Al Krow

Oh I say!! Do they do a 5 string version?

Local purchases are good for the local economy and good for the environment. Trade is great for economic development globally. It's a tricky one. But I think once Covid passes, becoming carbon neutral is going to start ramping up in importance and carbon taxes will become an increasingly less subtle import duty. But at the end of the day, it will rely on having a local manufacturing base. Any reasons we can't make great basses in the UK in the middle market eg to compete with Yamaha and Ibanez? We have some brilliant high end luthiers, we also make great cabs, amps and pedals here. But even Chowney get their basses made in China.

Yeah agreed - Thomann have been just great with their customer service, dealing with returns etc. If I was someone who ever kept his glass half full, my guess would be that Thomann will not want to abandon the UK market, which I would guess is in the top two for music gear sales in Europe and will establish a UK sub to look after their UK customers. It's not the most complicated thing to do. It's not like other German retailers haven't made a major success of things over here.

So a serious bit of bi-amping then?!

One of the biggest negative impact on margins for retailers comes from returns. So if we end up only buying stuff from Thomann that we know for sure we really want rather than "trying before we commit" then, perversely, this could actually work out in Thomann's favour.

Yeah - and with pups the likelihood of damage in the post must be pretty low.

Maybe I just got lucky on this one, but the bit of bass gear that I've held onto the longest is actually an amp not a bass. I fell in love with it the instant I first played through it. It was housed originally in a PH212 combo and together weighed a staggering 80+ lbs! I managed to offload the cab in a trade for another cab which I then managed to shift to buyer in NI with a ridiculously large courier fee plus a few pedals that no one really should have wanted, except that surprisingly there were some on eBay that did. Anyway after considerable effort and wheeling & dealing I ended up with just the bit of kit I really wanted, the Mesa M6 amp and for a fraction of what they can go for new. And at 25 lbs it's literally staying put I bet I'm not unique on this and that there are a fair few valve amps and Trace Elliot heads that are still besting modern D class gear!

I'll still be getting wide Minatour straps from Thomann - likelihood of getting damaged in the post is small and I already know I like them! 😊

Gents - be great to see some pics of the kit you've mentioned!

So in summary: We have 20% extra VAT on used goods from the EU We have the risk of not recovering the 20% VAT (or red tape / hassle) on new goods if we are likely to want to return them from EU retailers. For me that means: - looking to buy used goods from UK musos and stores; - using Andertons, PMT, Gear4Music etc. (rather than Thomann) for new goods.

Lol!

Thanks very much Steve. I've just had a quick look at the HMRC website and that is a LOT of effort, particularly if the VAT is say £20 or less. Hmmm...looking like another BIG reason to go with UK retailers on new goods then if there is a chance the goods are damaged or turn out to be not what we want, unless Thomann are prepared to deal with VAT refund side of things on returns.

I've bought and sold a fair few basses over the past 5 years and find myself really happy with the shape and balance of my herd. I'm fortunate to have some lovely basses including a Ken Smith and a Yamaha BB NE2. However... I was taken aback recently when the penny dropped that the three basses I have owned the longest are actually my three least expensive ones! Here's a pic of my second oldest, a Yamaha BB1025, bought end of line from the Yamaha store in London for a very decent price, to get the ball rolling. It's seen off several other PJs and I suspect I'll never move this one on: Any of you got a similar story about your budget basses being the ones that have best weathered the test of time? And of course, it doesn't have to be just basses that can inspire loyalty! I bet there are some wonderful amps out there too that you've held on to 'cos they sounded great but didn't cost the earth?

Helix was launched. Hard to believe it will have been out 6 years in June this year.

That is a really good question! Calling @Steve Browning

June 11th 2015 was the date when...

So you doing much on your Stagg? Tbf mine stayed pretty pristine for a couple of years always intending to pick it up - which I finally started doing in earnest last year. And it's been a lot of fun. It now has the accolade of being the earliest purchased bass I've still got! Survival by "non use" 😁

Please see my post above re. the economic point: any country that shuts down touring musicians whether it's the UK or the EU are simply shooting themselves in the foot. Saving lives is quite rightly the focus and priority for everyone, but I have every expectation that sense will prevail on this issue (as it already seems to be doing here from Lardy's comment).

Yeah but that's kinda my point. This visa issue is still getting sorted and whilst there are no gigs for a while (as you know I really hope that changes soon) it's simply one that is lower down priority lists of ministers. I know its a massive issue for us musicians. But right now the govt has got bigger things in its in box. If what @Lardy has just said is correct, that is great. The EU will reciprocate if they know what's good for them. As I mentioned previously, from an economic perspective its the countries where the bands play who are the main beneficiaries of tours and not the bands themselves (apart from the mega stars).

That is interesting. And if correct, a really nice (and sensible) concession by our govt which will be great for the (currently non existent) UK music scene.

But seriously BRX are you saying your support tour was postponed due to the visa situation and had nothing to do with the fact that all the venues are closed due to the pandemic?

But in the UK, apparently. Either that or in 2022... No that's fair, mate. But perhaps also true that anyone planning on a major 2022 tour is likely to have half decent management dealing with the admin side of things and visas are going to be a relatively small item in the scheme of things for bigger bands? What EU venues are seriously currently giving thought to 2022 bookings for smaller bands without admin support, right now? Haha - she can shout at me anytime she likes 😉

So who exactly has a 2021 EU tour that is being impacted by the current visa arrangements?? Ah that's right, no one. Best log back in in 8 months when this might actually be an issue...😁

Yup totally agreed, it was pretty darned good. Better terms than any free trade deal that the EU has struck with any other nation on the planet...a number of Norwegians are now saying "could we have a little have what the Brits have got please!"

Lol! Give the poor guy a break. Didn't all the naysayers say a trade deal with the EU was impossible in 12 months as the EU took 7 years to agree one with Canada? Well he's got one. That's a pretty decent bit of negotiating in my books. And tbf he may have a couple of other things in his in-tray higher up on his to do list than sorting out visas for currently non-existent tours...