Big_Stu

Thanks Pete, I've got some Rotos with spare 1st's.

I've just had my Washburn Electro/Ac returned to me over the w/e after being on loan. The 1st E is bust & the spare from it's gig bag has been tried and bust too. Just bought a new set as the only nearby shop didn't have any singles & the E appears to be steel/nickel rather than bronze; can any users confirm this so I can just rob one off one of my electric's spare sets?

I'm so old I can remember the days when Richer Sounds used to say they'd never sell combined (midi-type) systems OR sell anything other than hi-fi audio components. I went in to one in Preston a few years ago to get a turntable fixed; they said it was beyond repair & tried to sell me a new Project t/t AND a TV instead. I went to another local hi-fi shop who said the t/t needed a new motor & fixed it for around £30 IIRC. Though I would still recommend Richer for what they do as long as I knew what I was going there for, but ignore their sales pitches. edit: While not a member I've had a site called Pink Fish media recommended for hi-fi enthusiasts who often sell on or swap high end hi-fi components. I know a guy who bought a full Linn/Naim system from there over recent years.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1351461652' post='1851519'] I've not heard of any shops that rent out instruments, though it can't hurt to ask![/quote] That thought crossed my mind too, but the shop's been going for donkey's years & is highly respected by many musos so it wouldn't surprise me if they did hire more than backline. Like many guitar shops these days they have a lot of fairly common gear that just isn't shifting. The quote is from their site, but it may be an idea for the OP to give them a call first.

http://www.johnnyroadhouse.co.uk/about-us Ox ford Rd., just along from the BBC. "The department also features a comprehensive equipment hire service, serving the needs of touring bands and smaller gigs throughout the city."

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1351440429' post='1851210'] Well, the buyer has just contacted me to say he is going to keep the bass "And sort out any problems himself".[/quote] Maybe he's a member or lurker on here and could see he'd get... [quote name='hollywoodrox' timestamp='1351362510' post='1850588']ess haitch one tee[/quote] for it & changed his tack?

Another vote for Richer Sounds & also NAD. On the Richer Sounds site they have a "Clearance" icon which shows various cheap options by each branch; so you'll have an idea what you might get before going. IME of the Edinburgh shop - and to a lesser extent Glasgow & Manchester theses are typically, reboxed but new, discontinued, repairs but as new or trade-ins.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1309502732' post='1288546'] our secret mountaintop headquarters would have a lot more priceless works of art on the walls than it currently does.. [/quote] Apparently a wall of Satellite Les Paul's is the new black this autumn.

Opening track of the excellent EP?

E&L Insurance insisted I have a full flight for my custom bass. I remember it cost £247 from The Warehouse in Leith, Edinburgh, it's taken a lot of knocks but still has nothing more than a few scuffs. As has been said they're as cumbersome as hell so I didn't consider it for my valve head; that's in an SKB trolley case which I had to get from Thomann because SKB had been dropped by their UK distributor at the time. Now that there's stacks of online sellers of flightcase kit it would be fun to build your own, though the rivet gun & spray glue guns (how essential???) would be a high initial outlay, get good at it & it's another cottage industry of your very own.

Only the same as with dying any other wood; get an offcut if you can from any decent timber yard & practise on that. Maple is a close grain long cell hard wood, (there again balsa has the same generic classification - go figure as our US cousins say) - so it could be a job & a half. Me - I prefer maple - so I wouldn't even think about it Personally I'd say avoid those poly varnishes with a built-in dye - they're cr*p with a quadruple P.

There was a write-up in the Grauniad last month about such things & the law is that if it's faulty goods they're supposed to pay everything, it's only when you've changed your mind on something & they're doing you a favour by refunding or changing the item where you should pay. Getting them to do so is another thing altogether, there was a lot of talk of "small claims court" persuasion etc. You could start by checking with the Trading Standards (or whatever it's called these days) in GAK's area not yours, to see if they'll back you up & remind them of your rights if they decide to not play fair, this especially works if GAK have a history of returned goods, which their local office would have heard about.

[quote name='paul torch' timestamp='1351064526' post='1846715'] I'm sure I used to have a belt buckle back in the 70's with the same lion's head. [/quote] So did Les Gray out of Mud! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzUXsi9SD00&feature=BFa&list=AL94UKMTqg-9DfCNavvztCgeaqVqY--KZ8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzUXsi9SD00&feature=BFa&list=AL94UKMTqg-9DfCNavvztCgeaqVqY--KZ8[/url]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1351078722' post='1846970'] Not slapped, but at least 2ft too high IMHO; Thunderbird: You're doing it wrong![/quote] That's a "I just bought this at the weekend so I'm going to show it off for a bit" pose.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1351086024' post='1847119'] if we are talking about extremes, no oil at all, is better than too much. From what I have read on other forums, people [b]are [/b]inclined to go OTT in my opinion. [/quote] The first part I would agree with entirely; but I've generally found on most other (guitar forums anyway) forums that players tend to be cautious with their expensive instruments - you certainly see a lot of questions being asked on here which is [u]great[/u], [i]some[/i] of the answers not so great & I steer clear of those users who tend to get their rulers out & demonstrate their [i]knowledge[/i] (such that it is in some cases) rather than offer any practical answers or valid opinions. Personally I would stress the importance of asking an expert who stands or falls, ie. earns a living, by their advice far above any other forum user who can shrug and ignore any issues that ill-founded advice can cause. That has as much validity as the buyers of Mark D Philips butchered guitars ( - I see he's now advocating "oiling" pots) it may work for him, it may work in a select number of cases - but it's not a way forward.

