BlueMoon

In true "Blue Peter" fashion - here's one prepared earlier.

There are a few coloured ones on ebay.........mostly from the far east. So no idea of quality, but assume poor. I have several DIY examples that I have spray painted (base + clear coat) using a Fender tug bar as the basis. I have to admit that they are more for asthetics than function, since I don't play with my thumb.

Avalon U5

And good luck with that!!!

Pretty normal practice in Fender at the time, according to folk-lore

I've found lead-free ok, if it is all new work that I'm dealing with. It's where you try to make repairs to old boards with lead-based solder on them using lead-free solder l that I've had problems. The two formulations don't play nice together.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^ And watch for spurious "administration cost" which courriers sometimes add if they act as go between.

Sounds like a good idea until they check at customs or you have a claim against the courier if lost or damaged. It quickly ends in an expensive potential short-cut. Customs are switched on to most prices and will over-estimate in cases of doubt and levy a fine for trying to declare value below their estimate. For 2nd hand gear, it's about 25% on top of the price paid locally to import.

...........and when you've been there it's 100% satisfaction.

Transposing on the fly is fun though? 😟

In order to realise a profit, don't you have to sell the bass? That's my problem 😃.

I'm with you there!!! Not a GAS killer, but reduced my enthusiasm somewhat.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jóhann Ásmundsson - Mezzoforte (Funk/fusion band from Iceland) Abe Laboriel - Koinonia

I have gear sourced from all over the place. I don't start out with a "it must come from this country or that" outlook. Quality-first is more my aspiration. Second-hand quality gear can often be a wise buy, when you can find it.

This ^^^^ In my experience, there is often a lot of behind the scenes stuff going on that you might not be aware of. Suck it up as a song learning experience and look out for other outfits where the "fit" feels more obvious. Good luck!

Same for me too!

I don't own a signature bass and never have. I'm neither against them nor for them. The closest I came to owning a signature bass (a Ricky 4001 CS) was back in the early/mid 90's when I passed up the chance to snag one new. I even played it and lusted over it. Couldn't persuade my missus at the time that it would be a good investment. We'd gone in to the music shop to try out a piano for our two boys to learn music on. Did a deal on a piano and that was that. The sequel to the story is that the piano "investment" was given to charity about 25 years later and neither of the boys took up that instrument. Hey, ho..........that 4001 CS is still out there though.