BigRedX

I would have thought the Roland TR-8S ought to fulfil that need. It might not be cheap compared to the competition, but it appears to be the best all-round for sounds and pattern/song memory.

The original version of Metal Box isn't worth that much, last time I looked you could get a decent quality copy for under £100 on Discogs (which is a far more accurate indicator of an album's worth than eBay). Most of my rare stuff is rare because it wasn't very popular, not very copies were sold and consequently it's not worth much. However I did have a look at the values of the DIY cassettes I have from the early 80s, some of which are now supposedly worth several hundred pounds. Not bad for an investment of a blank C60 cassette and a stamped addressed envelope!

And I didn't take it as such. Just pointing out that what hope does the average small business have when the organisations in charge don't appear to know the information. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has had to get help from HMRC trying to sort this out. I thought I was on top of this having already spent an hour or so working out the tariff code I would need earlier this week when I placed the order with the printer knowing that I would be forwarding on the printed labels to Belgium. Little did I know that it was only the tip of the new Bureaucratic iceberg! Hopefully anyone else who needs this information is now aware. If you think you are going to need and EORI number this year apply for it now!

Can't you copy and paste?

Which is how it should be. Glad to hear you got it sorted.

My EORI number confirmation email has just come through about 2 hours after it was supposed to have done. And I have noticed that in the small print it says: "Your EORI number will be ready to use within 48 hours. It will appear on the EORI validation checker within 5 days." To me that could mean that my parcel could be held up in customs somewhere until it is active on the validation checker. No doubt I'll find out next week...

I suspect that one of two things will happen. Either no-one on either side of the channel will be the slightest bit bothered, or you'll end up in your underpants next to your completely unpacked and dismantled vehicle whilst the items you are trying to import/export end up seized and destroyed by customs.

Actually that's not always true. One of the three problems I have had with Interparcel was when I used their cheaper FedEX option to send two parcels of books to Japan. It turns out that while FedEx did the intercontinental shipping the collection and delivery end either end of the chain was done by local "representatives". Unfortunately in the UK this was handled by Hermes who managed to loose one of the parcels somewhere between picking it up from me and delivering it to the FedEx Hub. I had no idea that Hermes were going to be doing the collection until the booking had done through, by which time it was too late to do anything about it. Interparcel to their credit paid out the insurance in full and without any quibbles. I also notice that this particular option doesn't appear to be available anymore.

Although I very rarely need to send items outside of the UK for my work, back in November when the "New Rules" ads were on the telly, I decided to have a look to see if there was any useful information for me. Having worked my way through the various questions the web site I presented with a list of things that I "may" have consider after 31st December 2020, but because this was before any agreement had been finalised nothing was actual concrete information. I suspected that VAT would be a problem and maybe import duty depending on if there was actually an agreement and what was agreed, but nothing else seemed obvious from the list of articles the UK Government website thought would be relevant to my business. Prior to today (mostly from the various threads on here about importing and exporting items) I was aware that I would need a Tariff Code for anything I sent and that for some items it might be less than obvious to find. I didn't expect them to be as obscure as they were for something that IMO should be fairly straight forward, and I did want to make 100% sure that I was using the right code for what I was sending. It looks as though all the various printed items I might need to send in the future are covered by many different codes so I'll probably have to go through it all again when I need to send printed items that aren't labels. (I also haven't been able to find what I consider to be a 100% definite code for my GFs business making Wax Melts). However I can't recall any mention of requiring an EORI number (and consequently an SIC Code) in anything I had read up to this point, until I actually needed to send something. I suspect this will be the case for most small business owners, and I suspect that a lot won't have either the time or the energy required to find all the information and to make sure it is right, because you can rely on the fact that if something hasn't been done correctly it will result in your items being at best severely delayed while the correct paperwork is sorted out.

And finally I have a SIC Code and an EORI number! It has only taken 3 hours of persistent internet searches, web chats and telephone calls. I can see why a lot of small businesses have decided to stop sending goods between the EU and UK. It has taken me a whole morning on what should be a day off. I can't charge anyone for the time I have lost sorting this out, and most of the time has been spent trying to interpret obscurely worded information and getting clarification from those who should know the answers but as can be seen very obviously do not. And now the Interparcel web site needs an email address for the person receiving the parcel. I'm pretty certain this wasn't a requirement previously. I have their telephone number because Interparcel have always asked for that (even though they never appear to use it). So I'm waiting for my client (in London) to email it to me. Also the supposed email confirmation of my EORI number has still not come through, even though I was told I would get one. Just as well I saved the page that gave me the number as a PDF.

