Happy Jack

Hi Thomas, welcome aboard. The cover plate is quite specific that this is a MIJ bass, so I'd be happy to go with that. What I'd be less happy about is that it looks like all the electrics have been replaced. The photos are not clear enough, but those appear to be EMG pickups (and not a perfect fit on the neck pickup), and the knobs look like an EMG preamp too. There's nothing wrong with EMG if that's the sound you like, but the original SGC pickups and preamp are very warm and mellow and have a lot to do with giving these basses their character. £400 is definitely pretty top end for an SGC Nanyo, even for a 460, and for that sort of money I'd be looking for an all-original example. All of which said, these remain some of the nicest and most under-valued basses in the market place. For £400 you'd struggle to find a pre-owned modern Squier or MIJ Fender which will match that bass for quality or playability.

I'm looking at getting the new bass rig by Carphone Warehouse.

Please note: The following post is NOT intended to imply any form of dishonesty or bad faith on the part of anyone - it is merely an observation. I have sold a number of basses over the years using the 'consignment' method. I have used a number of different dealers in London, all of them well-known here on Basschat. Most commonly, you will be asked: "[i]What is the [b]lowest [/b]price you would be prepared to accept? We need to know this when negotiating with potential buyers[/i]." Having given that lowest figure, you may (or not) be surprised at how often the bass eventually sells at exactly that figure. Allegedly. I have never seen, or been offered, any evidence after the sale to show the actual sale price achieved. In all fairness there is always the possibility that the sale formed part of a trade-in deal using a valuation. The spec / details / description on the card and/or website will frequently be inaccurate and sometimes deceptive. If you point this out to the dealer, there is no guarantee that they will amend it. If the dealer is the sort of place that allows customers to take down and try any instrument they like, then there is a fair chance that your instrument will pick up knocks and scratches in the process. I actually much prefer dealers who allow - indeed encourage - people to try the basses, so this comment should not be taken as a complaint. It is pretty much a necessary risk. You will not be offered compensation later. As has already been pointed out in earlier posts, you simply cannot compare the price that you eventually receive with the amount that the dealer has apparently received if the dealer has to include VAT (and pay that over to the taxman) within his ticket price. In truth, I am not certain what the VAT rules are relating to (i) second-hand basses, and (ii) consignment deals. This is NOT intended to "warn you off". It is intended to give you some idea of how this part of the market operates, so that you can make a better informed decision. Sorry to sound so po-faced, but I am choosing my words with care here.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1448622384' post='2916887'] Every [color=#ff0000][b]real [/b][/color]man has a dedicated painting t shirt which usually lasts his entire life... mine is a Hull FC rugby shirt... no idea where it came from. [/quote] Fixed for you.

It's an aid to slapping. People see where he's put it, and they want to slap him.

If you're only familiar with The Globe in this area, then the Lord Nelson will come as a bit of a surprise. Less than 200 yards from The Globe down a dead straight side road, you can easily see The Globe from the corner outside the Lord Nelson, but you'd never know the Lord Nelson was there unless you're a local. Pubs are often described as "XXX's Best-Kept Secret" but this is one case that really qualifies!

So the socket is both an output AND an input? That's a neat trick. I can imagine some other applications for that technology ...

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1448527987' post='2916086'] sure - but would you buy second hand like we do with basses ? [/quote] Arguably, most of us do precisely that in the real world too ...

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1448384825' post='2914975'] I've seen most of the bands in my record collection, with the exception of The Band. I'm sorry I missed those guys. [/quote] Well at least you have The Last Waltz as a perfect representation of their live performance.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAISSANCE-LUCITE-BASS-1978-SMOKED-EXTREMELY-RARE-THUNDER-BASS-TONES-GREAT-/141824194326?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

I was lucky enough to see a number of the bands listed above by people who didn't see them. The Sex Pistols? They weren't all that. Nowhere near as good as the bands they replaced ... Dr. Feelgood, Eddie & The Hot Rods, The Motors, etc. Little Feat? I thought they were OK. The friend I went with (far more knowledgeable than me about music) was absolutely blown away, but I wasn't that impressed. Frank Zappa? I went with an Australian drug dealer who lived in Chelsea. At every solo ... [i][b]every single f***ing solo[/b][/i] ... he passed around a bottle of amyl nitrate. Were Zappa any good? Sorry - what was the question again? AC/DC original line-up? Utterly, utterly mind-blowing. I saw them on three consecutive nights at The Marquee when they first hit London. Jesus H Christ, what a band! Incidentally, with the benefit of 40 years' hindsight my view of the first three bands listed here may have changed a bit ...

