Twigman

IME there's not a chance on easyJet or the like

That very much depends on who is available and when. At the moment we've not got any gigs until December, so we meet up for 4 hours about once a month to run through some new ideas - we're in a writing phase. We'll probably have a couple of four hour rehearsals in the 10 days before our next gig trip (Sicily 7th Dec). We've been together for donkey's years - we don't need much rehearsing - it's all in the muscle memory. I do miss it when we're in this kind of between gigs phase.

I've had 2 of them. 1 - none of my decent gig bags (Mono M80/Protec Contego) fit inside without removing all the foam from within the shell case. 2 - The mk1 would have the clasps come undone in transit. 3 - The mk2 (with the strap) would not ever stay closed.

So not expensive at all?

An M80 will not be adequate to protect a bass in the hold.

I fly a lot. I'd NEVER put my bass in the hold in my M80 - asking for trouble. I always use a SKB iSeries https://www.skbcases.com/music/products/prodlist.php?s=75&c=84&o=&f=sku_is_waterproof-1-75

I use a DHA-VT1-DI Bass Mk2 for the controllable valve crunch

So i get my wrist slapped for stating a fact about what will happen to import charges after a brexit which takes us out of the single market? I'm not expressing opinion. I'm stating a fact. Are you censoring the facts now?

The way round that is get it shipped through a 3rd party in USA. When i worked for a firm with an office in LA I would use their office as a shipping address and then get them to forward it to me. I did something similar to get my forged car wheels from Japan, via a Japan resident.

A pic to show what I mean:

Although technically Thomann shouldn't charge us the 19% German VAT - it'll still be dearer for us than it is now, especially after GBP tanks further

Expect this kind of extortion when buying from places like Thomann after a brexit which takes us out of the single market before ped comes to slap my wrists again - I'll just leave that there - thanks leave voters

Clearly you never have to take your board on easyJet as hand luggage

My most expensive gear mistake? In desperation one night paying £240 for an eight ball

Welcome but please understand, you don’t speak for me

shot to show my taller feet

Bottom

Not sure if I’ve posted here before but anyway it’s probably evolved: top

Isn't it......and the swear filter changing see you next tuesdays into nasty pasties takes all the venom out of it. Let it be known that they will NEVER be forgiven

What with the cost (and hassle) of carnets, on top of visas, he's right. Almost all our gigs are in EU - that's our market. I can see us never gigging again. And with my business likely to go bust, that effectively destroys my life. UK leaving SM equals my life being destroyed. Thanks leave voters. You nasty pasties.

When I wrote to my MP (tory) to explain the difficulties his only response was to ask how many employees I had. When I told him I had seven, which is all I have, he just responded in a 'stinky poo happens' kind of manner.

Got my EORI number sorted - trying to sort out a VAT and duty deferment account BUT due to the amount of traffic and high value of the equipment we bring in HMRC require a £2.5 million bank guarantee!!! When our balance sheet is c£500k getting a £2.5m bank guarantee is impossible. The issue being that VAT will be levied on the VALUE of the goods we bring in, not the cost of renting them. We have looked at 'rehoming' a quantity of equipment here, we have a large warehouse, but UK market is so fickle it is likely we will stock the wrong gear, besides the UK market alone isn't big enough to maintain adequate utilisation to pay for the gear. If UK leaves the SM I can see us going bust within a month.

I own one of them too - I have exclusive UK distribution rights to the largest inventory of a certain type of capital equipment in EU (based in Germany)to rent business to business into the UK market. Everything is imported temporarily and I have 2 or 3 artic trailers a week going back and forth. Nightmare

So how would that work in the gig economy?

and when the club you're playing ask to see your right to work credentials?