Paul S

Motley Creuse Although I suppose that would mean having to play 'smoking dans le chambre des boys'

Low start, no reserve. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360943400368?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360943400368?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[/url] Be interesting to see what this makes!

Well, in my case the bass was £215, I was charged £43 VAT, no import duty and a £13.50 handling charge. I would have thought that would qualify for import duty, too. But I'm not complaining.

Looks like I am the first to leave feedback for Yasuhito and so, as such, will go into slightly more detail than i would normally I bought an Aria Pro II CSB 'Black N Gold' from him - I must admit it was with some trepidation, as I had never bought from overseas before and especially not from such a long way away! And especially as he has no feedback on here. But GAS is a cruel and relentless mistress... Yasuhito was flexible with his advertised price and had good comms throughout the transaction. Payment was conveniently via PayPal. The bass was dispatched very quickly by a good courier service - the tracking system worked efficiently and I could see the progress of the transit daily. The bass arrived in the UK after just 3 days, thereafter it took a week to clear customs. Once I got the bass I found it to be extremely well packaged, beautifully set up and in far better condition than I could have hoped for. One very small niggle - the tone control doesn't work but, as Yasuhito has been so straightforward in his dealings, I can only imagine this was a fault that developed as a result of handling in transit. I am certain that, had the tone not worked before sending it out, he would have mentioned it. And, to be honest, the price was so good that getting this sorted is really small beans. Overall I am really happy with the transaction and, if the occasion demanded, would have no hesitation in dealing with him again. The bass is totally fantastic. Thank you Yasuhito, it has been a pleasure!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400931413' post='2458266'] I always tune to the pitch after the attack, I find it easier, but I don't know if it's 'right' or not. [/quote] [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1400931683' post='2458268'] I always tune to the after-attack as well. [/quote] That's what I do as well. Reassuring.

Good point - I hadn't thought of that. The original is nice, isn't it - recessed and high mass.

I have one of the Planet Waves jobbies already. Also the version before but the newer one is an improvement - smaller and quicker with better controls. Maybe I am too heavy handed, as I often find tuners - headstock or pedal - don't work that well and take a long time to settle to a pitch after I have struck the string. The only one (of those I have tried) that seems to work quickly for me is the Korg Pitchblack or a small plug-in Korg one (which, although it works ok, is less convenient for checking tuning mid-gig). Maybe I should persevere with the headstock one as I like the idea of minimal kit. Question - and this is so elementary I can hardly believe I am asking it but I don't know! - do you tune to the pitch you get when you first strike the string or to the pitch once it has settled? It isn't always the same for me and the way I do it.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400918931' post='2458108'] Edit: Also have a mini headstock tuner which means I don't need a tuner pedal! [/quote] I find these difficult to use when everyone in the room is making a noise - it seems to pick up from everything else and get confused - have you found this, Mark, or have I got it placed on the wrong bit of the headstock? But, otherwise, at the moment I am bass>lead>amp (with tuner going into the back). I do like the simplicity of this set-up. Means a single trip to and from the car for rehearsals, too.

On eBay - white with black headstock. Looks nice. I have one of these and it is really nice - active with the same kind of bass boost/cut-treble boost/cut arrangement as the Westone Thunder basses. But can be flicked over to passive and they sound good like that. Under 9lbs, great neck. Postage is dear but, for anyone near Cornwall who can pick up, this could be a bargain. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171338953993?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171338953993?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[/url]

Can I have cash instead?

Same experience here, really. Put an Artec on board my old SGC Nanyo Bass Collection as one of the controls was a bit iffy and it did the job ok. But not in another bass - my Precision Lyte had a knackered preamp when I got it, put in an Artec, wasn't that happy with the sound. Put in an East U Retro and now it is gorgeous with a huge variety of sounds. But then the East unit was over £150 more expensive.

Also Parcelforce charge a handling fee. i just bought a bass from Japan and the handling fee was £13.50 on top of the VAT. No import duty for some reason, though.

I've broken strings twice at rehearsals, which I take as meaning it could have been a few hours away from being at a gig, so I always take a back up bass. I do have a spare amp, but that is for when/if my main one goes to the menders for anything. For gigs I take a Behringer BDI21 by way of insurance.

I saw him a week or so back at the Cliff's Pavilion in Westcliff. I am by no means a fan, either, but didn't want to pass up the chance of seeing him live and local. Whilst I could do nothing but admire the techniques he used I didn't actually enjoy the music or the gig particularly - just not my cup of tea, really. Someone described him as a dischordant Hank Marvin which, although a bit cruel, actually fits quite nicely. He appeared to play Danny Boy out of sequence because the rest of the band changed instruments for what they thought was the next song, only to quickly change again. Speaking of the rest of the band, I thought Rhonda Smith's playing was amazing - a masterclass of restraint - yet her solo was completely inappropriate.

I gave in to a major bout of GAS and bought one of Kukkunyan's Aria Pro II CSB 450 'Black N Gold' basses about 10 days ago. Paid with Paypal, which has to be the most straightforward way to go about paying in another currency outside of credit card transactions. He did everything right, got it sent off from Japan really promptly with good tracking. It arrived in Parcelforce Coventry 7 days ago - just 3 days after posting in Japan!! - and I notice this morning it has now cleared customs and is headed dahn sahf to here. Could have been quicker, I guess, but it could have been a lot slower, too. So far it has been a fairly trouble-free experience, although until the box actually arrives and I open it up, I will still be slightly on tenterhooks. I think sometimes you have to take things at face value and go for it.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1400530600' post='2454760'] Black sunglasses on a BB tribute gig ain't a concession, They are more important than the right crotchets and quavers. [/quote] As it happens it was the wearing of sunglasses - perhaps cheap sunglasses - that was one of the problems with ZZ Topps. The bassist evidently couldn't see what he was doing and was standing in a very awkward way in order to peer underneath the lenses. Played a few terrible wrong notes, too.

Another DP fan. For me DPmkII was the best - something about the mix of personalities/sounds/whatever just gelled. Made In Japan is, for me, as good as a live album can possibly be. I didn't ever see them at that stage, sadly, but caught them for the first time on the 'Burn' tour which would have been 40 years ago. 40 years!! That was a good gig - The Kursaal at Southend. I remember a rather well-endowed young lady with no kit on rushing onto the stage and leaping on Richie B, who quickly spun his guitar round and played on the cheeks of her bum. Coverdale/Hughes were a pretty good combination. I saw them again when Steve Morse first joined - they were good but not the same. Gillan's voice was already shot by then.

I would chuck a Squier Silver Series Precision into the pot, too. Affordable, lightweight, superb woody old-school tone. I had one which, straight out of the case, was the second nicest sounding Precision I have ever played (the nicest being my Squier JV0..). But, for a simple pick-up change - my vote would be for a Wizard Trad. I tried lots and lots of pickups in my go-to bitsa P bass and this ended up being the one that gave me the sound I have in my head as the perfect P bass tone.

Out of curiosity how is his surname pronounced? I made the error of thinking it was of Italian derivation, so che-teh-rah but, accordingly to Wiki he is of Polish/Hungarian extraction. And a nice old live clip of 'I'm a Man' - 'doing what a bass player is supposed to do' http://youtu.be/j8vY3vAbAdQ

Well, that's a bit of a puzzle.