hiram.k.hackenbacker

I’ve been using the Microtubes 900 v2 since its release and I couldn’t be more pleased with it. I had the original 900 before it, which was also a good amp.

I’m not sure swapping what you already have to the X900 is going to give you what you want though.

I’d be interested to hear the results of a side by side if you could get it arranged.

25 minutes ago, Wolverinebass said:

I would imagine they won't sell that many? Even if one were a Kiss superfan would you pay £7200 for one? It's a Gibson. The QC won't be amazing. Take off a zero maybe? Or maybe 2 zeros given Gibson's previous bass record recently.

They'll sell.

Take a look at this. They're not priced this way 'not to sell'.

https://www.genesimmonsaxe.com

12 minutes ago, Thump said:

I hadn't considered those who collect memorabilia and such. Some of those people go to crazy lengths to get what they want , and its definite that here are some incredibly wealthy folk amongst them.

It really doesn't matter then if its a good instrument or not , they're going to vanish quickly only to reappear on the 2nd hand market with an even more ridiculous price , and they'll still sell. the worlds gone mad

I think to some it matters, but yes, there are also some that have enough disposable income and just geek out over the band enough to justify the purchase.

I have quite a lot of signature basses, but I would be very unhappy if it was a bad instrument. In fact, I would get rid if it was a duff one.

On 20/09/2023 at 20:15, Thump said:

I wonder what led them to put the price point as high as it is? greed? Or just that they know some mug with too much money will pay whatever they ask?

 

I just don't get where some of these companies get their pricing structure from. 

 

Are the components , wood of this one of incredibly high value? Or is it just the name at the end of the neck?

 

I'd like to know their justification for such a price, it just doesn't seem anything like good value to me. Maybe its me and my cheapskateness , but for 7k it better bloody play itself and make me look good (no small feat)

I think a lot of that will have to do with Mr.Simmons. For Gibson to use his name to sell their product he will want to clear $XXXX per unit. He won't give a flying doodad what the final price is, as long as he clears his figure.

He has been pre-selling the basses he will be playing at the final KISS gig in NYC and they were more expensive than these.

One of the only Simmons related basses that really does it for me (on looks alone as I've never played one) is @cetera's Feline Spector SB-1.

That's a damn fine looking bass and sounds nice on the videos I've seen.

I've never seen one for sale and don't suppose I ever will 🤷‍♂️.

I think bank transfers are generally quite safe, but I always only send a very small percentage of the total cost to the seller and ask them to confirm how much I’ve sent. This increases the confidence that we’ve both typed the account and sorting codes correctly and also allows me to save the details in my banking app so I can send the balance without having to type numbers in again. I’ve had one instance where money went to the wrong place (not my fault) it was quite difficult to get back. I have no wish to go through that again.

1 minute ago, Cato said:

 

Given the information on the page about how much the original was hacked about I wonder how "authentic" this recreation is?

 

Is there an additional pickup cavity under the scratch plate up by the neck in the original position?

 

Filler/drill holes in the body where the three point bridge was taken out and replaced with a high mass?

 

For 7k I'd want Mr Simmons breaking out into a sweat if someone challenged him to a game of 'find the lady' with 2 of these and his original being swapped around.

 

 

Ah yes, but then you would have the ‘I hate relics’ brigade to deal with 🤷‍♂️

I wonder if they actually believe their own hype?

“Calling Dr. Love - Your New Bass Has Arrived

Gibson Custom Shop is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality, and sound excellence. Each instrument celebrates Gibson's legacy through accuracy, authenticity, and attention to detail.”

Although I am a huge Kiss fan, I’m not so taken with Gibson basses.

I’m pretty sure though that they wouldn’t have made them if they weren’t confident they would sell, in which case, that’s easy money.

There are a lot of seriously minted Kiss fans out there as evidenced by all the Gene Simmons Vault series buyers.

Most of these won’t see the light of day much, if at all, but that’s signature instrument collectors for you 🤷‍♂️

I should have mentioned that I'm not really looking for trades.

I am open to realistic offers though.

I don’t think I ever thought I would. I certainly had no designs on doing so.

I guess we all wonder what it would be like, but that’s as far as it went for me.

51 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

I pay the extra just so we have a bass specialist still in existence. It means there is more choice and a higher chance of better quality gear to try. Worth it to me for a couple of quid. Same reason I’d rather spend £4/5 on a decent pint in the local than £2 for a Carling in Wetherspoons.

