Happy Jack

20dB eh? So you pull up the knob and your bass suddenly gets ten times louder. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel Yup, makes perfect sense to me.

Bin there, dun that, didn't work for me. There's no shortage of lovely fivers with 19mm spacing. I own several. Of all the differences between basses (scale length, number of strings, active/passive, etc.) by FAR the one that I notice the most is string spacing.

Insufficiently chilled? Maybe you need some ganja? http://youtu.be/alk1-6CIHxM

http://youtu.be/GoT8jl_NKtE Awesome. Just awesome.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Framus-vintage-upright-electric-bass-4-60-Bean-Pole-Triumph-/291832053150?hash=item43f28bbd9e:g:kxIAAOSwtnpXm4cv Something very similar to this is still being made by them today.

Thanks Barrie, that's useful - I've never run a business which traded in used goods.

35dB boost? Really? Really really? [size=4] [/size]

Started on my 49th birthday using 'Crash Course In Bass' by Basschatter Stuart Clayton. Like all the best tuition books, it makes NO assumptions about your musical ability or knowledge, and simply takes you step by step from your first notes to some reasonably advanced stuff. I really would not start with a Steinberger, no matter how cool it looks! As a complete beginner you will be spending a lot of time playing while sitting down, and that is not a good lap bass. Plenty of time to buy one later, but I recommend starting on something far more conventional. The default option is a Fender Precision or a copy of one or a cheap copy of a copy of one. Someone will be along in a minute to recommend a Fender Jazz instead. I don't agree but it doesn't matter - they're both great designs which will be more than enough to get you started. Good luck.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1471992270' post='3117586'] £1,100 to a list price of £1,650 isn't going to be desperately profitable. Let's say the buyer haggles to get around 10% off and settles on £1,500. That's an initial profit of £400. VAT wipes out £80. [/quote] The VAT bit was where I lost you. Bass Direct are VAT-registered, so AFAIK have to charge VAT on the entire price. On a sale at £1500 the VAT included is not £80 but £250. The shop has then paid £1100 for a bass which they are now selling for £1250, a GP of £150 (or 13.6%) before allowing for any overheads, or treatment of the bass. This looks like pretty normal business to me. Am I missing something?

... and it's by Letts too! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Letts-Basses-8-string-custom-fretless-multiscale-fanned-fret-bass-/322228157093?hash=item4b064b7aa5:g:kxsAAOSw0UdXsOub Don't understand at all his comments about how it's strung, but that would be the least of my problems with this thing.

But do you consider yourselves to be "musicians"?

I'm a musician when I make music. When I'm cooking, I'm a cook. When I'm shaving in the morning, I'm a shaver. Erm ... what's this all about exactly?

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1471798376' post='3115972'] Yep, I hope it will sit upright on my knee. I hope. [/quote] I had no idea you were this weird.

Well that explains the tank top ...

One out, one in. He got rid of the Hofner in 1972, so now he's bought the T-Bird. (And I'm pretty sure it said Hofner on the headstock when I blew up the photo earlier. ) Whatever. Still a great story.

http://www.alikat.com.au/ Enjoy!

Almost certainly not a genuine Hofner. Headstock is the wrong shape, tuners are wrong, tailpiece is wildly wrong, wood used for top would be very unusual for a real Hofner, control panel doesn't look quite the part either. How does it play? If you like it then keep it in memory of your Dad.

Good to see that Hofner 185 (or Artist) slung around his neck.

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/289782-erm/

[quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1471539791' post='3113844'] I'd say he was in the right ball park. Powermate 1000 MK3 go for around £1000-1200 secondhand depending on the nick and SX300 around £300 per pair. So about right. [/quote] Fair enough Crez, this is far more your area than mine!

For God's sake, will you tell Darren to put his cap on properly - he looks like Harry Enfield's wicked uncle!