Beedster

Seems to be a common thing 🤔

Suggestion meet solution Just checked my emails, these were the specific problems I had 1. UPS refused to collect due to the value of the bass which meant I had to take it to a 'Service Centre' where the staff had apparently no idea what to do with the paperwork and at least some of the documents didn't make it to the US 2. It was almost impossible to identify the correct import code, which IIRC we eventually had to leave off the form which further slowed down the process 3. Despite the buyer repeatedly speaking to them on the phone, UPS kept emailing me new forms to complete requiring the information the buyer had already provided (these were almost certainly system generated but I got the sense that phone conversations and digital comms were completely independent of each other). UPS tracking was also a disaster, we received 'Out for delivery' emails followed by 'Your item has been held by Customs' emails frequently Eventually Rob at Status provided the necessary information, which IIRC was related to the material of the neck inlays, and after a few weeks the bass was released. I have a friend who like @walshy regularly sends guitars to the US, his view is that it's generally ok but that when it goes wrong it goes spectacularly wrong, guess we were unlucky In the grand scheme of things, all unimportant stuff. But it was an expensive and rare instrument and myself and the buyer had three weeks of worry about losing it, something neither of us could really afford to do, especially as it was a little ambiguous as to whether the insurance would cover an impounded instrument, I suspect not. But even though I might have been unlucky, I will not use UPS again, ever 😡

Shame they've chosen to not us the fender headstock shape, Status necks always look 'right' on a Fender, not sure these will?

Ha ha, sorry, but a new bass can't be a bad thing surely I remember at the time of Manifesto Roxy Music were pretty much Prog Rock Royalty with Ferry as the King and a court of highly acclaimed musicians - Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay especially - and then suddenly there was this punk kid not only playing bass, but putting the bass front and centre both in the mix and in the imagery (as as I said in the RM thread, Tibbs gets more video real estate than anyone other than Ferry in that video). At the time it was really aspirational 👍

No just a bass player who I’d forgotten until today

This was the album version of Angel Eyes from the same album, which has a far more grunty bass line, almost like the producer said 'Play it how JJB would sound....?'

Bass nice and prominent and grunty in this live mix https://www.facebook.com/bryanferryfanpage/videos/roxy-music-trash-nippon-budōkan-tokyo-japan-april-28-1979-pro-shot/684994735365558/

If I understand you're suggesting the WAV is able to pickup non-mag strings while the CRM isn't. The CRM has both EMG mag and bridge piezo so as Tony says, it would work, you simply have to try it to know how it would sound to your ear and style, although you would have fewer tonal options than you would with steel strings as the mag PUPs would be out of the equation

Posted this vid in the Roxy Music thread, but suspect he deserves his own spotlight having played in some important bands of the time - Adam & The Ants, Vibrators two name two. I think I learned more about playing bass from hearing and studying this bass line than I learned in the following 5-years. As I said in the other thread, it's tight, present, and insistent. Nothing special in itself, but it doesn't just suit the song, it drives it along powerfully. Glorious

I love the fact that he gets so much video real estate in that clip, especially when you consider he was the 20-year old newbie in a pretty established band with some pretty serious musicians. Having said that, IIRC even given his youth he'd already done stints with Vibrators and Adam and the Ants, so some decent experience. But man, the first time I heard that bassline I was hooked for life, so tight, present, and insistent. Beautiful work 👍

This is not just good advice but is essential advice. However, the fact that a manufacturer can provide the documentation doesn't mean that US Customs will accept it as fact. Also, as I found, not even the best instrument builders can always provide evidence as to - for example - the mother of pearl used in neck inlays was sourced from. I would suggest that you either get the owner to sort all of the processes from the US so that they get to deal with the fun, or you work with a UK builder/dealer who regularly ships to the US and who is a) therefore trusted by US Customs and b) familiar with the madness of US Customs

Gary Tibbs' bass line on Trash makes me fall in love with bass again every time I hear it, nothing special technically but perfect for the track, what bass is all about 👍

How did you listen to it, live, recorded, and if the latter, a trusted source? Could be a modded instrument with a bridge PUP or similar installed? I've tried guts and gut-a-likes on EUBs before without much success, even with decent PUPs. Only way you'll know is if you try for yourself though 👍

The fact that he owns them doesn't protect you from the hell of US Customs. If I had to send a bass to the US again I would convert the case into a boat and row the Atlantic to avoid dealing with both US Customs and the frankly unbelievable mess that US couriers make of dealing with US Customs. As an indication, I received 64 emails from UPS requesting information about the bass last time I did it

I'm sure AI can do that for you Jack In fact it can probably do the gig for you

Pretty much everything from Rubber Soul to Abbey Road sounds SO much better on a Ric, irrespective of what Macca (or not Macca) actually played on the track 👍

Love that pic @BaggyMan 👍 And in answer to your question..... Modulus Sonic Hammer Fretless Ric 4003 Lakland Decade

I love Dimarzio Precision PUPs, they have a lovely mix of clarity and grunt. But yes, a lot of wires to find a home for. Worth the struggle though 👍