Happy Jack

Technically, I think that may make her the cookie monstress.

So when are the Germans starting a Belgian Lockdown?

That's an all-original 500/3 from 1960 ... the serial number and the 'Toaster' pickup work well to confirm that. Hofner continued to bring the 500/3 into the UK until 1963 when a modified version (modified to suit the demands of the chief importer, Selmer & Co.) became the Senator Bass. Only one photo here, and not too informative, but it looks to be in lovely condition and will definitely be of interest to Hofner afficianados and collectors. There's no particularly famous musician connection for the 500/3 so it won't attract a premium price, and of course in this country the Senator is far better known. If this was any other December, I'd recommend listing it on eBay with an advert aimed more at Continental musicians, who have no real interest in the Selmer-badged instruments. 5-string player or not, you'll know a bowed neck when you play one! Before trying to sell it, be sure to check the state of both the neck and especially the neck joint. If the neck is true and the neck joint undamaged or (worse) has been 'fixed', then there may be an issue with listing it immediately. If you find problems, feel free to come back to me (or others, I'm not the only Hofner Hound on Basschat) and I'll see what I can do.

At the risk of turning this into a B***** topic (which it is not), if I were doing import/export between the UK and the EU in November I'd have no worries ... business as usual. Doing the same in January is also no worries ... whatever new rules are going to exist will exist by then. The problem is December. If I sell something in December which might cross the border in December, might cross it in January, what should I be doing? Do I charge import duty? Do I charge home country VAT and then importing country VAT on top of that? And if I fail to do the right thing, will I be liable to my own tax people to make up the shortfall? If I was running Thomann right now, I'd be saying, "tell you what guys, let's just slow down on deliveries to the UK, and I mean slow down a lot, make sure that we ship nothing at all until the new rules emerge".

After careful research, I have established that G4M is actually a subsidiary of @ped Industries Inc., a massive conglomerate based in the British Virgin Isles and owned (through lawyers, natch) by Basschat. It was the urgent need to control a $14bn manufacturing complex that led to @Kiwi relocating to China, and they are now the main suppliers of nanochips (for vaccine insertion) to Bill Gates. They also erected the steel monolith in Utah and the huge phallus in Bavaria. Honest guv.

Really? 😉

Phew!

Damn! I thought they were a UK company?

You came to my house some years back to try a bass (which you didn't buy!). I had a broken leg and my foot in plaster at the time. I remember discussing Micky Moody's book (Playing With Trumpets) with you and asking about the sequel which would include the Whitesnake days, the book that became Snakes And Ladders. Seeing as he knows how to write these things, maybe a collaboration?

For the last 10 years, Thomann have been my go-to supplier for most musical stuff. I haven't been entirely faithful, you understand. I've lapsed and bought elsewhere ... GAK, Andertons, the usual suspects, sometimes through an anonymous intermediary like Reverb. I had a bit of a thing going with Studiospares for a few years, but they ditched me so callously earlier this year that I even started a topic here on Basschat about it. So now (this is NOT a B***** thread!) I have to seriously consider abandoning Thomann, despite their pretty much perfect service record. Where to go ... what to do? When a relationship starts to get stale, sometimes you need to pep things up, experiment a little, so I've been ... erm ... dipping my toe and testing the temperature elsewhere. I may have found a new squeeze, someone to keep me satisfied through the bleak years of the BoJo Presidency. Gear For Music. I remember them when they sold chiefly entry-level stuff apparently aimed at the schools market. Nowt wrong wi' that but they had little that interested me. During Lockdown 2.0 I placed several orders with them and their service was in every case as good as Thomann's. Just thought I'd share.

I reckon neckdive would be unavoidable with that design.

Slightly sad that you didn't use a valve amp guy named Jennings, mind. There's a name with a bit of heritage attached.

In all fairness, not many people can claim to have inspired one of the characters on The Magic Roundabout.

But at least we know where the answer is ...

It's the pink keyboard, Ped. I told you, I dun TOLD you, stick with black and watch your sales rocket.

Handbuilt by ... oh please yourself ...

I like the idea of a bass that plays itself perfectly without injuring the drummer seated four feet away. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-55214359

Paging @Sibob ...

"Just keep playing, dammit!"

If you can find an EUB that allows you to do that, then I want photos ...

A Volkswagen Beetle is lighter than a Corvette. 🤨

Strangely enough, @Silvia Bluejay bought a Spirit By Steinberger (5-string) last month. Same bass? I ask because there is no way that thing weighs as little as 5.5 lbs! Without actually weighing it (have you seen the time?) I'd estimate it as being the thick end of 8lbs.

The Sinsonido is a very nice practice tool, especially if you're travelling or have young children at home, but I would never consider it as a 'serious' instrument in the way that a Violin bass or a Precision is serious. Although you could gig a Sinsonido at a pinch, that's really not what it's all about. The tone is as much of a one-trick pony as the P-bass, but without the P-bass's warmth and character. It's best described as sterile, and it's hard to imagine any genre of music which would sound better with the bassist playing a Sinsonido! I repeat, as a practice tool / travel bass (which is what it was really designed for) it's an excellent piece of kit. I used to take mine on holiday with me.

You mean that you're left-handed but hadn't realised?