Happy Jack

Not sure you quite get the idea of "vintage" ...

THE SCENE: An email conversation between the main authorised dealer for a famous electrical brand, and a hapless musician. Lights ... camera ... and ACTION! [color=#0000ff][u][b]Me to Them:[/b][/u] [/color] [color=#0000ff]I bought a pre-owned Model XXX a few years ago. It has run perfectly until now, but Channels 1 & 2 seem to have "fried" in some way. Channels 3 & 4 seem fine to me. What would be involved in getting this amp sorted out?[/color] [color=#800000][u][b]Them to Me: [/b][/u][/color] [color=#800000]Thank you for contacting XXX with your repair query. We would be delighted to take a look at your unit for you & will be able to provide you with an exact quote for repair once your unit has undergone a full diagnostics check by one of our qualified Technicians. Please see details below regarding our fees & next steps…[/color] [color=#800000]Handling Fee[/color] [color=#800000]An handling Fee of £50+Vat is chargeable on all repairs and payable before an investigation can be carried out by our Technicians. This is non-refundable.[/color] [color=#800000]Labour Charge[/color] [color=#800000]£36+Vat per half hour[/color] [color=#800000]Parts[/color] [color=#800000]If any parts are required, we will always quote you and get your full approval prior to continuing with any further repair work.[/color] [color=#800000]P&P[/color] [color=#800000]A P&P Fee of £15+Vat will apply to all returned units – repaired/ un-repaired - which will be payable prior to the return of your equipment[/color] [color=#800000]We look forward to hearing from you soon.[/color] [color=#0000ff][u][b]Me to Them:[/b][/u][/color] [color=#0000ff]Unfortunately, this seems to say that (allowing two hours for your technician to do his diagnostics and write his report) I'll be spending about £250 to get an opinion as to whether or not it's worth trying to repair the amp![/color] [color=#0000ff]It's hard to see how that makes economic sense, so I think I'll pass.[/color] [color=#800000][u][b]Them to Me:[/b][/u][/color] [color=#800000]No problem at all, the £60.00 is what covers the technician diagnosing the unit & quoting for the repair so if the unit only takes half an hour to repair (which is the usual case with most of these units) & requires no parts then the cost would be the £36.00 labour & the return carriage so the total cost would be £101.00 plus vat.[/color] [color=#800000]If you decline the repair & you want the unit returning then it will just be the return carriage that’s payable.[/color] [color=#800000]It will cost you £60.00 to find out what wrong with it, and you decide from there, not £250.00, just to clarify.[/color] [color=#0000ff][u][b]Me to Them:[/b][/u][/color] [color=#0000ff]Not trying to irritate you, but the initial answer said "[/color][color=#ff0000][i]An handling Fee of £50+Vat is chargeable on all repairs and payable before an investigation can be carried out by our Technicians[/i][/color][color=#0000ff]."[/color] [color=#0000ff]That is VERY different from "[/color][color=#ff0000][i]the £60.00 is what covers the technician diagnosing the unit & quoting for the repair[/i][/color][color=#0000ff][i]"[/i]! So it's not a handling fee at all, it is the actual charge for the investigation?[/color] [color=#0000ff]You might want to re-visit your standard reply to enquiries such as mine, because that's really quite misleading.[/color] [color=#0000ff]Before I make a final decision on whether or not to go ahead, can you please confirm that my question has got it right.[/color] [color=#800000][u][b]Them to Me:[/b][/u][/color] [color=#800000]I was only clarifying & trying to help, advising that it wouldn’t cost you £250.00 to find out what is wrong with it, it is in fact an investigation fee, however, the manufacturers refer to this as a handling fee and as we are there service centre for them, they advised us to also refer to it as the handling fee, apologies for any confusion with this.[/color] [color=#800000]It will cost you £50.00 plus vat £60.00 total to find out what wrong with it & get a quote from there.[/color] [color=#800000]If you’re not happy with the costs etc you can always return the unit back to the manufacturer.[/color] and ... CUT!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1487675352' post='3241676'] ... the presumption is that once you have nailed Brown Eyed Girl you are all set ... [/quote] Give me time. Another few months should do it ...

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1487668378' post='3241581'] Current band rehearse every week altho its more for fun and social gathering of mates than anything else. [/quote] Surprised it's taken to post #22 for anyone to make this point. My main band (Junkyard Dogs) has existed in its current line-up for about five years and many of the songs in our current set list were there from the start. We still rehearse every single week because being tight on stage often requires more than just musical familarity - personal interaction and banter usually appeal to an audience, and you get more of that if the band are used to acting in that way in real life. My second busiest band (Long String Hawkers) seems determined to set new levels of 'loose' in it playing. Rehearsals are very relaxed, sociable affairs in someone's (large) front room, there's little pressure to get things right or to correct mistakes, so we make the same mistakes live on stage. At one level it's really frustrating, but at another level it contributes greatly to the laid back, make-it-up-as-you-go-along feel of the band. There ain't no right or wrong to this. Just what works and what doesn't.

