ped

[quote name='mcarp555' timestamp='1397582954' post='2425415'] No, I wouldn't say that about cars, since so much of the roadway is set up to accommodate one side or the other; so that's not a comparable analogy. My point is that even if more is involved in making LH instruments, [i]that's an inherent part of the business of making instruments.[/i] The last time I looked, it's not the "Gibson Right-handed Guitar Corp." or "Fender - We make guitars for 96% of the available market!" As I've stated, it should be easy enough to pad the cost of right-handed instruments by a small amount to more than make up the difference in production costs required to make LH instruments. It should be a no-brainer - "Hmm, I"m going to start my own guitar/bass company. That means I'll have to make right and left-handed instruments in some ratio. But if I want to [u]sell[/u] guitars, [b]that's what I have to do[/b]." The idea that they don't [i]have[/i] to make LH instruments is due more to inertia than anything else. "We never had to before, so we're not going to now". Once we didn't have to have handicapped ramps and parking spaces, or parental leave for men, or equal pay for women. Now we do. And guess what - that can be expensive. But the costs can be absorbed or made up in other ways. Why did those things change? Because it was discrimination, and it was fueled by inertia "We never had handicapped parking before". But that didn't make it right. Now I'm not comparing the needs of handicapped people or underpaid women, etc. in the same way as buying a bass. But the basic principles are exactly the same. We as left-handed players are discriminated against, not because of economic malarkey, but simply because we can be, and most of the people who make the instruments don't care and don't want to change. How many people bother to write to a guitar company and say, "Hey, just to let you know, I'm not buying any of your stuff because the two LH models you make are crap, and you can't be bothered to make more. So kiss my money goodbye!". What would happen if 1,000 people did that? 10,000? If enough people wanted it and made their feelings known, the 'economic' reasons would vanish like so much smoke and mirrors. So you'll forgive me if I don't go for the same old soap story. There are certainly more choices available to us today than in decades past. And in the future there will be even more. Not because Hofner & Gibson are 'nice guys', but because they finally woke up to the real economic reasons to do the correct thing. But we may have to complain until we're blue in the face, then complain some more. [/quote] My analogy is OK as you can drive a RH or LH car anywhere - and even if you couldn't, that's the same as a RH player not being able to play a LH bass, and vice versa. I'd love a RH drive DS, but most good examples are LH. I'm going to write a letter as soon as I'm done here! Your analogy RE handicapped parking is worse! Charging RH customers more to satisfy a minority of LH players wouldn't be a good strategy for a business. However cold that sounds - it's not economical. Or fair to RH players. I'm afraid you ARE being 'discriminated' against because of 'economic malarkey'. It's just that simple. Sorry. Like I said, however - plenty of more 'hands on' builders won't charge extra for LH models, because they don't need to re-tool to make them in anything like the volume or speed or mechanised way as some of the larger companies. Question - if you owned a company that made 100 basses a month which were sold to music chains and sales were pretty good, kicking along nicely, would you put six months profits into tooling up to make a LH bass, and sell five a month? I wouldn't. Although my numbers are made up, apparently the principle is the same for the big names.

It's true. You'd have to set up a lot of things differently to make a left handed bass in a production line that makes RH instruments. It's less difficult for a smaller volume maker as things aren't so automated. No BS about it - just a cost that for most, is dead money. If BC was a factory and we had to pay for each forum's activity, which I suppose we kind of do via bandwidth and so on, it wouldn't be economical to have a LH forum, for example, if it only ever contained about 1% of the total population but cost us 5% of the budget to run. However, some companies, like Warwick, believe it's worth the 'loss' to gain customers and a following. Companies like Hofner, Gibson etc - it's a nice idea to think they're in it for fun and because they love making instruments, but they're in it to make profit and that's it. Call it discrimination if you like, but you could say that about anything - LH or RH drive cars, for example. ped

Hi Stance The 'my content' list isn't always indexing properly at the moment (we're fixing it at the moment) but currently if you post a 'bump' on your thread it'll add your listing to your my content area after a few mins. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/233782-roland-jp-8080-virtual-analog-synthesizer-with-manual-and-original-box/page__p__2414760#entry2414760 The new version of the software gets rid of this problem, it's all to do with the search index.. In the meantime, sorry and good luck with the same! ped

