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@chris_b Not treating your customers like mugs or insulting them? Showing some expertise? Just trying to make a sale with knowledge and interest rather than assuming you deserve it? Not telling the customer what they want without listening to their actual needs? Those things cost nothing. I'd rather shop locally, but I'm not going to be treated like a mug in the process.

A few weeks ago me and a mate went to a couple of gear shops in Bristol. My mate wanted to buy some for of drum machine. He'd narrowed it down to the Roland Aira TR-8, the TR-09 and the Arturia DrumBrute. We went into PMT first, they didn't have the DrumBrute in stock. But the guy was mega enthusiastic, without being annoying, he gave a brief and knowledgeable rundown of the workings of the TR-8 and then left us to it, popping back every 10 mins to answer questions etc. We had a quick poke about with the TR-09, but counted it out. Chatted about gigs and stuff with the PMT guy for about 20 mins and then we left. We then headed to Elevator Sounds, a synth shop a mile or so away. After being stood in the shop for 15 mins looking at things the owner sighed, looked up from his laptop and asked if we wanted to try anything. My mate asked about the DrumBrute they had on display. Owner sighed again, wandered over, switched it on and pointed at some headphones. He then went back to his laptop. Meanwhile I was looking at all the modular synth stuff. He had a used module I wanted at a decent price. I asked about it, he replied with no enthusiasm "urgh, If you want it that means I'll have to get it out of the rack... "Don't bother" I said I'm not interested now. I asked my mate if he was getting the Drumbrute. In a loud voice he said "F**k this guy, we'll go back to PMT". and off we went. I'll never go back to Elevator Sounds. EDIT: The guy lost nearly £600 in 2 easy sales.

Is that Anton Du Beke on Les Paul as well? 🤔

Yep, they made the Squier PB-331 in black, white and sunburst. They also pop up slightly earlier than the E-series... below is mine, it's an A-series dated '85 (plus, I believe, Fender Japan made them in late '84 under the Squier JV series, though likely not exported... and they also came as regular Fender Japan models, but that's another can of worms). Great little basses.

Me - Do you sell Rotosounds? Them - Yes Me - Why?

I'm not wasting my time with a shrink when I could be running through the streets with ten mini capes flowing in the breeze behind me.

I've just ordered ten. With a five pound saving on each one I've just saved fifty quid in a matter of minutes. I can now get a 'free' set of flats with the money I've saved, and still have some left over.

So yes, anyway - this was today... The songs are coming together, so I had a bit of time to do some A/B-ing. Basically, as they have the same pre, the characteristics are the same - the richness & clarity. But the WB-100 is bigger and 'bloomier', whereas the R-400 is more focussed. So no surprises there, then...

Sorry Mate, but that's a contradiction. He either does a good job, or the frets are buzzing. You can't have both. Don't know what he had it for, but if it needs adjustment it would have taken nothing to do it. If the frets need leveling, he should have called you and got your agreement to do it while he had it.

I kinda feel sorry for the staff in music shops. I also feel enraged about the staff in music shops. I remember having a good chat with one of my friends (somebody who has worked in the one of the music shops in the midlands for many, many years). I said it annoyed me that whenever you go into a music shop and ask to try something out or be shown how something work, 9 times out of 10, the staff are clearly winging it. They have no idea how or what the device/software does... and even start telling you a load of horse shizz in the hopes of selling you something. His response to me was that the guys in shops cannot possibly know everything about everything they sell - and it looks worse because customers have often done research before getting to the shop (who would have thought eh?). I said that I agreed - but even the nominal level of understanding is rarely displayed. What angers me is that these same shop staff are usually sitting on their derrières - they could be learning about the products that they are selling in the times where the shops are quiet. I understand that not every member of staff can not be clued up on everything - so how about divvying up the products so there is at least one member of staff that has some understanding. I would have a lot more respect for a member of staff that says to me, "I can't help with the product in depth - but if you wait for xyz, they will be able to take you through it all in detail...." It's funny - the desire to be clued up seems to have vanished. A guy I knew, sadly no longer with us, could never afford any of the equipment that he was interested in but had a real passion for synths. This was back in the day before all the information was available to download on the manufacturers websites. He would often contact the manufacturers and purchase the operating instructions and tech manuals just so he could learn about the products that ultimately, he could never afford. Anyway, cut a long story short, he used to go into shops to play on this gear - and his knowledge of everything blew the shops away - especially when they found out that he was showing them all the advanced and deep editing features. Before long, he had given up his job of fruit machine repairs and went into music retail. Within 6 months, after the synth reps came in and saw what this guy was capable of, they were fighting over him to join them. Shortly before his death (very sad botched appendix operation), he was consulting on the embedding programming aspect of much of the stuff found in modern DSP. I often think about him - and his passion for learning - compared to the guys selling stuff that they haven't spend 30 seconds looking at or even having a brief look through the instruction manuals. It's though it should be a given that anything should be instantly usable to the nth degree with zero learning curve. Very sad. So yeah, it upsets me that the selling staff are mostly clueless about what they are selling...

There's an album i haven't heard in a while - it was brilliant tho wasn't it? Must get on Amazon and find a copy...

We used to play Girl Like You by Edwin Collins. Practically a one note bass line for 4 mins. I used to read a book during that one. Audiences liked it though.

If it's like I'm visualising it's reasonably common, though a pic would help to confirm. I've seen it on basses and guitars at all prices points (cheapys, Warwicks, US Fenders amongst many others) and it's simply where the wood has moved. Being three different pieces of wood they can all move at different rates and directions. There isn't a fix unfortunately, but it usually doesn't result in anything too disastrous. In extreme cases the wood can burst at the seams, but 9 out of 10 times you just get the lines like your'e seeing now as the wood has already moved to the position it wants to be in. People don't really think of body wood moving/warping, but it's actually quite common. That being said, if sending it back is an option, I'd definitely do so.

