JPAC

Just wondering how long it took you before you felt comfortable playing bass for a complete song?

Best of luck mate, will you be going to Te Ika-a-Māui or Te Wai Pounamu? [url="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10567873"]http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article....jectid=10567873[/url]

The Conclusion. Thanks to everyone for their support. The Yamaha RBX170 OVS is now back in my possession. I did not get a refund because according to trading standards, I would have had to prove, using an independent testing laboratory, that the broken nut was due to a manufacturing defect. Yamaha UK said they had thrown that particular part away when it was repaired and they used a replacement nut. I'm not sure how much this testing would have cost, but I don't think that it would be worth it practically. So, since Feb 16th and yesterday I have had the use of the guitar for three weeks. Yamaha UK have done a good job and looks and feels as the new one did. My credit card company failed to act at all, when I checked yesterday, they said they had sent me paperwork for extra details, (that never arrived), despite me explaining everything in detail over the phone to them. ConsumerDirect misled me by advising that I would get a refund, based on that and the time they were taking getting my broken one fixed, I bought an Ibanez GSR200. So I now have two bass guitars. So, I would advise caution when buying guitars, even new ones and hope you get a good one that doesn't go wrong.

"Bass guitar for Dummies" is a popular book that features music theory and a CD. £10ish.

As a bass noob, I've found out that the QA passed sticker is meaningless. The one guitar that had the sticker was manufactured badly and the one that didn't was still faulty, both being the same Ibanez GSR200. It must take a certain amount of money to make a guitar and build it to a decent quality but what that cash value is I'm not sure. You could be lucky and get a good one or have a serious amount of time and effort getting a bad one put right. At the moment I'm still trying to sort out my first one but it might mean going to court to get my money back.

Mine break without any help from me. But if you really want to break one, they're pretty tough apparently, bit like smashing up a piano in a fayre.

Martina McBride [url="http://www.martina-mcbride.com/"]http://www.martina-mcbride.com/[/url]

Well the past few days I've been waiting for the Yamaha UK written engineers report about the fault, and received it today. According to Trading Standards, if the fault was a manufacturing fault, I can pursue the claim for a refund. However all the report said was that they've glued a new nut on - mmm. No mention of repairing the fingerboard that was damaged when the nut broke and the E string dug into it. Action Taken: Standard setup Buff finish faults Glue repair Other RETURN TO DEALER Repl. top joint top nut What's a top joint? Have to wait until at least Monday now to see what they say. It might be easier to accept the guitar back and sell it and put it down to experience. Run of bad luck? I must have broken a lot of mirrors somewhere. Updated my SatNav software today and the display said I was moving sideways! Pleased I made a backup first. Edit: The lady at the shop said it was quite a common problem.

Just seen this offer in my local shop, anyone have any recent personal dealings with the offer? I called them and they said it certainly applies to bass guitars. [url="http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/takeitaway/"]http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/takeitaway/[/url]

[quote name='Buzz' post='462513' date='Apr 14 2009, 09:43 PM']I have to ask as it's the second nut you've broken, you are stringing them up correctly with the E string being towards the inside of the headstock not the outside when it meets the tuning peg? Still sh*tty of the shops to be pulling the "7 days" crap. Faulty goods are faulty goods and you've got proof or purchase.[/quote] The RBX strings were the original factory installed three week old ones, I maybe turned it half a turn. I have noticed that the actual E string is not in a straight line and pulls away from the guitar when tightened. Bad design. See top of [url="http://yamahanamm.com/images/big/RBX170_OVS.jpg"]http://yamahanamm.com/images/big/RBX170_OVS.jpg[/url] The second nut wasn't broken but either not manufactured correctly or fitted right, hence the buzz, Buzz. It OK looked to the untrained eye, like mine and it sounded like it was coming from inside the guitar but the shop identified it as the nut not performing its duties. Two of the new GSR200's knobs came off as well because they didn't bother putting any glue on them. I'm beginning to think I should have paid a little more for maybe a SR500.

Well if anyone is still following this saga, I got a call today from the shop, Soundslive in Newcastle, telling me the RBX170 has come back from Yamaha UK and they want to send it back to me. Before this however, after talking to ConsumerDirect, they told me that the reasonable time for the item to be repaired had expired (it's three weeks and four days now) and that I should ask for a refund by letter. I wrote and sent the letter by first class recorded delivery and it took four days to arrive. They said they had received the letter but because I had had the guitar for more than seven days I could not have a refund. This is wrong as confirmed by ConsumerDirect. They tried to give me the run around by telling me that I should have sent the letter to their warehouse in Princes Way North in Gateshead, not the shop in Dean St. Newcastle. So, ConsumerDirect have passed the matter to trading standards who should reply within five working days. I also contacted my credit card company as I paid by credit card and gave them all the details. They seemed confident I will get a refund and said I would be contacted within two weeks!. The wait continues, but there's another story involving an Ibanez GSR200 from a different shop that I'll save for later, featuring, you guessed it, another nut problem. Me and bass guitars don't mix. (bassbloke - the guitar was fine for three weeks until I tried to tune the E string at which point the side of the nut pinged off).