I've just received one of those emails too. However I have also been told by an HRMC representative on their web chat that this form is out of date and have been given a new link to follow, which asks similar questions but one just a few at a time on each page. However this version requires you to have a SIC Code too. HMRC are still trying to help me work out which one is right for my business. I am once again on hold as my representative asks his manager yet another question. They have been trying to fob me off with finding it for myself as the SIC codes come from Companies House and not HMRC, but as I have firmly pointed out it is an HMRC form that requires the correct SIC code so it is their duty to help find the right one for me.

@Clarky How are you doing this? Direct with DPD or via a reseller like Interparcel? AFAICS the Interparcel form (the one I am using) only requires an EORI number if you are a registered business. If you do need one then go via the Government Gateway and not via the direct link as it may take you to an out of date version of the form like I got. However you will need a SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) Code, which technically is only business requirement... I am currently on the telephone "on hold" to the HMRC while the person answering my call and his manager attempt to help me find a suitable SIC code for my business. It appear that they have as little idea about it all as I do! Apparently if you do manage the complete the correct form it will generate you the EORI number straight away. I can't confirm that at the moment.

Finally managed to find the web chat page on the HMRC web site and it turns out that the link from the Interparcel page is out of date and if I used the correct one that will be supplied I should get my number with a couple of minutes of completing the form. I thank him and start filling in the this new on-line form... until I need to supply a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code. I follow the link to search for the relevant code for my business. 10 minutes and plenty of lateral thinking later I still can't find a code for anything like my business. Start the HMRC web chat again and after 5 minutes of being number 1 in the queue I am informed that there are no advisers available despite the fact that it says on the page that web chat is open from 8am to 4pm on Saturday. Return to the EORI form only to discover that I have been signed out "for my security" and that my what I have complete so far has not been saved. Grrr...

I am in the middle of trying to sort out sending a parcel of printed labels to Belgium for my business. Previously this wouldn't have been a problem. I would have given the printers the EU delivery address and paid a small extra charge for non-UK delivery on top of the printing costs and that would have been it. However... 1. The printers are currently not delivering to the EU because it is too complicated. I can't use a different printer because this is a repeat order and the print has to match exactly for colour and stock. Plus the quality I am getting is great from this printer and any other would be an unknown quantity. 2. I have spent ages trying to find the correct Tariff Code for self-adhesive labels printed on paper. It turns out that they are a sub-category of leather and fabric labels rather than a sub category of printed paper. 3. And now I need an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number. I have filled out the required form on the HMRC web site, but there is no indication of when I will actually get my number. I suspect that it won't be quick. The labels need to be in Belgium by Friday. If it wasn't for Covid. I would suspect that it would be easier and quicker for me to deliver them in person.

IME you still need to put the case in cardboard box. Ideally the case should come with one when you buy it.

I nearly always use UPS booked through Interparcel. In almost 20 years of sending musical instruments this way I have only had three problems and Interparcel's insurance paid up promptly, in full and without complaint on every occasion.

Sonic Seducer Magazine described as a "Depeche Mode" Christmas Single!

Thanks. The main baseline was supposed to be a 80s style synth part and then I got to channel my inner "Hooky" for the solo.

My "other" band Hurtsfall have a new single out, available to stream and download from all the usual places plus Bandcamp and an animated video to go with it: In true post-punk style, the instrumental solo is provided by a Burns Barracuda Bass VI.

Are you sending within the UK?

Fair enough, in that case I'd go with the P-Bass and neck combination. However... On my Burns Sonic bass which has bridge and neck pickups in similar positions to the Höfner, by far the best sounds came from having both pickups wired in series, so there is a use for the bridge pickup. I certainly wouldn't consider a short scale bass complete without one.

Put three pickups on it. Then you get the classic Höfner arrangement as well as one in the P-bass position

Free school milk is still available.

That is very easy to say when you have visa-free access to the whole of the EU should you want to gig more than 50 miles away from your home.

I never sit when practicing. All my serious playing (in front of an audience) is done standing up so that's how I practice.