lowregisterhead

This is what I can't bear - Steely Dan tribute acts. I've had my arm twisted into seeing one in the past (a friend was singing BVs with them) and it was hideous. The band were all great players individually, but it was grooveless, anodyne, and smug (look at us, aren't we hip) and these guys weren't even listening to each other. Full-on fret w@nk. I made excuses and left before my head exploded. You shouldn't tinker with perfection, IMHO. I'd even go as far as to say certain songs and even some artists just shouldn't be covered full stop. I won't start an argument by naming them, but suffice to say I have a list.

Like several others, I do cut my strings to length, but put a sharp 90 degree bend in them first, then cut them leaving about a 2cm tail that goes down the centre of the tuner post. I only started putting the bend in as a precaution after reading a similar article a few years ago about slipping windings on strings causing them to go dead, even though it's never actually happened to me in 40 years of playing. In fact I've always thought that overlapping windings are likely to cause tuning problems from the excess string moving on the tuner post, so cutting the string to a length that makes sure all the windings are in contact with the post should make tuning more stable. On the couple of occasions that I've had a dead string in a new set (naming no names) I've simply changed manufacturer. I've been using D'Addario EXLs for many years now, and have never had any issues with them. Each to his own though.

To quote Arnold Brown, "...and why not?"

Looks like they're fed through a loop of some sort at the front and clamped from behind, the excess string then being cut off cleanly. No need for hacking! 😉 At least there's a small projection at the tip to protect the singer from being poked in the ear by any rough ends, should you care about that! Not bothered myself. Most other headless basses don't have that feature, but the option of being able to use double ball ends would have be nice, I suppose. That said, the choice of double ball strings on the market is pretty limited, and they can be pricey. I'd reckon most would prefer to use the brand, type and gauge they're accustomed to.

Ismael bought my Bogart bass from me, and it was a really smooth transaction - excellent communication, fast payment. Thanks!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ovation-Magnum-1V-EQ-bass-in-stunning-condition/164073155938 A robust price, but looks in great nick.

Fantastic. That's a night you won't forget in a hurry...

Whilst I understand that occasionally posts on here can be a bit sarcastic, even pompous (and I've been guilty of it myself once or twice) please keep in mind that for every bass player that may have achieved the dizzy heights at which you are fortunate enough to have found yourself, there are many thousands who play in their bedrooms, in rehearsal bands, or whose peak of achievement might be a gig down their local pub. If you have done much better, you are to be applauded, admired, and even envied. But please show a bit more deference to those who are what could be termed in the lower echelons of the bass community. We far outnumber you. I'm a 'pro'. I played in a pub last week. I got paid a modest amount. I've also played in Hyde Park, on national TV in many different countries, and to crowds of 20,000 and more on numerous occasions. This may sound like I'm blowing my own trumpet, but I've never said any of this on here before, the reason being that it has nothing to do with anything. I'm a just bass player, and part of a community, as you are. If people do, in fact 'avoid this forum', it's for their own reasons, not because they're 'pros'.

I think that's what it's all about - they have the customer's money for weeks or longer until the item becomes available.

Don't worry, I will! 🙂

This is what I just emailed to them. As tempted as I was to be profane, I'm just not that kind of guy... :-) --------------------- Hi xxx Thank you for sending the refund (although of course with PayPal it will be at least another 5-7 working days until the funds are actually returned to my account). To say I’m bemused by this whole episode is an understatement. After making some enquiries I have discovered the following: 1) There is currently NO sale stock of Ibanez EHB basses in the UK. 2) Due to this, GAK’s online advertising of these instruments for sale as stock items is utterly misleading. 3) As no stock is expected to arrive at the UK distributors until late March at the earliest, it follows that none can have ‘failed quality control’ or have been sent back to the manufacturers from your suppliers as you stated in your email. As you may have gathered from the info above, it took very little effort to track down a contact number for Headstock Distribution and give them a call. They were very helpful. If you haven’t already heard from them, you should expect a call from their Product Manager shortly to discuss your company’s sales strategies, and apparent willingness to bring the quality of Ibanez products into question in an attempt to cover up your own dubious practices. It should also come as no surprise that I will never do business with GAK again. As a professional musician of many years standing, I also feel compelled to inform my many friends and colleagues of the standard of customer service they might expect from your company. Regards _____________

It turns out this quality control failure claim is utter nonsense. I just spoke to Headstock Distribution (who are also Ibanez UK on Facebook) and they were very helpful. They have no stock in the UK apart from samples at present, and they don't expect any shipments of sale stock until March/April. As I suspected, GAK were blowing smoke in an attempt to cover up the fact that they had no business offering the EHB basses for sale, as there are none to be had. It just seems a pointlessly reckless act to make such an unguarded statement bringing Ibanez's quality control into question in an email to a customer. The bottom line is I won't be buying from GAK again.

