mcnach

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1354757413' post='1890166'] I think Talkbass has a 'lifetime' membership that allows open access to the classifieds indefinitely. I'd be happy to consider a single one-off donation of an amount greater than £20 to save the hassle of annual renewal. Let's face it, £20 = just £1.67 a month for the potential to a huge, an knowledgeable, base of potential customers for any sale. I can't think of anything that costs so little yet delivers such a wide, and directly relevant, target audience. I'd gladly pay a bit more to get things up and running with a solid base for future development [/quote] Indeed. I was also thinking about when I used to buy guitar/bass magazines. I used to buy 1-3 every month, at around £5 each. Sure, it's a different kind of information. But I find BC more entertaining, for sure. It must be worth a donation here and there.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1354812963' post='1890771'] +1. I cannot comprehend how anyone could be "offended" or "upset" by a politely worded PM offering less than they're asking for. Just say no. Its no more socially awkward than someone saying "would you like a cup of tea?" and replying "no thanks". Its just not a big deal. Fair enough get a bit annoyed if your ad says "Firm price" or "no offers, please" but if it doesn't then just deal with it like an adult with functional social skills and move on. [/quote] there's a variety of "lowballers" that do get annoying 'though. a while back, around the time I sold you that black Vintage Jazz bass (now back with me, thanks! ) I was selling quite a lot of things: guitars, basses, effects... I advertised them all on Gumtree. I received emails from the same person for just about every single item, offering 50% of my asking price trying to entice me by saying they would collect on the day. After I replied to three of his emails I just got bored. There was one particular item he seemed to want, and he kept insisting, always offering 50% and starting to become a little offensive, not just pushy. what was he thinking? Clearly someone with too much time in his hands trying his luck at anything.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1354730719' post='1889753'] See, this kind of thing grinds my gears far more than someone trying to haggle a price. If its "only a two minute job to fix" or "its missing part $Y but you can get one on eBay for a few quid..." then major alarm bells start going in my head as a buyer. If a seller can't be bothered to spend the "few minutes" to fix whatever the supposed "minor" issue is, or won't spend a couple of pounds to replace a missing part on a bass worth hundreds then I start to have major doubts as to whether or not I want to deal with them. [/quote] absolutely, I'm the same. Unless it's something that I am absolutely certain of... like electronics on a passive bass... If a bass has scratchy pots etc but otherwise is ok, or the jack socket makes intermittent connection, that I don't mind, it's simple and problem free. But anything more complex like an amp, or a car or... Forget it. Fix it first, or find someone else.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1354708685' post='1889344'] Difficult one, the buyer generally wants to pay the minimum, seller wants to get the best they can. If I think somebody is asking too much I just will not even contact them so they could well lose out on a sale. The one that has been really bugging me this year is the start price on Marcus Millers. "2002/3/4/" Marcus Miller, now costs £1076, £750 plus postage please" It didn't cost £1076 in 2003, and they bought it 2nd hand for £450 in 2009, not that that is admitted. A week later they are bleating because there is not interest. Yet if you offered them a more realistic £600, you are a lowballer! [/quote] something is worth what people are willing to pay, not what it cost new. If you bought a bass for £300 in 2005 that somehow today seems to be sought after and it sells for £600 often... then would you advertise at £300 or £600? The value is now £600... sell for less if you wish, but nothing wrong about asking anything you want.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1354632281' post='1888397'] As for the 36 hour bump rule - would it be (easily) possible to implement a 36-hour lockout so that no posts could be added to a marketplace topic for 36 hours? This might encourage sellers to be more careful about their posting - like including their location in a 'collection only' ad, before having to be asked. A 36 hour lockout shouldn't stall any buyer iinterest because people could still send a PM to the seller. [/quote] A lockout will remove what I like about it: the fact that people can treat the thread as any other thread, add comments etc. Not what I'd like to see.

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1354627724' post='1888309'] I see that people like discussion in for sale threads, but also don't want them jumping to the top in less than 36 hours. I don't see how the two are compatible? The bump button is a good idea, but as soon as anyone posts in the thread it will be bumped anyway [/quote] is bumping such a problem? I haven't paid much attention, and I am sure some bump a lot... but I never had the feeling that it was a problem. Some forums like "basses for sale" get a lot of traffic, and there's only so much space on the first page, so you're not going to stay there long. I don't know. It never bothered me so far.

