Clarky72

Welcome to Basschat David, you'll be surprised how much you'll learn just from reading this forum, there's some guys (and girls) here with a huge wealth of knowledge and everyone's really friendly and helpful! Steve

I had the pleasure of almost being snowed in at a dodgy motel in Coventry the other week with this chap. We traded basses, and had a great evening chatting about past bands and past basses. The Stingray was exactly as described, in beautiful condition. I'm sure it was actually in way better condition that it was when MM shipped it, it was showroom gleaming. It plays beautifully, sounds immense and I can't say a bad word against Rich. If you get the chance to do a deal with him I'm sure it go smoothly and you'll be happy with the result. Also if you get the chance, check out the car he'll be driving, it will be an absolute classic! Lovin' that Escort mate!! Steve

Thanks mate! I had a great evening chatting with you about bass and past bands etc. We were almost snowed in in a dubious motel in Coventry, I was waiting for Alan Partridge to come wandering in at any minute!! Steve

[quote name='FlatEric' post='762535' date='Mar 3 2010, 08:03 AM']Being a great lover of Aria, spotted your post. Well done, I'm sure you will love it. It is an Elite, not a 900 - I am lucky enough to have both. I have two Elites and I think yours is one of the later ones, as one of mine does not have a serial number, as per yours. Great sounds [i]lovely[/i] to play. I bought a bass off Nick, a few years ago - he has some great gear. These are mine in last year's sun. [attachment=43918:3arias.jpg][/quote] Ah! gorgeous lineup of SBs there... Thanks for the heads up on mine. I just wasn't sure which one it was as it had characteristics of both the Elite and the 900. Initially I was a bit wary as it had no serial, but after reading through the web there seems to be quite a few without serial numbers on them doesn't there. The Matsumoku website is great, but there's a few gaps there still! Cheers!

This Friday we'll be playing Oxford O'Neills, got a certain moderator's lovely lady singing for us too, should be fun. Bring your rotten veg and aim for me. I'm the short ginger rhythm guitarist, I'm definitely not the bassist...

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='761351' date='Mar 1 2010, 11:22 PM']Eep! A Reputation! errmmm I'll have to pass this one over to m'learned colleague noelk27. My (now heavily butchered) 1980 Batwing SB-1000 had a stock p/up - 2-wire humbucker (I guess wired in series) & an apparently defective "noise killer" "active" circuit. I suspect the latter somehow fried the p/up so I've never actually met one in the flesh, as it were. The early SB-1000s have a bit of a reputation for going tyttesup tbh (hence the aftermarket replacements from Kent Armstrong), so it may be worth endeavouring to snadge a Series 2 example. Interestingly, [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/bass/sb/sb.html"]the specs given on the Matsumoku site for the SB-900[/url] state that it also has MB-Is. Mine are 4-wire, not 2-wire as came out of my 1000. As I've stated elsewhere, the 900 is a tone monster - plenty of output & a bit of a middle hump, cuts right through the mix. If there are tonal differences between the MB-I & MB-IE, I'd be surprised if they were especially marked. Noel? Pete. Pete.[/quote] Couldn't help myself, damn my itchy fingers on ebay! Just bought this.... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250571017903"]SB Elite[/url] Its labelled as an Elite and looks a lot like one, but could be an odd SB900... we'll see! Thanks for the advice Pete! Steve

Noelk27 or Bloodaxe, You guys sound like you're the authority on the SB's here. Can you help me out please? I'm after a SB1000. As far as I know the SB1000 has a MB1 pickup on the 1977-1980 models and a MB1E on the 1981-1984 models, is there a marked difference between them? Are there any other differences between them aside the headstock shape and logo, and the LED? Are there any reasons you'd pick one over another? Cheers for the help, Steve

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='761055' date='Mar 1 2010, 07:09 PM']This is better than the £300 starting bid track two bass of a short while ago. If it were £100 starting bid, I'd bid. (I said a few posts up that I'm not being too serious at the moment). [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/westbury-track-2-bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ250589160737QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item3a58472521"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/westbury-track-2-bas...=item3a58472521[/url][/quote] I like... thats a great looking bass!!

