Al Krow

So in summary: We have 20% extra VAT on used goods from the EU We have the risk of not recovering the 20% VAT (or red tape / hassle) on new goods if we are likely to want to return them from EU retailers. For me that means: - looking to buy used goods from UK musos and stores; - using Andertons, PMT, Gear4Music etc. (rather than Thomann) for new goods.

Lol!

Thanks very much Steve. I've just had a quick look at the HMRC website and that is a LOT of effort, particularly if the VAT is say £20 or less. Hmmm...looking like another BIG reason to go with UK retailers on new goods then if there is a chance the goods are damaged or turn out to be not what we want, unless Thomann are prepared to deal with VAT refund side of things on returns.

I've bought and sold a fair few basses over the past 5 years and find myself really happy with the shape and balance of my herd. I'm fortunate to have some lovely basses including a Ken Smith and a Yamaha BB NE2. However... I was taken aback recently when the penny dropped that the three basses I have owned the longest are actually my three least expensive ones! Here's a pic of my second oldest, a Yamaha BB1025, bought end of line from the Yamaha store in London for a very decent price, to get the ball rolling. It's seen off several other PJs and I suspect I'll never move this one on: Any of you got a similar story about your budget basses being the ones that have best weathered the test of time? And of course, it doesn't have to be just basses that can inspire loyalty! I bet there are some wonderful amps out there too that you've held on to 'cos they sounded great but didn't cost the earth?

Helix was launched. Hard to believe it will have been out 6 years in June this year.

That is a really good question! Calling @Steve Browning

June 11th 2015 was the date when...

So you doing much on your Stagg? Tbf mine stayed pretty pristine for a couple of years always intending to pick it up - which I finally started doing in earnest last year. And it's been a lot of fun. It now has the accolade of being the earliest purchased bass I've still got! Survival by "non use" 😁

Please see my post above re. the economic point: any country that shuts down touring musicians whether it's the UK or the EU are simply shooting themselves in the foot. Saving lives is quite rightly the focus and priority for everyone, but I have every expectation that sense will prevail on this issue (as it already seems to be doing here from Lardy's comment).

Yeah but that's kinda my point. This visa issue is still getting sorted and whilst there are no gigs for a while (as you know I really hope that changes soon) it's simply one that is lower down priority lists of ministers. I know its a massive issue for us musicians. But right now the govt has got bigger things in its in box. If what @Lardy has just said is correct, that is great. The EU will reciprocate if they know what's good for them. As I mentioned previously, from an economic perspective its the countries where the bands play who are the main beneficiaries of tours and not the bands themselves (apart from the mega stars).

That is interesting. And if correct, a really nice (and sensible) concession by our govt which will be great for the (currently non existent) UK music scene.

But seriously BRX are you saying your support tour was postponed due to the visa situation and had nothing to do with the fact that all the venues are closed due to the pandemic?

But in the UK, apparently. Either that or in 2022... No that's fair, mate. But perhaps also true that anyone planning on a major 2022 tour is likely to have half decent management dealing with the admin side of things and visas are going to be a relatively small item in the scheme of things for bigger bands? What EU venues are seriously currently giving thought to 2022 bookings for smaller bands without admin support, right now? Haha - she can shout at me anytime she likes 😉

So who exactly has a 2021 EU tour that is being impacted by the current visa arrangements?? Ah that's right, no one. Best log back in in 8 months when this might actually be an issue...😁

Yup totally agreed, it was pretty darned good. Better terms than any free trade deal that the EU has struck with any other nation on the planet...a number of Norwegians are now saying "could we have a little have what the Brits have got please!"

Lol! Give the poor guy a break. Didn't all the naysayers say a trade deal with the EU was impossible in 12 months as the EU took 7 years to agree one with Canada? Well he's got one. That's a pretty decent bit of negotiating in my books. And tbf he may have a couple of other things in his in-tray higher up on his to do list than sorting out visas for currently non-existent tours...

Stop. You're really not helping. But it does look damn neat!! PS I used to own the Vox Amplug and it's not a bad piece of kit at all - but (based on what I've read up) this Nux unit blows it out of the water in what it can do.

And a Mesa amp (or two) and have a mind for matters more taxing also. I'm starting to see a bit of a pattern here 😁

Damn - that thing looks good. https://www.triungulolab.com/home/20-barbanera.html A few of us are very eagerly awaiting a review on bass! This is a pretty decent review on six string (1.33 to 4.30 in particular)

Love the fact that you still refer to her as your GF, mate, after all these years! That is actually rather lovely. Been a LONG time since I called my missus that 😁

Exercise in the local vicinity is permitted - just ask Boris who was on one of his bikes recently in a park down the road from me. I find that a 2 hour set and loading and unloading all the gear gives me a pretty good work out. Usually manage to work up a sweat. I just need to rebrand my local pub as a gym and we're good to go. Now where the heck did I leave that Shadows set list?...

Haha - you're very welcome to sit on your ars*e till then. I certainly won't be! 😁

Got a wedding from last year at the end of May provisionally still in the diary, but they've been in touch about having the option of moving it to August if need be. I doubt very much that pubs, which are currently on their knees, are thinking about booking bands right now! But if @Burns-bass is correct about deaths falling to double digits by the end of March, I think we could see things open up quite quickly thereafter.

Ok to do that we're gonna need to know what you've figured out for yourself? 😁

It's pretty bleak right now, no question. But the darkest moment is just before the dawn. If we were across the Channel, where an unmitigated vaccination fiasco is sadly happening right now as @Dad3353 will be able to confirm, I would agree with you May would be way too early to call it. Only 10% of UK Covid related deaths has happened in the under 65s [source: ONS excess deaths report for 2020] and we're targeting the most vulnerable elder members of the population first quite rightly. The mental health, particularly on kids, and economic impact of keeping the economy locked down is huge.