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Hi, first of all, I would like to mention that I've never taken any active part within discussions on forums, nor do I wish to continue doing so. However, seing this thread to escalate so much – I guess it's time to clear a few things out. Obviously, I am not writing myself, I have asked a colleague to translate my message and make it a bit more transparent. Concerning this particular instrument and accordingly with my e-mail history, the first couple of questions about that bass have reached me in early January. After analysing the vast list of special feautures, I have stated to the customer that so many options are clearly impossible to apply. That being said, this instrument has been created without the use of our online configurator. Trying to find a common ground, we have agreed on a list of things to customise. The deposit has been paid and I have started to order everything needed. Complete hardware had to be customised, since the customer specifically requested nickel parts, whereas we have only been offering chrome at this stage. Same goes for pickups. All parts have been ordered in the US. However, throughout the Coronavirus pandemic – no shipments were possible. Everything arrived on the 20th of April and exactly the same day I have forwarded the order into our workshop. That‘s the way we always operate, in order to minimalize the amount of times, one particular instrument is being handled. In between the customer was being informed about the progress. There was a possibility to speed up that process, through substitiution of certain elements. Eight weeks later, on the 13th of June the bass has arrived into our showroom and a picture was sent to the customer. One day later, I have received the info that the remaining amount has been transferred. We have received the payment on the 26th of June and shipped the instrument on the 29th of June. On the 3rd of July at precisely 04:42 P.M. I have received the first e-mail regarding the delivery of the bass and a first couple of complaints from the customer. I have answered that message during the same day at exactly 05:34 P.M. The way I saw it, there was no interest in finding a good solution to potential problems, since that thread, here on Basschat has been created the same day. Quite frankly – it felt to me like a simple blackmail attempt. On the 6th of July I have made a customer an offer asking about his expectations and what could be done to solve the situation and improve his mood. Few more e-mails with technical questions followed later. I have replied to each one of them. However, I didn't get any clear answer concerning finding a solution to set the record straight. Additionally, I started to receive excerpts and pictures from that thread with quotes from different members. Obviously, I had to ignore those e-mails.. On the 21st of July I have offered the customer a 100 EUR compensation. Afterwards, I have received an answer stating that it would not suffice followed with some unnecessary comments. Simultaneously, I have been informed that it would cost more to fix the bad wiring on the instrument. However, there were no specifications concerning potmeters prior to the production. We have done it like we always do and we do not receive any complaints in that regard. Two hours later, I have received a request to pay 200 EUR and an information that the customer could start similar threads on talkbass, bajistas.com and bassic.de. My answer was merely stating that I am not going to feel threatened and the customer would get 200 EUR if he would delete that thread here on Basschat. The reply came – apparently the author can't remove own threads. I have suggested contacting a moderator. The reason I wanted to delete this thread was simple – the analysis concerning the time when it was created didn't let me any chance of trying to find a peaceful solution without being blackmailed. The last message stated that the customer is about to make an official complaint. All in all, I have received exactly 59 e-mails. Only ten were left without my reply, simply because it made no sense to do so. In my opinion, I have made a mistake by getting convinced to build this instrument in the first place. Furthermore, until this moment I can't really sense, that the customer is interested in finding a clear solution to resolve the whole situation. That's all I can add from my side. Something about custom instruments in general: We are building around 550 instruments within one Year. We have over 20 people responsible for that. Around 400 of those are custom orders. The way I am getting informed by my customers – we are probably providing the biggest and most accessible custom shop in the world. I personally don't care if it's true. That's just the input I am getting with time through my clients. Many custom options are being designed by customers. Mainly because they want things in a certain way and there is no room for suggestions. For example – You can't expect every bridge and the size of every pickup to fit in aligning strings