Chris2112

It's such a shame. I've emailed Phil Kubicki and Rob at Status in the past with queries about instruments I had bought used, and they were always spot on and prompt to reply to my emails. I asked Phil for advice on changing the strings when I first had a Kubicki Ex Factor and he emailed me a step by step guide and gave me his phone number incase I needed step by step advice on the phone! Incredible customer service! Whereas I fear if you went onto the EBMM forum and said "I want to tongue BP's rim" you'd still get flamed and knocked back because there are people with 5 or 6 MM basses there who haven't yet got to do that!

[quote name='skej21' post='924450' date='Aug 13 2010, 10:25 PM']I also think it's disgraceful to play a Stanley Clarke gig and show NO respect.[/quote] I love it how you just seem to have arrived at the decision that this is Billy's mindset. I think you're actually quite far wrong. Billy is certainly a very supportive musician with a great deal of respect for the song. He is certainly not an egotist, he just knows how to have fun. I've seen him live with Vai enough times to know that he is incredibly talented, and can groove with great finesse if the situation calls for it. This is merely an opportunity for bassists to get on stage and sling a few chops about over a well known tune, Stan's tune no less. Given that the majority of people in the audience were bassists and likely fusion fans at that they've pitched it well I think. There are a few duff bits, like Alex Al, but it's all just good fun. I particularly enjoyed Stu Hamm's bit. Marcus Miller lost me a bit. However, the overall show is very good, apart from Stevie Wonder's awful redition of "Giant Steps". Seeing Stewart Copeland with Stan on stage was great, just like Animal Logic from back in the day!

The way people revere Sterling, you'd think he designed the original Ray! That forum is full of terrible sycophants, there is no way to have a reasoned discussion there. Brand loyalty taken to the extreme!

[quote name='Doddy' post='923932' date='Aug 13 2010, 02:34 PM']Although I'd never place her as an awful player,this is pretty much my opinion of her. She can play but there are many players who can blow her away,but aren't getting slipped a custard by Vinnie Colaiuta.[/quote] I think it's funny, because at the same time as Tal was new to scene, Hadrien Feraud was just getting about. However, he was making a name for himself as the most bombastic and outrageously talented player since Wooten arrived in the mainstream, whereas Tal just seemed to be a rising star based on the connections she got from piping off Vinnie Colaiuta!

I remember reading an interview that Scott did a few years ago and man, was he saying some controversial stuff! I think most of it related to falling out with band mates on Zappa tours and waging war across the stage every night!

Another vote for Tal Wilkenfield. Not the most dire of the lot (perhaps), but so ridiculously overrated you'd think the greats like Jaco, Wooten, Hamm [i]et al[/i] had never been around! I contend that if she was a bloke, she'd have been written off as a lacklustre wannabe! Nothing personal against her, she's just uninspired and uninspiring!

I had a Warwick Thumb BO 1999 with a beautiful wenge neck. It really was an awesome bass, with perhaps one fault. If the strings on it were anything less than fresh it sounded awful, and I owned it at a time when I wasn't playing out a great deal. If you're getting enough use of use of it to justify puttng new strings on every week then you're in luck! Overall, I still love Warwick basses and I'll own a Streamer at some point!

I think Ibanez had the best marketing of any guitar company, during the 1980's. Everyone who was someone had or would have an Ibanez...Vai, Satch, Gambale, Holdsworth, Lane etc etc... they are the guitars of the 1980's and beyond!

FWIW, I'd have to say the fact you've got sentimental value attached to one bass, much the same as the one you're wanting to buy, is a good case for not selling it and buying the other one. Sentimental value only means more as the years go on.

You only live once, and the stuff you have, you can't take it with you in the end...!

After selling my first Kubicki Ex Factor, I realised it was my dream bass. Everything about them, the sound, the look, the design, the feel - perfect for me. To get myself one for a second time, I traded a brilliant, mint condition Warwick Thumb BO with a slim wenge neck. Never looked back either, but I did have to drive to Lancashire M6 services to trade for it, and to get there for like 11 in the morning after finishing work at 1200 the previous night! That was an early morning and a half! I'll never be as daft as to let it go again!

Great shop, well run with helpful staff! I loved the Status S2 they had in there recently, it was a brilliant bass.

Really good website, and really good basses!

I must have got one of those when they first came out. It was so "first gen" that it didn't even have the Wilkinson pickups! The neck pocket was slightly shoddy, however there was some flame in the maple of the neck which was nice. It sounded pretty dire now that I look back, and played awfully as I strung it with Rotosound Steve Harris flats, which sounded crap and were unbelievably stiff.

[quote name='JMT3781' post='919705' date='Aug 9 2010, 03:30 PM']Ibanez BTB 6 string... dreadfull thing. It was one of the first ones they made... the later ones were far better in every respect[/quote] I had a first generation BTB405QM. I think it must be about 8 years or so since I bought it...it was some years ago now! Great bass, really loved it. Didn't really know what to do with the dual band mid control at the time but I recall it did sound awesome!

[quote name='peted' post='898248' date='Jul 18 2010, 06:08 PM']This is exactly what intrigues me - is it worth getting an Accountant when you're just earning a few hundred quid a year? What's the threshold?[/quote] I'm not sure thats worth it - at the very most, hire an accountant for an hour at the end of the tax year, present them with your books and proof of expenses and ask them to do the number crunching so you can present a feasible looking tax return. You'll pay your £30 or £40 and at least you know your stuff is sorted.

Aye, Gary can play alright! Never been a huge fan of his tone but he can find his way around a fretless!

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='910493' date='Jul 30 2010, 06:08 PM']I don't think I've had a bad bass - this is the one I'd rank lowest...(bitchin' case though eh?) [/quote] You've been lucky, because that looks incredible!