[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1351069855' post='1846812'] Only skimmed this thread, so someone might have already said it. But ordinary common or garden sunflower oil from yer local supermarket works fine. Of course it wont smell of Lemons or Strawberries, or whatever, but it does the job. [/quote] If you meant Olive Oil then yes, you'd be right, but lemon oil would possibly still be cheaper. [quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1351069966' post='1846814'] The thought that always springs to mind with threads like this is how people looked after (or more to the point, [b]didn't[/b] look after) their fret boards in times gone by. To my knowledge, this idea of cleaning and oiling is comparatively recent. It has all the hall marks of being a marketing ploy. There are so many manufacturers out there saying that theirs is the best and only way to clean and oil your fretboard. Yet I regularly see basses from the 60's for sale which are in immaculate condition. I'm sure their original owners did not clean or oil the FB.[/quote] The same could be said for vintage cars; you don't see nearly as many of them around as you do vintage guitars. But maybe if the owners had put more maintenance in them you would. Things weren't always the right way of doing them in the "good old days". As I said a few posts ago, I was told by lifelong luthiers that too much lemon oiling with risk lifting your frets, twice a year max - that's not OTT it's about the same number of times I change an air-fresher in the car. AFAIK the lemon content is a degreasent, the rest of the wood is to feed what is essentially dead wood in the same way any other product does.

[quote name='Pelle Einnarson' timestamp='1351078503' post='1846967']If you don't want to drill a new hole in your bass, you can try what Ahmet Tekneci did. He simply replaced one of the neck screws on the back with a longer one and put a strap button through it.[/quote] Amazing how many folk don't try this first; though I have vague memories of having to drill out the hole in the button a bit to get the longer screw to fit thru it.

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1351009104' post='1846169'] Linseed oil on this then? [url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/turquoisemoleeater/guitars/cricketbat.jpg"][/url] [/quote] I bet that sounds wicket .... .... I mean wicked!

I've certainly been told every time that they're made by Tokai, from the first time I saw one when they were first made (£299 ) - right up until last month. Maybe they don't broadcast it due to [i]not wishing to offend a certain party[/i].

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1350949737' post='1845584'] Don't wanna be a negative force on BC, but would it be too much asked for you to tell the rest of us what that object is? best. bert [/quote] [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1350951629' post='1845592'] It's a strap isn't it? [/quote] You told! It's a Levy's strap, mine has been used on three successive long scale basses including the infamous Epi EB3 - and being about 3 ins wide (75mm to the metrically minded) and suede on the inner it doesn't allow neck dive....................................... so far! Though it's still to pass the T-bird test.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1350944362' post='1845535'] 1. Never trust a man who wears sunglasses indoors. 2. Never trust a man who has a £50 note. 3. Never trust a man who knows what a bass guitar is. [/quote] Well that's Ian Hunter stuffed then! Though I say credit to the OP for filling the breakage gap with a jam; I've seen bands flap around panicing, go to the bar for a drink, tell the audience to talk among themselves, or have a row (+ flounce) as to why he didn't bring a spare guitar.

What be this 'ere "neck-dive" of which ye speak?

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1350908220' post='1844853'] It's comments like this that concern me... [quote name='blind summit' timestamp='1350908220' post='1844853'] You don’t want to do this each time you change your strings (a good wipe down with a cloth is enough) but it’s worth doing every 8-10 months.[/quote] [/quote] That backs up what the luthiers have told me, I've followed the "never more than twice a year" and had no problems in the past 20+ years of guitars with rosewood boards. So long as you don't soak it - and wipe any excess off outside areas & it should be good.

I got mine in one of these kits at GuitarGuitar. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GIBSON-VINTAGE-REISSUE-GUITAR-RESTORATION-POLISH-KIT-/220719582435 The other polish is great for nitro, two pack or poly finishes and get years of gig crap off no problem. Only "gimmick" was the brush for cleaning between your saddles etc.

I was told by a few luthiers that Lemon Oil maybe twice a year at most is the thing. Apparently any more can loosen your frets.