I reckon that's as cool as a very cool thing. Reminds me of a Klingon Warbird, but without the Cloaking Device of course.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1487354648' post='3239290'] Happy Jack, I'm assuming that the only difference between the Lull T-Bass and the T4 is the body shape? Do they sound significantly different in the band mix? [/quote] Yes, they do, but IMHO that's mainly due to the strings. The T5 carries Lakland Joe Osborne flats (GHS Boomers, I believe) while the PT4 has TI flats which are WAY more compliant and need a very different touch to my usual rather agricultural approach. I suspect that if they each had the same strings then they would still sound different to me, but not to anyone else!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOLANA-BASSO-lX-USSR-RUSSIAN-AXE-BASS-GUITAR-VINTAGE-AND-RARE-/192105139578?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

[Smug] I also own this: [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Mike%20Lull%20PT4%202013%20CURRENT/Mike%20Lull%204%20-%20complete%202_zpshg2pqyeb.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Basses%20CURRENT/Mike%20Lull%20PT4%202013%20CURRENT/Mike%20Lull%204%20-%20complete%202_zpshg2pqyeb.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [/Smug] If only you were closer to London, wayne58 ...

In all fairness, he's only used it a few times.

I play the T5 with the Junkyard Dogs. Being a Lull 5-string it has 35" scale (which I love) and it is undeniably a stretch to the D-string tuner for average height me. Playing at the nut is no real issue and I barely notice the extra length. I have no issues with balance at all. It's a light bass - the main feature that first attracted me to Lull - and I use a grippy Comfort Strapp. If I do something stupid like letting go of the neck and jumping, then yes I can induce some neckdive. The sound of those Lull T-pickups is utterly majestic.

Sorry to be displaying my ignorance, but isn't it basically just another P/J bass? Obviously the body-styling is intended to make you think 'Alembic' but won't it sound just like an Encore or a Westfield?

Bas Extravaganza was a wonderful site.

Nice hat!

[quote name='itsmedunc' timestamp='1486999045' post='3236139'] It's truly horrible! I feel sick looking at it! [/quote] I agree. I hate all Jazz basses.

Judging by the OP's user name and avatar pic, we might conceivably be talking about a Rick here in which case advising that he uses a different bass is probably not helping.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1486994338' post='3236083'] I'd say no watches on stage at all - unless you're Flavor Flav! [/quote] I'm guessing that cufflinks and a tie-clip are right out then?

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1483092067' post='3204610'] Headless would be even better. Oh, look: although I prefer parallel necks (which they do too). And they're composite so they keep the weight below 6kg. [/quote] Not that 6Kg is actually "light", you understand. As for myself, I found my double-neck disappeared quite quickly when I went on a diet ...

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1486633896' post='3233352'] That bit of heartwood running from the lower horn to the control cavity is an accident waiting to happen. [/quote] I thought that was epoxy!

I find the best way to get a great sound is to always play in exactly the same place in the same room using the same bass through the same rig at the same volume. As soon as I try playing in a different pub it all goes to sh*t.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1486577869' post='3232983'] Not [url="http://crimsonguitars.com/"]http://crimsonguitars.com/[/url] then? Someone had better call Ben and tell him he's mis-spelt it! [/quote] Correct! NOT Crimson but Crinson. I used to own this: [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20SOLD/Crinson%20Telebass%202007%20SOLD/DSCF4457.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Basses%20SOLD/Crinson%20Telebass%202007%20SOLD/DSCF4457.jpg[/IMG][/URL] I can't remember his name now, and I never actually dealt with him (I bought the bass from Eubassix of this parish IIRC), but he was a Scots luthier of - allegedly - cantankerous disposition. He didn't do many basses, and his specialism was very convincing relicing. Were it not for the fact that I just can't get my ahead around relicing, I'd still own that bass. Twas a wonderful player and really looked the business.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-Birdsong-Embrace-4String-Fretless-Bass-Mesquite-wTurquoise-4-of-8-38845-/322416506732 Lovely piece of carved wood? Check. Beautifully-sculpted oval hollow to receive pickup? Check? Rectangular lump of black plastic badly screwed in at a slight angle? Oh yes.

The thing about open mics / jam sessions is that the audience will comprise almost entirely musos waiting to play. In most cases that means that they'll be nursing a soda & lime, so even if the place is full there'll not be much to show for it from a landlord's POV. For an open mic to be viable, you'll probably need to attract local musos who might in due course become regulars at the pub on non-music nights. Whether you go open mic or bands, the key will anyway be the promotion. Posters, websites, gig listing, social media, you name it. And that never stops. Ever.

[quote name='shadowalka' timestamp='1486220942' post='3230140'] Anyone have any experiences with Crimson? [/quote] Yup. And it's CriNson.

[quote name='DanOwens' timestamp='1486333532' post='3231005'] ... the white thing and the yellow thing and the little thing ... [/quote] You sir are a man I could do business with.

No, it's cause he's in Moray.