It'd be really useful if people described how they use their boards and the logic of the signal path. There's so much variety and so little overlap between boards, that I often have a really hard time imagining what combinations of pedals are being used and what kind of noise can be achieved.

Can I join in? Some wonderful suggestions here and so much I can learn from all of them. This little gem also springs to mind

Saw this on Instagram the other day - not the usual “any good for metal” finish...

I had to...

Just got this through my email... https://www.amplifiercoversonline.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=580&products_id=7373 Seriously?!

Oh by the way - just bought myself a pair of Omni 10.5s

$2 fee plus whatever standard rates USPS or FedEx charge to deliver / insure. I got a pedal over here for something like $25, check their site for any more info.

I"m 65, not a whole lot of time left. If I collapsed and fell into an inch of urine while playing a bar gig I'd be cool with it. I say, go out with a bit of dignity.😁 Blue

It looks miles better too. What folk see in the BBOT escapes me. I know others will disagree and say "Leo got it right first time", but the only benefit, IMHO, in the BBOT is price - it's cheap.

Yes definitely. I've certainly had 'Fenderitis' since deciding to start looking at getting one a couple of months ago. I've looked at Laklands, G&L and others, which arguably could be 'better', and at least as expensive. This Schecter is the first thing I've looked at that has made me seriously consider a U-turn, and I haven't even touched one yet, which shows how much I like how it looks at least. If I was spontaneous and went by gut instinct, I'd be ok. Unfortunately I usually obsess for ages over what crisps to get from the petrol station.

If you're using Android. Click on the photo which expands. Click it again to make it fill the screen. At the top right there is the share symbol. Click that then the first option is save to gallery. Job done.

Blimey, who are you, his Milkman ?

Why do you think I have all those mirrors??

If this was a natural wood, oiled finish, I'd simply sand it, re-oil it and enjoy the bass. As it's painted/lacquered, send it back, no question.

Ah - I've had an issue with Bax in the past also. Ordered loads of Neutrik sockets and jacks for making up all sorts of cables. They all got there in the end. Eventually. Although I was surprised to get the big cardboard box with just one single female XLR end in....(!)

Add me to your list please @tonyxtiger - might also be interested in renting the Geddy pre to try alongside it if that will still be an option!

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I'm working on it - number 17 should be leaving Manchester today!

16 in this photo..

Fabuloush, Mish Moneypenny.

Got mine finished. Roli Equator for the double bass & one of the violins, FExpansion Strobe 2 for the other violin & trumpet, Logic EXS24 for the piano & the drummer in the box that the guy's sitting on is Logic's very own drummer. Apart from the drums, all was played on the Seaboard.

Oh yes.^^

I'm planning a mary kaye style see-thru white for my jazz

Hi Brendon / BreadBin, Sorry, I only just spotted this thread. Nice collection you have there. I stopped playing for nigh on 25 years I did keep one bass (and so glad I did) though it only came out of its' case once every couple of years...... at most So glad I kept it though - my son came home with a bass when he was about 15, and had never even seen me play Him starting to take up the bass, made me start again - and I'm so glad I did I thought I had too many - but I'm going to show Mrs S that photo in your first post "See, you think I've got too many - just look at this guys' collection" I reckon that pic of yours is my next Get Out Of Jail Free card

Yeah, he's already been mentioned King Tut His careful choice of notes is quite under-rated IMO "Walking On The Moon" is just so simple, yet brilliant (of course, there are plenty of other examples too)

I struggle to think what kind of punter a lot shops do take seriously and even what a guitar shop is for these days. I took the condescension and poor service for granted when I was a kid, on account of looking insufficiently like a member of Guns N Roses, but at this point I've been playing 30+ years and have actual disposable income and play every week in two bands. I buy gear. I don't want to repeatedly put the boot into PMT, but they seem to be utterly clueless. If you are demoing a pedal, at least have some knowledge of what the controls do - Strymon El Capistan - dunno, dunno, dunno - it's 300 quid so find out! Provide an amp and bass that can give some idea of what the pedal will sound like (MXR Bass Distortion through a practice amp and dead strings? No thanks). Get the bass guy to help with bass sales, not the trainee who gleefully tells you he knows nothing about bass gear. Read a bit.They had never even heard of Darkglass as recently as last year (blank look). I know there are more guitarists than bassists, but show some imagination and stock more than entry level Ibanez, twenty different Jazz basses and a couple of Musicman. How about not cramming them in the corner at the back of the shop too? With online trading rules guaranteeing returns, there's almost no point going into a physical store unless the store can add value. Chain shops like this have huge economies of scale (although apparently not enough scale to make stocking TC pedals viable. Really?). If they bothered to keep up with where the market is - what players are talking about and what gear people are excited about, shared some of that enthusiasm and stopped pretending that it's still 1989 and the only true music is classic rock, I'd seriously consider being a customer again. Rant over. I should drink less coffee.

No chance. Has indeed changed the price but still got it listed as an Elwood not a Jake.......f***wit!!

I found the original article that it references a very interesting read. Obviously QJ has very definite opinions on a lot of things but he has also earned the right to those opinions. I also there's a lot of humour and banter in what he says that could be taken the wrong way.

So what's that, given their obscene prices, about 3 guitars...?

Here's another great song where the bass is pretty sparse throughout, with the exception of a slight wig-out in the middle section!

* whilst walking through Ashdown section * Me - 'scuse me, I don't suppose you have a light?

You're on a hiding to nothing with this one, lad. Your blinkers are showing.