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1394192635' post='2388933'] Grolsch bottle washers on all my basses. never had a problem. Like this bloke: And this one [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFgFFNXahcg[/media] [/quote] Both sponsored by Grolsch

These are my fave. They're more pleasing than the Schaller type and they feel safer, to me anyway. http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dmi&field-keywords=marvel%20straplocks

I had a lovely day and was able to meet up with a bunch of friends and I also met a few new ones. Did anyone else notice nearly everyone had a Basschat lanyard on I also met Patrice Vigier... what a lovely man! I showed him a picture of my 80's bass and he seemed genuinely chuffed that I've looked after it so well. [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/pedullaman/media/IMG_5342_zps7f0fb0a3.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/pedullaman/IMG_5342_zps7f0fb0a3.jpg[/IMG][/URL] I also think the vibe was really different this year. As Mark at Bass Direct agreed, it's 'matured' and the show felt really inviting and friendly. Here's to next year.. [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/pedullaman/media/IMG_5343_zps59514162.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/pedullaman/IMG_5343_zps59514162.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Yes we're installing the new version of the software next month so I think it'll fix some of these niggles. Then you can use your enter key as much as you like. Cheers ped

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1392660931' post='2371258'] Had the create a thread function checked for a subscription first, it would be preferable. This i think would be a better way of doing things otherwise it's just a mess as my thread is now in the ether which just makes the admin job harder. [/quote] It does. It identified that you haven't paid the £20 yearly fee so it asked you to pay, and gave you the option of a one off £7 payment instead if you prefer to list just one item. Cheers

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1392661011' post='2371260'] No thank you. I have the pictures, you can just delete the post. I cannot spare £7 to bet that I might get a sale. I also don't like uploading credit card details to websites (and i don't use paypal), so being invited to do so is not helpful to me. [/quote] Again, no problem. Cheers ped

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1392660201' post='2371245'] That's fine if you are a profesional seller where it might be profitable. It would even be fine to be charged on a succesful sale. I can't justify this to just list one item with no guaratnee at all of a sale. [/quote] No problem, ped

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1392655641' post='2371136'] I have tried listing something for sale and everytime I click to Post the message I just get directed to a page asking for donations. I don't want to make a donation, why is this happening? Are you saying that only people that pay you can advertise? If so why not make this clear before i take time creating and advert and uploading images? I can't even see if the advert has correctly uploaded because, again, i get this link. [/quote] I can recover the text and images from your previous posts to save you re-uploading them if you like, just Pm me. Cheers

Yeah I think the page can be re-worded. Will look at it - the wording on the page (tab) at the top of the forum is clearer. There's also a little box which says how much it costs when you hover over the 'price or trade value' box but again, it could be clearer.

[quote name='Lee Restarick' timestamp='1390590415' post='2347411'] Thanks Ped I see that there is a charge and I am perfectly happy to pay. With the quality of this forum that's well worth it. [/quote] Cheers Lee, kind of you to say so. Best of luck with the swap! ped

Hi Lee Welcome! If you'd like to trade an item, post it in the marketplace and state the value of the item you're swapping in the price field. Let me know if I can help further and enjoy the forum! ped

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1390555453' post='2346660'] It's all subjective I guess. I prefer the sound of the newer Status necks (with truss rod), they give the bass a slightly more complex tone and there's less fret noise. For me they fit into the mix better as a backing instrument (I'm a groove player, definitely not a soloist). But there are people on Basschat who like the purity of the older fully rigid necks and the aggressive note attack that gives, it can put the bass much more centre stage. [/quote] I agree. I'm a groover too and I love the velvety clank that cuts through the mix. I haven't played many statii but it would be interesting to compare them.

I'd love to see your vigier!

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1390514595' post='2346405'] Whoops...sorry Mr Vigier. [/quote] Maybe Patrick is English for Patrice

It's Patrice Mine is an '88 and it's certainly not moved in the 10 or so years I've owned it.

My vigier series 2 has a graphite neck with no truss rod. I love it because there's hardly any relief. I've had later series 3 basses also sans truss rod but they were built with a bit more relief (still not much by normal standards) but I preferred the older neck. I remember someone saying how not having a truss rod helped the sound if the bass, too. Not sure how important that is in the grander scheme of things but I guess it all goes into the mix.

Glad to hear it. Enjoy the bass!