Marc S

I feel for the person who has bought this bass, believing it to be the genuine article The seller may not have known this bass to be a fake but subsequent messages should have made him cancel the item, and investigate further, before re-listing Shame on ebay - and I am not alone in trusting it less and less It's OK for things like books, maybe CDs etc (even there, I have been sold a pirate copy!) But for musical instruments, I'd be very very wary of buying this way.... It's great to know that basschat members keep a lookout for such cons, and thanks again to the OP for pointing this one out Good on you! Lets hope the buyer of that fake P bass can get his / her money back.....

Some ebay shops list a price for exporting to the UK and EU If the shop in question doesn't list this price, then expect to pay the VAT charges on top These can add considerably to the final price you pay I've been stung once or twice now, so I won't buy unless I can see a final price, incl VAT & shipping Good luck with your purchase and let us know how you get on, fitting the pickups, and what you think of them Cheers Marc EDIT: Thanks for linking to that duty calculator dannybuoy - useful

Couldn't tell you what the actual dimensions are, re distance it 12th fret etc But I don't like the action too high That feels more difficult to play Don't like the action too low either I like to be able to get my fingers underneath the strings, when playing finger style and I play fairly hard, when I use a pick It also varies a bit, from bass to bass I've got an electro-acoustic bass, which oddly enough - I prefer a higher action On my fretless (which I really only use to muck around) I like it fairly low On double bass, I also prefer a low-ish action Strings on Bass guitar, I like a slightly heavier gauge 110 - 50, round wounds and Flat wounds (Steve Harris sigs) on the fretless

Hello from South Wales Dutchie, Welcome to the forum, and as others have said, get along to a jam soon Do spend some time learning scales though They'll help you find your way round the bass Good luck, and have fun

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1413878935' post='2582941'] My girlfriends grandma plays piano and reads off sheet music, she once had a massive rant at me about how I didnt understand music properly because I told her that I learn songs by ear and work it out that way. It was a strange one because she seemed really offended by it! I thought it was always a decent skill to have... [/quote] An ex girlfriend of mine was a pianist, and clarinet player It used to wind her up, when I just jammed along to something on the TV, radio or CD player! I never quite understood why, but she used to hate it when I did this She could read sheet music, and I never could (well, apart from some basic stuff years ago in high school) Also, I played in a band, with a keyboard player who read music, but couldn't play be ear at all...... It was annoying, because he used to download sheet music, and it was sometimes in the wrong key but he couldn't tell! Playing by ear is how I learned, and it's a skill you acquire with practice If you don't read music - it's something you will benefit from being able to do As others have said - play along to as much different music as you can, and build up the skill as you go.... For me, working out a nice bassline can be very satisfying I wish I could read music but I'd always want to be able to do both Cheers

There are indeed lots of great replacement pickups for Jazz basses around Without actually hearing them, it's difficult to make a judgement Any reviews on here are handy, and everyone will have their favourites - for differing reasons I wanted to just try something fairly cheap, as a first attempt at pickup change on my Jazz I got a pair of DiMarzio's from a fellow BC'er, for a reasonable price Fitted them, and I must say, they've worked really well There may be lots of more expensive options out there but sometimes it's worth experimenting with some second-hand pickups.... Keep an eye on the marketplace here....

[quote name='Mattmit' timestamp='1413667913' post='2580830'] This ones arriving tuesday... limelight .[attachment=174098:005.JPG] [/quote] I agree with antnee Looks fab!

[quote name='alexpea' timestamp='1413569020' post='2579751'] Yea Marc great value pickups. I did a comparison at a gig and found the bass Max had a slightly bassier sound whereas the J tone picked up a lot for finger noise. Would probably have just needed to EQ them differently. [/quote] All good info again alexpea Cheers The guy who bought my Boosey & Hawkes was looking for a pickup too .... so might be worth taking a punt on one of those bassmax ones....

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1413738328' post='2581402'] ......Hopefully no one will fall for it and it will remain unsold....but I agree Ebay should be more responsive when they are advised as item is a definite fake [/quote] This is one reason I don't like using ebay for musical instruments You could get scammed, and it seems like they don't care otherwise they'd remove it! As the above poster says - if it was a Rick copy, it'd be pulled off ebay straight away They are more in fear of legal action, than a buyer being ripped off

Thanks for pointing this out soulboy Any other hints & tips for spotting fakes is always welcome....

I've bought a couple of sets of second-hand strings As others have said, it's a cost-effective way of trying different brand Buying them from someone on this forum is a good way to get S/H strings, I think As BC'ers would be more honest about the use they've had, I'm sure PS. Although I've not tried it, Daf Lewis's Innovation Strings trial is a great idea .... and I'm sure those trial strings have been on & off many basses in their lifetime....

