uncle psychosis

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1376810940' post='2179261'] I own a Yamaha BJ5B (essentially a cross between an SBV and TRB5). Signature bass of Terry & The Blue Jeans who are a very popular surf band in Japan, made in a limited edition of only 50. I probably own the only example outside of Japan, but if it was possible for me to get this I believe that almost nothing is rare that it will never turn up. [/quote] Just had a google...looks awesome. Any chance of some pics?

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1376912659' post='2180647'] The thing I'll take away from this is the supplier's aggressive and at times frankly ludicrous response on a public forum to a customer problem. That's factual, and not disputable, despite some apologia on here along the lines of 'he must have been having a bad day' or 'he always talks like that'. [/quote] Me too. The condition of the bass was neither here nor there as far as I am concerned.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1376900135' post='2180384'] Either Molan should say the buyer messed with it himself or should refrain from posting more fuel IMO. Your not helping your mate out at all with these cryptic posts [/quote] +1. I find it weird that he thought the "trial by internet" of JC was unfair but is now making unsupported insinuations about the other party in this whole sorry affair.

Hey folks I've currently got a set of Status Flatwounds on my TRB and whilst I love the feel I'd like some strings with a bit more zing and slightly less thump (especially on lower notes). I suspect that pressurewounds or halfwounds maybe up my street but I'd really like some recommendations. I'm not prepared to spend much more than £30 on a set of strings so please bear that in mind... tl;dr: Please recommend strings that feel like flats under the fingers but sound like halfwounds. Cheap. Cheers!

Having recently dealt with US customs and immigration there is no way on earth I would be risking anything with them. "Welcome to the USA", indeed

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1376745316' post='2178605'] I think I had more "tire-kickers" and "lowballers" the one time I listed a bass here than all my eBay listings combined... [/quote] They're everywhere unfortunately. I tried to sell some furniture on gumtree and five different people agreed to buy it and then just didn't turn up at the allotted time. Gits.

I'm confused. This guy screwed up one job, and so you left another guitar with him for three years whilst he did another? I'm completely baffled to be honest.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1376641285' post='2177117'] Do they do a five, though? Seems likely (without looking) [/quote] "only four string available" [url="http://www.sandberg-guitars.com/basscat-overview/electraseries/electravs4"]http://www.sandberg-guitars.com/basscat-overview/electraseries/electravs4[/url]

The pound has taken a tanking over the last few years and inflation is quite high. Add that in to price rises from the manufacturers and suddenly gear is a lot more expensive.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1376636123' post='2177036'] I've never tried Gumtree or Preloved. Easy to use, any good? Slight thread hijack, sorry Mr BB. [/quote] Not used preloved but Gumtree is straightforward. I use it for instruments I'm not prepared to ship. Just be prepared for some tire-kickers and lowballers (and keep your wits about you) and its a great place to sell.

Can anyone lend me £500? Thats stonking. Genuinely the best looking P bass I've seen in years.

Haven't really listened to the new record. Any good? This was always my favourite QOTSA tune, basswise. Such a cool groove. Keep meaning to work it out. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SuuPZ-Ht9M[/media]

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1376494415' post='2174869'] I actually think it doesnt look bad at all, although I think it'd look way better with the headstock the right way up. It's a bit thunderbirdy. [/quote] My thoughts too. Turn the headstock the right way up and I'd really like it.

On the vast majority of bass effects (including the RAT) I like to use a Boss LS2 to blend in some clean signal. Using an EQ can work as well but I personally prefer clean blend.

It's clear from reading this thread that a majority of bassists don't know what "irrational" means ;-)

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1376518866' post='2175543'] I can't help but thinking those doing the most slagging off are people who have never owned or played an A-C bass and never have any intention of owning one . [/quote] The quality (or lack thereof) of his work has literally nothing to do with his utterly piss-poor public handling of the situation. I can't help but wonder if those giving it the "two sides to every story" spiel have actually bothered to read his public response on TB. Its completely embarrassing.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1375427143' post='2160987'] but consider the cost of a monthly issue of BGM or any other glossy monthlies and i dont think its a bad buy if you have a fiver to spare - certainly some useful bathtime reading in there about all the early history if you werent already familiar [/quote] True. I had just booked a holiday so was watching my pennies

I think increasing numbers of people are using ebay as a shop window. Put high price on it so that it doesn't actually sell via ebay and hope that someone local sees it and contacts you. You sell it to them for a more reasonable price outside ebay and avoid fees. you see it here as well in the classifieds "its on ebay but contact me via basschat and we can do a deal..."

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1376485512' post='2174626'] or any bit of kit that I can plug the output from the Walkman, or laptop, into so that I can play along and hear it at the same time? [/quote] Cheap mixer. Plug your bass into it, plug your audio source into it. Use headphones to hear both. Thats what I do for home practice.

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1376488750' post='2174743'] If you go custom, there's 0% chance of you getting something you didn't want. [/quote] To be pedantic, going custom means there's 100% chance of getting [i]what you asked for[/i], which may or may not be the same as getting exactly what you [i]wanted. [/i]Personally speaking, I have absolutely no idea what the spec of my ideal bass would be. I'd have no idea where to start. Going custom is brilliant, so long as you really know what you want. In this specific case the OPs requirements seem to be "jazz bass, four strings". Not really specific enough for custom!

Impressive chops. I wish I'd picked up bass younger (I played wind instruments at school and picked up the bass as an adult). Children are hard wired for learning, lucky little buggers

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1376427620' post='2173956'] He has been tried and found guilty by a jury of idiots on Talkbass and now it has passed into legend that he is a conman who produces shoddy work and t[b]hen abuses his disgruntled customers[/b] . I expect that is actually some way from the truth of what actually happened here . . [/quote] The bit in bold is verifiably true, though. I can completely forgive the condition of that bass. Maybe there was a genuine miscommunication about the condition. Maybe the postal guys opened it up and abused it. Maybe JC sent the wrong one by mistake. Maybe its just a really sh*t bass. I don't care---sh*t happens, and its forgivable. Personally speaking I'd never spend that kind of cash without trying an instrument anyway, so it really doesn't affect me one bit. What is completely and utterly unforgivable, in my eyes, is to respond with such obvious bullshit and abuse of a customer. Photoshop? The buyer doesn't deserve a bass like this? Really? Really??? The fact that JC came out with such nonsense actually makes me question even more what went wrong in the first place. A simple "There's been a misunderstanding, its being put right, we take QC very seriously..." and everyone with any sense would have just said "oh well, something weird happened, we probably won't find out what, but its all sorted now". But responding with such aggression and nonsense about photoshop makes it even easier for people to see JC as a bad guy. He's brought it upon himself. You cannot---cannot---run a business in 2013 without understanding how to market yourself online. You just can't. Yes its a shame if JC's reputation has been hurt because of this but if his reputation has, indeed, been damaged then he has to shoulder a lot of the blame for that. Nobody forced him to respond like that. He chose to.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1376321038' post='2172089'] Wise words and thanks UB. But I literally think it would take years to get profficient with it. [/quote] Honestly, I think you do yourself a disservice. 5 minutes practice every day for a month or so and you'll be rocking away. If you can play bass with your fingers you can play bass with a pick. Its genuinely not hard.