uncle psychosis

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1358956100' post='1947605'] Still think the SKB FPB4 (from memory) is a stunning case at 75 quid. [/quote] I like SKB cases, but since two (!) of their hard foam cases (the SC-44 model) fell apart on me I'm not so keen.

I disagree that if you don't get gigging quickly you never will. My band rehearsed for 18 months before we even thought about gigging---although, to be fair, we did start out as just three guys who wanted to make a racket in a rehearsal room...

[quote name='AnalogBomb' timestamp='1358865160' post='1946235'] I see what your saying her mate, but stuff shouldn't be prone to breaking when it's been out no time at all. Yeah, good on TC for recalling it, that's responsible, but make sure things are right at source, then they will save themselves the trouble of having to recall god knows how many units!? It's just a major inconvenience, not just for me but for many other TC users. As Jimryan says, I still really like TC, but it has somewhat tainted my view of them. I always used to think when I saw product recall signs in the shop windows 'thank god I didn't buy one of those!' [/quote] I used to work in manufacturing. Its far too easy to say "get it right before it ships". Sometimes things happen that you could never, ever have predicted. For instance, you buy a whole load of parts from a supplier and test them to death during your prototype and design phase. All is well. You move to full production and your supplier's supplier makes a change to a component and doesn't bother telling anyone (this happens!). Or the new guy at your supplier sends you 8,000,000 steel plated ball bearings instead of 8,000,000 solid steel ball bearings and because they look identical nobody notices the problem.Suddenly your fully qualified parts are not the same as they used to be and its months before the failures start. Oh-oh.

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1358930360' post='1947091'] With this said, I am surprised so many people are trying to offload gear at the moment, there can't be a worse time to sell with it being the start of a year and also everyone having such tight purse strings. [/quote] I think people are selling things *because* they are skint.

This is bizarre. Bizarre, but pretty cool. http://boingboing.net/2013/01/21/rems-losing-my-religion.html Someone took "Losing My Religion" and shifted it so its in a major key. I quite like it.

At £20 more than a Hiscox they'd better be phenomenal.

Personally I think G&Ls marketing is a bit crap. Just little things, like the name "Tribute". To me, that implies "copy" or "not quite as good as". I'm not saying they're *not* good, but the name has negative connotations in my mind. Certainly, their availability/distribution isn't very good---I've only very rarely seen them in shops. They also compete at a funny price point, where there are a *lot* of alternatives. That market must be hard to succeed in.

[quote name='buckers' timestamp='1358849391' post='1945866'] This also happens on mine and I presume its capacitors discharging. I simply turn down the volume control prior to switch off - switch off with no thump - then put the volume control back up to its original position again a few seconds later. [/quote] I always make sure the volume on any amp is turned down before I turn it on or off. Its maybe a bit paranoid, but it saves you from nasty surprises if things aren't set where they're supposed to be.

[quote name='rasher80' timestamp='1358523473' post='1940834'] Crikey, just Googled the Yamaha THR10 and was a bit taken aback by the price - i am after cheap and cheerful really (and i know by-and-large you get what you pay for) as I am a rubbish guitarist and just looking for something to noodle through when I get a bit of free time! [/quote] I think the Cube will suit you nicely. A lot of the guys over at musicradar recommend them highly.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1358844266' post='1945795'] It's a bit of a cop-out though isn't it? For people too vanilla to buy a Thunderbird-shaped T-Bass. [/quote] I'd happily have both

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1358857319' post='1946021'] I read the wikipedia entry, and now I'm wondering what post-hardcore and math-rock sound like I must get out more... [/quote] Math Rock tends to be really riffy, but the riffs are all in odd time signatures (or keep changing time signature) and fast tempos. Some of its really good, but I find most of it to be too annoying to get into---everytime it sounds like they get into a groove it changes

[quote name='MrTaff' timestamp='1358857385' post='1946025'] Which is ok if you know it's a demo model and you've had a chance to inspect it but if you order a new bass online I'd expect it to be new. [/quote] The Distance Selling Regs exist to allow you to inspect an instrument. I don't have a problem with shops shipping the instrument from the shop floor so long as they've looked after it. Its a personal thing though. Some people get really picky about it---"I want an unplayed one" but forget that it's probably already been played at the factory and maybe again by the shop staff if they set it up before sending it out.

