EssentialTension

Congratulations on that, the pic is a very nice touch. The QC card is from the factory - Grand Reward Education and Entertainment, Guang Dong, China - and I think your date is 25th November 2010,

There's a MIA Guild Starfire reissue on US ebay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-Starfire-Bass-II-Semi-hollow-SF-2-/330544354390?pt=Guitar&hash=item4cf5fa9456"]http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-Starfire-Bass-II...=item4cf5fa9456[/url]

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='1182731' date='Mar 30 2011, 09:29 PM']I'm thinking the same as you. However when I asked for the serial number he gave me one. I got GuitarGuitar in Edinburgh to find out if it was real. It is. I suppose there's more than one way to get your hands on a serial number though. I'll post again when something happens. Cheers, g[/quote] The first pair of digits of the serial are the year of manufacture, the second pair are the month. So, for example, 0811***** is November 2008, the first batch of Skyline Decades.

I used to have a sunburst Dearmond Starfire first with the original pickups and then a pair of replacement Dark Stars. To my ears the Dark Stars are well worth the money if you can actually find some. Unfortunately, from many reports, Fred Hammon does seem to have gone AWOL recently. There's a guy at the Last Bass Outpost who has fitted Lakland Chisonics (which were in part inspired by the Dark Stars, which were inspired by the Hagstrom Bisonics) to two Starfires. The thread is here: [url="http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=4840.0"]http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=4840.0[/url] Looks like this: And like this:

[quote name='chris_b' post='1180300' date='Mar 29 2011, 12:13 AM']... So the only bass in the frame is a 5 string Rob Allen MB-2. Money is an issue so I've got to find a used one in good nick ...[/quote] If you come across a 4-string fretless Rob Allen you dont want then let me know - but I think we'll both be lucky if that happens.

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='1179997' date='Mar 28 2011, 08:47 PM']... Anyway, apparently he has sorted out his bank account link with Paypal now and once my money makes it to his bank account I can get the guitar ...[/quote] I am understanding correctly that your money is in his Paypal account but he wants to withdraw it to his bank account before he will supply the goods (if they exist at all)? If so, that's strange behaviour and not 'straight-up' at all. Money in Paypal account is enough. Sounds more and more like a con and this is just another way of keeping you swinging.

[quote name='mybass' post='1180158' date='Mar 28 2011, 10:08 PM']Played on a fretless Washburn AB 20......... Martin make a good 'bronze' acoustic bass string. Think I also had Guild acoustic bass strings a while back. Try getting acoustics strings as the usual electric bass strings don't seem to have the sound for acoustic bass.[/quote] Well. it's a matter of taste I guess but I can't bear those bronze strings.

[quote name='Machines' post='1180173' date='Mar 28 2011, 10:14 PM']Lots of other Birmingham bassists on here, welcome .[/quote] Brummie here too but I left in 1985.

[quote name='Len_derby' post='1180143' date='Mar 28 2011, 10:01 PM']I've got Bronzed roundwound on mine. You guys that use flats, are they specifically made for acoustics or just standard flats? ...[/quote] Standard flats. I have Thomastik Jazz Flats on mine but I've also used La Bella Black Nylons.

It should look like this without a pickguard:

Have you got it yet?

[quote name='Clarky' post='1177009' date='Mar 26 2011, 11:47 AM']I love the fact the picture of the lovely Laeticia Casta has been downloaded over 20 times with no comment from BC'ers [/quote] I thought it was a Pokemon card!

[quote name='steverickwood' post='1178692' date='Mar 27 2011, 08:21 PM']Right - I posted this vid on facebook a while back because it is a great song, and the fretless playing wonderful; I know a fair bit about who played bass on what but I'm not sure about this one. Someone suggested Guy Pratt but I'm sure he would have mentioned this one in his book? Anyone know? I could hit google but I'm sure there's more savvy surfers out there than me![/quote] The credited bassists on [i]Heavy Nova[/i] (which includes 'She Makes My Day') are Barry Johnson and Frank Blair. I don't know who it is on that track. Robert Palmer's albums are full of great musicians.

