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Nicko

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Everything posted by Nicko

  1. Nicko
    If you have something to clarify that's not correct in my answer be my guest, but don't simply try to insult me.
  2. Nicko
    Not at all. Both the EU and the UK have a system where sellers who operate below a certain turnover do not have to charge VAT (I think in the UK its £85k). If you read the EU's statement on VAT and it's purpose it is clearly designed to be a tax collected by sellers and passed on to consumers. Thus in the EU a 2nd hand bass sold by an individual or even a small trader is VAT free. A 2nd hand bass imported into the UK however attracts VAT irrespective of the turnover of the seller, and is paid by the customer. The technical reason for this is because an export is zero rated in the country of export if the destination is outside the EU. In the case of 2nd hand however the VAT has already been paid once. Unless the seller is able to claim back the VAT on the export* the item has attracted double taxation. * it's quite possible to claim back VAT as a private individual. You simply present your receipt at the counter at the port/airport and declare the goods will be permanently exported.
  3. Nicko
    Discriminated is the wrong word. Most of the people here are not looking to shoot down ideas but they are prepared to question what a new design i=will do for them. If I was advising you I would tell you to establish a strategy for selling the item - do your testing on the prototype to support your claims of increased sustain, do your market research to establish if anyone will buy it and at what price If no one is interested at your estimated sales price with far east manufacturing don't waste your time on a trip to Asia.
  4. Nicko
    I think the general point would be that many classic basslines are played on a bass with a bridge that follows the current design. Choose any song you like. Would those basslines have been better played with a different bridge?
  5. Nicko
    In terms of concept BBOT would be equivalent to this new design - the bridge itself would be vibrating in sympathy with the string and transmitting it to the body which it's bolted to. The thinner the bridge the more it vibrates. The only purpose of the bridge is to anchor and intonate the strings. The sound comes from the string moving in the magnetic field of the pickup and the resulting current in the coil. Vibration of the body results in less vibration of the string and colours the sound, and IMO vibration of the bridge itself results in harmonic undertones which may or may not be welcome.
  6. Nicko
    I wasn't aware of that. I was simply approaching it from an engineering perspective. but the concept behind a HMB makes sense to me.
  7. Nicko
    I agree - I'm an engineer and it was my job for many years to apply novel solutions to problems, not simply do what had always been done.. But the technological advancement must provide perceptible benefits in terms of cost, aesthetic, function or sustainability.
  8. Nicko
    I'm trying to bite my lip, I don't really want to derail this by opening a discussion on whether transmitting vibration to the body is desirable in an instrument equipped with a magnetic pickup.
  9. Nicko
    That is the problem with product design. It's possible to design a perfectly adequate product that absolutely no one wants, and I think that's the case here. The designer perceives a problem that doesn't exist and then tries to sell a product by trying to convince people that the thing they are using happily is inadequate when it's not. I'm not shooting you down, but whenever a product is conceived it's viability should be tested against the market. Necessity is the mother of invention. If there is no need don't bother inventing it.
  10. Nicko
    Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads
  11. Nicko
    This is true, and has always been true for anything bought outside the EU. I'd love to buy all my gear direct from the US where prices are cheap but have always had to pay import duty and shipping. It's never made a lot of sense to me that the RRP of products in some countries of the EU is cheaper than it is in the UK (AFAIK we are still charging the same duty we were when we were in it). The big problem IMO is that VAT should not be applicable on 2nd hand gear (whether imported or not) on a private sale.
  12. Nicko
    Sign of the Times (Prince)
  13. Nicko
    For me playing in a 5 piece where the lead guitarist favoured a Les Paul with quite a lot of bassy grit was a "sad face" on the EQ. That's how the band sounded best but I didn't realise why at the time.
  14. Nicko
    I can't help thinking this should be in the general discussion, not amps and cabs.
  15. Nicko
    This.
