Muzz

£20 sent, even if I wasn't selling anything, that still works out for me as about 0.00002p per visit. Bargain.

Bought an amp from Michael in a perfectly smooth and stress-free transaction. The most epic piece of packing I've ever seen, too! Deal with complete confidence, he's one of the good guys!

Drew at the Manchester Bass Lounge has some Markbass amps in, he'd be worth a call.

Warmoth body and neck (select weight/woods/dimensions to suit), Hipshot Ultralites, Schaller 3D bridge, John East P-Retro, Wizard Thumper, DR Low Riders. Done.

That maple-boarded ABII of Fran's (above) is now just about the only bass anywhere I'd really want. Sadly (or perhaps fortunately) it doesn't exist in a 4, and my finances won't stretch to a custom build by Sheldon. Bah.

Since I bought mine (ABZ) last year, I've been pretty much GAS-free (apart from the odd side-interest like an 8-string and a Fenderbird build with flats) for the first time in years. Sold the other higher end stuff, not missed them at all. It's the one bass I'd save from a fire. Love the tension of the 36.25" E, I have the P-Tone pickup fitted, love the tone with DR Low Riders fitted. I've tried the higher end ABI and ABII (had an ABI briefly) but they don't suit me any more than the ABZ does. The build quality is as good as anything I've played. I had an issue with the P-Tone pickup I bought from Bass Direct, I posted on the Dingwall forum about it (I wasn't sure it was the pickup wasn't right or if it was me making a mistake) and Sheldon Dingwall responded the next day and dealt with the issue brilliantly. Excellent post-sales service, I can't speak highly enough about Dingwall. They're not for everyone, but a visit to Mark at Bass Direct will be enough to tell you if they're for you - he has a large selection - it's a great day out!

There's so much going on in that picture, but the overriding impression I'm getting is that that is some top lunging for a conservatory...

Having a Dingwall is a magnet for gearstalkers, especially when they've never seen fanned frets before. I had a bloke at a wedding a few weeks ago, I noticed him squinting at the bass all through the first set, then in the interval he sidled up and started a conversation; he was in a band, etc, etc, and I could see he was dying to talk about the Dingwall, but he was fairly drunk by this time and didn't want to look like he didn't know what he was on about. I was doing something else at the time, too, so I was able to string him along a bit: GS: "....and so we play this sort of stuff too. Nice bass, by the way." Me: "Thanks" GS: "Is it hard to play?" Me: "No, it's very light. About seven and a half pounds." GS: "Right, right. And the, erm..." Me: " The pickups? Very strong - it's passive, but it's as strong an output as any active I've had." GS: "No, the whole....erm..." (starts to gesticulate up and down the neck) Me: "Hmmm?" GS: (clearly giving up) "Why are the frets all wonky?"

The Bass Lounge in Worsley has a great range of very nice basses - check out the website, give Drew a ring. PMT in Salford has a lot of new stuff and plenty of amps. +1 for Promenade, too. Reidys in Blackburn is worth a call if you're in the area.

I like less notes sometimes...restraint is as valid a part of a skillset as any other. Cliff Williams is as 'good' as Jaco, Victor, Jonas, whoever, by the simple virtue of the fact that his playing enhances the music of the band he plays with.

Nope, I've tried to switch a couple of times now, not enjoyed it and it's not stuck. I like a slim neck (my Precisions all have Jazz necks, as does my Fenderbird) and 5s never have one of those (not even the SR505 I had, which was as close as I got) but I have a Hipshot Xtender on all my basses if I need a low D (low C on the Dingwall). Having said that, I have an 8 which is staying, but that's very much an occasional novelty bass. I guess if I ever wanted to go for a 5 again I'd get a Dingwall as they make so much sense as a 5, but it'd be a very expensive experiment...

I'm a fully addicted builder and tinkerer, and I've used Mighty Mite necks and Warmoth stuff. The Mighty Mite is really good for the price, but the Warmoth stuff is absolutely top notch - the neck joint on my Explorer (which is incidentally for sale on here, hem, hem ) stays put without the screws in - it's very tight indeed, and the flame maple and natural masked binding is a thing of beauty. I'm seriously pondering some more Warmoth stuff, as I'm going over to the States in a month or so and I can bring it back with me.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1360697429' post='1974984'] Does he have a regional accent that meant the Yanks needed subtitles? [/quote] Nope, he was booked in by our receptionist (who speaks very well) over the phone to the States. He kept the booking slip to prove it had happened, because no-one would believe him. Took him fifteen minutes to convince the receptionist in the hotel that the booking was for him, because she wanted to wait for 'Mr Contninong'...

Slightly OT, but a guy I used to work with was once booked into a Hotel in the States in the name of Terver Contninong. His real name is Trevor Cunningham.

I use an even cheaper solution - a £14 Stagg amp stand: [url="http://www.staggmusic.com/en/product_detail/gas-3_2.html?backp=1."]http://www.staggmusi...2.html?backp=1.[/url] Tilts the cab back enough so that I can hear what I'm doing, also raises the cab a little from the floor. Folds flat, easy to move around. Sometimes I use a couple of pieces of foam instead of a Gramma - same thing, but £48 less. Lord, I'm a cheapskate...