mr4stringz

After much, much, much consideration of late, and despite having gone to largely shorties over the last 3 years, I acquiesced to my inner beast and picked this up from @Bassman Sam of this parish today. Firstly, thanks for being a diamond with last minute arrangements etc. Sam and the best of luck with the knee op as and when that happens. Anyway, whilst far from a new offering these days, the bass is as good as I’d read and hoped for. The pickups are absolutely bloody marvellous. Very much looking forward to cranking it through a big amp with my massively noisy drummer. Thanks again, Sam.

Parklife.

Likewise.

Maybe they’re checking stock levels in real time 🤣

Also just as a heads up given what you’ve said initially above, you will need to put a price on it, so best to get all of your ducks lined up prior to posting. Best of luck with it!

Nice they’ve not gone modern with the front panel and kept it looking suitable. Agree they may struggle to sell (the SS one at least), at least in part given the stellar job Nathan Hilbish has made of his own Sunn clones in recent years. Absolutely love my Hilbish Design Beta preamp.

Fugly.

I’m no Hofner nut so don’t have lots of info, though from the model numbers you should be able to find out plenty more from t’web. The first one is, I think, a model 189, and the second one a model 185.

Great to hear. It seems Fair Deal has had quite the upturn in both their available stock and general approach since Gaz moved to them from PMT some time back. And, erm…where are the pics?!!!

As per Happy Jack, it’s pre-filled and all it takes is an accidental click on send, which is all too easy when scrolling on a smartphone.

It will go for a spruce up and a sort out of the input jack etc before too long. When that’s ongoing I’ll ask my repair guy to take some shots under the hood if he can. Curious myself!

Cheers Walshy. I did do some very preliminary searches for pickups etc a long while back and promptly binned the idea off then due to the £££ involved. Must admit I’ve not searched about since. It probs answers the question for me that I’ve left it as is since getting it. Always worth getting views from others though, so thanks to all. It certainly will stay with me long term irrespective of owt else.

This is where I’m at currently. As rarely as I play it, I can’t trust it for that reason!

Hello Cleveland! I’ve had this ‘76 Ripper a good while now. It’s a YOB bass and was very much ridiculously cheap back when I bought it, on account of the condition and erm…interesting mods. I’ve used it on occasion since owning it, but never to any great degree. Question is - and for the purposes of this exercise you’ll have to take the bass on face value as per pics - if this was yours would you a) Leave as is (the pickup - a DiMarzio Model G DP121, I believe it is- sounds EVIL) b) Attempt to expensively restore (electronics only, the rest can stay as is) to somewhere approaching as it would have been stock OR c) would you possibly do something different? I’ve no firm plans one way or the other but generally interested in people’s thoughts. In an era of lovingly kept and maintained vintage basses something like this is very much a bit of fun. One thing is for sure - for better or worse there likely isn’t another one like this anywhere. 🤣 I should add I’ve no idea what’s going on under the current pickguard or the somewhat idiosyncratic input jack area at this time, before you ask! That third photo is just for laughs. You have to wonder what goes through some people’s heads…

Well, I’m also a ‘76 vintage and I’m not worth 4K either. Sob.

Put them in different rooms then neither will know when you’re cheating.

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Looking superb guys. What are both your thoughts on the weight please?

Yes, his live tone (on this tour in particular) is incredible from the bits I’ve heard.

GN’R (along with Maiden and Metallica) were directly responsible for getting me into rock, metal, and bass specifically back in ‘88 at 12. Given the crazy amount of wedge they’ve made since getting the trio back together I don’t begrudge them carrying on, but every time Axl goes for the high notes for years now it’s been like…

Nope, not pathetic at all. But still, catch some rays, man.

Birmingham is probably a sound bet. A little bit of distance (not a problem really as you’re in the car)between them in and around central Brum, but you’ve got PMT, GuitarGuitar and Fair Deal Music all reasonably close. Staff in all three perfectly welcoming and accommodating in my experience. And on the HB, if you don’t ‘need’ the few quid it’ll bag you to sell and you like it, why not keep it…your collection starts here.

Making it hard to find an effective way to contact them and make a complaint is very much deliberate on their part. I’ve noticed it a lot these last few years in this country in non-regulated businesses. They do publish a complaints charter on their website. Don’t know if current, but may help. https://www.dpd.co.uk/pdf/dpd-complaints-charter.pdf