molan

Picked up a very nice bass from Latif at Paddington Station today. Great communications, very easy to get on with and arranging to meet up couldn't have been easier. Really nice guy all round

I've got one now as well - will try to get some time to compare it to the original '63 and '68 I have sitting here. First thoughts on tone was that it was a lot more 'mellow' than either of my vintage ones. However both of them are relatively bright (Paul Turner said my '63 had a better slap tone than his beloved '66 when he borrowed it for a while). I've been playing relatively quietly through a Monique Dove Cage, Demeter 800D power amp and a Berg AE210 & it sounds lovely. I've been looking out for an 'older' sounding, reasonably lightweight J for a while so first impressions are that I'm pretty happy

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1472722754' post='3123607'] It's wrong, (in my opinion), to pay tax on something that started in EU/UK, and was then exported, and is now coming back. Like you say, VAT has already been paid on it. I believe that there's no import charges made on USA built items that are being re-imported into the USA. I think I'd be frantic with worry and stress. Hope it gets all sorted out for you. [/quote] US import tax duties can change from state to state (usually regulated by the state the item 'lands' in rather than the final destination). It's a bit of a lottery to be honest There are worse places though - South Africa and Israel can depend on the arrival point and even the person who fills in the paperwork. Some South American countries are a whole other world - we had some shipping companies who would only insure as far as the destination airport and then removed all cover as soon as it reached local handlers. Anyway - back on topic - hope it arrives safe and sound

Really well put together. I was super sceptical when we first ordered some but they've really grown on me

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1472637064' post='3122765'] No loop on the TH350 either, I guess it's one of the first things to get the chop when they downsize! I found the fan on the TH500 to come on too unnecessarily early and loud to use for noodling at home though, although I'd hope the TH350 fared better in that department. MarkBass looks like a good bet as long as you don't mind your amp looking like a Tonka truck. [/quote] I always forget the little TH350 when I'm thinking of Tone Hammers. I know a guy, with absolutely excellent ears', who swears the 350 sounds sweeter than the 500 but I haven't really noticed a difference. I can definitely hear a difference between the LMII and the Th500 when using an external pre-amp into the effects return. Need to listen to them a bit more closely against my 'reference' Demeter 800D power amp.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1472634535' post='3122736'] Out of the two though, the MB200 doesn't have a loop either does it? And I would expect the Markbass tonestack to be more neutral than the GK. I think the Little Mark one at least is meant to be virtually flat with all EQ knobs at noon. I was thinking of picking up a mini amp to just use as a power amp since I have so many preamp pedals, but the lack of fx loop in the MB200 put me off it - I'd totally forgotten about the Markbass though! [/quote] You are right about the MB200 Danny - I was thinking about the MB500 & 800! I've currently got a whole stack of amps at home and have been testing them all. The best one for the 'mini amp that can be used as a power amp' is probably the Tone Hammer but it's also the most expensive I might swap my 200 for a 500 or 800 MB though and shift the Tone Hammer and LMII that I have sitting here

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1472629873' post='3122679'] NanoBass. Pretty good by all accounts too. [/quote] Yeah, the Nano is tiny and sounds good. I nearly bought one for rehearsals, small gigs, back up amp etc but there's a few small things that stopped me. It doesn't have the classic MB filters - I don't use this a whole lot but just surprised they weren't included. There's no aux in and headphones out socket so it's not a 'silent practice' amp. Also pretty sure that the effects return routes the signal through the pre amp tone stack. I think all MB heads do this. I sometimes use a separate pre/power amp for gigging and wanted a backup amp that will take a return from the pre and completely bypass the onboard small amp tone section. I settled on a Gallien Kreuger MB200 as it has the 'silent' option and the tone bypass. It's a very loud 200w as well The MB500 does the same with more power and a few more options or the MB800 really raises the game. The baby 200 is so tiny though. Mine sits in an iPad padded carry bag and will go in the front pocket of a gig bag too.

We get this kind of thing all the kind. Once the PA is set up we're quite happy for the odd solo singer or duo to use it. We'd never think of charging for this but would normally expect to be given some notice.

It does work pretty well but I prefer it for combos and not separates. It's expensive for what it is but it folds well, is easy to store etc. and looks reasonably professional on stage if that's important.

I get a regular email asking for a bass player. Always says he must be aged between 20 & 24 and have long hair. I've been getting the same message for at least 2 years - I wonder if the rest of the band haven't aged in this time either?