[quote name='blunderthumbs' timestamp='1413471378' post='2578588'] Who said she didn't have the right papers? [/quote] Indeed. She'd have been foolish to do so, and I'm sure this was not the case - or the OP would have mentioned it If she saved hard, I'm sure she would have had a ticket .... this may have been the vital clue that customs missed......

[quote name='alexpea' timestamp='1412873905' post='2572902'] I bought one of [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/J-tone-Black-Double-Bass-Pick-up-/191134096791?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item2c807add97"]these[/url] recently as a backup and I can't honestly tell the difference between it and my K&K Bass Max. Sounds great on my Ply Beater Bass [/quote] Thanks for letting us know about this I've seen these J-tone pickups about, on ebay They really are cheap, and maybe worth a try .... and some experimentation?

What a terrible story! I hope she is OK And I'm really pleased that some kind individual has donated a ticket Likely that those that stopped her don't understand the true value of music.....

Looks quite something! Prob a bit too heavy reliced for my own tastes, but of course, it's all personal taste.... Looks really different, and very eye-catching though I love my factory finish Fender J Roadworn It's the best, most comfortable bass I've ever played and I just love playing it There are those who dislike roadworn / reliced instruments but one real plus, is that you are less precious about them getting slight knocks on stage .... and that's quite liberating, in an odd sort of way I once had a near mint Rick and was paranoid when I took it out & about.... Cheers

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1412712323' post='2571312'] Years ago a guitarist I knew built a "stand" using cardboard tubes from the local carpet shop - stood the tubes on their ends and sat his amp on top of these. He claimed that with a smaller area actually touching the floor less sound was being transmitted through the floor. ...... [/quote] [quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1413103616' post='2574848'] Put the amp on the sofa... [/quote] TheGreek's solution is a good idea, and yes, if there's less surface area in contact with the floor It will help reduce those low end frequencies travelling through the building tonyquipment's solution is another good one BUT - make sure any fans & vents aren't blocked by the sofa or cushions Otherwise you run the risk of overheating! At home, I tend to use my electroacoustic bass, unplugged It's plenty loud enough to jam along with CD's / MP3's and general practicing I know my neighbour can't hear that at all Cheers Marc

I'm pretty much the same as most of the others I usually carry a backup bass, and think that's the sensible approach So he really should have a backup too Again, it depends on which bass I was using Some basses, I'd rather not loan to a stranger But if he seemed a genuine enough guy - I'd loan my backup bass.... I was in a band who played an afternoon session of 4 bands We were last but one, and the band who were on last, saw themselves as the "main band" even though that wasn't really the case..... They were young, and really full of themselves Our drummer had loaned them his kit, and while onstage were sarcastic about us, as we had played covers EDIT: The lead singer had said "we don't do covers - we're an original band - we can write our own songs" and 2 songs later, launched into a well known cover song! At that point, if it had been my bass amp they were using, I'd have gone onstage and removed it Our drummer decided to let it go though.... At the end of the evening, I had already left - the drummers father came to thank our drummer, but The drummer nor any other member of the band bothered to say "thank you, for the loan of your kit" So I'm much more cautious about loaning stuff since then.... Again, it's all down to their attitude when asking etc

You could try putting a couple of carpet off-cuts underneath the amp? Maybe take a peek in a local carpet shop's skip, round the back? .... one of those old carpet sample book type things might be a good idea.... I know what you mean - Just playing my DB late at night, unamplified It's quiet everywhere else - and the sound of bass really can carry.....

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1412621281' post='2570523'] .....I remember when "Made in Japan" meant "junk" but the reality was that most of the stuff that came out of Japan in the 70s was pretty much alright and that it was a ploy by British manufacturers to try to maintain their sales (of what was pretty shoddy items TBH) by slandering the opposition. [/quote] Yes, I remember that too Several pals had really good basses and guitars made in Japan during that period and I had a "Shaftesbury" Rick copy bass, made in Japan, and it was absolutely fantastic I only sold it cos it needed re-fretting, and I didn't have the cash for that at the time Really regret ever selling that bass now... Among my current crop of basses, is a China-made Squier Classic Vibe 60's P bass in rather fetching pink/red, with tort plate - It looks fab, IMO and it plays better than a Fender US P bass I recently tried (that was good too - just not quite as nice as my Squier) My Squier sounds great too, and it's really well put together - feels, sounds & plays like a quality instrument.... I've bought a lot of cheaply made Chinese tools etc - and usually regret buying them, cos they bend! lol So I suppose it depends what you're buying that's made in China.... If someone were to ask about whether to go for a new China-made Squier I'd always say try it first - but I'd also say "go for it!"