EssentialTension

Excellent combo, I love mine.

... and stating where you are based.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1335111185' post='1625876'] The arrangement of black paint on your bass is a very common sign (although not in itself a certain guarantee) that the bass is ply, and that's why people commented on it after you had said that it was solid alder. [/quote] I stand by what I said. You asked for an explanation, I did my best to give it in good faith. It's not my problem, you sort it. Bye.

[quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1335109857' post='1625850'] nope, still dont know what you're on about , your pix dont prove that bass aint ply or otherwise - as I said, you can't tell by the paint job, and that was what was said wasn't it?! [/quote] The pics I posted show black paint not covering the belly or forearm cuts. That's how it commonly is on non-ply sunburst basses. Your bass did not have that arrangement but instead had black paint hiding the fact (as you have since clarified) that the bass is ply. The arrangement of black paint on your bass is a very common sign (although not in itself a certain guarantee) that the bass is ply, and that's why people commented on it after you had said that it was solid alder. A solid wood bass is very unlikely to have the black paint as it is on your bass. We know this from experience. You can tell stuff from the paint job. The paint job is important and clear evidence that the bass is ply and, as you later confirmed, it is ply. If that's not clear, then I give up. [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1335109857' post='1625850'] are these observations made by anyone who might be interested in buying the bass btw? [/quote] Probably not, but if the observations had not been made then some people might still be thinking that the bass was solid alder. And, I think, the more you protest then the less likely you are to sell it here.

[quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1335104813' post='1625771'] exactly - well thanks for that! [/quote] So, do you get why we thought it was ply and not solid alder and that we did know what we were talking about? They weren't 'emphatic negative remarks' but factual observations based on prior experience.

[quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1335099127' post='1625666'] not denying its a ply body, but I still dont know what you guys are talking about when you say the paint job is obviously hiding its construction. I've owned plenty of sunburst guitars of varying standards and this looks no different from the rest of them. The black pigment always goes round the outer edge of the bass and the edge surrounds. This looks as good as any vintage Fender and definitely better than the shameful finishes I've seen on some of the Fender Mex basses. I wish, before you guys that make these emphatic negative remarks all over someones post actually know what they're talking about. [/quote] Well, I only commented because you asked (in a post you've since deleted, I think) why someone would suggest that it was ply. Not ply front: Not ply back: I don't know whether your bass is ply (well, except that you said it was ply after you looked in the control cavity) but the black paint covering the places where ply would show is exactly what happens on sunburst ply basses.

It looks like ply because of the way in which the black paint covers the belly cut and the forearm cut where the ply would show if it wasn't blacked out.

[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1334947426' post='1624027'] D'oh! It was the 'if you win it' bit that threw me. [/quote] It fooled me too at first.