Beedster

@HeadlessBassist, you'll find the answer discretely hidden in this........

All very good points 👍

A Leo morphing into a Felix

Interesting @LukeFRC, I was pondering this earlier and while initially coming to the same conclusion, I remembered some of the rather dodgy geezers around here back in the noughties, I could name a few who made your average antique dealer look like a charity volunteer. The problem then was that they were working very much below the radar, or perhaps more accurately, there wasn't a radar. I think the forum is collectively wiser and as the result the guys who deal, most them honestly and legitimately, do so in the open. I've two stories form around 2010 - that I won't repeat as they've done the rounds on here a few times - that simply wouldn't happen today, both in a Minder meets Smiley's People meets Crimewatch kinda way

I'd quite like to keep it blonde by the way

Folks, I bought an new but unfinished 4/4 body/neck from a German firm in 2015, I built it up and have been gigging it since then and am thinking it's about time I applied a finish. I want to oil not varnish, what's the best bet?

You've twice sent me gear free of charge Steve, not a great business model! All joking aside, hugely appreciated both times mate, and both still in regular use 🙏

Yes, it speaks positively mate 👍 In similar vein, and I won't embarrass him by naming, but one long-standing member here bought a bass from me, sold it for more, and sent me 50% of the difference out of the blue. Did I expect him to? Absolutely not. Would I have been pissed off had he not done it? No. Did I appreciate it? Hell yes

I used to have strong feelings about/against it, but firstly it's what shops such as Bass Direct/Bass Bros do and we don't have a problem with that. Secondly (and more importantly) we never know what a person is dealing with in life, quite a few members have lost their jobs recently, or have other financial problems (divorce/increased cost of living etc), and while I've historically tended to flip basses for a loss here, if I were in a difficult situation financially and struggling to pay the bills/put food on the table, I'd have no problem doing it for a profit. I hope it doesn't come to that, and I suspect I'd probably still make it clear where the bass came from. Basschat is a strong community the members of which are 99.99% of the time highly supportive of each other, even to the point of happily donating gear and even money to other members with problems. Perhaps part of that charitable ethos is also to allow other members to make a few quid buying and selling?