Cato

It arrived about 2 hours ago, I thought I'd just plug it in quickly to check it was working before having a proper play with it tomorrow. 2 hours later and I'm only a fraction of the way through the presets and I've started the process of putting together my own effects chains. I'm definitely going to have the read the online manual, (the 'cheat sheet' instructions it comes with are pretty basic) but so far, so fantastic.

The tips of my fingers on my left hand are like leather. Weirdly the plucking fingers on my right hand are completely callous free despite 25+ years of finger style and some fairly intensive periods of playing slap. It's never caused me any problems though.

After a a month or two of umming and ahing about whether to get the HX Effects or the Stomp and watching countless reviews/tutorials on both I've finally put my order in and, subject to the vaguaries of the delivery service, the Stomp arrives on Monday.

It took me a while to get used to the preamp but I'm really happy with my V7 fretless. The maple fretboard was a big plus for me too. You just don't see many of them around on fretlesses.

I had a moment a few years ago when I realised I was thoroughly bored with guitar dominated music, even though I never stopped enjoying playing the guitar. Since then I've been listening to all kinds of stuff, a lot of funk, a fair bit of jazz and I've just gone through a phase of listening to drum 'n' bass and retro style electronica.

I Great looking bass. 've been interested in these for a couple of years I keep finding myself drawn to the one at Bass Direct. http://w.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/G%26L_Kiloton_White.html But I keep telling myself there's other gear I need to prioritise before I get another bass.

As others have said you're not going to find any global company who volunteers to pay more tax in a given country than that country's tax laws stipulate that they must. The Amazon tax avoidance thing has been going on for over a decade now. Same with Facebook, Google and the rest. The UK government has had years to close the loopholes, the fact they haven't done so strongly suggests that, despite what various politicians say in public, the reality is that they are perfectly happy with those tax arrangements, or lack of, carrying on as they are.

Nobody should be put off by the Made in Mexico label these days. I've got the Deluxe Special bass and 2 MIM Telecasters that are all, as far as I'm concerned, faultless. There' no real build quality difference between US and Mexican Fenders as far as I can tell. The US Fenders tend to use more expensive electronics and hardware and may feature prettier pieces of wood on natural/sunburst finishes or on necks and fretboards but other than that I reckon in terms of how well the instruments are put together most people would struggle to point out any way in which the US Fender is 'better' built than the Mexican.

I've got a 2016 Deluxe Special, which, as far as I know is the same spec. Jazz profile neck, active/ passive switching, 3 band EQ, it's a great instrument. It's been my first choice bass for most things since I got it.

One of the best lives bands I've ever seen. When they're not jumping around the stage rapping, they're also an extreemely competent bass/guitar/drums combo.

I think I'll check it out tonight. I'm a big fan of Dre and the whole G Funk thing. Dr Dre is a fascinating character. He has this rapper persona of being some sort of old school LA gangsta street hood, whereas the reality is that he's been a succesful DJ, producer and composer since the age of 19 before forging a name as rapper , initially in an almost Ringo-with-the-beatles type role with NWA where they just gave him the occasional relatively light hearted track to front on top of his DJ/producer duties. Since then he's gone on to become one of the most succesful rappers ever in his own right, produced and composed on a shedload of hit records for other people and forged a billion dollar business empire.

I genuinely think that it's one of the best looking basses out there. The aesthetics just work. It really shouldn't look so much better than the near identically configured and coloured Fender, but it does. I don't need another active PJ, but if I did...

Aerodyne?

It was a commercially available product, I think a couple of companies made something similar. Edit. Here you go https://www.shapeways.com/product/S9UMXUFE7/thumbrail-fits-fender-jazz-70-s-geddy-lee

Sorry, double post.