Still not convinced that an ACG would ever be described as a "double P pickup" bass in any sane world ...

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1448312927' post='2914437'] It takes much practise and work to be able to sight-read dimly-lit 'pit' scores or show and jazz lines, but at least it can be done, if it's really required. [/quote] I can't even see the dots on the side of the neck of my own bass when it's dimly-lit.

For panto work I think you'll find that you need Buttons ..

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1448297494' post='2914247'] Usually, friends in other bands recommendations. [/quote] Yup, either this or (more commonly in my limited experience) someone in the band "has a mate with a studio" or a mate "who's an engineer and can get us a really good deal". Speaking purely for myself, I would always go with someone I know personally and trust, rather than with the "best" studio and a bunch of strangers.

Don't mean to be controversial, but if you plan to start with reading TAB rather than actually reading music 'properly' then I'd advise you to start with a 4-string. Trying to play a 4-string TAB on a 5-string bass can get very confusing! If I had my time over again, I like to think that I would take the trouble to learn to read music 'properly'. Trouble is, if I had my time over again I suspect I'd just do the same things all over again ...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HofnerCustom-Shop-Gold-Label-Berlin-Violin-Bass-Handmade-at-Hofner-Germany-/151893189433?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276 Take away the price tag and you're looking at a rather tacky take on a vintage classic. And don't forget to boast about the "flame maple back and sides" which can't be seen through the solid finish. At that price there's a greater than 50% uplift over the price of a stock, handmade-in-Germany Hofner 500/1. How does that work anyway? The German Hofners are still handmade, always have been, which is why they're so dear to start with. How do you then charge a premium price for a handmade Custom Shop version?

To do that you'll need to replace the existing strap buttons, and whatever you use will not look right on a violin bass. Does he like lager? If so, buy him a case of Grolsch. Swing-top bottles, natch.

Here's my tip ... buy this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Art-Country-Bass-Electric/dp/0793569923/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448040241&sr=8-1&keywords=Lost+Art+of+Country+Bass Excellent piece of work.

[quote name='Paulhauser' timestamp='1448032579' post='2912530'] This B string issue is world in it own, so many opinions and variables, the best bet is to make your own opinion by trying basses. [/quote] My thinking too, though I have to say that I am happiest with a 35" scale. My old Alleva-Coppolo KBP5 had a very wide, very flat neck on a 34" scale, and I was perfectly happy with the low B until the first time I played a Mike Lull. The Lull has (I suspect) a lower-mass neck but a 35" scale, and with the same strings as the A/C (and the same person playing it, natch) the Lull's low B is noticeably less flobbadob.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1448032667' post='2912535'] Are you making fun of me because of my signature??? [/quote] Do you know, I hadn't even read your signature until you pointed that out! So ... how's the treatment coming along? Off the medication yet?

Then you realise that people like Zoom make all-in-one devices that do everything you want, all in one neat little box. With an LCD panel and everything. So you buy that too. But then you find that the Zoom's tuner is a bit wibbly-wobbly so you keep the Zoom but add your dedicated pedal tuner. Actually, the Zoom's Octaver ain't that great, so then you add your dedicated Octaver too. Then ... then .. then .. And finally, you start looking for a larger pedal board.

Depends on other factors of course, but the reality is that I'm running the DB through a Fishman preamp before the signal reaches the Bigshot so I can do a fair bit of level matching up front. If memory serves, the amount of DIM can also be tweaked. It's been a while since I last tinkered with it.