skankdelvar

[quote name='gregsguitars' timestamp='1372205447' post='2122989'] Feel the box, yes, feel the box.... Variations in climate can effect the item in the box more than you may imagine. If the box is cool or warm to your touch then take the box inside your home, and yea place the box ... preferably on your couch or set the box on your bed until the box is the same relative temperature as its surroundings. I know the anticipation is killing you but trust me letting your purchase "acclimate" will pay off ..... I can not stress enough the importance of letting your box reach a comfortable surrounding temperature before opening it up regardless of the anticipation level(s) you may be experiencing. Damage my incur if you tear into the box and yank the guitar ([i]oh,[/i] ) out of the case if it has travelled from one extreme in climate to another. [/quote] [color=#ffffff].[/color]

[quote name='worroourkid' timestamp='1372160682' post='2122284'] that guy modelling the Polo shirts [/quote] You refer to 'BassChat Mr Universe' 2011? The only bass player in the history of the world [i]ever[/i] to be asked to model something other than a paper bag over the head? You jest, surely? The only BC-er worthy of the epithet 'Fanny Magnet'? Our last line of defence against the accusation that we're all baldy, fat, passive-aggressive midgets? I can't believe what I'm hearing. [quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1372198389' post='2122898'] I even contemplated becoming a homosexual just to have a chance of enjoying Ped even more. [/quote] So [i]not[/i] just me, then.

Ace of Spades into Ghost Riders in the Sky and back out again.

Strings for rock covers? Well, I'd imagine a bog-standard set of roundwounds would do the job in most cases. Rotosound, Ernie Balls (if you're not fussy) available [url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/c/543/strings/bass-guitar-strings-sets/"]here[/url]. Case? Thomann do cheapies, but I bought my last two cases secondhand - one from a music shop and the other from Cash Converters. About £25 after a bit of haggling. Many 'standard' economy bass cases are designed for Fender-type basses, so best take your Gretsch with you to make sure it fits if you go this route.

Worro worroourkid Hope you enjoy the forum, Sir

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1371800728' post='2118190'] According to Ringo's book 'Postcards From The Boys', the one above was sent to him the day after the Apple rooftop gig by McCartney, not Lennon. I'm not sure what that says! [/quote] I always thought the story went that Ringo won a best drummer poll in some music mag and an interviewer asked him how it felt to be the best drummer in the world. With characteristic modesty, Mr Starkey replied "I'm not the best drummer in the world. I'm not even the best drummer in The Beatles'. Hence Mr McCartney's PC. As for Mr Lennon's missive to Mr Rundgren, it strikes me as being the classic internet 'loose rant' some years before the light-bulb went on over Mr Berners-Lee's head. How very much ahead of his time the speccy Scouse was.

Rickchat.com A mere $7.99 for the domain

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1371563248' post='2115554'] Guess Hamster is in the Cheetah [/quote] Tiffin! and roll on GuitarChat...

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1371561279' post='2115521'] So the more folks from here who can colonise both and make them pleasant and nonthreatening places to visit the better. [/quote] Sign me up. I am a strong-limbed son of the Empire and I've got my own hat. [size=3]BassChat colonists at Pedkiwi hill-station 1898[/size]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1371492925' post='2114589'] While undoubtedly true, with respect, it doesn't place any obligation on members to contribute to the running costs as well. Who knows the owner's motivation? Indeed, why is it even relevant? BC is a bit like a shop - the owners fund the costs and invite people to come in and browse. There's no obligation to buy anything - some will and some won't, the decliners probably being in the majority. Fairness doesn't really come into it, or if you think it does then you may also think it would be fair to charge people to enter a shop, even if they don't buy anything, because it's 'unfair' on those who do buy stuff and therefore fund the shop that loads of people merely browse in. In short, the owners can set whatever rules they wish and if the members don't like it then they'll move on. [/quote] Thing is, the site isn't a shop. I think of it more as a free tourist attraction with a cafe on the side. Looking's free, but if you want a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake there's a charge which goes to help keep the whole thing standing. In the same way visitors (whether members or not) can read the forum, and look at ads. If they want to ask questions or buy stuff via PM, they have to join up, still free. If they want to sell something, thereby gaining some kind of specific financial benefit, they get charged for buying access to the market. As for charging people to enter a shop whether they buy or not, well, I think it's stretching the analogy unless BC had been contemplating a blanket membership fee. Anyhow, I've banged on enough about this. I think it's fair, acceptable and democratically accountable but I know other people don't feel the same. And it doesn't matter anyway, because the fee system's in place until the owners decide otherwise. Au'voir on this one, mes petits chou-fleurs!

