Satrugar

I'd definitely check out Musik Produktiv in Ibbenbüren, should be just around the corner. [url="http://www.musik-produktiv.co.uk/"]http://www.musik-produktiv.co.uk/[/url] Address: [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]Fuggerstraße 6[/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]49479 Ibbenbüren/Laggenbeck[/size][/font]

I also had the problem with heavy fraying and a "sticky" feeling with Elixirs in the past. But since they changed the coating - maybe 1-2 years ago - they are simply the best strings you can find on the market. Fantastic feeling, no fraying even after many months of heavy use and a set lasts me around a year. Normally I'd change strings once a month or so... I like the steels a bit better than the nickels, but the difference between them isn't huge.

Worst strings I ever tried were DR Neons. I really wanted to like them since I simply loved the looks. Problem was they sounded extremely dull, muffled, lifeless etc. Like completely dead strings fresh out of the box, with a strange and sticky rubber-like feeling as a bonus. Pretty much the same experience with Black Devils, but with less stickyness. More like plastic instead of rubber... All uncoated strings I've ever used (and that's a lot) disappointed me in terms of life span. I somehow always come back to Elixirs, especially since the coating was altered and there is no more flaking and the slippery feel is pretty much gone. The Stainless Steels are my new go-to strings, very impressed by those!

I can't say a bad thing about Music Store Professional, they're on par with Thomann in pretty much every aspect. I've bought a few things from them over the last few years and always experienced great service. I also wouldn't worry about buying from the UK....if Thomann can deliver, they can do it too.

I'm a bit ambivalent on the whole thing... I had an MTD Grendel 5 once and hated the asymmetric neck. It felt strangely unnatural and especially the thick part hindered the free movement of my thumb on the back of the neck while playing. Now I have a JP Custom 5 Fretless and I absolutely love the asymmetric shaping on that neck! It just feels right and doesn't get in the way at all. The neck feels slightly less asymmetric and a bit thinner than the one on the MTD though. (Plus it got dual trussrods in case there should be any twisting.) All in all I'd say it's just the same like with any other neck shape - there are some that fit you and others that don't. So I wouldn't be too hasty with any generalizations.

Nice thread! Some really lovely basses, but for me there's not enough shiny prestige-stuff in here yet. I guess I have to help out a bit....here is my SR7005MP:

I had a Grendel 5-string for a while, so I hope I can provide a bit of information. But first: The bass on the picture is definitely a MTD Beast, the passive version of the Grendel. The Beast uses a Hipshot Vintage bridge instead of the Hipshot B-style (MUCH better imho) on the Grendel, I think it was only available in solid colour finishes (instead of a flamed maple top on the Grendel). Oh, and of course it doesn't have the active Bartolini 2-band-electronics with the mid switch. Both models have a poplar body, maple neck with wenge or maple fretboard (usually wenge), 35"-scale on the newer ones and 34" on some earlier ones, passive Bartolini J-pickups and 19mm stringspacing at the bridge. Afaik there was no czech-made model with a MM-pickup, I guess you must have played a Tobias Growler.....that's the only bass I know that comes close. About the Grendel: Pretty nice bass for the money. Sounds very "jazzy", but a bit more refined and with more punch and flexibility. The neck has the asymmetrical MTD-shape, thinner under the high strings and thicker towards the b-string. I didn't really like the neck profile too much, but that's a matter of taste I guess. Playability was good though. My Grendel was a pretty light bass, i guess somewhere below 4 kg. On the other hand the light poplar body caused quite a bit of neck-dive, but it was manageable. Mine had a 35"-scale (no experience with the ones sporting a 34"-scale) and a pretty nice and tight b-string, so no complaints there. Build quality was also really good, way above the newer korean-made MTD Kingston-line.