JimBobTTD

I switched to 5 strings. I use the B string a lot, but mostly above the 5th fret and I use the new notes somewhat sparingly (especially below D). Both my 5ers are Ibanez with their customary slim necks, so I don't feel that I am playing something huge. For me, it really is an all-in-one. I see no point in going back to a 4 string, as those 4 strings are already there, and I feel no discomfort with my 5-string basses.

Making the shift was the best thing I've done. It forced me to think more about my playing, which in turn made me play more carefully and, dare I say, better.

Well, from London. Right in the sarf.

I'm living in the middle of Örebro right now. We've only been here two months (having been in Stockholm since 2002), so I haven't managed to find a band yet. If you hear of anything...

Enjoy the forum, again. It's a great place and since joining, I've found a new appreciation for playing. Rocka på!!!

Indeed. Not the second one - it's out of focus!

Hello! Where exactly are you?

[quote name='BarnacleBob' post='577322' date='Aug 22 2009, 03:52 AM'][...]
You always associate miniatuarisation with ICs rather than valves - is this a recent developement?


BB[/quote]

Depends on your perception of "recent" - I have some mini valves here (I can't remember the code right now) which are 50s West German military.

Based on my limited experience in life, trying to get things lighter and smaller has been going on since the first big heavy things existed!

I've played a good few Ibanez basses - both four and five strings - and I've managed to get along with every one of them! I can't recommend them enough!

Cliff Burton.

I'm not in a band right now, so I'll decide the amps and cabs when I win the lottery. They'd most likely be GK, though.

For basses, I'd hunt down another Ibanez SR1205 and also get a custom one made. No idea what to do with the third choice. I suppose I'm fairly happy with my gear. I'd like a band more than a new toy!

Hello! Hope you enjoy it here. I do!

PM sent!

I stripped a Tele and did it in nitro. It took 14 months. I did it all by hand, mind - ie sanding off the thick poly, painting a shellac base coat and nitro topcoats. Lots of sanding. It takes a lot of time. A chemical stripper (ho ho) will only get you so far - still lots of sanding, spraying, sanding etc. and waiting for paint to cure too.

£500 does seem steep, though. You'd be better off speaking to [url="http://www.grguitars.com"]Gregg Rogers[/url], who does nitro bass bodies AND a nice relic job too for less than that. Not real Fenders.

Probably gone, sadly.

I think they are very busy - there are zillions of messages on zillions of message boards like this one about them - and thus can be achingly slow about stuff in their used inventory....which often leads to you not getting it. It happened to me and, I hate to say, I was genuinely sad for a while afterwards.

They do, however, have great customer service. You will probably get an email from them soon saying that it has gone.

Nice. The flame on the neck is also n-i-c-e!!!

Sorry BassBunny - I'll just hop along out of here then!



Thangya ver merch

I can't hold back any longer...


I think it's Premo to have you here. If you keep up with the bass playing, it could be all Dover for your guitars. If so, you could go over to the classifieds here and sell them. Perhaps to BassBunny - you could end up getting a good Deal from him - that would be Kool and the Gang!

[quote name='Russ' post='560316' date='Aug 4 2009, 05:09 PM']It works the other way around too - in Guitar Center, anything imported from Europe (Warwicks, Marshall amps, Markbass amps, etc) cost a f**king fortune, way more than the US-made stuff. I guess we've got to remember that, for European stuff, we've got it pretty good. [/quote]

Would it be cheaper for you to buy a Warwick at retail price, have it sent over privately and pay all import fees than buy one locally? I'd be well interested to see if it really is the same the other way, although the European brands do not have such a huge market share as their American counterparts. And exchange rates have been all over the place this last year.

As for amps and the like, there is the different voltages, so I can accept a different price. But sometimes I feel that manufacturers subsidise their US markets by skanking the rest of the world!

Following delivery of a fine SR1205 yesterday, I am proud to present this pair of Ibanez 5 stringers.

The SR705 (acquired via the classifieds here last year - thanks Chris!)



Those dolls (which I hate) are my wife's interest. That's her in the background.

Check out the lovely grain:



Nice wear patch above the neck pickup (with apologies for poor picture quality):




And now my new SR1205:

Maple and wenge neck-through, mahogany wings with maple top


Nicely bent mid-controls - thanks to the postal services of the US and/or Sweden! Thanks to Svenska Posten for taking two weeks to get it to me too.


10 out of 10 dogs prefer Ibanez. Poor Rambo is still suffering from allergies, hence the lampshade.


Colour looks nice here. It's transparent black - it looks anything from flat black to green(ish), depending on light and angle


Could do with a clean - the whole thing is a bit grubby


Saying that, the back is so nicely shiny that you can see the pics on our wall on it.



I'll give it a clean, put on some new strings and post more pics. The bass sounds great - warm and clear - and feels excellent. I am very happy!

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='559473' date='Aug 3 2009, 07:10 PM']If you're talking about a rival to thomann as in cheap german musical instrument megastore then actually there is:

[url="http://www.musicstore.com/en_EN/EUR"]http://www.musicstore.com/en_EN/EUR[/url]

It's sort of the "urban" version as it's actually near the relative civilisation of munich unlike thomann which is in the middle of nowhere

I was about to say that if you were really that desperate to get something that's only on sale in the US then there are companies who will buy products for you and have them shipped over even if the shop doesn't allow it. Sod grey imports and that, i mean it must be at least 9/10 nissan skylines that are imported using such methods from japan as they officially export very few to the UK.[/quote]

Hmm, kind of. I was suggesting something closer to a European equivalent of Guitar Center, which has been blamed for the death of the small shop and a host of other crimes against music. But they also sell stuff at decent prices.

I do have a problem with grey imports. I would rather have US prices at legit UK stores. It might happen...

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='559438' date='Aug 3 2009, 06:32 PM']I agree. So +2 or wherever we're up to!? I'd like either a Resonator bass or a banjo bass. Not easy to get in the UK but one will crop up sometime, maybe on EBay[/quote]

I too would like some nice stuff at honest prices. I think it is time for - horror! - a corporate giant to rival Thomann to come along and really push prices down. If it is cheaper to buy at retail prices in the US, import it and pay all duties and VAT etc and STILL be cheaper than the shops, then someone, somewhere, is screwing me over.

Of course, there are some entrepreneurial folks who open up establishments (usually online) who do just that. But [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_import"]parallel imports[/url] are not legit...

Thanks. I felt equal parts joy and amazement when my Google search for "s table" gave me not one but many different S-shaped tables.

Hello!

And here is mine!

I just sold a pedal to alexisonfire - the transaction went smoothly the whole way and he is a real gent.

Enjoy the pedal - hope to see you around!

[quote name='Rich' post='556080' date='Jul 30 2009, 01:39 PM']Glad you've got your dosh back and a favourable result.
BUT.
I feel uneasy about the whole idea of eBay telling you to keep the bass. You're getting a full refund, and yes he should be paying all postage costs and so on, there's no way you should be out of pocket, but for eBay to deprive the guy of his property? Surely only a court should be able to do that? I don't like the idea at all.

[i]*dons flameproof underpants, awaits flood of "bollox, the bastid's getting what he deserves" replies*[/i][/quote]


I fully agree. The courts should decide this stuff, not Ebay. I would suggest handing the bass over to the police, or, better still, handing the bass over to Ebay and telling them to give it to the police. They have, in effect, bought it, as they refunded the money.

[quote name='Clarky' post='555038' date='Jul 29 2009, 02:04 PM']But its not as wide as this! [attachment=29883:003ADS_T...ford_019.jpg][/quote]

And he still looks uncomfortable!