BigRedX

Ha, ha, ha! It's quite an interesting design bass, but it's nothing like an Ovation Magnum.

It's PayPal Friends & Family. That offers no protection at all.

There are so many things wrong with this transaction from both the buyers and seller's PoV that I hardly know where to begin. 1. Why did you wait 3 months before making a claim? IME irrespective of where in the world the item was posted, if it's not with you within a month from the posting date it's never going to arrive at all. 2. Why did you pay using PayPal Friends and Family for what is obviously a transaction to buy goods? F&F offers no protection to the buyer. 3. Why did the seller not insure the items for the full amount? As a seller I never send anything with getting it properly insured. That is factored into the selling price in the first place. All the prices you quote are in Euros, so I assume that the item has come from somewhere outside of the UK. Where? Unfortunately some European mainland countries have notoriously dodgy postal services. For those countries I would never buy or sell without knowing that the items was going to be delivered by a reputable courier service like FedEx or UPS. Personally I'd take what is being offered while it's still on the table and chalk it down to experience.

Their version of the Breadwinner isn't very accurate to the original. There was for a while have a version of the Magnum I bass on the Eastwood site (it's not there any more) that had so little in common with the original Ovation model (nothing except for a similar shaped body IIRC) that it was laughable.

If you can get your hands on one, you should definitely try a Pedulla Buzz. For me it's the best fretless I've ever played that wasn't my custom made Sei.

Not really. In the first place I think we all subconsciously alter our playing technique to counteract any bass that sounds different compared with what we are used to. And while different basses might sound different when playing solo, in the context of a live band mix the only real difference between them is the output volume rather than any tonal variation.

All the metal bodied DIN right angled DIN plugs I've seen are very chunky. I've had plastic bodied ones in the past that could be configured for up or down cable exit, but I thinkI'm going to need left and right exits for the Helix and Adrenalinn. This is the problem with the original MIDI spec that allowed manufacturers to cut corners and use DIN connectors instead of the preferred XLRs. You have use cheap badly made plugs for can be the most critical connection on hi-tech equipment.

Have you played any Shuker Basses? I ask because although I think that all of his original design basses look stunning, I've yet to play one that I even remotely liked the feel of.

Which Thunderbird did you have? IME the various different types are all very different when it comes to sound. AlFAIK all the current Thunderbird pickups being made by 3rd parties (Lull, Thunderbucker etc.) are modelled on the various types used by Gibson in the 60s and are completely different to those fitted to any Gibson Thunderbird made in the last 30 years. Mike Lull does a Fender-shaped bass fitted with his take on the 60s Thunderbird pickup and IIRC @Happy Jack owns one of these as well as a Lull T-Bass so maybe he would care to comment on how similar (or not) the two basses sound (in his hands). EDIT: of course both Lull basses have bolt-on necks, so if you believe that this makes a significant difference to the sound compared with the through neck construction of an original Gibson Thunderbird, that's another variable to consider.

AFAICS (knob jokes aside) the Ned Callan and the 6-string Shergold are probably the most sensible suggestions so far, and most certainly fit Eastwood's method of working which is to take an instrument that not only is no longer being made, but no-one else is currently making anything similar.

I think what I'm going to do is cut a bit of board slightly smaller than the internal measurements of the XL case and see if I can work out a logical location for everything I need complete with all the relevant plugs. At the moment it's going to be the Helix, Linn Adrenalinn, two Sony wireless receivers, a 9V PSU, maybe a second expression pedal for the Helix, and mains distribution for everything. I can see I'm going to need right angle plugs for almost everything to get it all to fit. Can anyone recommend some good (preferably metal-bodied) right angle DIN plugs that can configured for cable exit in any direction?

AFAICS the other two feet are under the front of the expression pedal to give the Helix a bit of support at that point. And as mrtcat said they much too far from the edges to be any use for fixing the unit to a board. @intime-nick the fixing plates look fantastic. How much are you going to be asking for a set?

Second hand Pedulla Buzz

The cases look great but the sizes seem to be all wrong for what I need. Ideally I need something slightly wider and less deep than the XL version. 44cm is far more depth than I need for just the Helix, but I don't think enough extra to allow me to fit other stuff behind it with all the plugs and cabling. And 74cm isn't quite wide enough to fit the Adrenalinn next to the Helix unless I turn it sideways which I don't think my OCD will allow! How much do I need to leave around the edges in order to be able to lift the pedal board out of the case easily?

IME age is only a problem if you let it be. The vast majority of musicians I have played with (especially in the originals bands) since the mid 90s have been younger than me, and it's never been a problem. I got into the band that became The Terrortones because the other (younger) members thought that my age would give me experience and useful contacts, but since they had all just come out of various music-based college courses it turned out they had just as much useful experience and all their contacts were far more up-to-date and relevant than mine! I'm a competent player who doesn't have any serious career or family commitments. I'm still enthusiastic about music and a prolific producer of musical ideas, and know how to present myself on stage, all of which are far more important than the fact that I'm rapidly approaching my 58th birthday.

@intime-nick Here's a photo of the underside of my Helix: The two feet at the front of the unit (bottom of the photo) centres are both 20mm from their respective sides and 12mm from the front. I know it doesn't look like that but it's a combination the way the sides curve and lens distortion of my camera. The two feet at the back of the unit (top of the photo) centres are both 65mm from their respective sides and 38mm from the back. However the various sockets protrude 8mm from the back panel which may affect the positioning of any screw holes for accessibility. If you need any further measurement, just let me know.

Either a 5-string (34" scale), or a wide-necked Bass VI (30" scale) with 3 pickups, dual outputs and each pickup switchable between each output. Set or through neck construction, angled headstock. Bright sparkle colour finish.

I'd be interested in a set too.

6cm sounds like rather a lot to me. Does anyone do a similar sized case where the effects can be mounted onto a board that is lifted out of the case when in use?

To me it does. A lot of the sonic and functional character of those old instruments comes from the fact that electrics and hardware wasn't the same as the average Fender or Gibson. For instance I have a 60 Burns Sonic Bass. Other than the innovative heelless neck joint there's nothing at all special about the shape of the bass. The character is in the sound which all down to particular pickups fitted and the way they are wired up. You can't do that if you're using off-the shelf parts.

Why? I'm sorry but I don't understand.

While setting up, or after the gig is over wear what you want. When you are on-stage playing you are promoting your band and only your band.

That looks good. Where did you get the case from? How much higher does it make the footswitches compare with the helix not being in the case? Also how have you fixed the Helix into the case?

Unless it is for studio use only I will never buy another synth that doesn't have programmable sound memories.

But are they really resurrecting old designs or are they just sticking standard mass-produced parts onto a body shape that is roughly the same as the original instrument?