Al Krow

Agreed! Do know what pups he's got on that? I always loved the build quality of my Sandberg TM4 but my Delano pups never got close to that tone (too polite / hi-fi etc - all well trodden ground from me). Looks like he's using flats although I wasn't 100% certain? Again be interesting to know if that's a "pure" bass tone or, if not, what signal chain he had in between.

The £390 "duty free allowance" only applies when you personally bring stuff back from your trips abroad. It doesn't apply to items posted from abroad. That hasn't changed.

PS @AndyTravis - very nice job!

Can't argue with that: I've never played a bass you've defretted...or indeed one defretted by Jaco 😁

Haha - not saying de-fretting isn't a valid option, for some. Personally I'm with @MattiZ on this - I wouldn't defret a perfectly good fretted bass; I'd rather buy a bass that was fretless from the outset.

Sadly I can see myself doing exactly the same with used bass gear purchases from the EU and just sticking to purchases from UK sellers going forward, to avoid the UK 20% VAT plus handling charges on used bass gear from the EU. I've had several pedals sales to the EU over the past year - that will likely dry up too going forward. Why would anyone in the EU want to buy something from the UK if they can get it from another EU seller and avoid paying their local VAT rate plus handling charges? I, for one, will certainly be making it clear on my sales ads so that potential buyers are aware of this point - frankly I'd rather lose a sale than see a fellow BC'er feeling they have been short changed. I've just one 'significant' sales ad up at the moment and I've added this to my ad: PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU ARE BUYING FROM OUTSIDE THE UK THEN LOCAL VAT RATES PLUS HANDLING CHARGES MAY APPLY - IN PARTICULAR FOR EU PURCHASERS FROM 1 JAN 2021

Or just buy a fretless with an ebony fretboard which is better designed to take the wear and tear of fretless playing?

Yes agreed. (Please also refer to my OP which states exactly that).

@LukeFRC I think it's slightly simpler than you've stated as there is going to be no customs duties on trade in goods between the UK and EU, due to the trade deal just struck. See my OP for a summary that deals with a 'Thomann' type purchase (i.e. from a commercial retailer) and from a private seller.

I suspect there will unfortunately be quite a few 'nasty' surprises for folk for a while yet. Not sure that everyone who checks out the FS is necessarily going to spot this thread. Trouble is when it's 20% of a bass that already costs a lot, it won't necessarily be something you can just take on the chin if you weren't expecting / budgeting for it.

Saw that KS a while back in your NBD thread and it's still a jaw dropper! @Mickyk impressed at the ability of your Yammy BB 424 to fend off all-comers, at least until now! Have you had / still have any other Yammys before settling on the 424?

The BB 3000A was available as a fretless, but I suspect they will be as rare as hen's teeth!

That does take me back to my Mecano days! 😁

Couple of months for fretmeister to get bored / sober up and then PJ can buy off him...looks like the train has left the station! Anyone else want to jump on this excellent OC-5 bandwagon?

Hah! - I was going to put my money on the Shuker and low and behold 😁

@triplebass - but of the three which would "save from the fire" if you could only keep one? Although I guess you are called "triple" bass for a reason 😁 And we definitely need a pic of the winning bass

@Spewy "worst is a pair of Darkglass 410’s which...sound absolutely amazing." Blimey you're a harsh task master! 😁

Well if you do decide that the VTDI is surplus, I'm sure you'll have no trouble shifting it - they don't seem to hang around at all in the FS and it still seems to be one of the most (if not the most) popular Tech 21 pedals. I'm guessing for good reason!

Congrats. Loving the fact that Mooer, Hotone and Boss are keeping Zoom and Helix on their toes in 'mid range' multifx's. For less than the cost of many single pedals you're surely going to have a lot of fun! I'm really looking forward to what virtual NAMM 2021 has in store for us!

That's a great price for a CMD 121P, particularly if it was practically brand new!

@bassbooty So you're basically fickle, right? (And I hope you noticed my attempt to be US friendly by deliberately mis-spelling favourite?) 😁 I had a Corvette $$ 5'er - and loved the Warwick growl. I couldn't hack the neck dive though...but I think I'd probably take that in my stride now with a decent Minotaur strap, and am much more used to 5ers. Am mulling getting a Thumb NT5, but nothing as posh as @Kev's - which is seriously lush!

It was this one: Minotaur Bass Strap Black – Thomann UK

This one for sure and just about any fretless, surely?

Ah yes! I did dip into that thread but got distracted by some dude from Leicester hogging the limelight 😁 Btw - no question at all that it sounds better with rounds! (And it sounds great!)