tauzero

[quote name='Adam.M' post='340240' date='Nov 29 2008, 01:49 AM']£1600 for that... what rubbish. I'm currently working with a friend on R&D on starting a small Guitar amplifier company (though we may just make them for friends and ourselves) and i could make something better for £300 parts costs (not counting valves, kt-88's are extremely expencive) with more versatility.[/quote] Well, I could make something better for £0 parts costs (not including the parts, as they would be too expensive). So if you were doing an 8 KT-88 head, the parts cost would be £450+. Would you want paying a bit to make them, by any chance? While I think it's an eye-watering amount and I wouldn't be in the slightest bit tempted, to compare the costs of 2/3 (by value) of the components with the complete product after it's had all its manufacturing costs added on plus the importer's markup, distributor's markup, retailer's markup, customs duty, VAT, transport costs etc is rather disingenuous. And it's £750 cheaper than the RRP on the Ampeg Classic Series SVT-VR which is a mere 300W.

[quote name='queenofthedepths' post='340555' date='Nov 29 2008, 03:57 PM']Are we referring to these: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Warwick-Rockstand-RS20880-3-guitar-stand-NEW_W0QQitemZ250305284654QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Guitar_Accessories?hash=item250305284654&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Warwick-Rockstand-RS...A1%7C240%3A1318[/url] Or these: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Electric-guitar-Warwick-Rockstand_W0QQitemZ320137770524QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Guitar_Accessories?hash=item320137770524&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Electric-guitar-Warw...A1%7C240%3A1318[/url] ? You'd think a stand made by Warwick would hold a Warwick or a very common bass like a Fender (I'm assuming you only mean a Jazz, right?)... oh well, I don't think either of the basses I want to put on there will have such a problem, anyway.[/quote] The first of them. I've responded in another thread about the problems with them.

[quote name='WarPig' post='340249' date='Nov 29 2008, 02:11 AM']Could you elaborate? Itll be holding 3 standard shaped jazz basses.[/quote] Not ideal for them. Offset bodies are a bit of a problem for them, as are chamfered edges. Ironically, Warwick Thumbs don't go on them very well. If you don't mind spending ten or twenty seconds carefully shifting the bass around to get it perfectly placed, you'll be OK, except that if the bass gets nudged, it can twist and slip through the bottom rails. This is how it copes with an acoustic -perfectly happy. [attachment=16610:S6001229cut.jpg] And this is a nicely placed Thumb: [attachment=16612:S6001231cut.jpg] But this shows how a slim-bodied offset Thumb can twist (I actually took this first, it was when I put the Thumb in first and it didn't sit properly): [attachment=16611:S6001230cut.jpg] and twisting a bit more drops it through the rails. It's perhaps not as obvious in the photo as it should be, compare the second and third pictures though. If you have the chance, try one out. Not too bad for home use, not good for stage use with solid-bodies.

[quote name='ped' post='338618' date='Nov 27 2008, 04:35 PM']You need to replace the Schaller 'lugs' with the ones supplied with the locks. They are very similar and take the same sized screws etc so not a problem to switch over at all (unless one of your strap buttons points at the neck, like mine!) Still very impressed with them, certainly a step up from the schallers.[/quote] The thing I like about the Schallers and their clones (most of mine have the Boston ones on, the Warwicks have the Schallers) is that the strap peg sits in a cradle on the locking bit, so all the locking pin is doing is keeping it from popping out of the cradle - there's no actual load on the locking mechanism. The Marvel looks as if the strap peg just goes into the middle of the flying saucer bit, so the locking mechanism is load bearing (something I didn't like about the recessed straplocks that some Warwicks had). Is that right, and what are your thoughts on the likelihood of the locking mechanism failing if it is load-bearing?

[quote name='~tl' post='338897' date='Nov 27 2008, 08:35 PM']I've always been happy with Elites Players (the nickel ones). They last really well and I've never had a dead string in a pack – which was a frequent occurrence with Rotos. I've got a mate who swears by Elite, and while they're nice strings, I don't see the justification for them to be 2-3x the price of most other strings.[/quote] Are you sure that it's Elite that your friend swears by? Slightly more expensive than Roto cheapies, in between Warwick Red and Yellow, going by Stringbusters prices, definitely not 2-3x the price of most others. I mainly use Elite Stadium stainless 40-100 or 40-125.

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='338881' date='Nov 27 2008, 08:09 PM']They still call them PP9s in my local newsagent but then the bloke in there is even older than me.[/quote] A PP9 is a completely different kettle of red herrings to a PP3, it's a big battery with similar terminals to a PP3 but much further apart. ISTR my mum's old transistor radio used one. One of these, in fact:

One of these: [url="http://www.themusicking.co.uk/goose-neck-guitar-stand"]Stagg gooseneck stand[/url] £4-50, has a flipover bar to hold the neck.

[quote name='WarPig' post='339805' date='Nov 28 2008, 04:21 PM']Does anyone own one of these: [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warwick-Rockstand-RS20880-Guitar-Stand/dp/B0002II994"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warwick-Rockstand-...d/dp/B0002II994[/url][/quote] Yes. They're not very good - not the construction, they're built OK, it's the concept in general. Depends on what you'll be putting on it though.