exactly between pole pieces. If somebody takes a look at the variety of options we are providing and still thinks we are ordering everything pre-made – clearly has no idea how instruments are being built. Customer support: I am receiving around 100 e-mails a day. Lots of questions regarding lots of different subjects (basses, hardware, wood, bassplaying, solos, compositions, arrangements). That being said, I am trying to answer each and every one of them. Sometimes though, it's not possible to answer an e-mail concerning the arrival of a certain instrument. I make sure to get a confirmation from my workshop (once they can provide one) and then I am doing my best to inform every customer. Everybody gets their instrument, I have never had any communication problems concerning that. Unfortunately, we are living in times where patience is very rarely found. I can only ask for understanding. Each customer has one clear instrument in mind. Specific questions concerning specific products. I am, however torn between hundreds of different orders and my day is unfortunately not getting any longer. I am sure, many would confirm that I am trying to answer all week round, including Saturdays and Sundays, whenever I can. Of course, it would be easier to hire somebody to take over of my customer support. In my opinion it makes no sense due to the fact that I am the person behind my slogan: 'From Player To Player'. That's the main reason why so many customers wish to speak directly with me. Additionally: I have not read the whole thread. However, I would like to address a couple of other things that were mentioned here. I have noticed that somebody was trying to undermine the name 'Public Peace'. I can officially invite him or anybody else to pay us a visit, see the way we live and work. Then he can tell me, whether that name stands for something true or not. Public Peace is not a marketing slogan – it's the way we live and was like that before I have started this business. It's very easy to hide under a nickname and anonymously pick fingers at somebody who stands publicly at the forefront. There is an old Amerindian catchphrase: 'Before You judge somebody, make sure to run the whole summer in his moccasins through the prairie'. Nowadays, thanks to different forms of social media we can observe heaps of possibilities to spread an opinion about others, simultaneously not losing own anonymity. As an example – YouTube and thumbs up/thumbs down expressions. I believe, these things can be really dangerous. If I like something, I make sure to share it by hitting a thumbs up button. However, never have I ever used the other – thumbs down option. Exactly as the fact, that I have never aspired to ‘fish for compliments‘, ratings and alike. I think, it has to simply evolve naturally. B-strings: Concerning the custom instrument with a faulty B-string and a question, whether that bass could be returned. Of course custom instruments can not be returned. Unfortunately, we can't afford to offer that. Therefore, we are making sure to have enough instruments in our showroom, which can be purchased as standard models and returned if not met with all the expectations. In my humble opinion, the issue of a faulty B-strings lays not within an instrument. I really think it's an issue with the string itself. Till now, I have managed to fix/repair similar cases with both our instruments and different brands on multiple occasions in our showroom. I will try to make a video addressing this matter. Maybe this can help. String retainers: The matter of a string retainer on Gareth Hughes's bass turned out to be a simple misunderstanding and my mistake. I have confused two different instruments – had a different one in mind. Concerning my comment about 30 basses that have just arrived: Just a short follow-up, how we are trying to operate here. There are 32 instruments fitting an Euro-Palette when they are shipped from our workshop in Poland. Firsty, all of them are being photographed, then I am deciding which need to be showcased wthin our video channel. The next move follows by sending pictures to customers, who have ordered them. The string retainer in that particular instrument was mounted by myself, however the picture that Gareth has received still didn't have it on. Our luthiers in Poland couldn't decide, whether it should cover 3,4 or 5 strings. After a conversation we have found a solution and the instrument has been shipped accordingly with all the wishes. Lastly: Last but not least – as a rule I am never encouraging anybody to get custom instruments. If things like a perfect alignment between strings and pole pieces or little cracks, which can occur due to transit are more important than the sound and playability of the instrument, I would rather recommend getting a standard model. Even different brand – standard basses can be returned back. I am really hoping that that's my first and the last post on any forum. Hereby, I would like to wish everybody all the best, especially in those crazy times, we live in! Lots of health, great music and public peace. Best, Adrian

