Doctor J

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1224248' date='May 8 2011, 04:41 PM']IMO buying direct from outside the UK is only worth it, if there is no other way of getting the goods, or if after applying all the charges you are still saving at least 10% over buying from a UK source. This is to allow for any potential issues with the goods when they arrive (if they are wrong or damaged).[/quote] It's worth bearing in mind that as the UK is part of the EU, you don't get charged import duties for items purchased within the EU, not just the UK.

I recently moved to a .135 - the bigger the better, as far as B strings are concerned - makes such a fantastic difference.

Five tuners together will be no bigger than an average lunchbox, still a small package by my reasoning. Personally, I'd go for it. Besides, even if you get stung, it's 25% of the total added on, how does that compare with (the absurdly expensive) UK arm of Allparts?

Take the chance. If you use a national mail carrier rather than a dedicated courier (Fedex etc) you've a good chance of getting away with it on relatively inexpensive and small items.

Register the .com domain, costs about a tenner a year. That way, if someone nicks the name it won't be so sad if they become ultra successful because you might be able to sell it on to them for a bit of their wealth

You understand why I had to ask, so

Nice bass, a mate of mine has a couple of FGN guitars, very good quality. Reserved for Attack Attack - this is you guys?

[quote name='bassoctopus' post='1218099' date='May 2 2011, 09:47 PM']Inspirational stuff from 2 bands who should be more famous than they are[/quote] Definitely. Didn't know Rocky George was playing with Fishbone now I'm going to have to familiarise myself with the new stuff as a matter of priority.

My ESP 400 Series Jazz, bought for IR£300 in 1993. Many have taken a shot at the title, but the ESP remains the champ.

Surely you've had time to take pics by now?

One of these. I can't decide whether in white or black though. I've wanted white for a long time but just look at it in black...

[quote name='Sean' post='1212252' date='Apr 27 2011, 01:50 AM']My gas disappeared after getting the BB2024x and BB2025x. I've had them a year. Sometimes miracles happen ;-)[/quote] Thanks. Thanks a lot. I [i]was[/i] trying to convince myself I didn't need one

Great great band. They played Houdini start to finish here a few years back. During Honey Bucket, my favourite tune off that album, Buzzo broke a string so they stopped and he put on a new string. They started it again and shortly after, he broke the new string, so they stopped again. He put on another new string, warning us about buying ernie ball strings. Third time around, the string survived, he wanted us to hear the song done properly. Great great band.

I still buy CDs.

When I stopped binge drinking about ten years ago I had just one bass, my beloved ESP jazz. I started having money for the first time in my life so I bought a Ric4003 fireglo. I enjoyed that a lot, very different beast to the ESP. Then I was playing in a proggy-metal band where I had a lot of room to fill so I bought an Ibanez SR3006 and it went from there. I enjoyed having to re-learn and adapt my technique to a six string format. I've got 10 basses now, all fairly different, though quite a few have passed through the door in the meantime, including the Ric and the SR. I enjoy having different basses for different sounds or different moods. Yes, I could abviously get by with just the ESP but I love playing bass, I don't feel guilty about having multiple instruments, I don't need to justify to myself or anyone else, the bills get paid so why not? At the moment, the only basses I'm really GASsing for are a Yamaha BB2024X and a four string Wal MkII, but if something interesting appears at the right price, you never know.

Do people think that Ibanez aren't capable of making high end instruments or something? If you've ever played an Ibanez J-Custom guitar, you'll know they're among the finest crafted instruments you'll ever see in your life. If Ibanez are saying there's two grands worth of materials and construction in these then I'm keen to play them, to be honest. One grand of Ibanez is often to the level of two grand of some other, let's say, more respected manufacturers. I would fully expect these basses to be the dog's burritos. I'd agree entirely with the Yamaha comparison, just because they're great at making great value for money instruments doesn't mean they're incapable of making something special that justifies a premium. That's logical, right?

[i]Only[/i] nine?

Ahhhhhh, I do love this kind of thing. Thanks for posting this

I always thought I could whore myself and, with financial assistance, overcome any obstacle taste may present but, when working in a studio, I recorded a band whose music I hated so much I discovered the truth about myself: If I don't dig the tunes you're better off I don't show up.

I'd just play a lower tuned and slightly longer scale guitar.

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='1209470' date='Apr 23 2011, 08:08 PM']Yes, I think the classic blonde/slightly translucent off-white.[/quote] The correct answer

Looks nice, Howard. Are you going to paint it?

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1203180' date='Apr 18 2011, 08:11 AM']I think it's really useful to know a bit of guitar (keys and drums as well if possible) and if you learn a little theory about how a chord is constructed and the various chords that go together in a particular key, then it's beneficial to my playing especially when asked to play songs that I'm not massively familiar with.[/quote] I think that's a great point. My approach to bass playing has changed a lot as a result of playing drums and playing guitar. Learning other instruments should definitely help your musical understanding and, as a result, your bass playing.

I've been the guitarist in my band for 5 years now. Still don't like it