molan

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1367654126' post='2067915'] And how old / used is this 700 quid stomp box? I couldn't believe that price and was even more surprised when it sold. There must be some dudes who really, really like Muse. Even my most expensive bass guitar wasn't 700 quid. [/quote] I'm not sure age and usage are the key factors here. It's a scarce and desirable commodity so its price has risen. Too expensive for me but I'd love one - and I absolutely detest Muse

Some vintage pedals are very highly demanded and the Deep Impact is one of the most desirable. Like everything else that's for sale these things will find their own value. If an item is scarce and someone wants the 'real thing' then there isn't a substitute. I really wanted an original Mutron and paid good money for one. To my ears it produces a sound no other filter type pedal can. However, the big pleasure for me is that I love the fact it's old, albeit only in the world of pedals, it looks really cool and it makes me smile every time I use it. To me that's worth every penny and I think, for some players, the Deep Impact fits into exactly the same bracket - lots of things can do synth sounds but none of them actually is an Akai. They aren't made any more = the price starts to rise. They are fetching big money even over in the States. Saw one on US EBay got for $850 not long ago.

150lbs for the cab - must be some 70's roadies out there totally unable to walk. . .

75's new are generally available for around £1,500 but the 74's seem to have opened up at £1,900. Have to assume they'll drop in a few months time.

I've seen one sell for £700 and another for £600 - it's just supply and demand stuff

I know someone who's selling one for £700. Very good condition and I think even still has original box PM me if you're interested.

I owned a Jerry Donahue signature Strat for a while it was serial 0001 and was Jerry's personal guitar. I bought it from him at a trade show where the guy from Fender explained that it was a long, long way from the actual ones in the shops. It looked identical but had different pickups, tone pots, wiring, fingerboard inlays etc and that the neck had been re-profiled by his personal tech. It had a 'crafted in Japan' neck plate but apparently the entire thing had been built in the US Custom shop for him. To give Jerry his due he sold it because he actually wanted to go out gigging with a factory Japanese model once all the development work had been done He even sold it to me at the price of a Japanese one! The Fender rep told me to leave the building immediately in case Jerry changed his mind and asked for it back, lol.

I saw him with Weather Report - one of the worst gigs (by a 'name' band) I've ever seen Technically very clever indeed. Musically, duller than a very dull thing in dull town

I have to admit that I'm firmly in the 'I'd only buy one if there wasn't something better available' camp. In the shop I help out in I often see used cabs come in with these covers and the quality and level of protection they offer compared to some of the better manufacturer covers is really not in the same league. I took a few out and put them up against Aguilar and Bergantino covers and the improvement on the original fit ones was huge. I haven't compared prices but, if I'm looking for a cover to fit on a £500 cab, then I'd want something better than a Roqsolid.

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1367189425' post='2062469'] .. Despite the headstock showing a little too much cleavage. [/quote] Lol - I have to admit the first time I saw this bass I thought I looked like the cutaway in the headstock had been modelled by Kingbollock(s) himself

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1367179598' post='2062311'] I think a mass produced object can be an object of beauty, although Fender and Gibson are also looking at volume sales so they will tone down design in a way that Jens Ritter does not have to. Looking at the Ritters I think it's fair to say he is elevating the instrument above form and function and into art. Do I think they are beautiful, yes, the most beautiful, no. In terms of design I think that Leo Fender got it right very early on. It's a criticism laid at Fenders door that they don't come out with anything new, but when you have the icon of design and function why should you? There are many identical E-Type Jags (well, perhaps not so many now-a-days) but it is a very beautiful car. There are very few Bugatti Veyrons, but they do nowt for me [/quote] I have no argument with you that a mass produced bass can be a thing of beauty - I love my 1963 Fender. However, the OP asked for "the most beautiful bass ever" and my thought was that something that's the same as something else can't the the [i]singular[/i] most beautiful bass - it can only be one of many beautiful basses. I also hear what you're saying about cars but I'm not sure the analogy works as well because there are so few genuinely individual cars out there because the simple tooling cost of making one would be immense. Whereas the cost of making a highly individual bass is far less & there are way more of them in existence

[quote name='MoJoKe' timestamp='1367146990' post='2061648'] More pics [url="http://www.ritter-basses.com/item_info.php?i=617"]here[/url] I'm not normally a fan of Singlecuts and I've while the workmanship is amazing not really wanted to own a Ritter, but got to admit this one is quite something! [/quote] I had a reserve on it for 24 hours but decided that I couldn't justify the money on a fretless

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1367146366' post='2061634'] Got to admit that is pretty radical! [/quote] It's also incredible to play! I can just imagine one with frets - maybe one day. . .

This recent creation by Jens Ritter is absolutely stunning in the flesh. Pictures really don't do it justice. . . This close-up of the headstock gives a better idea of the amazing fingerboard:

If the OP is looking for the single most beautiful bass ever doesn't it have to be a full custom build that's a 'one of a kind' - otherwise it's just a bass that's very nice indeed but looks almost identical to a lot of other basses? This would, therefore, exclude almost all Fenders, Gibsons, Rickenbackers etc. Obviously individual beauty will be in the eye I the beholder but if something looks near identical to many other basses it's not really going to be THE most beautiful bass ever

The MarkBass 1x12 is a fine combo and it works extremely well with the larger of the MB 12" extension cabs - traveller 121H I think. The advantage of the larger traveller cab is that it raises the height of the combo up to where it really works well as a personal monitor. Of course you're also opening up the full power of the head and moving a lot more air. It's a very efficient combination. Still very light weight even with the 2nd cab. You could easily have a combo/cab in each hand and a bass in a gig bag for a one trip journey from car to venue. My personal favourite small rig is an Aguilar TH500 with either one or two matching SL112 cabs. These cabs are even lighter than the MB ones and sound great with the TH500 head. A single SL112 goes deeper and louder than an MB121 combo (IMHO) and a pair of the cabs sounds huge! I know a couple of heavyweight pro players using this set up for club gigs

I saw a few of these at MusikMesse - they really stood out on the Marleaux stand. Looked very cool

The soul / jazz / funk cruises have been going for over 10 years - some pretty good people on these. Marcus Miller and George Duke areregulars, also this year there's Tower of Power, David Sanborn, Oleta Adams, Earth Wind & Fire, candy Dulfer, Gladys Knight, The Whispers, Sheila E, Ohio Players, Billy Paul, etc. etc

On the Fender front - I heard a dealer near me placed an order for no less than 6 new Custom Shop basses at the show. . .