uncle psychosis

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1355844309' post='1903552'] It's a real shame about the set up being poor, the dude in PMT was pretty good & set it up in a few mins for me. Well worth the money [/quote] If I'd been seriously buying, I would have asked them to. But I was just trying out some basses to get some ideas, so I didn't want to waste the shops time!

Browsing Thomann and came across these; http://www.thomann.de/gb/gretsch_g2210_junior_jet_bass_black.htm I think they look great...anyone tried one?

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1355841143' post='1903465'] It's the best bass for me that i have ever owned.......I gush even now about my lowley budget Ibanez. I know most people will laugh at my £280 bass but I am still besotted by it. [/quote] £230 at Thomann now There is something really drool worthy about the white ones too! Great story, I love hearing about people's love affairs with instruments I tried a whole load of Ibanez basses last time I went shopping---and was put off all of them by horrible setups. All of them had horrific fretbuzz, the actions were set far too low, and it was just impossible to demo them properly. Yeah, I could probably have complained and got the shop to fix them, but I shouldn't have had to. A pity, because I'm sure underneath they were good instruments (and some of them were orange! orange! How awesome is that!!)

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1355840267' post='1903444'] Ok, how about respecting my right to have the opinion that £500 on a 1973 4001 was a low-ball offer? I think that opinion should be respected, given that someone eventually bought the bass for close to the asking price. [/quote] Yes, you are probably right that that was a "lowball" offer. But if you genuinely got upset about it then you probably shouldn't watch the news or read the papers, because you'll be in for an emotional rollercoaster...

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1355840138' post='1903440'] Well, neither are worth getting offended about for a start. [/quote]

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1355838256' post='1903372'] An opinion is just that and everyone is entitled to one. [/quote] Yes, but you seem to be under the (mistaken) opinion that all opinions should be respected. I was pointing out that thats not true

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1355835715' post='1903315'] As to being offended, can't you get it though your head it's MY opinion and you should bloody well respect that instead of calling it 'ridiculous'! [/quote] One of the oddest aspects of modern society is that everyone seems to have gained the idea that calling something "their opinion" makes it sacrosant and of value. Its the same nonsense that leads to homeopaths being allowed "their opinion" on the best ways to cure cancer and creationists being allowed "their opinion" when it comes to the teaching of science in schools. Not all opinions need to be respected. Some of them are just too silly.

Probably my favourite Christmas tune, and definitely one of my favourite bass lines: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1mUHHDBN6w[/media] Another Christmas bass classic: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0NoalRsk5w[/media]

I hit the very first note of the very first song... And my E string snaps. Luckily a very nice bass player from another band spots it, gets his bass out, tunes it for me, and hands it to me just as my bemused bandmates make it to the end of the number. :-)

I'm really not keen on the slade/wizard/mariah carey "now thats what I call Christmas" numbers but there are some truly great alternative Christmas songs out there that I absolutely adore. I'll post some links when I get home tonight (where I can get on youtube).

[quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1355473142' post='1898715'] I have one of these, but the headphone out is far too noisy on mine to be of any use. I occasionally use the DI from it to a small mixer and then the headphone out on that for quiet practice. [/quote] I had the same problem and ended up using the same solution. Now I'm using a Hartke Bass Attack and a mixer---lets me play along to music on my PC, feed the signal back into my PC, all sorts of fancy things. The Bass Attack (Second hand) and 6 channel mixer (Cheap) cost me less than £100 all in.

Finally tried out the Phase 90 and the Shimverb the other night. The Phase 90 is very, very nice indeed. I love it. I think you'd have to spend a lot more to get a better phaser. The Shimverb is OK. The room and spring modes sound pretty good. The shimmer---which is what I bought it for---doesn't really do it for me. I'm in two minds as to whether or not to keep it (not sure I need "normal" reverb). Anyone fancy swapping my shimverb for your something else? (not dirt, I have lots of dirt).

Personally speaking---I don't mind buying an instrument if its been on the shop wall. In fact, if I go into a shop and demo an instrument then I want to walk out with the same instrument that I've been trying, not some random one boxed out the back. On its own, the fact that they didn't polish/clean it before they sent it is not very cool and I'd maybe try and get some free strings or something from them as an apology... HOWEVER, with all that said, having the case candy missing is totally unacceptable. If they supply you with the correct stuff and a suitable apology then I'd maybe let it slide, otherwise it'd be going back or I'd be asking for a serious discount.

I don't care where I am relative to the drummer, but the guitarist in my band is left handed, so I prefer to be on his left so that we don't clash headstocks.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1354820239' post='1890902'] there's a variety of "lowballers" that do get annoying 'though. a while back, around the time I sold you that black Vintage Jazz bass (now back with me, thanks! ) I was selling quite a lot of things: guitars, basses, effects... I advertised them all on Gumtree. I received emails from the same person for just about every single item, offering 50% of my asking price trying to entice me by saying they would collect on the day. After I replied to three of his emails I just got bored. There was one particular item he seemed to want, and he kept insisting, always offering 50% and starting to become a little offensive, not just pushy. what was he thinking? Clearly someone with too much time in his hands trying his luck at anything. [/quote] Yes, that would be annoying---but more annoying because of the persistant rudeness rather than the lower offer though, right?

