Shaggy

Stew bought my custom Thunderbird bass; absolute pleasure to deal with, great communications, and a meet up smoothly planned and carried out.

Hopefully this will inspire him back into spandex leggings and big hair. 😉  One of BC’s good guys for sure, I’d be happy to deal with again anytime. 👍

Russ bought my Warwick FNA bass - a smooth and easy deal, great communications and prompt payment up front.   We met up this afternoon in a scrotum-shrivellingly cold 🥶car park of a Swansea hotel for me to hand the beastie over (Mrs Shaggy gave me a long and dubious look when I told her I was meeting a strange man in a hotel after work......🤔)

As the above posts apply prove, he is definitely one of the good guys on BC - thanks fella! 🙂

This may be no help at all, but a few years ago I had a similar issue with my MB Walkabout (also M-pulse).

After much fiddling as tried above which didn’t seem to help, it seemed to work fine if I switched power on with the preamp gain and master volume set at zero, and active tone controls turned all the way down.    Leave it to warm up for around a minute, before turning up controls to working levels.    No idea why it worked, but it’s what I’ve done ever since.

Good luck, and if unable to sort I’d certainly take it to a decent amp tech before trying Mesa.

On 18/12/2023 at 22:24, Sparky Mark said:

Do you have the screw showing as missing from the G machinehead?

I’m really sorry, I missed this post!   No I don’t, although it doesn’t seem to make any difference at all to the functioning of the machine head.  I keep meaning to take one of the other screws down to the local Screwfix to get a replacement.

Anyway, bass now SOLD pending the usual. 🙂

Great score cetera 👍 looks lovely.

Out of interest, were import duties / VAT comparable to shipping from the US? (ie around 20% on top).   Every vintage instrument on t’bay I fancy seems to be in Japan.     

Blimey, never thought you’d sell this one Chris, especially it being your only electric!  😳

Absolutely stunning -  having owned a fretted Enfield Fusion I know that they just do any tone you could want and do it in a way that’s very intuitive, and have absolutely top notch build quality.   Some really lovely birdseye figuring on that neck, too 👍

Still, I think one can add one more certainty to the Three Certainties of Life (death, taxes, and nurses) - Beedster will always acquire another Fender type electric bass...... 😉

The all-valve D-180 head in the last pic will shortly also be up for sale; a valve or cap playing up that I’ll sort first with a visit to the tech.   Can send further pics if interested; 200W of valve hand-wired Californian goodness, unlike the 400 it only takes 6 power valves, and has a “clean” bass channel and a guitar channel that can allows really filthy distortion as it has the same cascade saturation circuit as the Mesa “mark” series guitar amps. 😎

They’re excellent pickups - the same units were fitted in their early-mid ‘80’s Explorer bass, and I absolutely loved mine.

I don’t know who would make an exact replica, but they’re single coil so something like the Nordstrand Big Single ought to sound similar.

22 hours ago, Beedster said:

My emergent rehearsal space needs not just one but two 1516s, firstly to ensure good bass coverage, but secondly as the hifi from hell, perhaps driven by an old Mesa tube stereo power amp, to teach the neighbours not to play Radio 2 so loudly on a Sunday lunchtime (the lowest point in BBC scheduling by a long shot) 👍

Reckon you could hold a festival chez Beedster with that “hi-fi from hell” Chris - and maybe try some fracking in your back yard too, given the low end on these cabs!   😉

21 hours ago, warwickhunt said:

"I can deliver to Bridgend services M4, or possibly further"... I'm guessing the 1516 to Newcastle is a push? 

Hmmmm, unless we could sort a relay.........????? 🤔

Whenever I see your posts Chris, I immediately see the new bitsa I want to build.....🤔

must resist........😕

great gear and prices as always 👍

On 14/11/2023 at 14:43, WishIcouldplay said:

I have noticed recently that the price of these basses have gone up quite a lot hence I have reverted to my original asking price of £3000. Bearing in mind the condition of this Bass in a "Custom' colour with original case I think this is a reasonable price for a vintage instrument.

I don’t think Cherry was a custom colour for these - I have a ‘69 Cherry EB-2DC -  though I certainly wouldn’t disagree with the rest of your post.   As I recall (but stand to be corrected....) Sunburst, Cherry, and Walnut were standard colour finishes, as briefly was metallic burgundy introduced as a cover-up finish when they had moisture checking problems with the standard ones,, with natural and black as special custom options.

