philw

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1476430263' post='3154144'] Fair point Phil, although I am that man who did have a personal relationship - had a mate working in the store for a few years!! But yes, a lot of the staff do seem quite transient, and I would be a stranger in there now. [/quote] See, I knew there'd be one! Really like your Modlock blog by the way - about time you wrote a new post though (although I'm a fine one to talk on that score). Better to do some proper work now (well, after some breakfast and a coffee) rather than post nonsense on basschat :-) P

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1476428864' post='3154131'] Slight caveat, I have no idea if the OP is a regular, known customer. If he is then I would have thought the shop would be more accommodating thinking a bass sold on eBay may lead to another sale. [/quote] Well I've bought a couple of basses (cheap ones) and a few cables/strings from GAK in the last five years or so but I'm not a particularly regular customer. But, even if I was, the staff turnover in GAK is I suspect so fast (this is Brighton after all) that the idea of establishing any kind of long term personal relationship with the shop is unlikely (sits back and waits for somebody to say they have just that). It's GAK, it's not your friendly local independent music shop. P

I didn't actually really have a problem with paying for a box, and actually, I wasn't surprised that GAK had finally got wise to "chancers" (first time anybody's called me that, not sure if I should be pleased of offended) wanting boxes for shipping eBay sales. And in the context of selling a bass on eBay (£200 inc shipping), a fiver was fine as far as I was concerned. Yes, a bike box might have been available for free, but the time I would then have to spend faffing and cutting would also have "cost". Now, the fiver may well have gone straight in the pocket of the shop floor guy who sold me the box, but he did the deal in front of at least two colleagues so they would have seen what was going on. But, margins on Squire product are very tight for both GAK and Fender, and its possible that part of GAK's purchasing deal with Fender includes a discount on returned boxes - this could explain why the fiver couldn't go through the books (although I seem to remember it did go through the till, 'cause I proffered a tenner and got a fiver changel). Of course what subsequently happened to the fiver is a mystery. P

So, I popped into GAK in Brighton to beg for a cardboard box to ship an eBay sale bass in. It's something I've done before and they've always been happy to help. They were happy to help yesterday too, but they now have a policy of selling boxes for a fiver. Apparently they get paid to re-cycle the boxes (I wonder if Fender UK gives them a discount on new stock if they return boxes?) so can't give them away any more. It was cash only for the box though so clearly it's not business that goes through the books. I guess I shouldn't be surprised about anything these days, but my eyebrows did twitch in an upward direction. That is all.... P

Thanks all, that's brilliant stuff. I'll report back. P

Oh that's interesting, I wasn't aware of the GHS Crossovers. I've tried both the NS standard and the NS traditional strings on my CR4 over the years (I've had the bass 20 years at least). My problem with the standard strings was always their arco character - difficult to get them singing and when they do, they have a decidedly honky tone. The trad strings went too far the other way - too dull and with very high tension. I'm using Thomastik Infeld Spiros now (3/4 size won't fit, you need 4/4 size) - they're expensive but sound really good for both arco and pizz. I too would like to know more about the GHS strings. P

No, I don't mean new bass shops in the picturesque city of York, I mean bass retail hot spots to go mooching around in New York city. You see, I find myself, from tomorrow, with a week long stay in New York, and when not sitting around in coffee shops working on my laptop (no, really, I have work to do) I'll have a bit of time to kill. So, along with seeing a few sights and visiting a few galleries and museums, which bass shops does the great collective wisdom of Basschat reckon are worth a visit? I'm not planning on buying anything (famous last words), but it would be fun just to look. Any recommendations? P

Some really cool design ideas and finish there I think. http://padalka-guitars.com/custom-basses/ P

Which just got me GASsing on the Andertons website. I didn't realise they were stocking Reverend basses. I really like this: https://www.andertons.co.uk/p/DSNOSG/electric-basses/reverend-decision-dsn-bass-in-oceanside-green Which will probably come as no surprise considering this: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/287400-nbd-jagtele-mashup/

Needs a maple fingerboard though.