Steve Browning

It really is a shame that such a place has gone (and with Bax too). Brighton still has some interesting music shops to look at. In some ways they are more precious than GAK. The remaining places are more like old school shops, with some eclectic (and s/h) gear in them.

You missed my point spectacularly. I saw typical businesses for 10 years. Good and bad. I'm not remotely jaded. I'm passing on conclusions based on around 3000 businesses against your 1. I'm not criticising here. By the way, talking of stereotyping (as I wasn't), a tax inspector gets difficult only when evidence (actual evidence) deems it necessary. It's a bit like people complaining about being done for speeding, somehow forgetting they were speeding. Anyway it's a nice day so what the hell.

The lens of a taxman is that something that is legal is fine. In many companies, it is the employees who create the wealth. The owners enjoy it. That's, of course, mildly facetious but a successful business is not necessarily taking many risks. Employees are also risking their livelihood too. I've yet to meet a businessman who wouldn't shaft his employees for his own advantage. That's my taxman experience based on a different business every day for nigh on 10 years. Again, avoidance is fine. It is for governments to address it, if it is perceived to be problematic. My only gripe, and it applies to absolutely everything, is that everyone is treated exactly the same. Ah Utopia!!

Depends on your views on tax avoidance. Personally I don't buy the risk taking argument. Like all avoidance, it's perfectly legal.

And taxed at a lower percentage.

Every grey cloud and all that. 🙂

You went for the T and not the TI? Be interesting to see the difference. The I stands for Intense apparently.

I went to the Boston website and looked for the UK distributor. Luckily I am a Rotosound endorsee and ordered them via my artist relations chap. Possibly any Rotosound seller can probably order one for you.

Yes. The Boston PB 415 TI.

The pair I ordered yesterday arrived today and they're excellent. Especially for the price. Very happy chap.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1YHJjcnrcU/ A list of the gear and serial numbers etc

What's a nice vintage Fender without a nice tort pickguard? 🙂

Just ordered a couple of the scratchplates and will see what they're like in the flesh.

Yes. I've asked for serial numbers.

Yes. It was in Bremen. Thank you for your assistance.

I've asked Maggie (Brendan's wife) for any serial numbers.

Band of Friends features my chum Brendan O'Neill and Rory's old bass player Gerry McAvoy. Unlikely to pop up in the UK but please keep an eye out nevertheless.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/02/brighton-pier-owner-to-delist-from-london-stock-market-and-go-private Get out your little violins.

That was the gist of it, and going on about the customer becoming his friend. Sounded really rather weird and slightly uncomfortable.

Just returned from a very pleasant couple of hours in Michael's company. He and I first met about 35 years ago. Today, I took along one of the basses he had a go on back then, and came away with a really lovely Fender Japan Precision fretless. A lovely guy and an excellwent chat. Super easy from start to finish and great to catch up after half a lifetime (based on 3 score years and ten).

Just looked and they're distributed in the UK by Rotosound. Happy days!! I sent my newly delivered 1983 '62 Precision reissue back to Fender because the scratchplate looked so awful. I was put off Spitfire by an extraordinary tale of woe on BC a few years ago.

But it's a perfectly valid argument and one most people can understand.

That must be a real freak occurrence. Having visited the factory, I can tell you that each person makes one string each day and the strings are packed by hand (which is something to watch I can assure you!). Getting the wrong sizes in a pack would be close to impossible. That's not suggesting that hasn't happened, but the chances are infinitesimally small. I'd be buying a lottery ticket.

Blimey Simon. There's bound to be one where you are (and I don't say that as someone coming from Pompey - we have our own variety).