Beautiful bass in cracking condition though, and with the very desirable “Lifton” case 👍

I forgot that I had a custom polished alu alloy pick-guard for this, which I never fitted as I preferred it without, but it definitely looks quite special.   It’s in 2 parts with a matt black backplate, but I personally prefer it with just the pierced top plate with the wood showing through.   It’s very light so can be fitted with a couple of bits of double-sided tape if you don’t want to put screws into that lovely cocobolo top (and why would you? 🤔).  Obviously included if wanted.

What truly bizarre note to find!   That’s certainly a really old phone no......

I think Flateric on here knows more than most about Peter Cook

I’m rather ashamed to admit that my first bitsa (1980’s) - a Sting-esque natural P with fretless maple board, had a F*cker  logo.   Fooled everyone on first glance, but the guy I sold it to played in a gospel band and very nicely asked me to change it.

8 hours ago, JazzyB said:

I love a thunderbird sold my last one a couple of years ago someone please buy this as it's just down the road and the missus has reminded me the one in  one out is three basses over stocked... bump

Lol - Diolch yn fawr JazzyB, you’re welcome to come over for a cuppa and try it out!  🙂. ‘Pure ‘60’s T’bird sound with boutique looks......

By your missus’s reckoning I’m at least ten overstocked 🙁

On 09/12/2023 at 20:12, dyerseve said:

Stone cold bargain! Buy it and you wont regret it!

Thanks dyerseve!  True words.....👍

On 11/12/2023 at 10:27, Henrythe8 said:

As I many - too often - commented in this section... 

I hate Brexit. 

Tell me about it; I just bought a mega-expensive classical guitar case and tuning pegs from Spain - 25 bloomin’’ % on top 🙁

Edit: bass now ON HOLD

58 minutes ago, GBH said:

I've been known to assemble the odd bitsa,  I have put fender decals on some of them, not to fool anyone, or myself, but purely for the visual aesthetics, the fender logo is iconic and for me finishes of the overall look of the instrument. If I sell any of them I make it very clear it is a bitsa.

This; likewise with me (see custom Thunderbird currently FS).  I think the problems arise further down the ownership line, when sellers don't make it clear.

It’s been done since Adam was a lad - most violins made in the 19th and early 20th century were mass-produced in Germany and Bohemia, and the great majority of them have labels purporting the instrument to be made by an Italian master; Stradivarius, Amiti, Guarneri etc, or often more cunningly lesser known Italian and French makers.  They weren't necessarily aiming to be fakes (though many certainly were, that’s when relicing became a fine art too......), it was more of a tribute to the makers design that they were copying, and to give the copy more kudos.

That’s a good price if it really is a Bicentennial T’bird - I’ve never seen one in Pelham blue (original????)

Yup, that’s the most bodged headstock repair I’ve ever seen, but should be pretty straightforward for a pro to put right.  Seller should have been straight about it though.....

What a grumpy lot we are......

Really only one absolute turn-off for me - Black block fret markers.  Ugh 😑 

I can remember the OP question first being asked circa 1977 when the first synth drums cane in.......

Personally all of my experiences with electronic drum kits have been positive for the excellent reasons given above; where all members of the band are fully electric it makes mixing at any sound level so much easier.   After a solid 46 years of gigging with mainly acoustic kits I’m sure my hearing has suffered. 🙁

38 minutes ago, lee650 said:

I got very excited when i saw the year, and thought "lovely slim wenge neck" Any chance of swapping the necks back?😊

Thanks Lee - I”d very much prefer not to, as the Streamer is now my main bass and it just feels so “right”as it is - plus if the original neck was still on this I’d be asking at least £100 more.  The ovangkol neck is by no means chunky, and having owned a couple of MM Stingrays the neck feels totally “right” to me on this bass. 

But I’ll give it a while and see what happens........🤔

Really great gig bags; I’ve tried most of the others but now only use this.

GLWTS 👍

Ooh, in Swansea too......🤔

Always been partial to a big semi (f’nar f’nar....), fab Gretsch vibe on this 👍

Lovely - I’ve owned three Mk 1 Customs, but there’s something aesthetically so “right” about these single p/up Pro 1’s.

GLWTS 👍

Brian bought my Martin bass - smooth easy deal, great communications, prompt payment and arranged his own courier - thanks fella!  🙂.  Definitely one of BC’s good guys