Paul S

I've found Gumtree quite effective over the years, either when looking for a band or looking for musicians to join a band.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1460148086' post='3023168'] Sorry, you clearly have inside knowledge of Thomann's contracts with suppliers more than I do. Your trouble is you made it complicated by trying to save more money than they're prepared to take off. My guess is you're over estimating Thoman's margins. You've a lot to learn about commerce. I wish Thomann luck on this one. [/quote] You seem to have taken this one personally. No need to be quite so patronising, though. Yes, I do seem to have over complicated things and now wished I had taken a straight refund in the first place. Had I done that, then being treated like I was something scraped from the bottom of their shoe wouldn't have happened and I wouldn't have wasted so much time trying to sort it out. Live and learn, eh.

I've sneaked that onto my watch list.... thanks for posting the link!

WOT - I hit them with - 'I bought new stock, you sent me B stock, I would be happy to keep it with an appropriate discount'. So far as I can see that is a sensible option that costs everyone involved less time, money and hassle. Warren - in a way you are right, had I opted for a full refund straight away then the whole thing would have been done and dusted. But, rather than all the wrangling over how much discount I might/might not get, the thing that has annoyed me is the supercilious way I have been dealt with. Anyway, my email to the boss prompted contact from the head of Customer Care and I have now decided to take a full refund and move on.

One of these popped up recently and apparently they are legit. It was news to me at the time as I thought any Fender 'Squier Series' were early JVs with the spaghetti logo, but it seems not... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/280443-fender-squier-series-precision-i-dont-think-so/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/280443-fender-squier-series-precision-i-dont-think-so/[/url]

Numbers aside, it is the way I have been dicked about by Customer Care I am getting frustrated about. I just found an email address for the boss, Hans Thomann, so bashed out a complaint to him.

Why would they get a refund from the manufacturer? It is B stock. Someone evidently kept it, used it, then sent it back. Unless I have missed something.

Three weeks ago I bought a small, cheap back up amp from Thomann. New, not B stock. When it arrived it was evidently heavily used. Lots of scratches and a dent in the front fascia. Had I actually bought it as B stock I would have still been disappointed as it is quite scruffy. However, it works (pots are scratchy) and is just about loud enough to get me out of a pickle should the need arise. I took some pics and sent them, saying I was happy to keep it if they offered a reasonable discount. Since then I have been backwards and forwards in correspondence with them. They insisted I take pics of the Thomann packaging, despite my repeatedly telling them it is not damage caused in transit. Every time I disagreed with their 'procedures' (= pointless bureaucracy) I have been ignored until I prompt again with another email. I have ended up spending hours trying to sport it out and finally they offered me a desultory 10% discount or a complete refund if I send it back, which involves more inconvenience to take it to the post office. It is discontinued, so I can't ask for a replacement. 10% off new price for a heavily used secondhand item doesn't sound reasonable to me so I said they should improve on that. Or, if they couldn't, then just give me a return slip for complete refund. I've now waited 2 days for a reply. 3 weeks since I got it and still in limbo. Anyone else been treated shabbily by Thomann? I've not had a problem before but will certainly never buy anything from them again if this is how they carry on.

I hope not - that would be too dear for me! The style/mojo is definitely worth a premium for me but I need to balance that against how much I use my EUB. Which is only in one band, only if the set up area is big enough and even then only for about 6 songs. It is certainly naughty bottom though

I think 'naughty bottom' is the phrase [i]du jour[/i].

And he had a new outfit! What's not to like!

But it has 'style', HJ, that certain retro-ness that I like so much. At least, the old Framus does - not quite so sure about the Warwick. Mark - if I get one and it works out, you will be the first to know. Also if I get one and it doesn't work out

Thanks for that Mark. I think. Might be an expensive link!

I love it - I have a bit of a retro thing going on at home. I put it on my watch list yesterday! Might have a punt if it doesn't go silly.

As a post script. It so happens one of our guitarists has previous contact with one of the MDs of Greene King at some company MD's jolly or other and sent him off an email. The brewery looked into it and everyone concerned has acknowledged that it was completely out of order. The policy should be that if a band is booked then it stays booked - that is how it is going to be in future. Apologies were tendered all round for the way it was dealt with on the night, an offer made of £50 towards our petrol plus guaranteed gig later in the year. If we want it, of course, which is currently being discussed.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459858009' post='3020274'] I may just do that Lozz, thanks for the info. Do you happen to know what the board radius is on those before I go a-Googlin'? [/quote] Or how about one of them thar J&D Jazzes, recently discussed here? Isn't the neck a bit deeper on those? Get a black/black/maple one, then I'll buy it from you when you don't want it any more

Westone Thunder 3, collection only, low start. Be interesting to see what this makes. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westone-Thunder-3-Bass-Guitar-/331823041501?hash=item4d4231cbdd:g:HjkAAOSwSzdXA48P"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westone-Thunder-3-Bass-Guitar-/331823041501?hash=item4d4231cbdd:g:HjkAAOSwSzdXA48P[/url]

I voted for tone. Or, probably more accurately, the voice. As ET says above, you can make a bass sound different by changing the way you play but the inherent character or voice is something else. For me it is the most intangible and illusive quality. My three 'keepers' all have that certain something that is difficult to attain by changing bits. Example - my white medium scale Squier Precision arrived with what I would consider to be the perfect Precision bass tone. The voice is woody and fruity. It is also lightweight and has a very comfortable neck. But - it is white. I like black basses. So when its twin - a medium scale Squier Precision bass but in black - became available from a seller in Japan I bought it, with the intention of moving on the white one. I made exactly the same changes to the bass as had been made to the white one - Fender Original pup and better wiring loom. Result - an exceedingly lovely black Precision. But it didn't sound as nice as the white one.

Pete bought my med scale Jazz Bass Special in the most straightforward of transactions. Nice friendly chap, excellent comms - it has been an absolute pleasure doing business.

My ideal width at the nut is 38mm, although all my favourite basses seem to be 40mm. I struggle with anything much over 41mm. Depth doesn't matter so much to me.

Thanks for the low down, Jon. It would appear that, all things considered, it has the features I am not keen on - heavy, wide-ish neck, middy aggressive pickups - useful to know should another pop up. Looks the biz, though

Yes, here we go again. I was hoping to actually pin down some facts here but we still have smoke screen and slight of hand JT - I have no trouble understanding plain English. If you read through your post you didn't say 'guys I know' which presumably limits it to that rarified bubble you seem to inhabit, but 'I know of' which is something different. I would say 'I know of' if I had read it on here. But I guess all the satisfied Barefaced cab owners on Basschat don't fit your model, so you ignore them. My bottom line is that I still don't know why you have this jihad against Barefaced. You are not contractually obliged to keep it up, you know. Just accept that some people like them.

I see. So only two people on Basschat have bought and kept Barefaced cabs.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459707152' post='3018815'] I will, I will... I just need a little rest... [/quote] But will anyone listen? Or, even if they do, will they care? What is this band of which you speak, anyway? Details, pics, vids etc.

You've made a thorough and cracking job of that Jon. What are the pickups voiced like - if you had to make a comparison between any of the Seymour Duncan range, for example, which would it be nearest to? And what was the final weight/width of neck at the nut please?