NancyJohnson

I only own the one Spector (Euro LT), I couldn't ever see me expanding on that model and I'm feeling (sorry, Gary) that pretty much everything new from Spector is still being based off the same NS body shape. Surely this will ultimately lead to a degree of apathy from the customer-base; they look great, but we're getting mighty to close to Fender approach whereby they're just sticking to the core models and dressing them with new guts as if they were something new. Spector could, as I understand it, make a 4X/Thunderbird model out of the Czech Republic without any crap from Gibson as the body design patent has expired in Europe, so feasibly they could make them by the busload. There's does seem to be a queue of people here who have shown interest. I do wonder whether there's a minimum order quantity required, you'd think that if they had to make 500 they would easily be able to sell these in the European market alone so long as they didn't get stupid with the pricing; there's no reason why they couldn't bring this in at c.£2K a pop.

While I love a black bass, Spector do seem to be knocking it out if the park with the finishes. That Sundown Glow. Mother.Of.God. Now, yes. If they did a 'bird, with that finish? What is wrong with Korg? They can do these in Europe without any interference from Gibson, why won't they? Bad Korg. Bad, bad Korg.

Potato/Pataaaaarto. Bongos are stunning instruments on so many levels, I wish I still hand my 5-string one. There's absolutely no way these should be included in a fugly bass thread.

The fundamentals for a set up should be a given really; you wouldn't service a car with old oil, flat tyres and dead brakes. Despite the advice here, if you're not confident to adjust the neck, action, intonation etc. then find someone who can. Do not, and I'll say this again, do not start trying to file the nut as if you screw this up, you'll be mired deeper in sh*t Questions: Does the bass play OK? (Tuning aside, the notes all ring clear, the string height is OK.) Is the neck flat/straight along its length or does it bow back or forward? How high is the action at the 12th fret? Post some photos of the actual bridge.

Ian Hunter said Mott The Hoople would go to the US on tour, never take anything, buy all their guitars cheap from pawn shops in Los Angeles, ship the lot back as personal effects and sell them all for profit in Denmark Street on their return. In a few cases, they were buying to order. Going back to @Musicman666 comment, sadly, it's 2021 and it's all about tax revenue now. It makes sense to have some kind of evidence to prove it's yours and has been so for some time (not three days). Remember that HMRC are legally entitled to check your credit card/bank card to support claims that you've only just bought something. Thing is, everyone on Basschat who has imported kit has a different story; my two from Japan were both different. Interestingly, I have a mate who travels on dual passports (British mother, American father) and about 25 years ago he just strolled through Heathrow on his US passport with two new Jackson USA guitars in cases. I do wonder what would happen if you actually went through the red channel dumb and and said, 'I don't really know the circumstances, but look, I've owned this for ages (at this point provide some evidence, photos, receipts etc.) and do I need to pay duty?' Would they let you through or would they sting you?

I got it from the Bass Centre in Bagshot, about ten minutes from me (they're UK NS Design distributors). Spent about an hour catching up with Barry and Chris; Barry understands the circumstances and said if there's any issues (unlikely), they'll swap it.

Same applies to the Tribute series double-cut guitars. How difficult would it have been for Gibson to program the routers and flip the body I've to accommodate rear routs rather than ploughing out the front. Lazy, lazy. Back on topic. The Katana? For the love of god, nooooooo.

When you posed the original question, you wrote: and if you just get on a plane buy it and bring it back as personal luggage ..is it zero tax?? The key thing here is the word 'buy', you didn't say anything about bringing in personal effects. As @Downunderwonderposted, check the C&E website or take advice. Sadly, just because an instrument is old, well travelled or battered doesn't automatically exclude it from being seen duty-exempt. Border officials couldn't be any less interested in provenance. Do your diligence.

I deplore this holier than thou attitude towards MP3. Original LP, snap, crackle, pop, get up every 20 minutes to turn it over. What about albums that never actually got a vinyl release? It's all about convenience and delivery; despite ripping all my audio to FLAC, a decently encoded 320kbps MP3 is anywhere near the quality of the 64/128kbps derivative it was 20 years ago and is indistinguishable from the FLAC.

Anything to declare, sir? Red channel/green channel. Doesn't matter if you ship it by DHL or carry it in.

It used to be brilliant a few years back when the exchange rates were more favourable. You may get lucky on the fees; one bass from Ishibashi slipped through without me having to fork over the duties. To this day I don't know how.

Yup. NS NXTa 5-string. Black. My wife had been pestering me into playing an upright at some point, then suggested my birthday. My mother-in-law is chipping in too. I've only ever played one on two occasions, 30 years apart. How hard can it be, eh? 😂

I picked it up from the Bass Centre in Bagshot (they're the UK NS distributor), I've known Barry for decades and he's given me his assurance that if there is any problems, he'll resolve them. They're only ten minutes from me. I'm cool leaving it in the box!

I'm forbidden to open it, but it's the NXTa 5 String. Spent an hour over at the Bass Centre catching up with Barry and Chris.

...but I can't open it until December 1st. ☹️

Ha-haaaar!

Question for the OP. Given the outlay for the new parts, wouldn't it just have been better to save some pennies and just buy something new that's closer to what you're trying to achieve here?

The Hipshot KickAss is a nice thing, whether or not it adds anything to the tone or not (*subjective) is questionable, but it does feel nicer than BBoT and isn't likely to rip a hole in your wrist if you're a pick player and play close to the bridge. Dunlop Straploks are a given!

'Changing the mics.' I had the recent reissue on shuffle about a week ago, it seemed virtually every track had Moggie going, 'Okaaaay, this is off the <insert album title here> album...'

I read comments on various feeds and regularly read about how albums helped people through during difficult times, but honestly putting on Aerosmith Rocks wasn't ever going to get me over the loss of my parents. Can't honestly say that any album/gig has changed my life, but as @ezbassand@Bassassin infer, certain experiences have mixed up things musically for me. Could list you a dozen albums that I realised were important (well, to me at least) - those first albums by Motley Crue, Van Halen, Japan, Living Colour, Jane's Addiction, Sugar and hell, I'll even throw in Ghosts Of Princes In Towers by Rich Kids here (yes folks, I'm that old) - but none of these made me want to go and live on a kibbutz, take vast quantities of drugs or become become a missionary.

Just an update. Visiting the Bass Centre and picking up an NS Design NXTa 5-string double bass on Friday. I can't actually have it until December 1st, but prices are going up, so get it now.

It's even less live than Kiss Alive!

Hart Guitars & Bass. Everything. You can close the thread now.

Run away.

From a more vintage/traditional perspecyive, I'd take a solid or flat opaque finish every day of the week; not a fan of bursts or natural finishes. My old Aria P is yellow>red>black while the bass is a killer, I don't like the finish one bit (probably the reason so much of it is missing now). The only burst finish I am partial to are whatever Gibson call the two-colour one below - I've seen similar of Thunderbirds - oddly I think it would look good on a StingRay, but not so much on a Precision/Jazz.