  16. Nicko
    Here is my entry for this month. The little red and white toadstool in the bottom left of the photo looks like a Fly Agaric mushroom (Amanita Muscaria) which is hallucinogenic (as well as being poisonous) which fits quite nicely with the rest of the photo, so I have adopted a theme of a substance induced dream. I couldn't decide whether to do vocals or an instrumental so I ended up with a halfway house - somewhere between indie funk and an Oompah Loompah song. Recorded in Cubase LE. Squier CV Precision and Fender Telecaster through Amplitube. MT Power drums, and keys provided by Xpand 2.
  17. Nicko
    I'm fortunate to have a shop locally that stocks an almost endless range of pedals and they're happy for you to sit there for a couple of hours comparing them. I've taken my bass there and A/B tested pedals until I find the one I like best. Then I take them to rehearsal only to find that actually they didn't fit in the band at all.
  18. Nicko
    I've been using a Littlemark Blackline with a (what looks like the same) 102P traveller cab for years. It's plenty powerful enough and sounds great with a Precision. The portability is a bonus. I've never bothered with the filters.
  19. Nicko
    Is it wrong that I thought I saw a monkey hanging from a lamp post and wondered if a Hartlepool themed entry would be appropriate?
  20. Nicko
    One of my basses will be collected Thursday. I'll be listing my amp and cabs shortly. I'm currently +2 😇
  21. Nicko
    This item is withdrawn as someone has bought the other bass I listed.
  22. Nicko
    Didn't quite know what to ask for it. I think it was a bargain brand new.
  23. Nicko
    I'm downsizing and need to sell one of my PBs. This is my US made American Special Precision. I bought this bass in 2014. It's been lightly gigged but is still in great condition with no significant scratches to paint. There is a small dink on the headstock as pictured but you would only notice it if you looked closely or by running your hand over the area. The bass is in black with maple neck. The neck is satin finish and quite thin in section front to back while still standard PB nut width so is really comfortable if you don't like playing a baseball bat. Its a vintage style 4 saddle bridge - top loading rather than strung through body. The bass features a passive "tonebucket" circuit which rolls off the highs but maintains the bottom end. The price shown is without the Fender Tolex case which is available at an additional £75. The case has some scuffs to the leatherette and a few stains. Two keys are available. The bass is available to play if you are interested, although I will be listing my amp/cabs shortly so it it may only be possible to try it through a PC interface. I'd be happier if this was a collection but I suppose with the case it could ship at buyers cost.
  24. Nicko
    I'm downsizing and need to sell one of my PBs. It's a great bass to have as an intro to Precisions, or as a backup. Beware although this is a Squier branded bass it's got great tone and it fast became my bass of choice. I bought it at Wunjo in around 2016 and might have the receipt available if you are that bothered. The bass is in great condition with no obvious scratches or dinks on the paintwork. There is a slight rattle which is due to the machinehead. It could be sorted with a dab of superglue or a replacement tuner. Obviously it's black with black pickguard and maple neck with block inlays. The neck is quite slim (front to back) for a PB. Hardware is nickel plated, but the bass was supplied with brass saddles as standard when it was released. The price shown is without the Fender Tolex case which is available at an additional £75. The case has some scuffs to the leatherette and a few stains. Two keys are available. The bass is available to play if you are interested, although I will be listing my amp/cabs shortly so it it may only be possible to try it through a PC interface. I'd be happier if this was a collection but I suppose with the case it could ship at buyers cost.
  25. Nicko
    What is the problem with that? HMRC require you to declare earnings from your hobby but any expenses are deductable. If a BL turns over £4000 and hands out £3000 to other members he should declare it but there is no tax liability as his earnings do not exceed the limit. If he gets cash the same rules apply. I'm assuming any pub paying will be claiming the fee as a deductable expense and they would have to account for it by stating who they paid. I have been asked for an NI number by a pub before so they were clearly using that to identify the supplier - if not cheating a bit and claiming the band were an employee on that night. HMRC are actually quite reasonable. If you start doing self assessment and declaring minimal income from playing gigs they'll probably tell you that you no longer need to bother. I suspect many people who do not do self assessment probably should.
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