Rich

I've had two dealings with BD, both admittedly a number of years ago now. The first was when I bought the rackmount kit for my Shuttle, the second was when I dropped off some of OldGit's basses for a commission sale. Dealing 1 was all via phone and couldn't have gone better. Friendly, quick, perfect. Dealing 2, a few years later, not so much... it went a bit like this (all statements are paraphrased but this is the general gist): Me, arriving and walking in: *thinks* Wow, look at all this stuff... I have got to have a browse when this is sorted. I approaching what I presumed to be the owner (might not have been, IDK), he's pottering about but doesn't appear to be massively busy. I am the only punter in the place. Me: Hi, I've got those basses of Simon's, that his wife arranged to drop off with you? Him: Yeah, whatever. *continues pottering* Me, a bit taken aback: Oookay... shall I bring them in? Him: Yeah, whatever. *continues pottering* I bring them in, unassisted. Me: So... do you want to check them out or, y'know, anything? Him: S'pose. *starts unzipping gigbags* Me, trying to make conversation: *points at Simon's Steinberger XL* Have you ever played one of these? I had a go, god it was so uncomforta... Him: Yeah, whatever. *continues unpacking* Me: Right... well... I'll leave you to it and you'll talk to Ros, yes? Him: Yeah, whatever. *resumes pottering* Me, walking out through door: You're welcome. *mentally flips massive bird in his direction* I never did have that browse, and never will. It's too long a drive to take when there's every chance that I will be treated as an inconvenience when I get there. I never had a problem with making the equally long trek to the Bass Centre at Wapping, because I knew that there would be friendliness and free coffee and "is there anything you'd like to try?" waiting for me there.

Done

I played 5s pretty much exclusively from the early 90s up until a couple of years ago, when I put together the 4 string that I use with the ska band. So now it's 50/50.

For me, 18mm is ok but I prefer 19 or even 20. There's no way I could get on with anything less than 18. I would find 16.5 pretty much unplayable.

Bought @solo4652 Steve's Behringer DI stomp for a great bargain price, it arrived safely less than 48hrs later and is pretty much immaculate. Top banana.

Yup, there are plenty of cavorting frontpeople to entertain the masses with their zany japes. I should point out that my earlier comment was a throwaway light-heated one... I'm not entirely static, but then again I don't exactly throw any shapes either.

Bungalow Bill - obscure Scouse beat combo

Too Drunk To F**k - Dead Kennedys

If standing impassively was good enough for Ox, it's good enough for me.

Likewise. I love the old Trace gear, the GP12SMX is still my favourite preamp of all time, and I desperately want this new TE amp to be completely brilliant. It'll have to be, to a} replace my current Shuttle 9.2 and b} be worth the likely pricetag.

Why are they so inconsistent with the H & L phobia? If they're going to have erbs and soddering, they should have Nasvie, A$s Vegas and Phiadepia too.

Wasn't that Follow The Ostrich's second album?

Don't worry. If it strays off topic I will lock the thread quicker than you can say "the Terminator franchise, self-repairing American trucks, enigmatic band names, the early works of Kraftwerk, American avant-garde collective The Residents, cheesecake, Wantage, your first pint, the Istanbul / Constantinople dichotomy, pronunciation, bacon cookery, WW1, alooominum and Swedish flatpack furniture".

I used to have a German colleague, the first time I told him I was going shopping at Lidl (which I pronounced 'Liddle') he said "what's that?". I explained and he said "ah, you mean Leedle". IIRC 'wipers' was what the Tommies called Ypres in WW1.

Aww man, I love places like that. We have one here in town too, it's the only place I know where you can buy one M6 spring washer if you need it.

Fixed.

Kraftwerk's first album had the working title "Folge Dem Strauß" until Florian decided it would be far funnier to call it Kraftwerk instead. Brixton used to be in Wantage, but the residents complained.

Rather than bin liners, I'd suggest rubble sacks. Really tough and quite tear resistant.

Nice basses! I agree re: the VBT controls. Personally I'd keep the Strat knobs but I'd get a black control plate to match the pickguard. As far as the pickups are concerned, I would echo what others have said. Give the stock ones a good trial and only change if you really feel they're lacking.

1970 called, it wanted its derogatory names back. So I've sent them there.

Happiness is a warm soldering iron, and at least one bit-shaped minor burn.

I think the worst solo I've seen live wasn't a solo as such, but you'll see what I mean... I saw a jazz combo down at the Old Duck** in Bristol one night, the bassist had a nice old Jazz and my first impression was that he could really play. He took a solo, which was very impressive, but it became apparent that he just didn't know when to stop. He just kept doing it... he widdled away all over the sax solo, he even kept on in the drum solo, seemingly oblivious to the fact that everyone else except him had stopped. After a couple of songs of this inability to STFU, my opinion of him had totally changed, and I just wanted him to shove his nice old Jazz right up there and sod off. ** as all you Brizzlers will know, its actual name is the Old Duke... but I had a Brazilian colleague some years ago who called it 'Old Duck' and it's kind of stuck.

I wonder why?