Happy Jack

I'm just trying to imagine the conversation at the offices of the CPS where the eager young lawyer (female, blonde, unfeasibly large cleavage & short skirt, constantly at odds with her boss but somehow always gets the verdict when the case comes to Court) tries to persuade the old fuddy-duddy from the Chief Justice's office that Detective Chief Inspector Crusty Hunk should be dispatched immediately to arrest these fugitives from justice who are knowingly selling basses with fake Fender decals and - gasp! - daring to state the fact in their oh-so-clever advertising. Hang the lot of 'em! Meanwhile, back in the real world ...

I refer My learned Friend to the Trade Marks Act 1994 and (if it will help) to the 'gloss' on that Act supplied by the CPS at https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/intellectual-property-crime As you can see, to incur criminal charges in this category is not easy. Putting a Fender decal on a headstock and claiming that it is a 'registered trade mark' is just about the only way to involve the Police. Passing off and unregistered trade marks Passing off occurs where a defendant makes a misrepresentation (which itself may or may not involve the use of a trade mark) that causes damage to the goodwill of the claimant's business which is itself known by a distinguishing sign or mark (effectively an unregistered trade mark). Strictly the right is not in the claimant's unregistered trade mark but in the business conducted under that sign or mark. The owner of an unregistered trade mark can take civil action to prevent passing off. Trade Marks Infringements There are civil rights and remedies for owners of registered trade marks in cases of infringement by unauthorised use - not just for goods or services which are identical with those for which the trade mark is registered and bearing an identical sign, but (with additional requirements) extending to: goods or services which are similar to those for which the trade mark is registered; goods or services which are not similar to those for which the trade mark is registered; and where the sign is similar to the registered trade mark. Criminal Offences contrary to the Trade Marks Act 1994 (TMA) Although only the offences in section 92 have specific enforcement responsibilities attached to them, there are other criminal offences under TMA which prosecutors may wish to be aware of, including: section 84 - unregistered person being described as a registered trade mark agent; section 94 - making of a false entry in the register of trade marks; section 95 - falsely representing that a mark is a registered trade mark (either by means of the word 'registered' or any other word or symbol); section 99 - unauthorised use of Royal Arms.

If I take a sharpie and write 'Fender' on the headstock of another bass, no law has been broken. If I take a Fender decal (real or good imitation) and stick it on the headstock of my bass, no law has been broken. If I sell a non-Fender bass with a Fender decal on the headstock, but my advert states clearly that it is NOT a Fender, no law has been broken. If I sell a non-Fender bass with a Fender decal on the headstock, and my advert states clearly that it IS a Fender, then that's - put simply - fraud, and yes, it is against the law. Oh well, one out of four ain't bad. Erm ... actually it iS bad.

Illegal? Possibly a matter for a civil action, if Fender could be arsed, which they can't, but illegal? I doubt if Inspector Knacker of the Yard has been called ...

http://www.myrareguitars.com/vintage-1984-riverhead-unicorn-electric-guitar

They'd only allow you to join if you could type with both hands at once.

Basically, they look like they're too short! I've now ordered three different string sets - D'Addario, Ernie Ball and Galli. Way I see it, worst case is that I've ordered enough roundwounds to last the rest of my playing career (given that I play almost exclusively flats).

In all fairness, Mick, it's hard to see a problem!

I have to say, that Galli Strings web-site has to be about the worst thing I've encountered on the Internet in the last decade. Designed by an illiterate 9-year-old, and totally off-putting when it comes to actually buying something!

Now those look seriously close to what I'm after ... Thanks!

I've had a first pass at the bass with T-Cut, and in truth I'm not seeing any difference worth mentioning. http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Basses CURRENT/Ovation Magnum III 1980 CURRENT It doesn't photograph well but, in this shot, the two most cloudy areas are around the neckplate and at the rear of the upper bout. Maybe I haven't used enough elbow grease?

There was no silk at all. It was definitely a 4-string set! Wouldn't know where to find Galli strings ... couldn't see them at Strings Direct or Stringbusters. It didn't occur to me to photograph old bass strings before chucking them away, but I take your point.

For what it's worth, you're nowhere near the first person to encounter this problem! There used to be a rather nifty aftermarket perspex surround you could fit which pretty much did away with the problem - have a Google.

Yes, I'm assuming that you already have enough scratch?

But you don't need to use your left hand to play that ...

I bought an old Ovation Magnum, the strings are tired and rusty but sound just great so I want to buy the same again. The strings are: Extra Long Scale Tapered construction Roundwound Gold ball-ends on all four strings No coloured silks What am I looking at?

I like your thinking, Pete, but I need the Hercules for a special, a very special project ... details to be announced later this year.

Bass on Hercules stand = 31" x 23" = 713 sq" Bass on Bass Bar = 44" x 22" = 968 sq" So it takes up roughly one third more floor space, but it far harder to knock over. Ya pays yer money ...

Nicely done, sir, but I'm pretty sure that Roger Waters would have been using a pick rather than slapping! Ignoring that, you've pretty much nailed the tone.