear Colin: Thank you for taking the time to inform us of the noted complaints, and concerns your forum writers have communicated to you and the UK world of bass players. First, let me state that any sets of DR strings where there is a "sealed" packet inside the box are, at this time, counterfeit. We have seen examples over the past two years. It is imposssible to trace and stop. As for a reduction in caring, or training, or inspection on the part of DR, or any DR employee, nothing could be further from the truth. We absolutely strive to produce finer strings with more consistency than any other manufacturer in the world. Whether we succeed or not may be open to debate based on personal taste. That is our goal, each and every day. DR is not out to produce the most strings at the lowest cost. Our goal, which I have personally pursued from the first day we began production over 20 years ago, is to offer the best strings it is possible to produce. Which leads to the question is a string produced on a computer assisted winding machine more accurately made than a handmade string? We think NOT, for specific reasons. In the future when and if a serious problem arises with a set of DR HandMade String I would advise your forum contributors to contact First Line Music, the DR distributor for the UK. Very truly yours, Mark Dronge, President, DR HandMade Strings, inc."[/i] If anyone continues to have an issue with DR Strings, the UK importer is - [url="http://www.firstlinemusic.co.uk/contact.php"]http://www.firstlinemusic.co.uk/contact.php[/url] I think it would be useful to return any packaging the strings came in as well.

Ummmmmmmmm - now I can't seem to log [u]out[/u] - even after I've cleared my cookies.

Maybe the whole website needs taking offline for a while, given a damn good thrashing with a piece of shrubbery and plugged in again? That's Mr Phatmonkey's department - I'll ask him

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1136859' date='Feb 22 2011, 11:06 AM']Any idea why this has happened?[/quote] Computer says ................................................................................................... no It only seems to affect dynamic IP's though, or maybe if someone is trying to stay logged into Basschat from several computers I might try Bourbons next if custard creams don't work

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1136841' date='Feb 22 2011, 10:51 AM']Have you tried hitting the server thingy with a large rock. I find that often helps with technological items .[/quote] No, but I'm stuffing custard creams into the slot on the front with the flashing light because I think it's hungry

It seems to be a problem with dynamic IP's. I think there are 2 solutions, and I've lust pulled the lever that activates solution number 1. Let me know how you get on, and if it doesn't work, I'll pull lever number 2.

There's a couple of settings that affect login keys (a cookie ingredient I believe?) - they look ok to me. It's a little strange that some members are having the issue but others aren't (I'm not having any problems) I can't see that it can be an ISP or browser thing so I'm guessing that it's a login key issue, as once you login from another PC it makes a new login key which makes the login key on the other PC invalid and so it logs out. However - I can be logged in at home, go to work, login and stay logged in, come home and I'm still logged in at home - so I'm scratching me noggin at the moment.....

Is anyone logging in from more than 1 PC (and staying logged into the other one): or are you logged in on 1 PC with several browsers (IE, Firefox, chrome etc); or are you only ever logged into 1 PC and 1 browser?

Ooooo - an opportunity for me to play with some knobs and levers and buttons........ I'll have a look to see what i can break

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1135252' date='Feb 21 2011, 11:13 AM']Some advices for you: I am not sure how you ban these users, but I had been suffering the same issues with my own motorbike forum ( www.xt660.com/index.php ) and having noted that 80% of spammers seem to be from a few similar network regions, usually China or Russia I have minimized the risk of attacks by also putting the first part of their IP address on the ban list. i.e. 123.45.87.509 for example will be banned together with IP address 123.45.*.* and that will stop any further attempts from them. Eventually I have also downloaded a vigorous bot proof "captcha" system that is working wonders in stopping these buggers frm reoffending [/quote] Hi I started doing this presuming that the first two octets defined which country it was coming from, so if '123.456.789.101' is from China and there were several spammers coming from the '123.456.xxx.xxx' range of addresses I started doing a blanket ban on the first two octets - 123.456.* However, it seems IP address assigning isn't done logically as there is every chance that 123.456.879.xxx is in London and I got a few 'WTF' PM's from unhappy forum members - sorry, my bad I now use a better forum tool to check our database and when we move to a new board it should include a better spammer detection tool with frickin' lasers on it

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1134564' date='Feb 20 2011, 05:36 PM']Keep up at the back! They're sorted with a BC'er.... can't remember who.[/quote] Yes, I remember someone posted on this thread that they got the gig - but they deleted the post so perhaps it didn't work out?

