Dad3353

This is undoubtedly true, but whether the 'difference' is better or not is debatable. What counts from a sonic perspective, in my view, is what the instrument sounds like. If it sounds good, then that's fine, I'd say. I can understand the visual aspect, although that's not something I suffer from. Pick-ups don't need visible pole-pieces at all, so buying pick-ups with covers, or even with 'bar' magnets, would solve that issue, if issue there is. Just sayin'; we're all different. ('Better or not' is equally debatable ...)

"...but we have aired on the edge of caution...'

Put a piece of black electrician's tape along the pick-up; you won't see the 'mis-alignment' then.

Good evening, Cédric , and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Good evening, Mark, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

So, who's the naughty boy voting for three, eh..? Eh..? So anxious to get the ball rolling he/she didn't read the small print, eh..? Eh..? Who's going on the naughty step, then, eh..? Eh..? Come on, own up, innit... ...

One tuner pedal, with a 'mute' facility. Job done.

So you don't need a five-string, you need a low 'B'. BEAD will work, no problem. The nut may (or may not...) need fettling, and maybe the truss-rod, but that's all. You'll have to adapt to the new tuning, of course, which may cause as many issues as having a five-string, but...

All private sales are, somewhere along the line, a matter of trust. There are so many ways some folks manage to get around the protections, either as Buyer or as Seller, so it really only comes down to: do you trust the transaction to go smoothly enough..? If yes, go ahead. If no, then desist. Not very helpful, maybe, but that's the nitty-gritty; the rest is unfortunately almost impossible to guarantee. Most sales go off well. Some don't. Some have recourse, others not. There's no perfect, 'cast in stone' solution, so the other party is trusted, or not. Personally, I've never had a deal go sour, but, then again, I do very, very few, and choose partners carefully, so...

Over many years I've sent and received many packages (hundreds...) through all sorts of systems, but mostly La Poste Colissimo, across many borders and continents, and have never had a parcel go astray, or the tracking not to have worked. Only anecdotal, of course, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong with their system in my experience.

I've looked for this tracking n° from here, in France, and it's not recognised. That doesn't help much, except to say that it's not in the pipeline for delivery, so I'd go through Paypal for an undelivered order payment reversal.

"Here to sweep the chimblee, are yer..? S'over there..."

Good morning, Ole, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Good morning, NS, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Yes, it was me (and less of the 'smart', if you will..! ...).

S'nothing to do with politics, nor '80s music, but it is to do with the notion, in whatever sphere, that 'popular' means 'it must be good'. I maintain that this ain't necessarily so, and used this as a striking example, s'all. I could have mentioned public hangings, bear-bating or tauromachy; maybe I should have. If it causes offense, strike it from public view; the notion remains valid, in my view.

Good evening, YFF, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Hmm... Like German politics in the '30s, maybe..? Sometimes, just sometimes, 'popular' isn't 'good'.

Good afternoon, GSC, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

All this is entirely true and sensible. In our region of rural France, which already has a very low level of cases, the buddies I mentioned are, themselves, very cautious; far from 'cavalier' in this regard. I understand that Risk Zero does not exist; it has to be weighed up for individual circumstances, and, in our view, for our situation, is acceptable. Others will have completely different choices to make; that's normal.

I'm not sure that I understand what it is you're getting at. Out with it, man; out with it..!

I don't see much of a problem playing with friends, even in an enclosed environment, as long as all are free of this virus stuff. That's quite a different affair from 'playing out', with an audience. We're rehearsing, in a rather small loft (five of us; three from this household and two close friends...). I'm on the fragile side of the age divide, but the chances of catching anything in our locality are very slim indeed, so... I'd be much more circumspect if gigging was on the cards; as it happens, we don't (or very rarely...) gig anyway.

When motor cars became a 'thing', those in the horses trade had to either change horses, or specialise, or suck it up. Not saying that this show is over (no fat lady as yet...), but it could be that there's a radical 'step change' just over the horizon. It might be wise to start getting used to stuff having changed since this time last year, and last year's stuff might not be back for a while, if at all. I don't wish to be overly pessimistic; just suggesting a Reality check.