Oh, I see the headstock now. I thought we were looking at that sock and shoe combo with the shorts.

I don’t think there’s anything left to say here. I suggest you two get in the phone and chat instead of sniping via the forum. I hope you manage to find a solution and can both put this to bed. Thanks

Reminds me of the woman, talking to the surgeon who'd operated on her husbands arthritic hands... "Tell me the truth, please, Doctor; will he be able to play the piano..?" "Yes, Madam, he'll have no problem with that." "That's wonderful, Doctor; he'll be so pleased. He never could before."

When the rest of the bass playing world wakes up to the fact of HB's astonishing ability to turn out flawless instruments and flog them at a 5th of the price of the competition, there will be more than a few manufacturers looking nervously over their shoulders. This is another beauty. Not 'good for a beginner' or 'OK considering the price point' or 'will do for a back up' or 'good as a start point for a mod' or 'might be OK once I replace every working part of it'. No. It's just great, straight out of the box, no qualification, no prevarication. It's beautifully finished, plays like a dream balances and sounds like a a P Bass. 42mm at the nut, no sharp edges, no dead spots, beautiful 3ply tort plate, no buzzing, no blemishes. And a laughable price tag. *sigh* in love again. Happens all the time.

The coffee mug is there for scale. The brown paper is to fill the empty space. And what have I actually bought? Yes ... it's a clip-on tuner.

He speaks the Truth (Book of Tort 17, 3) ”those that like not the blessed tort shall suffer eternity blowing goats.** For free” ** Wayne’s world reference

So that's what Uma Thurman did after Kill Bill!

I've a stick. But it's a wonky stick with a crack at the top, a scratch on the back and it's far too shiny.

Well, the drop top finally got here from Croatia. About two weeks wait. I'm very excited and nervous, because now I should press ahead. I've repaired the template, and i think I will make a copy from 12mm MDF just to be on the safe side. Here's the new flame maple top:

As for the price. It's only sick squid.

Loved this. Lovely bass groove too which is probably why I like it so much.

Well here it is, photo's of my Westfield EB3 Bass guitar, and my Warwick BC80 amp. Now just to start to learn to play the bass! The adventure begins 😀

4 hours I need to get a life.

Re the Les Paul, he has OCD anyway with constant retuning on stage, changing guitars 15 times in each set, constantly checking connections on stuff that's working perfectly and wearing white gloves for the set up as it apparently tells him how grubby our equipment is 😳?? So, I'm hoping he wants nothing to do with the guitar now it's busted and he'll ask me if I want it for 400€😅

He declined my offer

A different pic from the one we posted at the time. Better sense of scale I think.

Even by my very low standards, that's appalling.

The Bass Driver/RBI like many of our SansAmps can be set clean. Because they are emulating the sound of a vintage tube amp many demos focus on the more over driven sounds. The reason we have the Blend up all the way in many sample settings is simple, vintage tube amps have no Blend control. The Blend control was part of the original design conception and goes back to how bass guitar used to be recorded in a studio setting. The bass guitar would go to a DI and the direct signal went to the board and the through of the DI went to a mic'd bass amp and both signals were "blended" at the board. It was a composite sound. In most settings whether live or in the studio the bass is DI'd these days. Your clean sound with our SansAmps will depend upon how much headroom you are playing with. With less headroom you will tend to play harder and hit the circuit harder. If you want no amp emulation you can turn the Blend all the way off and now you have a DI with EQ.

Cruising through Epping listening to this

Yeah, it was very much pick up a bass and see what happens - the “chorus” is a regurgitated riff from a scrapped idea, the “Verse” was just what i played on the bass to check the levels. the “middle 8” type thing was something in key just to hint that it might be time for a lead part. I sent it to Matt and Max (singer/drummer) and said “will this do?” And off we went.

You do know that when God made pickguard He called them scratchplates and He made them red tort, right? I'm not saying all other colours are heresy, but they're pretty damn close.

He's re-invented the Hungarian Minor then!

And here's a clip from @Jonathan Bee (which I hope he doesn't mind me posting!) This uses the Tron effect on the Zoom B3. This really is very good - a real shame that this effect is not available in the later B3N and B1-4 models. Filter 12 - B3 Tron (JB).mp3

Enjoying mine atm. Great instrument.