Just stick them in a tupperware box or something and put them in the cupboard. Remember even "new" bass strings have probably sat on the shelf in the factory/shop for months anyway.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1358853256' post='1945933'] If I discovered them all by myself I'd have embarrassed myself by calling them prog-rock, having never heard of post-rock [/quote] I think post-rock is a lot like prog-rock, except without all the w**ky soloing that makes prog-rock unlistenable Mogwai are an astoundingly good band IMO, but I've never really tried to learn any of their songs---its not the kind of music that lends itself to playing on your own in the house!

[quote name='MrTaff' timestamp='1358853831' post='1945950'] Loads of shops do this, they think it's ok to sell the one off the wall that everybodies played & still claim it's new. [/quote] On the flipside, I've happily bought the shop "display" model because I don't see the point in saying "yeah, this one plays nice, now give me a totally different unseen one thats boxed up through in the back...". [b]As long as a shop looks after its gear[/b] I have no problem with them selling the display ones as new.

Apologies if this comes across as patronising, but better to err on the side of caution... Make sure you tighten the screws up evenly. I've seen people assemble things by inserting one screw at a time, fully tightening it, and then moving onto the next screw. This always ends badly---better to get each screw started, then tighten them up evenly a few turns at a time. This way you should get a nice tight, even fit.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1358848285' post='1945847'] So... you're saying to ignore poor manufacture quality in favor of the sound? Ok... i can see a very, very small valid point in this one if you were buying second hand gear but what you're saying seems to me the same thing that entering a BMW stand and buying a new car with chipped paintwork and not bothering about it just because it works properly when you turn the key! All i tried to say in my posts was if i'm paying £1000 plus for a bass i demand that it comes with quality build and finish... [/quote] And all I'm saying is that a neck pocket gap is only "poor quality" [b]if[/b] the bass has bad sustain. If the bass sustains well then the fit of the neck pocket is not an issue. Chipped paintwork is an entirely different problem and is not what we're discussing.

I'd be interested in trying the FatBeams. My TRB came with DR roundwounds but the seller couldn't remember which variety. They lasted *ages* (I've had the bass for nearly 18 months now and the strings are still OK---I took them off to put flats on last month but they're otherwise fine) and sounded good. I'll probably buy more but £35 is quite a lot to gamble! Certainly, your photo is consistent with what my DR strings look like.

One other thing that I've learned is that the gear you use isn't all that important. I've seen enough pros just using "any old gear" now to realise that so long as your gear is setup well and in tune talent and hard work are more important than the name on the headstock or amp.

This is an area Fender really need to improve on. Their Mexican basses don't come with a lot (I thought it was just manual / allen keys / tags) but because they don't make it clear it means that retailers just send any old junk and hope you'll accept it.

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1358810859' post='1945630'] Is it still panto season??? [/quote] No. It's behind you.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1358810424' post='1945621'] It'll sound very different though . [/quote] True, I'll need to buy both

[quote name='elephantgrey' timestamp='1358787047' post='1944981'] EDIT: if so, why don't they just say so? why hide behind meaningless acronyms? [/quote] Given how many pedals these days are cloned and copied I can forgive a company for being slightly circumspect about giving away details of how something new works.

The MO-2 looks cool. Not convinced by the marketing spiel---from the description and sounds, I'd guess that they're splitting the signal into different frequency regions and applying the effect slightly different to each one?

Its not a *million* miles away from this other beauty: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/192862-fs-fender-roscoe-beck-v-green-teal-metallic-2003-great-condition-new-price/