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Chownybass

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Posts posted by Chownybass

    London bass guitar show 2018

    in Events

    Posted

    We finally made it for Sunday. Apologies to all for missing the first day!

    Was great meeting everybody, really appreciate the time of everybody who popped by the booth to try out our stuff. Overwhelmingly positive feedback reminds us why we do this. :)

    @Happy Jack I hope you like your fretless. 

    @NickD I hope you like your Pitchcraft pedal. Spread the word! :D

    We've booked again for next year. 

    • Like 1

    London bass guitar show 2018

    in Events

    Posted

    Sadly we are no going to make it. Our stock is still snowed in. Absolutely gutted to miss it. 

    Me have a bunch of stock we were going to sell as show specials - and we will make it available at the show prices through here and on Facebook. 

    Sorry all.

     

    • Sad 2

    London bass guitar show 2018

    in Events

    Posted

    We are set to exhibit but as things stand right now there is no chance of us making it up to set up today. 

    We will see what the morning looks like. I’m not gonna hold my breath - Bristol is a bit treacherous  

     

    • Sad 1

    The Big Fat South-West Bass Bash 2018!! 08/04/2018

    in Events

    Posted

    On 2/25/2018 at 17:01, scrumpymike said:

    CHOWNY BASS  Regrettably it's not going to be possible for Stephen Chown to attend this year's bash but I'm going to see if we can find a way of displaying examples of his newer stuff such as the top-of-the-range SWB-1 (which I would very much like to try).  So, it looks like our self-build 12" cab team will be sharing the stage area with the Gillett Guitars exhibit plus (hopefully) a few Chowny basses on the side.

    Sorry all. Rubbish personal stuff has meant I need to cut back on the time I'm away from home. Will hopefully catch you in 2019.

    • Thanks 1
    • Sad 1

    CITES - worthy reading.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, Nicko said:

    I'm not quite clear on the rules, but as far as I can gather its OK to use sustainably sourced materials.  To be honest, adding £74 to the cost of a shipment simply mean that the import of individual instruments will cease and import of larger shipments will continue. 

    For a company like ours - the import into the UK isn't the problem. That import fee split across a big shipment of instruments is negligible - although it adds lead time and headache.

    It's the sale of basses that knocks rosewood on the head. About 30-40% of our instruments head out of the country. With an individual re-export fee of £50 and the time to apply for a license for each bass - simply makes it commercial unviable. Ergo... no rosewood in the range.

    CITES - worthy reading.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Some thoughts on this: 

    There's more to it than sound. 


    For a fretboard wood to work it helps to have certain qualities.

    * It needs to have a pocket grain and not a linear grain - dense enough that it can hold frets.

    * It needs to be hard.

    * It needs to polish smooth (if it's not going to be laquered)

    * ideally be naturally oily.

    This means that you end up with about 3 practical fretboard woods.

    * Rosewood

    * Ebony

    * Maple

    So maple is of course blonde - and looks dirty when heavily used. Ebony is expensive. So rosewood was always a practical choice.

    Yes - there are a fair number of other woods that you can use. But the cost of transporting them to where the factories are (generally in the east) is high and of course it's not very environmentally friendly.

    We are looking at Laurel and Bhilwara (both of which grow locally in India where we manufacture our instruments)

    Indian Rosewood is sustainably managed - so this new CITES change has been particularly hard on their industry. I believe work is afoot to exclude Indian Rosewood from inclusion in Appendix II 

     

     

    NBD Chowny SWB1 PRO

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    1 minute ago, badastronaut said:

    Good idea.  IMO the SWB's really are a great step forward for affordable shortscale basses and with every upgrade it get's even better, I just might have to order a new version in 2018 now haha :facepalm:

    Hope your bass gets there soon. Don't be shy with your opinions when it's in your hands.

    NBD Chowny SWB1 PRO

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    1 minute ago, badastronaut said:

    Mine is on it's way right now, making it's way across the pond. Really looking forward to my 4th SWB :) I have actually sold all my normal scale basses a few years back and only play the SWB's now, live and in the studio (really versatile little basses, I have played everything from bebop to rock with them....). The PRO will be a nice addition to the collection. To be honest my favorite SWB is still my passive blue one, but I think the PRO might become my new favorite. That thing just looks so nice!

    On the active passive front - we are strongly considering for 2018 to do away with the "Active" and "Passive" split and just have one option. And that'll be "Active" but with a Push-Pull Volume pot that switches between active and passive.

    • Like 2

    davie504 and other awful clickbait horror

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, project_c said:

    This is exactly the point though - is this really how we want it to be? Kids used to get into playing because of the music - as a strong cultural / political force (and also to get girls) - but now we're stuck with having to put up with these clowns tapping Super Mario death metal on a 47 string Ibanez with nothing to say. Apart from "look at me". It's douche baggery on a global scale.

    Not one of the kids who came and played the bass at my stand did anything douchebaggy. They just banged out some tunes. Just because that's what gets them interested doesn't mean that's what they're going to do.

    davie504 and other awful clickbait horror

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Chownybass

    Sure - he's not for you. You are in no means in his demographic. You may as well spend your time getting annoyed with TV adverts for CBeebies.

    As a guitar manufacturer. And also as somebody who has worked with Davie504 - I think you're missing something very important.

    People like him are VITAL in getting young people interested in playing the bass. Kids (largely) don't care a stinky poo about what famous rock star plays what bass. But what kids DO do is watch a lot of youtube.

    I have kids coming to my stand at guitar shows *specifically* because of Davie.

    So what that recent "The Guitar is Dead" article https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/lifestyle/the-slow-secret-death-of-the-electric-guitar/?utm_term=.ce7968ff795a didn't take into account was the effect that these youtube players are having on sales.

    Just my 2 cents. :)

    **EDIT haha. love the censorship applied to my post. "stinky poo" :D

    • Like 3

    Mansons Guitar Show Saturday 11th November

    in Events

    Posted

    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I will be flying the flag for bass players at the Mansons Guitar Show in Exeter on the 11th of November.[/font][/color]

    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Will have most of the range with me[/font][/color]

    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]* CHB-1[/font][/color]
    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]* CHB-2[/font][/color]
    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]* Davie504 Signature EVO[/font][/color]
    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]* SWB-1[/font][/color]
    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]* SWB Pro[/font][/color]
    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]* Volante[/font][/color]
    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]* Vantage[/font][/color]

    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]And the Fuzzster Fuzz Pedal.[/font][/color]

    [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Hopefully see some of you there. [/font][/color]

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