The 121H is a sizeable upgrade on the 121P simply because it has much higher spec horn than the cheap tweeter in the 121P. The larger cab size helps with bottom end as well. My favourite combination of these MB 1x12 combinations is the 121P with a 121H cab. The 121P sits really nicely on top of the 121H. The 802 doesn't deliver a huge amount more than the 801 in terms of volume so I'm not sure that's goin to help much. If you didn't already have the 121P I'd keep the baby 1x12 cab at rehearsal room, buy a 121H for gigging with and get a Little Mark head to use for both. The head is easy to transport around between two and you keep a small rig at the rehearsal space that will still be giggable whilst having a bit more oomph for gigs with the 121H and you can combine all 3 for big gigs

Just checking - the main thing you're looking for something that's smaller than your 121P for rehearsing and that the 121P with extension cab is loud enough for gigging?

I've been watching these based on that really low US price. Only about £400 if you buy out of state. Even importing would only make it £550 or so. Not sure about the tone shaping but just thought it might make a nice power amp

Click on the 'completed listings' button and you'll see what's been listed and what's actually sold - or just click on the 'sold' sub-section to see only sold items

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1472155199' post='3119012'] Off topic - apologies. I'm enjoying the Steinberger so much that it got me thinking about a Status Streamline as my main gigging bass. They seem to tick a lot of boxes for me. I'm off for three weeks in my campervan tomorrow. I'll be looking into the Streamline when I get home. There seems to be only one or two a year changing hands on basschat. Frank. [/quote] If you were nearer I'd say to borrow mine for a bit and see how you get on. Only issue for me is that I can't really play them, comfortably, sitting down. Could just be me though! Mine tends to sit in reserve as a backup bass for more important gigs where i feel like I need a backup

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1472117166' post='3118601'] My (recently acquired as a travel bass) Steinberger XT-2 has the strap button at the 20th fret!! Try reaching for the money frets on that. I'm making a folding carbon fibre extender to move the strap button to the 12th fret. That should cure it. Frank. [/quote] Last time my shoulder was badly screwed up I bought a Status Streamline for precisely this reason - the top of the body extends right out so the stretch isn't as long

[quote name='mybass' timestamp='1472098206' post='3118461'] Look at where the top 'horn' and strap button are situated ... On the Fender the top horn end sits around the twelfth fret and on many 'modern' style basses, such as Warwick, that top horn hovers above the 14th fret. Long Scale on both basses at 34" but the Warwick will feel a longer neck. [/quote] This what makes all the difference to me. It always feels like a 14th fret strap button bass has a neck about an inch longer than a 12th fret. I simply avoid all basses where the strap doesn't fall above the 12th fret. My favourite scale length is actually 33.3" - I can definitely feel the difference in scale when playing up around the first 3 - 5 frets (where the "money" is, lol). 33" is fine too - as far as I know Jens Ritter is the only guy who makes 33.3" and I'm not sure what difference the extra .3" really makes in everyday playing.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1472058100' post='3118114'] Thank gawd for that! I'll proceed with confidence! Thanks for the good advice. [/quote] I'll PM you

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1472056412' post='3118092'] Uh oh... Alarm bells? [/quote] Quite the reverse - he's great! Super helpful and knows his stuff

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1472049382' post='3118015'] Thank you. I'm thinking of buying from a retailer on there, based in Japan but an English chap so comms haven't been an issue. I'm prepared for the fees! My main concern was if it all goes horribly wrong, am I protected like with eBay. [/quote] Is his name Danny by any chance? I'd probably use PayPal for the best level of protection.

They have various help and assistance options if you are careful with payment. Using PayPal gives a lot of buyer protection. Sellers are a mixed bag. A lot of them are retailers which 'ought' to add a bit of confidence. Biggest issue for me is that so much of their inventory sits in the US so you've got all the usual import duties to pay for on top of both sales price and the shipping charges.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1472037321' post='3117863'] The VAT bit was where I lost you. Bass Direct are VAT-registered, so AFAIK have to charge VAT on the entire price. On a sale at £1500 the VAT included is not £80 but £250. The shop has then paid £1100 for a bass which they are now selling for £1250, a GP of £150 (or 13.6%) before allowing for any overheads, or treatment of the bass. This looks like pretty normal business to me. Am I missing something? [/quote] VAT on used goods is chargeable on the gross profit made not the full sale value. EG buy in a product at £1,000, sell at £1,500. Profit is £500 and VAT payable is 20% of £500 = £100.

I love the Basswitch - it's a real 'get out of jail' preamp as well if an amp goes down on a gig. The FeLix is such a pure sounding little thing. Personally I'm looking for a bit more warmth to my pre-amps but I can imagine that, in the right hands, it works beautifully with an upright. The Goliath looks really cool, must investigate that a bit more I like that it doesn't have too many knobs to fiddle with. In fact one of my favourite bass pedals is my Alleva Coppolo Kah Boom. It has bass, treble and a bypass switch, that's the lot, not even a level setting, lol.