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1371480563' post='2114353'] Skank - it's a relief to know we are on the same side, which is to see BC thrive as a place we all feel welcome to share our views openly [/quote] Of course we are. Debate is always good, trouble is someone's got to pay for the platform. In the real world, we'd also be getting stiffed for the tea and biscuits. As for the 'twats' thing, I might prefer the term parsimonious. And even then, I'm sure some people might have forgotten to donate at the time but might have sent in a few bob at a later juncture. It's not possible to generalise. But 4% is a bit shabby by anyone's standards.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1371475417' post='2114253'] I don't know if you're having a go at me here or not [/quote] Not in the least, Sir. Your views have always been fair and - correspondingly - I'd respect them whether you were pro or con the issue. It's good that you propose an alternative commission-based system, but IIRC there was a view that implementing and policing such a system would entail more work for the mods. Perhaps it might be revisited in due course. My problem is that - reading some of the posts from BC-ers old and new - they still don't seem to get it that: * Ped and Kiwi were supporting the forum out of their own pockets at a personal loss. * They tried soliciting donations. The uptake was insufficient to cover their loss. * Faced with introducing a fee, they consulted with the forum, solicited input and proposed a sliding scale which would be reviewed at a future date * It was clear that sales might drop off and that we might debate this at a future point, which we are. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I get the sense from posts both then and now that some of us view the fees as an unwarranted imposition and contrary to the spirit of the forum. They perhaps see the decline in new 'for sale' posts as a kind of failure - and a big one at that. My view is that fees of some kind were unavoidable; the decision-making process was both sound and fair; and that the marketplace has held up better than I'd have expected given the additionally tightening economic circumstances.

Worth remembering that the fee was introduced because only 4% of sales generated a donation. If more of us had slipped a few quid in the kitty, then the fees wouldn't have been needed. Fact is, Ped and Kiwi were funding the forum out of their own pockets while many sellers were benefitting financially or otherwise. Apart from being unsustainable, it was also entirely unfair. The Dark Lord made the splendid point that switching from free to fee has a pronounced effect on internet-based activity. And this would be a predictable outcome if we were talking about a forum owned by a large media company. But this is a privately-owned, community driven platform and I would hope that we'd be a bit more relaxed and understanding about the issue. Sure, it's a pain and I can understand how it might impact more on casual, infrequent traders, newbs or the financially-challenged. I don't want to rain on the parade but some have [i]very visibly[/i] gone above and beyond the cause when it comes to criticising this change. Perhaps some are disproportionately exercised by events and - I say this respectfully - should reflect on the simple choice between paid-for ads and the disappearance of the forum. Perhaps others have an unconnected axe to grind with the ownership in which case they might be happier elsewhere on forums more suited to their specialist needs and interests.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1371414183' post='2113678'] THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SITE FOR BASS ENTHUSIASTS, EXPENSIVE BASSES, CHEAP BASSES, WHATEVER , ALL I CAN SEE IS GUYS LOOKING AT PICS AND MAKING COMMENTS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, ITS A WASTE OF TIM ADVERTISING ON HERE AS FAR AS I CAN SEE. IS THERE REALLY ANY POINT IN HAVING A FOR SALE SECTION?????? [/quote] U R NZAI FAGIT, MY BRO CODY HE DEPLOID TO OVERSEE, HE KCIK yoUR ASS MOFO> IF I WANT FREE SELL WHY I NOT HAVE IT IT MY RITE? IF BSASCAHT NO LISTEN TO ME I TAKE MY $200 000 FODERA LESEWHERE AN DON DISS ME MODRATUR. SErcET OF USUCCESS LISTN YOUR CUTSOMERS EVen iF THEY PISSY BEYOTCHES AN fAGITS WOO NO UNDSTAN WHEN SAY 'FUK YOO ASHSHOLE.

