anzoid

It's all in the fingers...

Up to £31 - must be an all time high... to be honest, I'm a bit put off by the routing around the pickups, kind of lets down the whole thing really

Outbid already...

It's back and he's taking bids: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OFFERS-THROW-NUMBERS-AT-THIS-TENNESSEE-15-STRING-EXTENDED-RANGE-BASS-/291591372465?hash=item43e4333eb1:g:bJwAAOxycgVTixwQ"]http://www.ebay.co.u...JwAAOxycgVTixwQ[/url] It's currently at £10.50 - I stuck in a bid because it would be worth it just to [a] strip the parts and sell them and [b] destroy the rest and post the photos here

At the moment - absolutely nothing. Took possession of a Steinberger Synapse 4-string a month or so ago and it's pretty much "the one" (yeah, yeah, I know...). It's getting boring for the guys I play with as I keep turning up with the same bass... but it's so nice.

Yeah, and what alcytes said about grooves - if the board is rosewood it is more likely to be grooved than an ebony board. Also, another thought - look down the length of the neck and check there aren't any dips or bumps - they'll kill your mwah

If it's a de-fret - i.e. where someone has at some point taken the frets off an "ordinary" bass, then make sure that whatever they've used to fill the gaps is level with the rest of the fingerboard. Best thing is that the gaps are filled with wood - which should (hopefully, all being well, etc) move with any other shifts in the fingerboard. Some people use plastic wood filer and, personally, I'm not a fan. Also, having wasted time on a buying a de-fretted bass - make sure a good job has been done and that where the frets have been taken out no (or very little) fingerboard wood has gone (and been filled...). The tangs of the frets sometimes rip the wood if the job wasn't done well and if nothing else it's plain ugly.

Been wanting one of these for ages but either always missed 'em on eBay or shops were out of stock. Finally found one. Quick delivery from Germany to the UK - ordered last Sunday night, arrived Wednesday just after lunch. This thing is awesome - balances really nicely with the strap hook, not too heavy. Sound is bright but can be tamed. The piezo in the bridge is going to take some getting used to - it picks up every noise on the guitar, knock the body and you hear that, etc. Tone with the EMG pickup is even with some good low end growl. The piezo needs some work because the E, at least playing relatively quietly at home, is noticeably louder than the other strings. There are a couple of pots for adjusting the bass and treble sides of the piezo but I've not had much time to fiddle with them yet. So far been playing it with mostly the EMG and just a hint of piezo for a bit of "snap" and the EQ pretty much flat - tiny bit of bass boost. From what I've read, opinion is mixed about the Synapse but I've got to say I'm really liking it and can't wait to take it out for a proper run tomorrow. Certainly, at least IMO, the sound isn't sterile but I don't think it can be compared much with something lke an XL2 - a very different beast but you can see (and hear) the family resemblence. Wasn't sure I was going to like the transparent amber (would have preferred black or white) but seeing as it was the only one I could find in Europe... well you take what you can get. And actually, I like it. The flamed front is pretty subtle but the wood grain does show through nicely on the rest of it. I did look into importing from the US where are there are more of these around but with import tax, duty and all the other stuff, wouldn;t have been worth it just for a different colour. Build quality and fit and finish are good, but not excellent - I think I would have expected slightly better but it's not bad by any means. Certainly better than my Spirit XT-2 which itself is pretty sweet [attachment=199064:20150822-AJF_9582.jpg][attachment=199065:20150822-AJF_9585.jpg][attachment=199066:20150822-AJF_9587.jpg]

tauzero - would love a Jack V, at this point it might well be my ideal bass The neck on the Spirit XT-25 is quite chunky but very comfortable.