I love this site, but it has a habit of steering me into all sorts of trials and temptations that I would otherwise be happily oblivious to - like news of the new Ibanez headless! So predictably I get over-excited and, seeing GAK have them in stock, I throw caution to the wind and order one online on Sunday. A confirmation email with the delivery date of Tuesday the 2nd of February arrives that afternoon. Then on Monday afternoon I get an odd email from GAK, stating "...As you are aware, the item you ordered is not currently in stock". I was not aware of that, as on their website it said, in big green letters (and as of this morning, still says) 'IN STOCK'. (https://www.gak.co.uk/en/ibanez-ehb1005ms-bass-workshop-black-flat/932682) So I phone them up and remonstrate with them regarding their email. They make helpful noises, put me on hold for nearly 10 minutes, then come back and cheerily report there was an error in the ordering process between them and Ibanez's UK distributor, who would be fulfilling the order, but the bass will definitely be on its way the following day, and will be delivered to me on Wednesday. Great, problem solved I think. However, when I get home shortly afterwards my missus tells me 'some guitar shop' had been on the phone. Using 1471, it turns out it was GAK. Quite how they have my home number and not my mobile is something of a mystery, but I bought a bass from then 5 or 6 years ago, so perhaps I'm still on their database. The call was received about 10 minutes after I had spoken to them, but it's now too late to ring them back, so they'll call again tomorrow, I assume. Then.... (drum roll) I notice an email timed a few minutes after they called the house. "I've just been trying to call you. Unfortunately the suppliers have said that the stock they have of this guitar has all failed quality control! They are sending them all back to the manufacturers and won't have new stock for a while. Sincere apologies for this inconvenience. Please let me know how you would like to proceed?" I have to say I'm not entirely convinced by this. Are ALL the new basses sub-standard? Or did they jump the gun and advertise them online before any have actually landed on these shores and are now furiously back-pedalling? I don't know. If I can find a number for Ibanez's distributors, I might ring them up and ask what's going on. Suffice to say I replied to GAK's email, telling them I thought their excuse was utterly bizarre and to cancel my order and refund me. Andertons website says they'll have them by the end of the month, and they're just down the road from me, so I think I'll hold on and try one first! It's a tough job being an early adopter, but someone's got to do it...

Same line-up, same tour at Aberdeen Capitol Theatre. Same result! Van Halen were jaw dropping.

Nice tone, nice ink too!

That's interesting - are they just re-badged Hipshots made for G&L? I would have thought the name 'Ultralite' is patented...

You'd think so. Could be it's because the Y key is thicker and solid, so overall they're pretty much the same weight. It's always astonished me that any maker can produce a bass with a serious degree of neck dive. I've got another 5 that isn't bad, but could be better, so I'm taking a punt on a set with the 'mini clover' ears, which are quite a bit lighter that the standard Ultralites. They take several weeks to come from the States, so we'll see. My only concern is the dinky heads might look a bit weird!

Interesting, but why were only 4 ever made? My concern would be if you remove half of the body mass, the neck dive will probably be spectacular!

Blimey. Weird, beautiful and absolutely bonkers all at the same time! Serious singing skills.

I know what you mean - that line-up can never be recreated, so there's a good argument against further tinkering. I'm under no illusions that I may be deeply disappointed, but I thought I'd go and see Percy play some bonkers bass before we both expire!

Brand X are still on the planet, admittedly in a different form, but Percy's still with them. The band are based in the States now, but they're playing a gig at Trading Boundaries in Uckfield, E. Sussex on the 2nd of May. You going?

Forgive me for being pedantic, but I am a bit of a pedant, so I'm gonna. Shouldn't it be "All that glisters..." ?? 😉