I suppose the Rick ban can't have helped throughput. Not to pour petrol on any flames or anything.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1371412904' post='2113632'] Fine, you're obviously the expert, although you might want to take a look at a better disguise for insults than sticking a smiley face on the end of the sentence. [/quote] Careful. You might terrify all those 'unhappy forum members' who are scared to voice their opinion despite a couple of consultations and a couple of moan threads. Anyhow, it's done, the damage isn't that great and the alternative is the forum shuts down. If one is sufficiently unhappy to complain, tough sh*t. Man up and grow a pair, you cissies. Yar Boo Sucks! [quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1371413352' post='2113653'] What does it matter 'why?', all that matters is that if you don't like it then you know what to do. [/quote] Yes indeedy. Well said, Mr Chiliwailer. That's another way of putting it

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1371404091' post='2113439'] That's a very significant decline - to which circs do you refer? [/quote] Well, I meant the general circs of implementing a sellers' fee during times of declining real income. At the time, I reckoned to myself that posts might decline by as much as 75% or more - which it [i]may[/i] have done, because I only looked at +/ YOY over one week. Thing is, if it had always been 'paid-for advertising', the decline in revenue would be a problem. As it is, that's a 50% decline in postings and a 100% increase in revenue to the forum from this source. Makes the pain easier to bear, I think. The only real negative to my mind is the deterrent effect on newbs who arrive here as sellers and stick around. But as other research seems to suggest that only about 5% of us signed up for that reason, we're probably not looking at big numbers. 5% of 26,000 is about 1300 over 5 years = 260 PA or 5 per week. Of the 35 lost posts, that means that - perhaps - 30 of the 35 'missing' posts were by existing members. All very speculative though. Were I Ped or Kiwi, I'd be getting my people to look at this sort of thing on a longer-term basis.

10-16 June 2012 - New Posts in Basses for Sale - 70 10-16 June 2013 - New Posts in Basses for Sale - 35 Not exactly falling off a cliff and certainly not suggestive of imminent disaster. Even so, a decline of some magnitude, though better than one might have expected given the circs. OK, this is a very crude analysis. Taking a whole month (or two) would be better, but me looking at the screen and counting out loud is disturbing the Missus. I suppose we could look at the types of bass for sale or the range of opening prices to see what's happening in greater detail. If it's the lower cost stuff that's gone walkies to ebay, then that tells us one thing. If the decline is evenly spread from cheap to pricey, there may be something else going on. It's all vaguely academic, anyway, because [i]without[/i] the fee Ped & Kiwi might be living out of a dumpster and we'd all be saying 'Shame about BassChat going tits-up. God, these septics are a bit snirpy and - what's a Dairy Queen?'. Let us hope that particular cataclysm has been avoided.

The real downside is that we don't get anywhere near as many TIM's and lunatics coming through the door and going crazy f**king apeshit and driving up popcorn sales as a consequence. OTOH, that means fewer thread-wrecks for the mods to tidy up, he said, being all sensible and whatnot.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1371338543' post='2112825'] I thought the whole point of signature basses was trying to sell a bass that a famous bassist has helped design or customise off the back of "sounding like *that famous bassist". This doesn't do that. This is a bass with Guy's name on it. You could sound like Guy, if he never moves the pickups, and if you never move them either, but then what's the point? [/quote] Well, I suppose Warwick approached him and said 'Excuse me, Mr Pratt, can we build you a sig bass?' and he said 'That would be nice, thank you' and they said 'Do you have any ideas and he said 'Not really, but here's a picture of the bass I'm best known for playing, could you just copy that?' and they said 'That's a Fender' and he said 'Yes. Yes it is. What's the problem?' and they said 'But we're Warwick. Sound of wood, you know' and he said 'Would I know what?' and they said 'That's our motto' and he said 'What? "Would you know?" is your motto?' and they said 'Look, don't worry about that, we'll explain when we see you' and he said 'OK, when are we going to meet?' and they said 'How about next Tuesday?' and he said 'Sorry, Tuesday's not good for me' and they said 'OK, how about the Tuesday after that?' and he said 'Fine. Goodbye' and they said 'Goodbye' and then they met up two weeks later and he said 'About this sig bass. Are you sure I can't have one that looks like my Fender?' and they said 'No, it'll have to look like a Warwick' and he said 'Well, I don't want one that looks like a [i]normal [/i]Warwick, you know the ones with the funny upper horn' and they said 'That's OK, we've got lots of other shapes. Have a look at this picture of [i]this[/i] one.' and he said 'Yes. Yes, I like that a lot. Could you do it with two sliding pickups on a rail?' and they said 'Are you sure?' and he said 'Yes, I am. I quite fancy a bass with two sliding pickups' and they said 'Are you sure you want to have two, because if you only had one we could do a little sliding cover to hide the hole, but if you have [i]two[/i], we won't be able to hide the hole' and he said 'No, that's OK. The only people who will notice will be those silly c**ts on BassChat and who cares what they think?' [color=#FFFFFF].[/color]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371314930' post='2112533'] I'm surprised you didn't know that, it seemed in the 70s pretty much every image of Les Paul with his guitar, showed one with the microphone attached. And IIRC the box mounted behind the Bigsby was for controlling the tape unit he used to create the multi-track guitar effect live. I don't know if it was just pre-recorded backing or if he was doing something with a tape version of todays loopers? I love the look of the Les Paul Recording - even the multitude of switches and other controls, but I image you'd never get those classic rock LP tones out of the Low Impedance pickups. Having said that Andy Ryder of Medium Medium used to get some pretty dirty sounds from his Les Paul Signature Hollowbody and a Roland JC120 which should have been the ultimate clean set up! [/quote] Well, I'd never really noticed the mike, tbh. The rest of the guitar was kind of occupying my attention Later on, I knew Mr Paul was into low-impedance and sort of assumed the xlr was another out. Thinking of the box behind the Bigsby, it's reminiscent of Mr Danny Gatton's home-made Magic Dingus box

