Conan

[quote name='Jakester' post='1189054' date='Apr 5 2011, 02:40 PM']If you don't like it, just don't respond.[/quote] Uh-oh... "dirty laundry in public" warning.

I'm quite happy to indulge in a spot of haggling. Unless the ad says "firm price" or "No offers" I assume that it will be OK to slightly undershoot the asking price. The trick is to be bold enough to get yourself a decent saving but not so bold that you offend the seller! Now, someone please haggle with me over my Trace cab!!

[quote name='tom1946' post='1188984' date='Apr 5 2011, 01:36 PM']I have 2 basses for sale at the moment and sadly I've had an offer on each, one was £65 less than the asking price and the other £55 below. To my mind that is a bit insulting and they were turned down flat. By all means make an offer but make it sensible![/quote] I thought ten quid was a fair offer on the Squier!? As they say up here: "Shy bairns get nowt!"

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1188745' date='Apr 5 2011, 10:54 AM']On the upside, Bob, I am loving your avatar. Entirely encapsulates that 'cornucopia of choice' moment that makes life worth living.[/quote] Or the "options paralysis" that detracts from it...

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1188193' date='Apr 4 2011, 07:38 PM']By the way, if anyone wants to sell anything with a bit of graphite in it (or a headless bass), please let me know! [/quote]

[quote name='Sean' post='1188195' date='Apr 4 2011, 07:39 PM']So, so far so good. But then again, I mainly deal with regulars that have excellent feedback and reputations as jolly good human beings.[/quote] Good point. When I first joined here I was advised to deal very carefully with members who had little or no feedback. I appreciate that we all have to start somewhere, and I was very careful to make sure that my first dealings were prompt, clear and polite. As a result I now have some decent feedback and hopefully others can deal with me confidently... Something to watch out for.

Sorry if it sounds like more gloating or rubbing it in, but I've only had positive buying and selling experiences on here - and some of them have been pretty tortuous due to logistical considerations! I think the OP seems to have been extremely unlucky. To suffer timewasters occasionally is only to be expected, but to have it repeatedly sounds like bad luck to me... Shame, as they are lovely basses too!

The Fender ones are great. Well padded, quality zips and look pretty good too. About £25 brand new. Think I got mine from Sounds Live... [url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Fender-Standard-Bass-Gig-Bag~ID~12591.asp"]http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~F...ag~ID~12591.asp[/url]

Nice! You are Marcus Miller and I claim my five pounds!!

[quote name='4000' post='1185199' date='Apr 1 2011, 08:00 PM']It [[i]performing as a tribute act[/i]] is often done from a place of real love of the original band, and is often done with a sense of perfectionism.[/quote] Often, yes. Sadly it is sometimes done when someone spots a gap in the market and sees a money-making opportunity... When did I become such a bitter old cynic?

[quote name='4000' post='1185199' date='Apr 1 2011, 08:00 PM']To answer 2 comments (and I'm rather disappointed that I have to explain this; if you can't tell the difference between The Musical Box and the typical band playing down the pub on a Friday I'm really not sure you should be playing )[/quote] Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't be playing. Although quite what the connection is between me asking a rhetorical question and my perceived worthiness to share a choice of instrument with your good self is unclear to me. I have never seen The Musical Box. In general, I don't "do" tribute bands - but as I am a big fan of early Genesis maybe I should check them out? However, as you have already explained (at great length) that they are highly skilled and very professional, surely the comparison with a "typical band playing down the pub" is somewhat bogus? Clearly the difference is down to quality rather than choice of material. Or maybe both in your case. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to condescend to reply to my question. And sorry to disappoint you. Well, not really.

I paid for the whole fretboard and all of the strings - so I'll use them if I feel like it thank you! As with all of these questions though, it's all about context and taste. I really don't understand the "bass is only for low notes" point of view.

[quote name='4000' post='1185055' date='Apr 1 2011, 06:08 PM']I don't class tribute bands as cover bands; to me they're a different entity; The Musical Box for instance are superb, and light years above anything I've ever seen round here in every respect.[/quote] Eh? So they aren't playing covers then? They write new material in the style of early Genesis?

What is the tone of these things like? Looking at the pickup arrangement, I'm guessing that they might be slightly Stingray-like?

[quote name='Doddy' post='1184751' date='Apr 1 2011, 02:15 PM']The most successful cover bands that I've seen or been in have had a 'theme' to them. Be it Classic Rock,Funk and Soul,Britpop or whatever. That way the audience knows roughly what they are getting and are more likely to turn out if it's the kind of music that they enjoy. It's kind of part way beyond a cover band and a tribute-kind of a tribute to a specific genre.[/quote] Agreed. But from there it's a small step to becoming a true tribute act. I find these to be a different propostion altogether from a covers band playing a range of material from a range of acts within a perceived "genre". I personally would rather see the latter... Not that I'm putting tribute acts down, but they are a very specialised part of the market - usually even going so far as to turn down prospective band members because they don't look like the musician that they will be pretending to be... All very strange!

[quote name='Doddy' post='1184632' date='Apr 1 2011, 12:56 PM']...and all original bands are ace,right? Yes there are sh*t covers bands,bit there are also top drawer ones. Mind you,I suppose it depends on your definition of sh*t.[/quote] Over the years, I've endured far more "sh*t" original bands than I ever have covers acts. There is a lot of competition on the covers circuit and if you want to get regular, well-paid gigs you have to stand out from the mediocre bands. Yes, some are better than others, but I have to say that the standard of musicianship among most cover bands is pretty amazing. Their images/performances could possibly do with a bit of work - but that's a separate issue!

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1184611' date='Apr 1 2011, 12:42 PM']It happens a lot 'round our way....[/quote] Yup! Even in my last pub blues band (all covers) we had quite a lot of people who would follow us around the region for gigs. Neither we nor our venues ever charged a cover fee. If the bar is busy and sells a lot of drink, then the venue should be able to pay the band from the extra money they took that night.

[quote name='robocorpse' post='1184551' date='Apr 1 2011, 12:19 PM']if the band is sh*t (which most cover bands are in some way or another)[/quote] Eh? Why do you say that? Most cover bands are in some way sh*t?

I think it's a bit of both, depending on the bands and venues. there are some venues that will always be pretty busy on their regular "live music" nights. The punters will usually be discerning but appreciative. If a band is poor, it's the band that will tend to get the blame rather than the venue and obviously that band will struggle for another booking! Some bands undoubtedly have a loyal following who will turn up pretty much anywhere to see them. These bands tend not to gig quite so often, as they can't afford to saturate their audience... In most situations though, it's a combination of the two. A new band in a new venue may well be empty!

[quote name='Jigster' post='1183547' date='Mar 31 2011, 04:55 PM']There's a lot on the move on the forum this week - by many many other accounts and my own, it's such good quality - me confused [/quote] Once you start on the slippery slope that is GAS you will likely never achieve tone nirvana. Too many people think that the "tone in their head" resides within a certain box of components and elastic trickery. Or a certain combination of drivers in a box constructed from a certain type and thickness of wood... It's bollocks frankly. By all means buy the gear that pleases you, for whatever reason. Whether it be cutting-edge, antique or retro-stylee - buy it coz you like it and want it. Don't try to convince yourself that it will automatically make you a better player or even sound better. Still - it means that those of us with less disposable income can try an amp that everyone was raving about 18 months ago, for close to half of the market price! That's gotta be good! BTW, there's also a lot of Trace gear for sale at the moment, and nobody comments about that! N o love for green at the moment?