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1354731453' post='1889775'] We already have a message to every seller to ask for a donation, and unfortunately it doesn't work. Shame, but there you go!! [/quote] well, yes. But my memory of that message is that its a bit flowery---"it would be really nice if you send us a donation...". What I'm suggesting is more of an upfront "We cannot continue doing this for free, please help us out". FWIW, I will be hitting the donate button at some point this month (I'm utterly skint and waiting for an expenses claim to hit my bank account...).

[quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1354809800' post='1890691'] Someone offers less that you want. You can decline it. The offer is their risk, not yours. I don't understand people complaining or feeling insulted or annoyance at the sheer thought of a haggle. If you're selling something, that's the deal. That's the way it is. If you sell stuff, someone eventually is going to offer you less than you want for it. Get over it. Or don't sell stuff. If you're really incapable of entering into a conversation on price, then maybe put "strictly no offers" in the advert (for simple courtesy) then don't reply to offers. Or deal with it however you like, I don't care really but getting annoyed or feeling insulted by someone offering you an exchange (be it cash, sex or magic beans) for something you want rid of is pretty strange behaviour in my book! Doing nobody any favours, especially yourselves. [/quote] +1. I cannot comprehend how anyone could be "offended" or "upset" by a politely worded PM offering less than they're asking for. Just say no. Its no more socially awkward than someone saying "would you like a cup of tea?" and replying "no thanks". Its just not a big deal. Fair enough get a bit annoyed if your ad says "Firm price" or "no offers, please" but if it doesn't then just deal with it like an adult with functional social skills and move on.

Honestly, I'm not very keen on the idea of paying to place ads. I'd rather see regulars contribute to the site because they want to---perhaps, before implementing such massive changes, it might be worth contacting the whole membership and saying "Look, we can't continue to run basschat as it is for free. If you enjoy the site, please, contribute some cash to the pot, otherwise we'll have to start charging for placing ads" or similar. I'm aware that you already (sort of) do this, but I think a much more explicit request might have some sway. You've got nothing to lose, either---you could try it and see what happens!

[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1354727659' post='1889682'] but at the time I thought the £70 I was asking for basically a new amp(the loose connection was a two minute fix with some molegrips that I didn't have time for at the time) was fair. [/quote] See, this kind of thing grinds my gears far more than someone trying to haggle a price. If its "only a two minute job to fix" or "its missing part $Y but you can get one on eBay for a few quid..." then major alarm bells start going in my head as a buyer. If a seller can't be bothered to spend the "few minutes" to fix whatever the supposed "minor" issue is, or won't spend a couple of pounds to replace a missing part on a bass worth hundreds then I start to have major doubts as to whether or not I want to deal with them.

I have no problem with someone offering me less than I asked for, so long as they are polite about it. The worst thing that happens is I say no.

[quote name='bobpalt' timestamp='1354629970' post='1888364'] Not really sure why there are any objections at all to paying something to sell on BC? Maybe for items less than £100 there might be a case, but £20 to register as a trading member is far less than it would cost to sell just one mediocre bass on Ebay, let alone several a year. [/quote] People know what they're paying for with eBay. To random internet passers-by, basschat is a totally unknown quantity. Why risk paying basschat to sell your bass when you can pay eBay and know exactly what you're getting into? Yes, basschat regulars might have no problem paying to use the classifieds (I'd be happy to)---but you have to ask whether or not the long term health of the site might diminish (I reckon a fairly large number of users only join initially because of the marketplace and then hang around once they get to know the place).

Being honest, I don't like the new classifieds at all, and most people have already listed the reasons why so I won't repeat them. I also don't really see whats wrong with the current system. If the site needs to make some money to continue then lets try and raise some funds---but I'm not convinced that charging a yearly or one-off listing fee will help the site long term. Lots of people only join the site initially so they can sell something, and then they stick around. If they have to pay a fee up front, they'll probably not bother. Basschat has a great "community" feel to it. The classifieds are (fairly) self-moderating as it is. I think if the site needs more money coming in then a large number of the regulars will help out, without needing to be forced to, so long as they are asked in the correct manner.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1354536894' post='1887018'] No buts it's 90% more of a fair test, same body wood, same pickup windings, same bridge settings, same strings, same tone controls etc. [/quote] Yes, but if taking a neck off and replacing it changes the sound just as much as taking a neck off and putting a different one on then your test is 100% pointless. Unless you have a baseline for your test then you can't make a comparison.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1354534386' post='1886979'] Have not watched the clip but did they swap the necks over onto the same body and everything that goes with it or just compare two basses with different boards? Means nothing if its the latter as far as science is concerned [/quote] Even the former isn't necessarily very rigorous science. Does taking a neck off, then putting it straight back on again make it sound different? Does replacing one neck with a nominally identical one make a difference?

As a new user I think I'd look at the classifieds and think "oh, its a bass gumtree". With the current system I know that I looked at it and thought "there's a LOT of traffic in here!!" which was a definite attraction. Also, how do I access the new classifieds from the mobile version? I can't figure it out...