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371314013' post='2112515'] The only thing that I can see wrong with that is that control plate. Who loaded the gun with switches and buttons and aimed it at that guitar? [/quote] Indeed. The angled pups, bridge and vestigial scratchplate are an acquired taste, IMO, but not a bad axe otherwise. [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371314013' post='2112515'] Actually I think you'll find that's it's an XLR input designed to take the signal from a goose-neck mounted microphone.[/quote] Wow! Didn't know that. Even [i]weirder[/i]. Can't imagine playing that item stood up with a mic smacking one's teeth out with every movement. A very 'personal' guitar indeed. Thanks for the image / explanation.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1371312549' post='2112490'] it's not what I expect to see from a signature model. [/quote] Endorsees are not always the best judge of what is most saleable. Direct from the early 1970's, let's welcome the Gibson 'Les Paul Recording', the design and execution for which were - IIRC - very much at the behest of The Great Man. Think that's ugly? Here's the top bout detail of the 'Les Paul Personal'. XLR out as standard (!) None of this is to suggest that Mr Pratt's model is ugly, no siree. I quite like it, myself.

Sig models are a difficult pony to wrangle if the aim is to present a new idea and not simply a replica of the artist's existing, perhaps personalised instrument. Too 'out there' and the hobbyist musician's natural conservatism kicks in. By contrast, if the item is distinguishable only by a particular livery, some subdued 'personal' cosmetic appointments and a discreet sig, it will engender lassitude and a terse 'Pardon me, but so what?' Perhaps the best artist sig I've seen recently is the Johnny Marr Jaguar. Pretty much [i]looks[/i] the same as a normal Jag, but lots of useful little tweaks and redesigns that address original design flaws while adding a useful breadth of tone. Best of all, it looks equally lush in a choice of either white or metallic tangerine. It is as cool as cool can be. While we're at it, I'd suggest that getting a 'new' bass to sound good (or at least, OK) is far easier than getting it to [i]look [/i]good to the majority of potential buyers, particularly if the mfr strays from the established norms. Our dialogue here goes someway to proving both this and the adage that one takes one's first bite with the eyes.

Here's a thought. It's been suggested that the OP's band might go out as two separate packages - (i) a general purpose pub RnB outfit and (ii) a Feelgoods trib aimed not only at at Feelgoods fans but also ordinary punters who kinda sorta like the Feelgoods. Perhaps a third option exists to target [i]really[/i] hardcore fans by offering a package wherein the band plays through the first two (or three) studio albums in song order. In effect, one markets the albums as much as the band. The Brig's combo could do this on an infrequent basis to mop up such potential customers as might be motivated by the hardcorey-ness of such an exercise to travel a bit further afield. From personal experience, the minor downside to working this market is the prevalence of slightly punchy, tubby, balding, middle-aged male punters, which lends a geezer-ish tone to proceedings. The only women who tip up are usually accompanying hubby on a more or less 'indulgent' basis. Don't get me wrong, though. They're generally a good-humoured crowd who respond well to a bit of energy and about as far removed from the Blues Police as one might imagine.