A lot of it is down to the guitarist - if you play with extra light 9's then the bends are easy but I've always found dropping down to Eb with 11's a whole lot better tonewise and it helps with bends on heavier strings

I've tidied this topic up a little, and I hope the band gets the bass player it needs - and the bass player gets the gig they want. Now, where's my bass - I need to practice more.............

Hi all From the start of the New Year I noticed a very large increase in the amount of SPAM accounts being registered, and so I put all new accounts on Admin approval to enable the Admins to have a little closer look at them. From 1st January up to today I've banned about 1300 new SPAM accounts, which works out at around an 800% increase in these accounts being registered in a comparative period over the previous 12 months. I identify the accounts by checking various SPAM alert sites with the account's name, e-mail address and IP address. What I have also noticed during these checks is that there is also an increase in the number of SCAM accounts being created - that is an account where either/and/or the name, e-mail address or IP address is flagged up on SCAM alert sites as being used in attempted scams. I've now banned 2 SCAM accounts that I managed to identify - one got in, the other didn't. Although the Admins check each new account at the moment, another SCAM account could get in that hasn't been identified as such. The bottom line is [u]BE CAREFUL[/u] when buying from new forum members, especially if they contact you only by PM with 'too good' or 'too convenient' to be true offers. They tend not to post on the forums because then their forum name and other possible details are picked up by search engine bots and can be collated into a pattern of scamming behaviour. If you small a rat - there probably is one - alert a Moderator or Admin and we'll happily look into it. What we won't do is check out every member you're thinking of trading with - it's your decision and responsibility and neither the website or its owners can be held responsible if you fall for a scam. [b][size=3]Contact buyers/sellers through their e-mail address by clicking on the link on their profile page: Many legitimate members use the same forum name on several websites - Google it: Google their e-mail address and any trading name they give you: NEVER pay by Western Union: Check for any feedback here or on another website: If you accept payment by cheque, ask your bank to deal with it as a 'special presentation' - they will charge you to do this, but you will find out if the cheque is good or worthless much quicker; Do not send goods until your bank tells you that the cheque has cleared:[/size][/b]

I've used DR's now for about the last 5 years - Sunbeams, Fatbeams and Hi Beams. I've never had any problems with any of them.

Made me think of this one: -

I sold a Telecaster to Keith, fast payment, great communication and a general pleasure to do a deal with! Thanks!

Jakub bought my Stingray - [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=120307"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=120307[/url] He's a great guy to deal with, excellent communication, fast payment and a completely hassle free transaction. Thanks!

Another very easy one -

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1113038' date='Feb 2 2011, 09:28 PM']I think I'll send an email to Stringbusters - I've bought loads of Sunbeams from them. I'll report back.[/quote] Did you get a reply from them?

There were 6 topics about this, so I've merged them into this 1 - so it might read a little funny/disjointed

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1111782' date='Feb 1 2011, 11:11 PM']I've used DR Sunbeams exclusively for years and recommended them to everyone but after two duff packs - that's it I'm off. First problem set were definitely not Sunbeams - sure they were in a Sunbeam pack but were more like Lo Riders so I shrugged my shoulders and put up with them. The last pack were absolutely dreadful and almost had me booking the Shuker in for some major surgery. I sounded out of tune all the time even though I clearly wasn't and to make matters worse the intonation was all over the pace. They sounded even weirder with the band - it's hard for me to describe but the sound just didn't 'blend' with the band at all. Very un-musical. I kept a set of Ernie Ball Slinkies I'd used so I've just boiled them and stuck 'em back on my bass. Phew, what a bloody relief, I have my bass back and what's more I'm in tune again all over the fretboard. I accept it could just be a rogue set but at £35 a go I'm not taking any more chances.[/quote] Where did you get the sets from? - From a distributor I'd expect a bit of customer service, whereas if it was eBay, goodness knows what was in the packets? I put a set of the DR Neons on a young lad's bass a couple of days ago. He got them off eBay. The strings seem fine - but the packaging was all wrong. It was a sealed pack, but it was a four string set in a five string pack and the gauges weren't as advised either on the cardboard pack or the string envelope. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a small scale factory forgery operation from the far east??