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='761045' date='Mar 1 2010, 06:58 PM']This is a very common topic on MyLesPaul.com. Though, they're typically buying Les Pauls. In theory you pay, I think, 3.5% import duty, and 17.5% VAT. There's also a handling charge of £15 or so. I forget the exact figures, but it's a fair chunk of extra wodge. You pay charges on the whole sum including postage. There have been some people who had to appeal customs charges. In one case someone bought about 12 Les Pauls all at once (!), and they charged him as if they were 12 multiple shipments. In another case, customs simply charged too much for no obvious reason. There have been people who have received damaged instruments, presumably damaged in transport. But other people claim that this almost never happens. Apart from paying the customs duties, VAT, and "adminstration fee" (i.e. theft), it doesn't seem that difficult. Unless customs charge you VAT calculated on £250 for the bass, and £1750 for the postage when it was actually £80 that is. If you go to MyLesPaul.com, then look in "Other Les Pauls", you might get some advice. if they object to you asking a non-Les Paul question in the forum. please don't tell them I sent you I haven't seen anyone complaining about being stung by the "known" sellers that is.[/quote] Thanks for the info, thats a great help! Seems its a bit touch and go whether the bass will turn up or i get stung royally for "charges"... My maths is shocking, but I work that out to a £500 bass ending up costing at least £810. Quite a lot to win a bass that's only about £150 cheaper than the ones for sale in the UK... I think I might just get one from a UK seller to play it safe! Even the idea of buying one off ebay and it getting chucked around by an un-knowing courier scares the crap out of me, let alone it having to make its way all the way from Japan! I'm going to look into mylespaul.com, im registered there already, I got some info on my old Les Paul bass from someone on that forum! Cheers!

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='759418' date='Feb 27 2010, 09:01 PM']No I just spout my opinion wit no experience, it's the internet [/quote] They're not that expensive.... see here: [url="http://www.e4hats.com/_e/gdept/93/Fedora_Summer.htm?gclid=CNCbjPz3l6ACFV2X2Aod2jS7eA"]LINK[/url] I personally like the glitter one!

Has anyone ever bought one from these Japanese sellers on eBay? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220560236226"]Ebay link[/url] They seem to have quite a lot of them up there, usually cheap, but I'm worried about getting clobbered for import duty when the customs guys see it coming through! ...or just getting stung/ripped off buying from Japan! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks Steve

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='755778' date='Feb 24 2010, 08:00 AM']Ta Jon. BTW: What does the multi-position switch on an SB1000 do? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-11-SB-1000-Vintage-1980-Bass_W0QQitemZ190375482876QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2c534355fc"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-11-SB-1000-...=item2c534355fc[/url][/quote] Ah! Was it you I was biding against last night on this? haha... well done if it was you who won it!

[quote name='bassatnight' post='759627' date='Feb 28 2010, 10:38 AM']Two for me, first was selling my prized Westone Thunder 3 fretless in 89 for peanuts. The second was being badgered to turn up for a 'trial' with some no hopers in the nineties (but I was too busy!) their bass player had just left after a fall out with the others it later transpired the bass player that went missing was John Taylor and the band were called Duran something! The gig went to some canadian guy who has since been replaced by the original - so perhaps it was for the best anyway![/quote] Would have sold my left nut for that audition!

Hey, welcome!

Welcome to basschat!

I'd probably let someone use my cab at a push, but not the amp and definitely not the bass! When people turn up to gigs with no gear, expect to use mine and find themselves without any gear to use, that's their look-out... You wouldn't turn up at a pub with no cash and expect beers for free would you? (it'd be nice though!)

This is always my bible for hooking up amps and cabs, it shows you the formula at the bottom of the page for mixed hook-ups. [url="http://www.tunemybass.com/bass_amps/how_to_hook_up_heads_and_cabinets.html"]Click[/url]

I was thinking of doing the same to my MIM Jazz, I just need to find a good luthier around the South Bucks area to do the conversion. Anyone know of one?

I have bad GAS for one still.... I sold mine years ago and pretty much regretted it instantly. I borrowed one a few months ago from a friend and it all came flooding back. If anyone has one for sale please message me! Steve

[quote name='steve-soar' post='518732' date='Jun 19 2009, 05:56 PM']Selling my 76 Thunderbird, I am a cock.[/quote] [quote name='Rayman' post='518856' date='Jun 19 2009, 08:16 PM']Selling my extremely fabulous 1985 Yamaha BB3000S. I too am a cock.[/quote] Selling my 83 Aria Pro II SB Elite so I could go on a lads holiday... 2 weeks of sun and hangovers = over 20 years of regret I am a cock.

Haha, I'm actually one of those geeks too... I'll always try and do it discreetly so as not to get my mates ripping into me for being a bass bore yet again! Finding a nice spot right by the stage for your first pint and it just so happens to be right in front of the bassist for a sly peek at his gear usually works I try not to go and chat with the bassist for fear of becoming that boring beardy bloke who wants to tell you about all the gear he's had over the years when all you want to do is just get set up quickly so you can get a beer in while the drummer spends the next hour mucking around setting up his kit....

I've still got pretty bad GAS for an Aria Pro II SB1000 and a Kubicki Ex-Factor... I thought buying a 30th Anniversary Stingray 2 days ago would quench my thirst but its just made me want to spend more... If my bank manager is reading this, sorry!

Last Chance Om The Stairway - Duran Duran