BassTractor

[quote name='Jah Wibble' timestamp='1377903923' post='2193589'] You know what. This is ludicrous. Spend your money wherever you want, I'm not gonna argue about whether someone's acted like a di*k when I spoke to them or not. [/quote] I'm sorry to see your taking it this way. We may have been talking past each other all the time then.

LAG! Hadn't heard about them for a long time, and now twice on one day. They're just talked positively about on the Dutch bass forum as well. You guys ruin me and my wallet!

Wow!!! What a Fan.Tas.Tic answer, mate. It's the power of BC again. Thank you very much indeed! Thanks for the link, and that's a good offer indeed. Reason I asked about this bass was an offer on a Walnut Satin one locally, at a mere 150 quid. New! Sadly, it or they went out the door within the hour. I'll have a look at session.de. That it's a fairly ''physical'' bass to play sounds OK to me. It seems like one of those basses where it's a joy to press out overtones near the bridge whilst digging in, whilst filtering some treble again. Mind you: these are noob remarks. As to "banal", seeing as the Norwegian word for this is "banal", I gues that I can guess what you mean. You're crazy. Thanks for those links to your sketches. You put the GB35 on my list of stuff to buy. Now if I can just sell my Fodera ... No, this did not answer my question. It gave me soooo much more, like very much insight and pleasure. Thanks, mate! Have a great week-end! best, bert

[quote name='Jah Wibble' timestamp='1377889738' post='2193378'] Well no you're wrong. When I phoned back up I'd said to him had you not laughed at me I would have probably bought it from his store so..... [/quote] Yes, but my being right or wrong in your case is not the point. It's about the statistical value of a customer who asks to price match. My point is to try and present one of the alternative ways of looking at these things - one that might be able to explain where he may come from. [quote name='Jah Wibble' timestamp='1377889738' post='2193378'] The general jist I'm getting from you is "you don't own a shop so you dont know what people can be like" - Your right I don't, but this thread is about what it's like from the otherside if the counter. [/quote] I certainly did not try to express that you don't know what people can be like as a result of your not owning a shop. However, I fear I've already repeated myself too much, so I won't try to express again what I think I've already expressed. This thread, btw, is about what we write in it. Some customers complained. I tried to present a possible explanation of one of the cases, as well as an alternative way of looking at it. You seem to not accept that way of looking, which is your perogative.

[quote name='Jah Wibble' timestamp='1377884006' post='2193268'] Well I was pretty straight up and polite about it to begin with. I generally go on the custom or treat people how you'd like to be treated. I really wasn't asking for anything crazy (even though I was treated as if I was) If he'd politely said he couldn't of done anything, perhaps I might have had a better view of the store for the future? Like I said I would like to support independent stores ....but not if you get that kind of assistance. [/quote] You're still only seeing this from one single perspective. Your being polite does not take away years of his experience with questions about price matching. My guess is most of them have been polite. But do these customers understand and appreciate what sets shops like this apart from the rest? My take: No, some groups of customers don't, as long as they ask professional independent stores to price match, and complain on webfora when they've burnt their noses. Ideally, of course he should've been friendly and service minded. However, I assume a certain history here, and one that I can heavily relate to. My own being an understanding, polite and friendly seller is really a form of raping myself, and it is damaging my self image. Maybe if I'd laughed more, I'd be a happier person. To some degree I envy him this ability. "that kind of assistance" was not at the root of the problem. It was the result. You did not ask him to price match first after he'd laughed, now did you? So your "support independent stores" becomes worthless. You did not want to support the professional independent store. You wanted the professional independent store to price match. Enough said.

Technically, if the top horn does indeed make for a stronger, stiffer area longer up the neck, then it's obvious this changes overtone make-up and overtone decay. Question is how, and that question can only be answered by enormous amounts of trial, and hardly by calculation, as each bass is an individual, and most are made of wood, making it virtually impossible to calculate through this. Visually, I think the resentment certainly has to do with how we're programmed, and comes from those single cuts where the body no longer resembles a trad guitar, as the top horn part goes so far up the neck. Too much wood, I'd guess.

I have one experience with Bass Direct only, from a single telephone conversation, and in my mind, Mark was stellar during that. On the basis of that experience, plus what has been written about them on here, I've decided that my next amp is gonna be bought there, just to support their way of doing bizniz. As to the laughing bit, from my perspective as an owner of a similar importer/shop biz, I'd guess his experience is that [b]virtually no[/b] customers who ask about price matching ever buy anything at any rate. IME, being friendly, polite and nice about it doesn't help one iota. Explaining the difference between different types of shops doesn't help one iota. Using one's professionality to help them to a good choice doesn't help one iota. They will just not buy. They seem to think they steal from themselves if they buy from a better shop, and that better shops are thieves. In fact, experience tells me they will often go online to complain about prices even after they've been given the royal treatment. If you had called me asking about price matching, you would've gotten a polite and friendly answer, and I'd use time on you in the vain hope that you would turn around, but afterwards I'd realise I'm only hurting myself this way, and that I really should have laughed. Laughing is liberating.