Linda Ronstadt Blue

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It really is a great question. I'll bite. It's not the speaker you need to think about really. Imagine two people standing very lose together on stage singing a simple song like Frere Jacques. (it could be any two things making any sounds but I want a simple example) Each singer as they sing sends a complex wave of sound into the air and once the sound leaves their mouths it starts to combine and the now doubly complex sounds spread together to your ear where the eardrum vibrates in time with the combined voices. Eventually this is converted into signals in your auditory nerve and is carried into your brain. The magic bit is what happens there. Your brain analyses the signals, works out that it's not one but two voices and then that it is singing, it is words, that they are in French and whilst one person is singing Frere Jacques the other is singing Dormez vous? It can only do this because you've learned to interpret the sounds. A new born baby won't be able to distinguish the two voices or understand the words because it's brain hasn't learned how yet, and if you don't know any French you might only hear the sounds phonetically. If you take the people away and replace them with a speaker playing a recording of the song you'll hear almost the same wave pattern made by the movement of the speaker and still be able to decode it. Even if it's digitised and a lot of the information stripped out by making it an MP3 your brain can still process the information and work out what we are listening to. Your brain is brilliant at this and even better if you are a musician. You could probably listen to a symphony orchestra and pick out one instrument at a time especially if they played a bum note. The same note played on a Rickenbacker or a Jazz, no problem. All the speaker needs to do is transmit the data in a reasonably honest way, your brain will sort it all out when it gets there.

Not sure if this helps put your wound and guitarist's incident into perspective; but this is a bad day:

Just bought 2 of these One board is an hour into a test with some hungry peds and some normal ones. It's dropped one bar. I'll keep you posted

I am a complete tart and happy to admit it. I bought this 100% on its looks. If it was a dog it would been worth it to look at. It's a kind of charcoal grey/black. In the flesh it's sexy as Diane Keen playing lingerie judo with Susannah York. Oh and I know I said I loved it straight out of the box but what can't be improved by the addition of a @KiOgontone switch?

I have just received a very nice Lakland Bob Glaub which I bought from Loz. Super easy transaction and a jolly nice chap to have a natter with. Thoroughly recommended, whatever you’re buying. Thanks once again. I hope to deal with you again some day.

Jack's famous last words a few hours before delivery of that item happened: "It's a clip-on tuner, they can put it through the letterbox, can they?" Er, no they couldn't...

My experience as well, although I have to say I wasn't particularly happy about it. My opinion as both a customer and someone that runs their own business, is that if there is a preferred method of communication then it should be clearly indicated on all points of contact and correspondence. Otherwise the assumption is that all methods are equally valid and effective.

Cheers, I had a late 80's silverface I bought from a mate as he did not have enough room at the time. That changed so I gave it back but missed it. Then chanced upon this one. Previous owner had from nearly new.

Well, as long as you never give up, that is what matters So you went to a shop to get the cheapest budget Ibanez SR and then it turned out you wanted a SR premium? That worked out well then!

Silly accidents eh .. I walked into a lampost a week ago, full force, which knocked me to the ground. Hit the lampost arm first and bicep took the full brunt, spun me round, and fell on the ground on the left knee. Hat, glasses, stuff in pockets, all flew off or out over the ground. Bruises and whatnot, couldnt stretch my arm out for a few days. Strange really, as that lampost has been in the same place for as long as i've lived here,.. 10 years. Go figure I'll never play the violin again, though

Reported - I’ve had to tell people who have spent £1000’s on stuff that their strat/Les Paul/jazz Bass is an Encore/squier/Epiphone before now. There really are some people who aren’t as fortunate as we who cannot spot fakes. The Classic Vibe Squier first run were the most common re-badges.

I thought Jack was just a bass player but its obvious from the moustache that hes really a porn star lol

Nah - just really pleased that you're liking it a lot so far! Feel free to post a few pics on this thread - which seems to be a repository for Ibby SR lovers - although my bi-annual campaign to persuade Woody to change the thread title to something broader continues to meet with steely resistance 😁 Just had a little trip down memory lane on the thread and turns out that I bought my first Ibby (a 4 string as it happens - I hadn't taken up 5 strings back then!) exactly 3 years ago to the day.

^^^ this Or Susan with Tim Lefebvre laying down the groove Oh and Tracy Chapman though I couldn't name a bassist.

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