[quote name='BigRedX' post='460681' date='Apr 12 2009, 06:10 PM']If it had to be a 4 string then there's only [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/news/show/namm2009/L/016.jpg"]one choice[/url][/quote] More details on the £7300 MC30TH [url="http://www.ibanezrules.com/namm/2009/mc30th.htm"]http://www.ibanezrules.com/namm/2009/mc30th.htm[/url] (Could have a 600mm VR for that price)

The SR500 is very highly rated for its price. (£450ish) [url="http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/reviews?base_pid=515055&page=1&sc=date&so=desc"]http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/pr...ate&so=desc[/url] [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/product/Ibanez/SR500+/10/1"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...nez/SR500+/10/1[/url] [url="http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez-SR500-Soundgear-4-String-Bass-102550159-i1148507.gc?mode=1"]http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez-SR500-S...48507.gc?mode=1[/url] They do a 505 5 string and a 506 6 string that look similar. Catalogue; [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/download/Ibanez2009_Bass_EU.pdf"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/download/Iba...009_Bass_EU.pdf[/url] (15MB) In answer to your money no object question, maybe a SR5000E.

[quote name='LWTAIT' post='460189' date='Apr 11 2009, 10:43 PM']there was a SR300 at a gig i played today, and i had my SR500. tbh its well worth the extra money for the SR500.[/quote] Trouble is that the SR500 is twice as much. I read that the SR500 marks easily, do you have one? Tried the GSR200 but it wasn't made properly and it buzzed like crazy. Are there any decent basses for about £200?

That review is on line now. [url="http://www.bassguitarmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=219:ibanez-sr300-4-string-bass-issue-36&catid=37:bassguitars"]http://www.bassguitarmagazine.com/index.ph...=37:bassguitars[/url] Thinking of getting the SR300FM, anyone have one of these?

[i]Spoombung Where's PINK on your list?[/i] - Is that your choice? Could go under other. [i]Jean-Luc Pickguard Graduated fade? You're new at this aren't you?[/i] - Oh yes. I wanted a generic term for tri-fade burst, amber burst, antique burst, blue moon burst, charcoal burst, transparent blue sunburst etc, and that's just from one maker. Could have made it burst then?

Just a note that Music Makers Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK, has now closed. It was the bright pink shop just at the bottom of the hill. [url="http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Sour-note-music-shop-forced-close/article-874303-detail/article.html"]http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/S...il/article.html[/url]

After two days there seems to be a clear winner, natural wood. My reason for the poll is that I decided on a bass (GSR200FM) only to find out that the colour I wanted, Tri-fade burst (Sunburst) wasn't available in the UK and has now been discontinued as well. This was supposed to be made of mahogany instead of agathis, if that makes a big difference. So the choice for an Ibanez GSR200 was black, red, white or blue. Using the results from this poll, it's not one of the top choices anyway. The search continues, is the SR300FM any good?

[quote name='neepheid' post='457137' date='Apr 8 2009, 10:25 AM']No specific love for Surf Green? Poor show! [/quote] OK green added but there's lots of other colours.

What colour bass guitar do you prefer?

Here's a starter link and further reading, including quasihemidemisemiquavers ; [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_theory"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_theory[/url] HTH

Thanks everyone for your support and advice. Waynepunkdude, I think I'd better get this sorted out out first as me and bass guitars don't seem to get along so far.

[quote name='Eight' post='454031' date='Apr 4 2009, 12:50 PM']Have you tried speaking directly to the shop's manager/owner? Explain to him that you know your rights and you don't have to wait forever for them to repair it; and as they have been so unreasonable and unsupportive, you want your money back now or you will take it to court. Even if I still wanted the bass, I wouldn't accept it on principal. If you buy a bass new from a shop, you expect it to be perfect out of the box, with an after-sales service that delivers peace of mind. I don't know at what point you'd be ok with naming and shaming these cowboys, but when the time comes I can't wait to hear who they are.[/quote] All I've spoken to is the internet sales woman. I was under the impression that I was getting a replacement because of the form that I filled in that stated 'direct replacement'. The shop is blaming Yamaha for not looking at it sooner but I get different stories each time I call. I feel like I'm getting the runaround and just kept waiting. I have asked for my money back and they can sort the guitar out afterwards, this is in the recorded delivery letter that ConsumerDirect instructed me to send. They said they 'know' their rights and I said I know mine. It did work fine for three weeks until I tried to tune the E string with a Yamaha tuner and then the edge of the nut broke off. I've looked closely at the way the pin is located and the tighter you tune the more it pulls the string away from the guitar, but it was reading low anyway so it shouldn't have happened at all. I'm not sure I'd call them cowboys but they could have handled it better right from the start. The RMA was another farce, in that they wanted me to hand it over to the collection driver with no address on. Oh well, you live and learn man. There's a clue to the shop there but I will say who it is later.

[quote name='escholl' post='453764' date='Apr 3 2009, 11:57 PM']That's unfortunate, I quite like yamaha basses so i'm sorry to hear you've had a issue with one Really though, it's the fault of the shop, they should have replaced it for you outright. Hope it works out for you.[/quote] Thanks for your support escholl. Two or three times they said they would replace it, only to then say when I called to chase it's whereabouts "You'll have to wait for it to be repaired". With Easter coming up, they'll have another excuse to delay its return. ConsumerDirect, the government agency were quick to give an answer but they gave me so much information that when I tried to write it all down, I may have missed some things. In the end they suggested taking it up with the credit card company as that's the way I paid. I'm getting a different story from the shop each time though, that's what's annoying. On their web site they list the same model and colour as in stock but in reply to my request for it to be replaced, they then said this time that that one is a display model. So why list it as 'stock' then? I think I'll put it all in a letter to the trading standards when it's all done. I'll be scared to tune it if it ever comes back in case it breaks again. What an epic.