No good buying the dearer pint at the local if they don't clean the pipes out occasionally.

How much are you playing that you need to worry about changing batteries?

As mentioned already, carry a cheap battery tester and always unplug your bass when you’re not playing it.

I also never leave the battery in the bass if that particular one is not being used for a while.

This is part of the reason why I don’t wear my wireless pack on my strap so it forces me to unplug the bass when not being used.

I’ve been caught out once with that when I did wear the pack on a strap and that’s not happening again.

15 minutes ago, Heathy said:

In 1985 I was mostly listening to Iron Maiden. I had Saxon’s Crusader album on cassette, and the first two Marillion albums, but that was about it.

Was Live After Death ‘85? I can’t remember. If so, that would have been on heavy rotation.

I do regret selling my V8, but my back has thanked me and to be honest, the way my right arm is at the moment, I couldn’t take it out and gig it anyway.

Enjoy your new purchase 🤘

No Jacket Required by Phil Collins

The Dream of The Blue Turtles by Sting

Given how much they charge and how quickly they shift what they produce, 3Leaf could do with stepping up their production so I can actually buy an Octabvre Mk3. 

16 hours ago, Wilson_51_ said:

I would love ampeg to release a SVT that’s half the weight, possibly 200 watts but sounds and looks just the same. 

I know it’s not an SVT, but the Rocket range are pretty fabulous. Then there’s the SGT-DI.

Looks stunning. GLWTS.

6 hours ago, MrSilentX said:

Just wanted to say that I had the exact same thing happen to mine. One morning I picked it up and the neck was so bent that it was unplayable. It was stored in the same conditions as all my other basses and the necks on all of those remained perfect. Found this thread searching to see if others had the same problem.

In one way I’m pleased I’m not the only one as Fender were a bit arsey about it and I couldn’t believe it was a one-off.

I’m also sad that you’ve had to go through it.

Fender eventually sent me a new neck and it’s been fine since.

‘Hope you get it sorted. How long had you owned it before it went?

10 hours ago, Norris said:

Queen - Live Killers

The live version of Brighton Rock is so much more evolved/sophisticated/fluid than the original studio track. Fabulous album, and probably my favourite live album

Live Killers is not an album I expected to see in this thread.

To my ears, it just sounds horrible and is full of overdubs.

They couldn’t even get the transitions between the songs right. Listen to Death On Two Legs going into Killer Queen - just awful.

Brighton Rock is a composite of three different performances and also has overdubs.

9 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

Yes, I thought that as I was typing, but these are released as 'Live' albums, not the standard 'record everything and replace lots of it when we get home' Zappa approach.

Oh yes, no doubt that the three you quoted are live albums, but they also contain some unique material which there-fore can't be compared to their studio predecessors. 

Personally, I think Broadway was of its time. A very strange tour which I saw and not as good as Humor IMHO.

Roxy is an absolute classic. I hope you have heard the expanded editions.

3 hours ago, paul_5 said:

LOTS of Zappa albums - personal favourites include "Broadway the Hardway", "Does Humour Belong In Music" & "Roxy & Elsewhere".

A tricky one this, given Zappa's tendency to use segments of live material to construct albums in the studio.

Personally I don't think any of those three stand head and shoulders above Over-Nite Sensation, Apostrophe(') or One Size Fits All. YMMV.

21 minutes ago, steantval said:

David Bowie - At The Tower Philadelphia 

That's a lot of classic albums that have been 'trounced' by one live album which has completely different arrangements.

I don't dislike David Live as an album, I'm just not sure it trounces the sum of its parts.

11 minutes ago, cetera said:

Almost every live album is hugely doctored in the studio. "Frampton Comes Astudio" being the prime example...

It doesn't get anywhere near the slating Alive! does on Wikipedia, although I accept Wikipedia may have some inaccuracies 🤣

>>Frampton said "the album is mostly live except for the first verse of 'Something's Happening', the rhythm electric guitar on 'Show Me the Way' (the talk-box came out but the engineer forgot to move the mic) and the intro piano on 'I Wanna Go to the Sun' were fixed in the studio, but the rest was all live (all the guitar solos, acoustic guitars, electric keyboards, drums, bass guitar and rest of vocals) which was unheard of at the time"<<