lemmywinks

This is what he's bought: https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_baritone_7sb_dlx_serie_deko.htm?sid=553157f82f9c4050bf30a19d8025e769 Here's what I don't understand - the guitar comes with matching knobs and rail humbuckers so why have these been changed for odd parts drawer knobs and a Jazz bass pickup? Instead of spending £20 on a bass pickup he could have bought 6 individual bridge saddles and done the job properly.

Good point, there's a "D" stamped here: That's a bit naughty really.

Exactly, it would be easier to do this and the end result would be better especially on his 7 to 6 string conversions. You can get single saddle bridge pieces for guitar (like the bass ones) for a couple of quid on AliExpress, he could buy or make a nut blank and use hot rail pickups so the pole pieces aren't out of whack. He could even look at making pickup surrounds or putting his slanty single coils into appropriate humbucker cases which sit properly in the routs. All of this would and make for a cleaner looking instrument which hasn't had any damaged parts, he could even include the original bridge etc. in case the owner wanted to take it back to stock for resale value.

I find his bodgery harmless enough, it is a shame when he destroys or removes parts from solid beginner instruments but not the end of the world even when his spiel goes a bit far in extolling the virtues of what is essentially an incomplete/damaged bargain basement guitar. Given the prices I assume his listings are targeted at older beginners with more disposable income anyway, maybe people who are less internet savvy, still rely on sales patter to make decisions and are more likely to place trust in a perceived local expert than a faceless chain store. Where I think he crosses the line is with comments like "even if you buy from a shop and they offer a free set up or you pay for a set up... that is likely to mean the guitar is taken out the back where someone sees how low they can screw the bridge down." which gives the impression that music shops are not to be trusted and the only place to guarantee a good setup is with him. Going by some of the videos he's posted I think the opposite is true, one in particular (an acoustic IIRC) sounded unplayable. Similarly some of the nuts in his pictures are absolutely ruined, big deep trenches cut at angles with rough edges. Cutting a nut isn't particularly difficult, I have no idea how they turn out like that. As it is I think we should be free to criticise his listings on here like any other bit of misguided bodgery we see on eBay as long as things are in good spirits and don't become personal. A bit like that crazy German seller who lists £3000 planks of wood that may once have been Gibsons, the reputation is deserved and it's quite funny to see what they come up with next.

Failing a more appropriate mechanical solution maybe just using adhesive velcro on the main pole and legs would work? Obviously put the hook part on the legs to avoid carpet fluff transfer!

May just be larger ball ends on those strings, some ferrules are slightly smaller and aren't wide enough for them. Then again he might have swapped them out for odd ones from his parts drawer just for the sake of it which actually seems more likely.

Also the posh sounding neck pick up is apparently "from John Hutchinson at Janika Guitars in Nottingham", sounds like a hand wound bespoke unit from a luthier no? I think what he means by that is he bought a cheap generic pickup from the Janika store on eBay, doesn't sound quite as fancy though.................. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-string-jazz-bass-style-guitar-chrome-hot-rail-pickup-neck-position-new-JB/161217875506?hash=item2589558e32:g:UUsAAOSwnDZUJWtA

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-string-bass-by-Peavey-set-neck-with-single-and-twin-coil-pickups/192659707678?_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140328180637%26meid%3Dccb38ec3e9d64198bfee8889bb590c64%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D292733454061%26itm%3D192659707678&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982 Complete with needlessly raked back tuners, odd aftermarket control knobs which don't suit the instrument and a single coil shoved into a humbucker rout - the holy trinity of mdp conversions. Decent budget beginner basses in their unbutchered state and at the correct (£160-£200) price, bit of a shame really.

Gonna remember that response the next time I hear that excuse!

I never thought these had a reputation for failing, I'm no fan of Behringer pedals as a whole but these ones generally seem to be pretty reliable. I think if they did a metal cased version with a better footswitch for some extra £ then it would be even better, DIY rehousing would be an interesting project.

If you have Amazon Prime there is a £17 option here apparently: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B000KIPUQG/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new EDIT: Not in stock for a few days, very cheap though. I got mine when they were on sale for £18 a while ago and it's a great sounding backup DI.

Info from the man himself: http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?s=9c378f5b2737d1f2378ffc114a3e7b45&t=2

That's what I do, clean DI to the desk then a post eq send to the monitor, I rarely need to tweak personal eq on stage but it's there if I need it.

If I had £300 max to spend on a bass then this would be my first choice: https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_v3_5_ts.htm 4 String for £237 https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_v3_ts.htm

I've never played one that I thought was a serviceable instrument irrespective of the price tag which reflects the general feeling that they are inconsistent and there are far less good ones than there are meh or bad ones. The question should be "what is one of the well made Riks good for?" as the average one you pull off a shelf probably won't be up to much. Worth keeping that in mind when listening to known Rik players on albums, they will have probably found a few until they got one with "that" sound we all associate with the instrument. The ones I've played sounded and played like cheapo basses, although I've never gone to much trouble to try many out. Maybe some people will never get on with them (the poorly placed metalwork and iffy necks put me right off) but I'd be up for playing more until I found a good one. Although they're ugly the new 4003 5 strings look a bit more practical.

They wouldn't file crudely cut slots in your bridge saddles and remove one of your machineheads to create a 3 string bass for those with big hands either. I also suspect if you went to a genuine luthier the nut wouldn't come back looking like this:

For just shy of £95 you can get the experience without ever having to step outside your front door! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guitar-neck-set-up-overhaul-by-post/192640896420?hash=item2cda4acda4:g:3rwAAOSwXqZbOiJy I wonder if services like sticking a J pickup in a humbucker rout, angling the tuners back for no reason and swapping pots out for ones off a 30 year old beginner bass are included in the price or cost extra.

Aye it's a good rehearsal space, we'd rehearse there even without a family connection (although we don't get a discount!) as I'm not keen on other local ones. Nice to have somewhere clean and warm where the provided equipment is adequate.

Yes that's our drummer!

I play in a party band called The Secrets but we do more out of town gigs really. Playing a wedding at Bartle Hall tonight in fact!

Thornton, well the derrière end of Thornton just before you get to Fleetwood.

Hahaha, I'm not sure there was CCTV then, certainly not in dark, dank Wigan!

I still remember getting a train from Poulton to Wigan to pick up a 5 string Warwick Streamer for £250, dodgy meet in a train station to hand over a bunch of used notes for a tatty looking gigbag. Best return journey I've had as there was nobody else in the carriage and I got to play my new bass all the way home. Good times!

I have a selection of OBBM speaker cables which I held onto even though I moved onto a powered cab, saw little point in parting with them in case I need them in the future. Fantastic quality cables which will last you a lifetime, could probably use them as a tow rope if your van breaks down.

Some of the comments do get a bit personal, I think it's fine to have a little giggle at some of his creations without getting too nasty, he seems like a pleasant enough bloke with some odd ideas about guitars. Not harming anyone, enjoys what he's doing and has some happy customers. I can see a genuine use for the wide neck guitar conversions even if the execution seems a bit Heath Robinson,. It's the odd bodging like swapping tuners, knobs and pickups for ill-suited non matching ones and trying to pass them off as upgrades that does me. As long as the buyers like 'em who cares though?