The same day as the Hohner Jack turned up a Steinberger Spirit 4-string also arrived... So I now have a trio of headless basses as I picked up a Spirit 5-string a month or so ago. The bass budget for 2015 is now well and truly, utterly, completely blown... until I sell someting else... too many basses, so little time. The Spirit 4-string and the Jack both have EMG Selects but sound totally different. The top end on the Spirit is pretty wild, very very bright and needs taming. The Jack is more mellow. The 5-string Spirit has Steinberger's own pickups and at a rough guess I'd say they have about half the output of the EMG in the 4-string, but the tone is very good, lot od growl to it. Anyway, here's a piccy of the trio: [attachment=196447:headless-basses-2.jpg]

Ghost Bass, string height looks OK, the E is maybe slightly higher than it could be but I'm going to try stringing it BEAD, or might chuck a DB de-tuner bridge on it that I've got kicking around. The end screws don't look as though they've been moved - or if they have been it was long while ago based on gunk build-up DarkHeart, the previous Jack (and a B2A) I had did have the hole in the control cover that you mention but this one doesn't, although there is a serial number stamped into the plastic - 8860562 - maybe the 88 means 1988 but I don't know whether that makes it early or late... It's sporting EMG Selects rather than the Hohner logo I've seen on other Jacks. I've just recently picked up a 5-string Steinberger Spirit and a 4-string Spirit also arrived today (yeah, too many headless basses...) and overall I think the Hohner is better quality. The 5-string has Steinberger's own brand pickups and although the sound is good the output is pretty low - not even enough to drive my tuner! The 4-string has EMG Selects but they're much more brittle sounding than the Hohner's EMGs.

SubsonicSimpleton - that's some awesome powers of observation from a low quality photo I've just spent five minutes staring down the neck of the guitar (gone cross eyed... ), holding it up to the light and putting CDs under the strings at the "head" end to get a line on the fretboard and, yup, looks like the end cap is wonky - sits about 1mm higher (looking end on) on the right hand side. Doh! I think I can live with that and although it's not a great looker - few dings and for some reason an extra jack plug has been fitted on the front... whatever... it sounds awesome. I need to open up the back because i think the pre-map in it isn't the Hohner orginal because it's got some serious welly. Thank you to everyone for all the advice - I think I would have kept it and tried to get some money back, but no need now.

Just bought a secondhand Hohner Jack bass off of eBay. Great sound but it's got a twist in the neck - as seen on the photo. Is this repairable? Would that be expensive? Is it worth bothering with on a £200 bass? Do I live with it or just send it back? Overall the guitar is in good condition and I like the sound. Not played it in earnest yet but the twist doesn't seem to be having an effect, it's an older guitar so I guess it's been like this for a while, and may have been why the previous owner moved it on. The eBay seller obviously didn't spot it because he mentioned everything else and was happy to send extra photos (didn't think to ask whether the neck was twisted...) Any thoughts and comments much appreciated. [attachment=196363:hohner_bass.jpg]

One question with distance selling (i.e. via the internet) is when risk passes from the seller to the buyer. According to this: http://www.unlockthelaw.co.uk/distance-selling-regulations.html "The risk involved in transporting the goods remains on the seller upon giving the goods to the carrier. However, if the carrier is chosen by the buyer and it is not one of the seller’s usual carriers, the risk then passes to the buyer, who is held liable for damages by the carrier." Whether GBBL's own T&Cs override this part of consumer protection law and the Distance Selling Regs I have absolutely no idea (not a lawyer, don't play one on TV, etc.) but I would imagine that you might have a case as they are a retailer and I doubt they can pass the risk just by saying so. Though they would probably argue that you accept the risk by ordering a bass without hardcase. Only way to really find out is to buy a bass and hope(?!) it turns up as matchsticks and then see how they respond... Anyone want to give it a shot?

Recently had to ship a bass I sold on eBay and decided to have a proper look into insurance and the like and found exactly what gary mac said - no-one wants to insure a bass that isn't in a proper hard case, and even then some of them are pretty vague about what cover they do offer. It turned out that, for me, using ParcelForce was the best option for a non-hardcased bass though I couldn't use their "Enhanced Compensation" scheme (glad I found that out beofre paying the extra...) - just choose the right amount for the inclusive compensation. This probably only works for low value stuff (which the bass was...).

