Al Krow

Yeah had an Asus £1k. Screen went after 18 months light use. Ugh!

Speaking of TV's I had a bloomin' Sony colour TV, you know the usual 'tube' type before flat screens arrived. Would it break down so I could get a widescreen plasma? Like heck it would! Just went on and on and on working just fine... What is scary these days is that a laptop is only supposed to last 18 months or so before something like the screen will go and that's considered normal wear and tear. Decent cheaper basses are more like Sony TVs.

Fixed. But yes, you're right I should go see if I can get to a store and try one out. Or maybe buy online and try out on a "try and return" basis, but I'm generally loathe to do that as I know returns are cr*ap for retailers' margins.

Very nicely summarised, Lozz, and you've quite rightly included recording use for good measure which I had failed to mention. In terms of connecting with an audience, albeit not in the same way as on a gig, that's gotta be right up there. I think you're probably due an eye test soon though, mate, given how much you and I seem to be seeing eye to eye on a lot of things recently 😁

So they seem to produce the best and worst of necks then? I wonder if you were maybe subconsciously marking down the new Dave Ellefson because it fell short of the high expectations from your previous Jackson 5?

Walrus Audio Kangra arrived this morning. Not a bad unit and relatively unique, from what I can tell, in offering a combined filter fuzz in a relatively compact single pedal format. The fuzz-->filter meshed well and for me as a combined filter + fuzz (both engaged) I felt was it's strongest point. As a standalone fuzz it wasn't too shabby - I found 'the vintage' fuzz settings usable but 'modern' was far too thin for my taste. Would I consider using it as a stand alone fuzz over my Tech21 Red Ripper? Definitely not: the Ripper has a great deal more versatility and, with its 3 band EQ, allows you to preserve low end in a manner that the Kangra is not able to deliver. The filter for me was, however, it's weakest suit; it's ok but simply not outstanding - but then I am comparing it against the very capable 3Leaf Proton on my board. Conclusion I was kinda hoping the Kangra might displace my Proton and Red Ripper from my little board and free up some space, but that's not going to happen. It's not a bad unit, but as fuzz / filter combination my Ripper and Proton together blow it out the water. I guess I shouldn't really be too surprised given that they are two specialist pedals and, together, cost double what the Kangra does. Will be interested to see if @GisserD reaches the same verdict when he has had a chance to put his through its paces.

You've hit the nail on the head and that's where we disagree. I clearly missed the memo where it said that as a bass player you could only choose to be one.

For me, the key point that you're missing Pete is clear from your thinking of basses as just "tools" to do a job. Yeah for sure they can be just that and I've got a couple of super work-horse basses that do me proud (the OP Yammy being one of them). But basses are also musical instruments and many high-end basses can also be fantastic pieces of craftsmanship. A musical instrument should be played. No disagreement from me on that, but where and when it is played is up to the owner - there is no "directive" that says if you're in a band you MUST gig all your basses. A lot of us get a lot of fun playing our basses at home whether we are in bands or not. As you say "people are more than welcome to use their hard earned money in whatever way that makes them happy". Amen to that.

In which case probs best not to describe them as "indulgent" then should they decide not to gig some or all of their basses?

Ah so, a car is something that gets you from A to B Never something to collect or appreciate in itself. A car collector has no business collecting high-end cars; he or she should be using them on the school run, even if the Nissan does that job just fine. It's a utilitarian approach.

No need to apologise, Dave. I'm totally cool with the conversation going where folk want to take it.

Lol! Well @peteb if you can't appreciate that folk have different priorities and they are not necessarily the same of yours... I must have missed the thread where you were appointed judge of how we spend our money and what we do or don't do with our gear 😂

It's a slightly arrogant statement if you stop to think about it, though, Pete? Isn't it effectively saying that all of our colleagues who are not in a band should never be allowed to own / enjoy a high end bass, because they are not gigging them? Being the simple chap I am, saving up for and owning a KS that I will enjoy for many years, look after and treasure, is worth more to me than a trip around Central Europe for a few weeks. I get that we all have different priorities.

I totally get where you're coming from @peteb I agree it would be a real shame if a fantastic bass is locked away in a case and never actually played. But it can certainly be played a lot and for the owner to get a huge amount of pleasure from a bass, without ever gigging it.

Hi TorVic - your suggestion makes a lot of sense and is similar to ones that myself and @Steve Browning have put to the mods together with a pinned notice about needing to be aware that VAT may apply to used goods being sold between the UK and EU (and vice versa). Currently I don't sense that there is any appetite to do so.