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1354623363' post='1888176'] How would you feel if we: 1 - carried on using the regular marketplace forums 2 - charged a yearly subscription fee to be able to post adverts there (~£20) to help pay for developments 3 - installed a new 'bump' button which only works once every 36hrs on your thread 4 - develop the marketplace to allow thumbnails next to threads for everyone 5 - develop a better form for selling items with fields for things like location, price, etc to make adverts clearer Feedback greatly appreciated. As you now we're generally tied down in what we can offer at this point because of limited funds, however things can change and be modified and improved as we move onward. Ideally we'd make it all free, but you'll understand that we aren't able to afford that with advertising becoming difficult and the huge numbers we support here on BC. Do you prefer the old forums to the new classifieds section?? Cheers ped [/quote] I would say "cool!" to all of the above. I do prefer the forum format, so: 1) carrying on with marketplace in a forum format is good, in my opinion 2) yearly subscription to be able to post items to sell? It's fine. But the amount of items for sale might decrease a lot. On the other hand it seems fair. I would offer shorter/cheaper subscriptions too to not scare away those who might only want to post something there occasionally. I think many people are more likely to spend £2 ten times than £20 once. 3) I have no problem with bumping... but if others do, the button seems like a decent way to enforece the 36h rule if it's easy enough to implement. 4) Thumbnails would be nice... but not a big deal for me. I'm happy without them. 5) It can be an interesting thing as it would allow sorting by location, etc... But until the traffic grows to about 5-10 times what it is now, the current system works perfectly fine for me.

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1354612429' post='1887923'] It's the only name I get to drop.... [/quote] and now I can't get that song off my head!

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1353665954' post='1877080'] I think the move to 'classifieds' style selling makes sales seem a bit more private. I don't think this is a good thing at BC, because the kind of peer review of for sale threads that we've had in the past has always been a positive addition IMHO. I certainly feel a lot more comfortable buying from people who are discussing their item openly than I would through a classified ad - even though these are the same people they seem more anonymous through that kind of listing. Just my opinion. [/quote] An opinion that I share too. However I have to support ped et al. behind the trial, as they're just trying to add another aspect (thumbnails, sounds cool in principle!) to the "for sale" forum, and I think it's great to keep trying to improve the "BC experience". I personally would not choose thumbnails over the conversational format that the current "for sale" forum has... but at the same time, I don't want to knock something too hard without giving it a fair try. It would not be the first time I am reluctant to try something new and then I ended up loving it. I'm not convinced about this present case, at all... but it's too early to tell.

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1354554441' post='1887302'] Ooooooooh how did I miss this one? I was taught how to play slap bass by Ian Dench of EMF fame. Unbelievable but true. [/quote] yup, "you're unbelievable"...

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1354468841' post='1886313'] A wenge board makes the biggest difference of any fingerboard wood I have ever heard , but that particular wood is unlikely to feature on a Fender anytime soon . [/quote] How do you know it was the wenge board, and not something else in that bass? honest question, I'm interested how you reached the conclusion that it was the material of the fingerboard.

[quote name='Kobra11' timestamp='1354379841' post='1885397'] Hey guys, This may be a bit of a dumb question and i apologise in advance if so but i was looking at Fender P basses and just wanted to know what the difference is between a rosewood and a maple board (ive only ever played with rosewoods) Cheers Seb [/quote] aesthetics, that's all. All the other differences (one sounds darker, another brighter) are a lot of pish. People often compare two instruments as being "equal except the fingerboard" when two "identical" instruments often have a very different tonality. Replacing the neck also affects the sound... Hey, if you convince yourself you hear a difference, enjoy it. But I have never been convinced. Same about maple being somehow worse to hold frets etc... just look how many ancient maple fingerboard instruments have falling-fret issues... exactly. So there

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1353500255' post='1875194'] Has anyone done it? Can it be done? [/quote] many many times. NO problem

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1353609925' post='1876613'] I've contacted them twice over the last few months with queries about pickups which aren't on the website, and both times I've (eventually) had one-line answers of "We don't/can't do that. Sorry." It's a shame, because I love the Wizards I've used, but they don't seem to be interested, as you say, in selling anything which isn't in stock. [/quote] or even in stock, sometimes. I approached him enquiring about Jazz style pickups. I told him what I was after (midrange rich bridge and thick sounding) to see which of his sets might be best... he said that none, as I was using tapewounds on this particular bass (???) So ended up buying a set of Seymour Duncans and very nice they are... His lack of interest to sell me a set of pickups was surprising to me. BUt hey, it's his business.

[quote name='davehux' timestamp='1353679757' post='1877331'] You stick a pre-amp in there as well, and you'll have to stand in the next county from the rest of the band [/quote] well, I do have a volume knob... unlike a guitarist I know that they also turn down, as well as up!

[quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1353666207' post='1877086'] And on that point, what might the options be ? Clearly, the current two volume knobs is a nonsense, but it does rather conveniently provide a suitable place to mount a 1 x volume two band eq on there. So, suggestions for a preamp ? I know of Nordstrand. Others ? [/quote] 2 band? Tommorichards assembled a few. I have one (in an OLP), it works very well. If not, Seymour Duncan and John East would be the ones to go for, I think... 3 band? (bass/treble on a stacked pot) The Seymour Duncan STC-3M3 one is nice and cheaper than the John East MMSR (3-knob), which is my favourite. The John East's mid control is semiparametric, with a frequency centre sweep control and that alone is enough for me to prefer it (the rest is great too), as it's so useful. A cheaper option would be to get a 2EQ from Tommorichards, and ask him to stack the bass and treble... then buy the midsweep control module alone from John East. That option will save you a lot of cash... I am lazy, so I don't mind paying a bit more and getting it all in one bit that I can install in 5min and just get on with playing... One thing: the control cavity on the OLPs is a bit narrower than on Stingrays... you will probably need to remove a bit of wood in some parts, so have a chisel handy. Oh, and don't forget the battery compartment. A quick solution, if routing neatly for a battery cavity: place it under the pickguard. I prefer a proper cavity 'though, with the battery box and an easy to open lid.

[quote name='davehux' timestamp='1353675132' post='1877244'] However.......that massive humbucking bridge pickup is a total monster Rich, deep, tones with a side helping of growl. The other guys asked me to turn down, as I was punching straight through the lot of them. I had to knock off the bass shift on the amp, to sit back in the mix more - my Jazzes, certainly need the shift switched on to beat their way through. [/quote] Indeed! I love that pickup. The bass sounds huge. I'm in the middle of a total transformation... losing the neck pickup, ading a preamp... watch this space... or rather, the otehr space (thread quoted above )

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1353534104' post='1875850'] It just gets so tiresome. They endless excuses as to why songs haven't been learnt, lateness for practices, not turning up for practice at all. A band is a commitment, if someone hasn't the time or respect for others don't bother. It seems that a lot of people like the idea of being in a band, when it comes down to the hard work and nitty gritty, then the problems start. I'll stop ranting now [/quote] I had my fair share of those too. Until I decided to not put up with stuff like that. It took a little while, but in the end you find the right people. Just think that all the time you invest on flakey bandmates is time you are not spending with good ones. You can't change people unless they want to change... Life's too short to be frustrated with something that's supposed to be fun

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1353505606' post='1875317'] Just a quick update to say I'm alive and bolted up Hurts quite a bit but I could be dead so just got to keep on going, my arm is huge! Thanks again everyone and stay safe. [/quote] good to hear! did you get them to insert some gadgets while they're at it? blades like Wolverine maybe??? (just say yes, please, say yes! )

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1353351721' post='1874141'] Watts don't break cabs. Stupid breaks cabs. [/quote]

[quote name='Greenhoebach50' timestamp='1353311988' post='1873393'] The b sounds like its sharp and flat at the same time, All over the string, [/quote] at this stage I'd love to hear what it sounds like, as clearly descriptions are not going to help any chance to post a clip? In any case, I'd try a new string. Sometimes strings do weird things... maybe all you need is a replacement.

Good luck with your surgery! It sounds horrible, the description of the break etc... but it's also kind of cool, once you pass that point, thinking about the bones bolted on together. The beginning of the bionic bass player!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1353325313' post='1873559'] The '79 has a few knocks anyway Jose and I know you would be careful with it. [/quote] where do you say you live, again?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1353263607' post='1873030'] I'd be glad to let you have it until the cast is removed Jose, shame your so far away, is there anyway you could get it? [/quote] wow, thanks for the offer! I was only joking... but I would take you up on that if I were near you, although only for a day. I'd be too worried to keep it more than that, in case something happened to it... you know, I may own instruments for 20 years without a problem whatsoever, but Murphy says the day I borrow one... my house will burn down or something Besides, I'm afraid it would make me really want one Still, I'm touched by the offer. Thank you!

ouch!! but glad that you are ok otherwise. I hope it doesn't take too long for you to recover... and like others said: (mum mode on) do your exercises as the physio says! (mum mode off) Hey, if you are afraid your preEB will suffer not being played while you recover, I'd be happy to sacrifice myself to help a friend and I would step in to make sure it gets some action