warwickhunt

You can generally say that 25% on top of the TOTAL cost of the item + shipping (you will get taxed on the total cost of the item PLUS the shipping costs). I'd certainly not recommend the 'under-declared' value trick; it can and does work BUT if anything happens to the item you are only going to get back the declared value and be aware that HMCE have to authority to check that your item is as described and valued correctly and if it isn't then you can potentially have the item confiscated for trying to defraud.

Sellers will want twice what it is worth and buyers about half. Not trying to be clever or cryptic but they were good cabs/combos 'in their day' (EV loaded) but tbh there are shed loads of better cabs and combos out there now. Hence when sellers want £400+ for a 100w combo (based upon the fact they were expensive when they bought them new), they are unlikely to get anywhere near that. The stand alone cabs are worth £100 - £200 depending upon driver size and whether the buyer is trying to purchase a cab to match his existing Peterson gear, so the combos a bit more accordingly. I've seen them advertised for £400 + but they invariably don't sell. They look like a nice piece of retro furniture but having once owned one of the larger combos I'd not want it as my only gigging amp if I was playing at moderate volumes (and I had an extension cab).

Go to the amps sale section and do a search, you'll get an idea of how much they have been advertised for and possibly a couple of sale prices.

To look for; Truss rod - not generally as bad a problem as some believe but if you can adjust the rod before paying, do so. Oh and be aware that a very small minority of Wick rods can work the opposite way to anticipated. Neck break - check it hasn't a repaired break at the headstock/neck joint. Electrics - very rare failure of the preamp (99% certain to be MEC), pups are bomb-proof unless tampered with. Jack Socket - It 'will' be knackered! LOL Bridge - possible corrosion but so what and grub screws seize but not the end of the world. Electronics cover - the tabs break or bend back... Gaffa tape fixes it. Nut - Adjust-a-nut (the original and best... other than the very first solid brass nut that couldn't be adjusted), the glue occasionally fails and the nut can be floating but it is easily glued back in. Tuners - bomb proof. Frets - last ages, they are chunky, never tall from new and being a brass alloy they occasionally need a polish (mask the fingerboard with tape and rub with a green scourer with a tiny squirt of say WD40 or if you feel flush use a silver polish cloth). There should be no cracks or separation in the woods and the necks rarely ever, ever twist; if the neck is twisted run a country mile. That's off the top of my head, if I think of anything else I'll post.

Not sure where you got the info from re. serial numbers but that bass is absolutely kosher (no idea about the seller, simply commenting on the bass as seen in the photographs). If you feel more comfortable dealing with a BC member and don't trust ebay (sellers) then I'd go with your instincts.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1333535868' post='1602971'] Question I have is why wouldn't you just sell your musicman and buy a jazz? [/quote] The original owner who had it modded may well have had a sponsorship (though I can't see EB being impressed at one of his basses being converted to a J*zz), so devaluing the bass etc wouldn't matter. I can see the sense in as much if you have a neck/body combo (as in prefer a Ray over a Jazz) you love the feel of but don't like the pup then the question is 'why not'?

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1333536872' post='1603006'] It's well documented John that a 'ray in not original condish is worth less than one that is. In it's current state it has all the benefits of a J with the looks of a MM. As a 'ray it will always be imperfect with that hole under the pg. [/quote] Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you meant reverting it back to a Ray would devalue it further than it's present price; whereas the damage is done so whether it is a Ray config or a Jazz config makes no difference from here on in.

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1333532616' post='1602882'] Oddly enough that would probably devalue it. As it is, it's an oddity... reverted it's a 'ray with an undesirable f*ck-up under the pg. [/quote] Not really as you could just as quickly revert back if you had a new pick-guard as no mod needed for the MM pup as it is already routed. Wonder if it still has the MM preamp (not sure if that would work with other pups).

Ever wondered what a Ray would sound like with Jazz pups in... [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140717439415?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1202"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140717439415?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1202[/url]

I realise a lot of folk are recommending some form of 'uber' Jazz but to my mind you've had some very good basses of that ilk and they aren't doing it for you; I'd look outside of the Fender (clone) camp! I'm NOT going to suggest alternatives as it may seem like I am biased and pushing you away from Fenders but tbh you could essentially get your enigmatic bass by spending even less than £1000 never mind x3 (expensive) basses + £1000! Good luck.

Hasn't a snowball's chance in Hell!

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1333455764' post='1601889'] Out of interest, which countries do you have on your sh*t list? It might be helpful to let others know your experiences. I heard Italy can be especially dodgy but I've never found out why. [/quote] I had lots of first hand experience with sh*t happening when I dealt with Italy. I used to do a lot on ebay and shipping small, inexpensive items all over Europe and I can say that after a 75% failure rate for items to be delivered in Italy, I knocked all sales to Italy on the head. Items dispatched via RM first class delivery with proof of postage (tracked delivery would generally cost £6-£8 as opposed to the 75p that buyers were paying for 1st class) would invariably go missing with the likely culprit the Italian side of the delivery; identical items to Holland and Germany NEVER went missing despite my posting about x10 the number of items to Holland/Germany than I did Italy. France wasn't great (the occasional 'lost' item) but nowhere near as bad as Italy. On one occasion (after my Italy blockade) I did agree to send to Italy so long as the buyer agreed to International insured/tracked postage (expensive)... it went missing!

By all accounts the preamp is integral (when combined with the ray pup) to the Ray tone... not sure if you need the body and neck then! Let me go find the tinopener for this can of worms I have in the cupboard.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1332963848' post='1595666'] True, but with the pain of potentially having up to seven buyers, seven lots of postage, and seven times the risk of deadbeat bidders compared with just one buyer for the complete bass, he'd have to be making a [i]lot[/i] more to make it worthwhile, surely? [/quote] I wouldn't disagree but if it were a whole bass and he wanted £2000 for it he'd have a VERY limited audience. However, if he sells the parts he has a much wider audience... though I personally think he's going to be pushing it to find a buyer for the bridge/Preamp/pup at those prices!

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1332961189' post='1595623'] Why would anyone do that. [/quote] I suppose IF (and it is a big 'if') his BIN auctions go and he gets decent prices for his neck and body he could potentially make more than it is worth as a whole!

That's right £875 via BIN auctions will get you a Musicman Stingray from 1977... unfortunately you will have to take a punt and place bids for several of the 'extra' bits... Oh and do a bit of self assembly! [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/kevfits/m.html?hash=item3373dfa65b&item=220987369051&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&_trksid=p4340.l2562"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/kevfits/m.html?hash=item3373dfa65b&item=220987369051&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&_trksid=p4340.l2562[/url]