Happy Jack

So this turned out to be true. Only not quite in the way you might think. 😂

I tink it's about time this thread was introduced to the phrase "found this in my uncle's loft, don't know anything about basses but I think it's a Fender".

That's it, gone right off the idea after seeing that. 🤣

Just showing you what can be achieved ...

💋

I liked the idea of my Variax bass, but then I picked it up. Serious boat anchor stuff. All the clever electronics are held in an enormous metal box, larger than most FX pedals, which is built into the body, so there's little that can be done to reduce the weight. So I sold it again.

Nowt "potential" about it, Andy! 😂

Mind you, warm tar on the back of the neck would certainly encourage @fleabag to stay near the money notes ...

Get an Uber? 😉

https://www.submarinepickup.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-submarine?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_campaign=TOF Spring22&utm_content=EA Static4 PM - Copy 2&fbclid=IwAR3Z__9QlSszcxyIDJD4UG61f8nDGC864iutgnSHvGCu-86HrXedXabvp0o

It's the stud-ent model.

Typical! You wait three years and a Global Pendemic, and then one comes along. 🙄

Founder Charles Kaman (1919–2011) developed the first prototypes of the Ovation guitar in 1965–1966. Kaman, an amateur guitarist from an early age, worked on helicopter design as an aerodynamicist at United. Eventually, he founded a helicopter design company, Kaman Aircraft, in 1945. The Kaman Corporation soon diversified, branching into nuclear weapons testing, commercial helicopter flight, development and testing of chemicals, and helicopter bearings production. In the early 1960s, however, financial problems from the failure of their commercial flight division forced them to expand into new markets, such as entertainment and leisure. Charles Kaman, still an avid guitar player, became interested in making guitars. From 1966 to 2007, Ovation guitars, and later on Adamas guitars, were a brand of KMCMusicorp, which itself was a subsidiary of Kaman Aircraft.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334417063873?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110013%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIMRXI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20190806114717%26meid%3Dfce7435a416749fd9ce50bd09641774a%26pid%3D101100%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D24%26itm%3D334417063873%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2380057%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebNoToraCoCoViewsNoHighIdfOrSortByFinalScoreBlender%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2380057.c101100.m3021&amdata=cksum%3A334417063873fce7435a416749fd9ce50bd09641774a|enc%3AAQAGAAABILOU9qwcovy5VVuH2hNmsVlb0FXA7GwRjksdjbJnkWkx9VM3c%2BxJ2%2B8iBQcuesp47aeuKEFeax2WBOLBVXBV76%2FYRNCZeUGJ4RY6HBXFpZS%2Fk3Bo0gGAs1hLxjzkg%2BpRdCWsCUFJQhsxWfueZVVfKH3NSU3OLZ8x56uBM2fyX66znxVioOYeUryyvrFW7qsgX8HnMK8MF%2BASHXosPx6GsYYqJYYnQrcTC4S0AsdKEnydfov83dvupi3lQHgDJrNx13qDONE32kaTMSYw%2FtO%2FmLNzHR%2FEIZo%2FbQx%2B8ZQj3H8iAzPOXS5tib%2BCor7GwfyCPY4kFJhrgqNsRCbVhIqisFpr%2FoDD9IbCDB6q99GKIrlZwPsE3mOaM05gCyg3pjVouA%3D%3D|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2380057&_trkparms=pageci%3A0c9f8543-cddd-11ec-affe-46d5eb69bccd|parentrq%3A9d913b1b1800a0f2eb3d3969fffdb07c|iid%3A12

I've had mixed experience with power amps from Thomann, including one that started emitting showers of sparks before catching fire in the middle of a country & western gig, but the most pleasant surprise I've had in ages was https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334387167184?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D238392%26meid%3D917a7f0b8ee44f5385317286705ce2b5%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D233645394188%26itm%3D334387167184%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv9PairwiseWebMskuAspectsV202110NoVariantSeed&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum%3A334387167184917a7f0b8ee44f5385317286705ce2b5|enc%3AAQAGAAABEIIp3bTCXFAKw6S9crk9CpCrrtOgadqFiC10NVPbN0936eprYVB4SXfDa52e1mbPLDW8ro3fGQu%2F2vb5HwnsBryEo8JPOIoqExMG2vjEAsrUdVOBhKTK4T80B%2BWjs2bT2tB6euVOgqWZ9Ah%2BmXDW3clgzpSDYvlCs9Y9Rl5rIf%2FOhXUr51CGcpwqh7RjNEvaJJmw4U0jRFEUAQ1glZiLUtqKm%2F1av%2FXPJe02AwJQxUQqurau3To8fZLhsvjhBqAulOLYXfFVBASw5G5zwAMAeTku42qZkCQ2JcFw0mFN3bdZaZLEdqB18uGsFREQMrsFpmGNdvZztNkUUkxgUQRRSYTaxn%2FSfCBgJrveldalupf6|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2047675 I bought the 2-channel 2600W 'New Generation' and I've been delighted with it. My default option for power amps is to buy ludicrously expensive Powersoft Digam units, so I keep an eye on the cheap clone market from the Far East. This was my fourth attempt at buying a cheap-as-chips lightweight 1U power amp from China and, if this one is anything to go by, they've finally cracked it.

I'm with @MacDaddy on this one. Still, eye of the beholder and all that.

It is possible that these are somehow connected.

That's pretty much your answer there. No intention to be dismissive, but you're almost certainly wasting your time (and your money) if you go the preamp + power amp route. That's a solution (one of many) to issues encountered when playing live. If you do end up on stage, and it's amazing how often that's the outcome 😎, then re-visit this topic one you have a couple of dozen gigs under your belt.

There are far better bassists on this thread than me, and people who know way more about high-end basses than I do, but I doubt there are many posting here who know more about accounting and finance for SMEs (Fodera is deffo an SME = small to medium enterprise). I've seen (I think) no fewer than three references to Fodera making a 10% gross profit (GP) margin, including one which described it as a "pledge". Just to be clear, if any business where I was running the finances wanted to declare a GP of 10% then that's what I would declare. GP is an incredibly easy thing to manipulate in a small business run by owner/managers. I'm making no accusations, and the processes I have in mind are entirely legal and legitimate. Place not your faith in a "pledge" to limit GP to 10%, and I personally would have no interest in working with people who were so keen to limit their own potential. In truth, a well-run boutique business with decent management should be looking at 25%-35%. I have no doubt at all that Fodera are making a mint and so they should be. If people are actually prepared to pay $18k, $30k, $36k for a bass then that's their decision and their look-out. Don't expect to find me in the queue, mind ...