Nuno, how's the Cort GB-35 working out for you? best, bert

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1377853341' post='2192675'] Simples [/quote] But at any rate, it's threads like this that make me grateful that BC exists.

Hey Rob, Welcome! Lovely intro you wrote. You know all the answers, so I won't repeat them, but just say I started at age 55, two tears ago... Enjoy! best, bert

I shake my head in disbelief. Some blokes have some fun together with the instrument that we all love, and that gives reason for a thread with this content?

It's mostly in the eyes, like it always was, but now, and new to me, I allow myself to take one look at the person before deciding. People that I know have borrowed my gear for years on end, and I've borrowed theirs for years, with no problems at all. Right now, others have four basses and four amps/cabs of mine. No problem. Others OTOH have given reason to annoyance, like people not even bothering to honour what we'd agreed on earlier, like writing down some specific, delicate settings, taking the volume down before unplugging, no beers on Hammonds - that sort of thing. As indicated, these days, I allow myself the use of the word "No".

That's not even a question! Steinberger of course. No peers, no competition, no nothing.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1377716119' post='2190845'] FFS no chris squire yet!!! tsk tsk tsk [/quote] That's because everyone is thinking of the 2014 Yes Tour, and Chris Squire going: "We'll be playing the whole of Relayer next, and it will be a very special performance, with me on the Jim Ryan Relayer Bass. [b]Yes[/b] is proud to support people with health issues! Right, Jon?"

This is my dorkiest one, and surely one of the dorkiest basses on the planet under the assumption that a grown up uses it. I think it makes me adorkable. Yup, it does! I'm adorkable. [url="http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/DaisyRockDR6022DebutanteDaisyawesomeblue_zps88dd89ac.jpg.html"][/url] .

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1377697191' post='2190495'] Dig this bridge baby! [/quote] What are you on, fer cryin' out loud?!?! He did state: [size=4]"[font="Arial"]My self converted bridge is a labour of love and hours of delicate work with a file, but they work like a charm and this has given perfect intonation with adjustment."[/font][/size] [size=4][font="Arial"]So? ...[/font][/size]

Well, his eBay feedback is from people who posted relatively soon after they received the bass. Later, when they learn more, and understand what they've really bought, some may get veritably annoyed. Some might even feel conned.

It's of course old by now, but exactly 30 years ago, I was taken aback by some christian faith music that some girl in love with Jesus was eager to present to me. Didn't want to hear it of course, knowing full well what I would get to hear (or so I thought), but there was no chance of escaping, so I did listen to this stuff with half an ear ... Oh, and they called themselves Koinonia ...

Me too I've trouble blowing my drum(??!), as the recognition I normally get is sooo wonderful and bloody out there ... ... like for example this time Bill Bruford after a concert, where I'd depped on piano in a drums&piano piece, gave me the appreciation and recognition I feel I deserved for my suitcase - one that would take A3 sheets with ease and space to spare, and thus lots of notebooks and scores. Bloody awesome suitcase that was...

[quote name='raf666' timestamp='1377640860' post='2189884'] Vigier Passion Custom Warmoth PJ5 Fender Musimaster George Fairlane V20 Trace 1528 Trace 712 SMC. Czech Upright. [/quote] Well, that sounds like perfect English to me! Keep going like this, lad, and we'll understand you perfectly. Bonjour, Raphael! S'il vous plaît, soyez bienvenu à BC! (Ouie, ma francais est tellement si bien et de mon oncle parfaitement du communiqué!) Anyway, don't be un étranger, and take part in la joie. best, bert

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1377636926' post='2189831'] So now there's no time Toulouse! ...I'll get me manteau. [/quote] Well, at least you had the respectworthy discipline to not write: "How typically French ... "

Just in case somebody might be interested, I've retracted an earlier post in response to Bilbo's claim. Originally I'd reacted against some assumed underlying tendencies that may not have been present, and Bilbo did have a point about some formal capacities of music not having style boundaries. That was an important and very good point. I apologise for having drawn conclusions based on assumptions.

Just in case anyone's interested in this one, and FWiW, IME Billsmusic is a great, great eBay seller that I heartily recommend.

Hey Marc, Welcome! You'll be happy to know that you're BC South Wales member #102,151. Howzat for coincidence? Anyway, partake and none of that being a stranger, eh? best, bert

Hey Mike (if I don't presume too much there), Welcome! You're not alone. Quite many here need to learn something ( ), and quite many "always" wanted to play bass. I'm like that myself as well, and old to boot. What do I say? I'm too old to boot even. Anyway, read the fora (there's a lot of stuff on here) and ask away! Answers will flow in your general direction. Enjoy! best, bert