Mr. Foxen

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1376658187' post='2177495'] Are most new basses shot with nitro? [/quote] No, they've moved on to poly, but people still demand the inferior old way of doing it. Kind of like wanting tolex or carpet instead of hard coatings.

Cars used to be painted with nitrocellulose. Situation would be comparable if most cars still were.

Radiussing a DB fingerboard is fairly intense. Think that is a bass guitar type radius though, relatively easy. Don't need a scarf joint with a headstock like that, the slot provides the break angle without the weak point. Laminating the neck is fairly necessary to avoiding having to select woods pretty intensely.

Yeah, awesome amps should be up front as they are the stars of the show. You can go look at scruffy blokes anywhere.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1376558554' post='2175838'] [size=3]Clearly the handles work fine and no owners have reported failures of any kind with the handles so what we are discussing is a difference of opinion about a purely cosmetic issue. [/size] [/quote] That is definitely not the case, there was a massive thread about a handle failure by a well known BCer, the issue was dealt with, but it also wasn't the only handle failure.

How are people transporting their Barefaceds? Think that might make a difference. Lugging it on the tube or on foot is gonna be a lt more handle wear that van touring in a flightcase. Mine is usually in the back of a car, but its just been on a beardies in a van tour and they've beat the crap out of it. Mostly helpers not knowing its a light thing and expecting heavy when they get hold of it. I think a soft cover would have kept it safer without losing the lightness advantage.

I've not found a residue with purple meths.

I have been curious about them, and waiting for a broken one to come in for repair or come up on ebay. This hasn't happened. Which says something.

Finally got all the wood out so can recast it: [URL=http://s17.photobucket.com/user/Incarante/media/DSCF1613_zps635eb709.jpg.html][IMG]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/Incarante/DSCF1613_zps635eb709.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Bugera is their higher end stuff.

Plain swapping power valves sort of works, but the bias won't be set right, which compromises sound or valve life.

What's with the 'I wouldn't expect this from a Chinese bass'? Course you wouldn't, when did you ever see a Chinese bass with major finish flaws? I've turned over dozens of sub £100 basses and not found issues close to that level, its always the US made stuff with the massive finish issues.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1376334694' post='2172402'] I made one suggestion which would certainly improve things from my point of view [/quote] If you have a preference, that is catered for by countless numbers of other instrument makers, why demand someone who occupies a different and far smaller niche accommodate you?

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1376330864' post='2172285'] Thats got nothing to do with style. A badly chiseled Giant Pretzl isnt 'style' [/quote] they don't all look like that one. But in spite of having a very wide variety of shapes, they remain very recogniseable. That is a style.

[quote name='spaners' timestamp='1376331343' post='2172301'] [u]dose it sound any different with the mullards in there ? [/u] [/quote] It will do if it isn't bias right for the other set. Or if any of them are clapped out.

Chances are you'd new speakers for it to work too.

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1376329759' post='2172254'] No style, [/quote] You couldn't pick the Wishbass out of a lineup?

He put his business up for sale a while back, you could put your money where your mouth is and take over, do it your way. While you are at it you could get higher end woods, and better finishing, and hardware. Then you can have fun competing with every other luthier in the world.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1376128636' post='2169947'] I presumed that $50 would cover the extra 30 minutes or so that this individual piece of extra care and attention would take. [/quote] Not a great assumption. Individual custom work interrupting batched jobs costs quite a lot more.

Can you bias it to suit the other valves? Can you test the mullards?

[quote name='baseline9' timestamp='1376310880' post='2171922'] [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]I found with setting a starting price over a reserve price is people tend not to bid and they are more likely to bid if it starts at £0.99p, even with a reserve (I think it’s physiological). I studied many similar auctions prior to putting my own on there and came to this conclusion. In this day and age I have found people are not making the luxury big purchases they once were so I was not expecting to get top dollar for the amp, you can factor in the fees but I was worried the auction would fail and the amp would not sell (Eg not reach the reserve), its a fine balance I guess, I kind of factored in half of the fees lol! Thankfully though It sold on Bass chat in the end. [/font][/color][/size] [/quote] The important bit with starting at the right price is you only need one bid. Only needing one person after your item at that price rather than two.

I'd think you don't want to put any sort of structural faith in it, since its horribly inconsistent. Tops are safer.

I've picked up a few of these on ebay/gumtree knowing the hardware will sell easily if I part it out. They've all been nice enough instruments to survive complete.

Thing is, cost way more than £50 to get a handmade bass with that kind of attention to detail. I just sent him a bridge, no holes that way.

Its all optional, but that is his favoured way, usually, the ebay ones get the quick spray finish.