alyctes

All severely not to scale. The key to it is keeping control of the post while not holding the string too tight. That means you can get the whole thing into the belly of the beast but still have control.

Aluminium, string, post:

The aluminium plus string

Okay, the aluminium:

That had the distinct advantage of making me laugh, which is much more positive feeling than any I ever got off the LZ version. (We'll skip hastily over whether they "covered" the intro...)

Not tonight I can't. I can have a go tomorrow. Okay, "channel" might be the wrong word. Take a piece of aluminium strip, long enough to reach the post position and still give you about five inches outside the F-hole. Fold each of the two long sides inward so that each side has a channel big enough for your twine to run in it, but keeping the twine from escaping sideways. Run the twine up both sides of the aluminium so there's a loop at one end. Put the sound-post in the loop. Hold the twine so that it tightens on the post. Now you've got a T-shaped assembly, held together because you're keeping the twine tight. Manoeuvre the post in through the F-hole and into the correct place. Pull or push as appropriate. When it's in the right place, let go one end of the twine. Now the post is in place and not attached to the aluminium. Pull the twine and the aluminium out, and store them somewhere for next time. If I knew where mine was I'd take a pic but it's somewhere in my personal chaos and it might take a week to find it.

Nope, you can try again. The point of the channel is that you can let go one end of the string when the post is in place.

When I've done it on a cello I've used a piece of aluminium channel folded over at either side so you can run a piece of string down each side. Then put the post in the loop. Fiddly, but it works.

Not seen one of these before. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355009010325

Short answer, because it works for you. That ought to be enough, really.

I bought Darren's G+L JB2. Thoroughly nice guy, no problems at his end, packaging etc excellent. Cracking bass, as well! I'd be very happy to deal with him again. Thanks Darren

That's a self-remedying condition...

A few dings but looks basically OK. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354996035717?hash=item52a769a085:g:FL4AAOSwYjxk5kc8

This is a strange one - at least to me. It looks as if it's probably decent quality, and seems to have had an eight-bolt neck-to-body fixing? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334991575009?hash=item4dff0dc7e1:g:DDEAAOSwfcFksHHW

This to arrive. I'm not religious, but this is glorious. And I love that rhythmic jump.

I'm still thinking about it. But Talking Heads' 'Heaven' (the Stop Making Sense version) will be one of them.

Where are you?

Cobalt flats are worth a look. I don't know if anyone other than EB make them.

And a silver MIJ SB401: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334743379459?hash=item4df0429e03:g:9O4AAOSwNjRj6CFx

This looks nice, might be a good buy. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235119099108?hash=item36be30bce4:g:ErMAAOSw4FNkzMsf

Pentangle, 'Once I Had A Sweetheart'. I prefer some of the less jazzy stuff, but it's still fabulous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRXPslHDVI0

Could collect, if anyone is desperate.