Looks very nice.

Here's the last thread on this topic: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=65071&hl=OPEN%20STRINGS&st=20"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...RINGS&st=20[/url] I said then and I stand by it now: [quote name='EssentialTension' post='641253' date='Oct 30 2009, 05:10 PM']I use them whenever I can - especially playing fretless, when they are the notes you know should be in tune, or when changing left hand position to gain a bit of time.[/quote]

[quote name='kerley' post='1178297' date='Mar 27 2011, 02:13 PM']... it hasn't sold because the price is too high ...[/quote] That's correct of course but part of what determines the price people are willing to pay is the clarity of the for sale thread, the quality of the pics, the credentials of the seller, etc.

That's not a bass that would interest me anyway but even if it was I would be put off by: 1 Lack of clarity in the original sale post e.g. '2 threads, wrong section, no price... oh dear' 2 Price 3 Neck damage 4 Bad picture of neck damage 5 And, no offence to newbie sellers but, newbie seller Add all those together and that would be a no go for me.

[quote name='SteveK' post='1178238' date='Mar 27 2011, 01:23 PM']Absolutely, consistency of tone being the main reason.[/quote] I agree with that but, also, open strings are your friends as they are four notes that are available in all positions.

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='1177080' date='Mar 26 2011, 12:49 PM']Ok, Just spoke to the seller on the phone and he is working. I got his contact number from Ebay. He seems like a genuine bloke. He bought guitars in from a website in America as he thought he'd sell them on to make a wee bit money as he wants to start trading. He also brought in Fenders and Rickenbackers. He has sold the Laklands at a loss and is a bit gutted about it. I asked him questions about the bass and where he got them, what they were like to play, serial numbers and the like and he seemed straight up. I am meeting him tomorrow to pick it up half way. He brought them in from something like "Funkin Music" or something. I hope and seem to have got a genuine bargain...he said he needed £700 ish to break even. I'll confirm this tomorrow night when everything has gone right. On the Paypal matter, he had used his email address for eBay then tried to register it with Paypal but couldn't for some reason. He has tried sorting it out with Paypal and will try again.[/quote] Well that all sounds feasible but he does seem to have made a mistake about the market at the present time. He might have got a better price with some proper pics instead of stock pics with the wrong pickup covers and if he'd known that all Skyline Decades have Chisonics. I would say the price is good. I have one of these so I'll be interested to know what you think of it.

[quote name='Thunderpaws' post='1177026' date='Mar 26 2011, 12:03 PM']If it is a fake, how do I tell?[/quote] I doubt it would be a fake. If you were going to fake something I wouldn't have thought it would be a Decade, but if it is we will spot it.

[quote name='Beedster' post='1176968' date='Mar 26 2011, 09:59 AM']Hope it works out, I was sniffing around for a Decade recently and saw that bass. The seller appears to have sold that bass twice before though (unless he's got several, which I guess is possible), so you might want to exercise some caution re payment etc. Good luck C[/quote] I've been dubious about that seller too for the same reason - IIRC there was a thread about it. Ah here it is: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=120091&hl=decade"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...1&hl=decade[/url]. Good luck with it.

[quote name='bigjohn' post='1169773' date='Mar 20 2011, 06:31 PM']Very similar to this [url="http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/hofner/basses/bas20.html"]Hofner[/url] Except with slightly different pickups. If the serials are sequential, it's older than this one. It's a bit covered in crud, but seems solid enough... I've not plugged her in yet, needs a good clean up and a restring... Is my girlfriends fathers. I never knew he had it 'till this weekend... I've now got it my possession Anyone know anything about em?[/quote] I expect Happy Jack will know, he'll be along soon. Nice inheritance.

I have no recollection of bass not being cool, or of bass being less cool.