Hellzero

Sorry, but it's paranoia if you are thinking of fake ID and all the fakes possible. I've said what I had, so have nothing to add based on common sense. I hate cash transactions even if I own that money checker detector pen.

Got the battery pack yesterday and, as I thought (because of the instant access to electric power), the sound is really better with faster transients, faster attack and longer decay, way far better low end and absolutely no mains noise. This battery pack is a big investment money wise as it's more than half the price of the combo, but it's really worth it. I'm totally delighted by this pocket combo and can't wait for a real live test.

Ok, guys, so a legal invoice signed by both parts with correct addresses (verified via ID cards), dates and description with serial number is no more a real proof. Come on, we are in Europe not in the USA and the eBay/PayPal policy may be written, but is not legal over here. That's the problem with policies : they must be legal. Ask a lawyer, and he will be delighted to explain you how to easily win a trial. That said, cash on collection is dangerous too, never heard of false money, money laundering or much more simpler basic scam : the buyer goes afterwards to the police and claims that you took his money without giving him what he paid for : how will you manage that ? And this can happen with "normal" payments and shippings fully insured and trackable. You want an answer : stop being paranoid, these problems show on only once in a while. I've done at least 2000 (yes two thousands transactions) and only had one real problem for a stupidly low priced item sold through eBay and paid through PayPal : the guy pretended he never got it and I made the mistake to ship it without tracking number and even if his feedback was full of negative comments for the same reason, I had to refund him. That was the price to pay, since then I learnt the lesson and he has been banned.

And in the case of the OP, PayPal F&F is absolutely not the problem. The problem is the lack of insurance by the seller, who must refund you as the contract (buying anything is a contract even if it is not signed, according to the law) as not been fulfilled. I always include insurance in what I'm selling except if the buyer accepts to take the risk. And even though, I prefer to loose a bit of money on a cheap insurance, than all the money of the sale. Think about it.

Easy to prove he collected the goods if you make an invoice with names, addresses, price, date, signature, description and in two exemplars : that's what I always do. So PayPal or cash or Western Union or whatever, it doesn't make a difference, you will be protected.

I had a Shuker 6 strings bass and as I liked to say, it's a typical British design, sober is the word, then play it and you'll understand the craftsmanship behind the instrument : it's close to perfection. Go on, you certainly won't be disappointed.

Where do you live ? How did you pay ? In any case, it's the seller fault not to have fully insured the parcel and you could have lodge a complaint after 30 calendar days.

He is maybe buying his stuff himself as he seems to be a serious lunatic, who knows ?

Same guy again. "He who shall not be named" must have been sniffing too much glue.

There has always been such glue, named fish glue and modern version called aliphatic glue. Those glues transmit the vibration, when classical white carpenter glue or other ones just absorb the vibration, so can't be decently used for instruments.

This Vigier Arpège Delta metal fretless is a terrific instrument too, and very very rare. Ask @ped what he is thinking about these Delta metal basses : https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/dispannonce.php?annonce=1500967

Being a fretless player, I would recommend you to try a Leduc, especially the U-Basse model or a Masterpiece. This one was ordered new by a friend of mine who sold it only because he moved to 6 strings fretless (the actual owner bought it to that very friend) : https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/dispannonce.php?annonce=1562755

Ok, after a few days here are my impressions, tried at home for the moment in a 40 square meters room. Let's start with what it's been designed for in first place, double bass : With my short scale (34" or 1/8) Berne Harpobasse (Savarez Corelli 350 C Medium 1/8 Tungsten) and a Schertler Basik Reso (harp table on this strange instrument) coupled to a Schertler Stat Pre, the sound is powerful (mid volume and flat EQ), very respectful of the way you play and the Schertler system which has a tendency to boom the bass. By adjusting the mix between acoustic and amplified sound, you can counterpart the lack of very low end of this instrument and get a kind of Ron Carter sound. With a very good quality massive woods Chinese 3/4 double bass (D'Addario HH610-3/4M Helicore Bass 3/4) equiped with a David Gage Realist piezo pickup and no preamp, you clearly hear the pickup weakness and its tendency to be harsh, way far better with the Schertler Stat Pre, again with that boominess, so very transparent, and that Ron Carter sound. With my Leduc Contr-U-Basse 6 L-009 (D'Addario NSFW610 Electric Contemporary 6 strings set), beware not to go any higher than mid volume or you'll destroy the PHL Audio 6,5 inches single speaker especially when hitting the low B, and again very transparent and respectful of the EMG magnetic pickups in the end of the fretboard or the RMC piezos in the bridge. Powerfull EUB here, which can sound like a double bass when cutting the mids and lowering the bass a bit. With my Leduc MP 628 SF 6 strings fretless (Fodera nickel strings), I'm in heaven at 3/4th of the volume, which is the maximum, and flat EQ, but I would say that the volume won't be enough for a gig without having a PA. With my fretted basses, again that transparency is there (no slap as I hate this, but tapping is great fun) so I'm very happy. Now this combo has only 100 Watts RMS power and a 6,5 inches speaker, so the laws of physics are applicable. At low to moderate volume, it's really transparent giving you what the instrument you plugged in is really capable of without cheating. If you want more power, just add another speaker to the other channel and you'll get 200 Watts RMS which will be more than enough according to what I've heard so far with half the power and speakers. Compared to my AER BassCube v1, it's quite similar sonically, but the 400 Watts RMS of the AER makes the difference in terms of headroom and low B power of my EUB or other basses. The AER is also more versatile especially on the first channel which can accomodate all kinds of signals including low level piezos as there is a dedicated input for that. I've ordered the battery pack for the GSS, so it will be the perfect small amp for practising, rehearsing and small pub gigs. I'll come back later when rehearsed with guitar and vocals and even later after a small pub gig. This is this combo : http://www.guitarsoundsystems.com/gss-06b400-mini-bass-amp-c2x15043753