The Dunlops seem to be OK... it's just that all my other basses have Schallers Having said that, the Fortress needs a shorter strap length to be at the same position as the others because the bottom straplock hole isn't centered - it's about three inches to the left of the centreline if looking from the front. So my one strap fits all thing wouldn't work anyway. I think I'll learn to live with it

I figured it might attract some interest so BIN was the only way to be sure Gigged it today - just wow - so sweet playing up the neck and real growl hitting the low notes. I think I'm in love. Playing through a GK MB500 with a 2x10 it had plenty of presence though the output is on the low side compared to my EMG equipped Stingray copy and Yamaha 5er - just had to turn it up a bit more . Still, was one of those moments where you think "finally, the sound I've been looking for". Only taken 25 years... GAS may well be sated... for the moment at least.

verb - thanks for the advice on the finish. Damp cloth it is roman_sub - I saw this one about an hour after it went live, at about 2:00am 'cos I couldn't sleep. Even at that time it had 2 watchers and by the morning there were 4. I knew I'd probably need to act fairly quickly if I wanted it. Pinged a message to the seller with a couple of questions and when he replied bought it on the spot. Came really well packaged up in a decent semi-solid gigbag - all credit to the seller on that one. Been after a good fretless for a while that wasn't a jazz bass but that had a narrow neck. Hesitated a bit because was wanting lined but thought I could probably cope with it... Stuck some new strings on it and popped a battery in for the actives and very pleased with the result. It has a brass nut which makes a difference to the open string sound compared to my other basses, but nothing I can't get used to. Overall, well happy.

Warwick Fortress One fretless from eBay arrived today It's a 1996 model and the condition is pretty much immaculate. Very very slight wear to the fingerboard that all but disappeared with the application of some lemon oil. Only marks are a slight dent near the straplock hole on the bottom end and some very minor buckle rash on the back that should polish out. Neck is straight and true and the sound is monster. Never had an ebony board before on a fretless and have to say it is rather nice. Happy Actually, forgot to ask - anyone know what the finish is on these and how best to take care of it? And also... welll, I'm a Schaller straplock person and this has inset Dunlops - anyone know of a converter to turn inset Dunlops to Schaller buttons? [attachment=193009:warwick-fortress-6.jpg] [attachment=193010:warwick-fortress-2.jpg]

New pics up on the Poole seller's bass - still looks like a red Washburn Status - just the right one now I think Roger2611 did eBayers a service (probably should have just done what you did Roger rather than starting a thread...) - maybe others will take note.

[quote name='itsmedunc' timestamp='1431761692' post='2774635'] Quantum mechanics says it's possible that particles can be two places at the same time. Perhaps in a few years we will discover that basses can too! [/quote] Ad: "Status Quantum - play twice as often!" I did wonder whether the "original owner" had picked up the bass from the charity shop when he was in Berkhamsted in the hope of flipping it from Poole... but he'd have known about about the shop's eBay listing to get the photos... Maybe we should try and persuade Alcytes to go have a look - curiosity trumps wisdom

The first picture of the one in Poole - the front of the body is identical to the third one (the front of the body) of the one in Berkhamstead. Same for the photo of the back of the bass and the one of it lying on the case with a roll of bubble-wrap visible in the top left corner. Just wondering how it can be in two places at once. The charity hospice auction has more photos but the guy in Poole says he's owned it from new... Then I wonder whether it's just my browser... or computer... or me...

Just found this pair that look very very [s]similar[/s] the same: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-Status-1000-Series-Headless-Bass-/221773765537?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item33a2bf1ba1 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-Status-1000-Series-Headless-Bass-Guitar-Red-With-5-Hard-Case/221752978529 One version of it is in Poole, the other in Berkhamstead... Somebody has this bass, somebody else probably doesn't... but who?