[quote name='yorick' post='336174' date='Nov 25 2008, 12:42 PM']How about one of the Warwick Rockstands. Mine holds three basses. Unless you're using a Thunderbirdor or a vee shaped bass, it should be ok. Plus it folds down!!! Hope it helps [/quote] I've got a couple of those, one Rockstand and one equivalent (IIRC). They don't actually work that well. Good for acoustic guitars, OK for electrics with flat body sides and a constant radius bottom (eg. Les Paul), crap as soon as you introduce an asymmetric body (Warwick) or chamfered/shaped body edge (Warwick, Fender) or body with non-constant radius bottom (Fender). You [i]can[/i] use them with Warwicks but not if you don't want to spend two minutes making sure it's positioned exactly right on the stand.

[quote name='andy67' post='340209' date='Nov 29 2008, 01:02 AM']WE NEED NOT BE AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER OVER THIS and yes I'm trying to shout the loudest because this forum has proved in the last couple of days how good it is and as individuals our sense of justice and decency.[/quote] I think you're overlooking something quite fundamental here. This is Basschat. If only one member were to contribute to a topic, he'd be arguing with himself by the fourth post. There is going to be a broad spectrum of opinion, some of it rigidly held, some of it flexible, on any subject, let alone anything as emotive as this. The key point isn't that people shouldn't bicker about what happens, it's that the arguments in this topic and the related ones shouldn't be dragged over to other topics.

[quote name='crez5150' post='339904' date='Nov 28 2008, 05:23 PM']I always get introduced as the Baldest man on stage...... [/quote] As our drummer has alopecia, that's not going to happen to me... versus Not a lot in it, though - but I do have plenty of eyebrow...

[quote name='Wil' post='340202' date='Nov 29 2008, 12:56 AM']And to be fair, stealing a bass isn't exactly comparable to genocide, is it?[/quote] Stealing a bass is carbon-neutral, or even results in a slightly reduced carbon footprint (as it saves fuel used for shipping). Genocide reduces the carbon footprint considerably more, as long as it's done in an environmentally friendly way. So from a Green perspective (and it's a Green party member who's just been voted the most ethical MEP in, er, the EP), genocide is better than stealing a bass, quite obviously. I think that puts this matter into proper perspective.

Apparently it's in Newcastle. I've emailed back to ask which one (which Newcastle, that is - under-Lyme is 30 miles up the road). Interestingly, his reply (English not his first language) referred throughout to "the item" and said that the price and the photos were on the advert. And just to reassure me, "Want you to know that the item is in perfect condition of working and shape ." I somehow feel that the "seller" won't be monitoring Basschat...

[quote name='Born 2B Mild' post='339828' date='Nov 28 2008, 04:38 PM']Every day, somewhere in the world, loads of brand new bass guitars are 'born'. Whether they eminate from luthiers or factories, there are lots and lots coming in to the world all the time. But do bass guitars go the Great Bass Gallery In The Sky at the same rate?[/quote] They go at differing rates, according to how crap they are. So the dreadful Hofner violin basses are now rare because their best use was as firewood. People couldn't even be bothered to take their 70s Fenders down to the bin, so they finished up under beds the length and breadth of the country. There is also the minor fact that as every new bass player is born, so the number of basses required in the world goes up by several, and due to GAS, there is always churn. As the saying goes, "Anyone who hasn't had a Fender by the time they're 25 has no heart. Anyone who still has a Fender by the time they're 35 has no brain. And anyone who has a Hohner B2 has no head".

[quote name='Toadonroll' post='339952' date='Nov 28 2008, 06:10 PM']i.e. Give Jake a break![/quote] That could have been better phrased, as the obvious answer is "which arm?". Oh bugger, by saying something, I have made it obvious that I have something to hide. Or summat.

I think there should be a photo of the bass at every stage in its travel, like when that garden gnome was kidnapped and taken on a world cruise.

I haven't had any comments like that in decades. Prolly 'cos I'm a sh*t-hot bassist...

[quote name='leschirons' post='339092' date='Nov 27 2008, 11:50 PM']Thank you all very much for all the suggestions. I do actually use Elites at present but will definately (as a start) buy some Elixir strings.[/quote] You could try switching to Elite Stadiums (stainless steel).

[quote name='OldGit' post='339214' date='Nov 28 2008, 08:40 AM']I don't think Fender has much sway in China ...[/quote] Could email them and suggest that they start doing Rickenbackers...

[quote name='casapete' post='338493' date='Nov 27 2008, 03:01 PM']+1 for the SM58 beta if you can stretch to it - last mike you'll ever buy!![/quote] "Buy an SM58 and die"?

Me2. Last one coincided with, er, something (I think I was wandering round North Yorkshire that weekend), so would like to get along this time, probably with the UK's biggest collection of Tsais and maybe a couple of small combos. And an NS WAV-4 if there'll be enough room.

Just tried to get into the Wiki and can't - IP address not found. Pinging wiki.basschat.co.uk gives the same result. Is there a DNS problem somewhere or has the Wiki been shifted to a new home page and nothing changed to reflect that? Or is it a problem up my end?

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='334906' date='Nov 23 2008, 02:18 PM']I think it needs an extra neck screw. Somehow 10 doesn't seem enough.[/quote] I think he should take the neck off and sell it as a project. It would keep someone busy for a few hours bolting the neck back on. Anyway, the shape is shamelessly stolen from master Vietnamese luthier Antonio Tsai. [attachment=16375:tsai5string.jpg] At least the Tsai has a proper through neck as God intended.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='334796' date='Nov 23 2008, 11:55 AM']Could be a cheap way of getting a decent headless bridge/tuner assembly.[/quote] There's someone in the States who does them for about £40 plus whatever HMRC extract from you - just do a search on "headless bridge".

It could do with a badge of some sort, or some little bit of colour on it somewhere - just to give it a little visual impact other than black box with grille and to mark it out as not "just" a really nicely done homemade job.