Ok, after a few days here are my impressions, tried at home for the moment in a 40 square meters room. Let's start with what it's been designed for in first place, double bass : With my short scale (34" or 1/8) Berne Harpobasse (Savarez Corelli 350 C Medium 1/8 Tungsten) and a Schertler Basik Reso (harp table on this strange instrument) coupled to a Schertler Stat Pre, the sound is powerful (mid volume and flat EQ), very respectful of the way you play and the Schertler system which has a tendency to boom the bass. By adjusting the mix between acoustic and amplified sound, you can counterpart the lack of very low end of this instrument and get a kind of Ron Carter sound. With a very good quality massive woods Chinese 3/4 double bass (D'Addario HH610-3/4M Helicore Bass 3/4) equiped with a David Gage Realist piezo pickup and no preamp, you clearly hear the pickup weakness and its tendency to be harsh, way far better with the Schertler Stat Pre, again with that boominess, so very transparent, and that Ron Carter sound. With my Leduc Contr-U-Basse 6 L-009 (D'Addario NSFW610 Electric Contemporary 6 strings set), beware not to go any higher than mid volume or you'll destroy the PHL Audio 6,5 inches single speaker especially when hitting the low B, and again very transparent and respectful of the EMG magnetic pickups in the end of the fretboard or the RMC piezos in the bridge. Powerfull EUB here, which can sound like a double bass when cutting the mids and lowering the bass a bit. With my Leduc MP 628 SF 6 strings fretless (Fodera nickel strings), I'm in heaven at 3/4th of the volume, which is the maximum, and flat EQ, but I would say that the volume won't be enough for a gig without having a PA. With my fretted basses, again that transparency is there (no slap as I hate this, but tapping is great fun) so I'm very happy. Now this combo has only 100 Watts RMS power and a 6,5 inches speaker, so the laws of physics are applicable. At low to moderate volume, it's really transparent giving you what the instrument you plugged in is really capable of without cheating. If you want more power, just add another speaker to the other channel and you'll get 200 Watts RMS which will be more than enough according to what I've heard so far with half the power and speakers. Compared to my AER BassCube v1, it's quite similar sonically, but the 400 Watts RMS of the AER makes the difference in terms of headroom and low B power of my EUB or other basses. The AER is also more versatile especially on the first channel which can accomodate all kinds of signals including low level piezos as there is a dedicated input for that. I've ordered the battery pack for the GSS, so it will be the perfect small amp for practising, rehearsing and small pub gigs. I'll come back later when rehearsed with guitar and vocals and even later after a small pub gig.

You'll start some pop corns war, beware not staying a night in Langney. 😋

I hope it's raining men. Very sad news indeed. One of the true legend of real r'n'b. May she rest in peace.

Don't worry, as you certainly noticed I'm fluent in English and my tailor is rich. 😉

Pour quelqu'un qui ne le parle pas, c'est fort bien dit. 😉 I think I'll have to translate it in English.

Faites chier la vache !

Nobody blinking here : This is this, where you can see my ugly face, and it's not short at all as it's a full 3/4 EUB : http://leduc.fr/index.php/series-l/contrebasse-de-la-serie-l

There it is :

As promised, here is my mémoire about the subject, written in French and published in 2001. Hope some of you will enjoy it. The link : https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MH6uXdr4PAOTlt9h-vh1aVaeeYCTSfPj

If you understand French, I wrote a mémoire some 15 to 20 years ago about the origins of electric basses and guitars up to 1965. It was an event day around lutherie and I also made a presentation of the main usual basses and their respective sound, and also explained how to have the real sound of your instrument with any amp. I can create a topic and put a link to the pdf.