Beedster

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1443789119' post='2877706'] When you say everything, I assume that doesn't include your original Wal [/quote] Ha ha, no, that really was the point, one with frets, one without. I don;t play retted often but once I got used to the Wal circuit (took a while), I found all other fretted basses a little lacking in tonal options. As it also took me a while to get used to the way the Wal balances and plays, and as my original fretless Wal was once fretted, the obvious choice seemed to be to get the original re-fretted and buy a new fretless. I knew exactly what I was looking for and up it popped in Seattle! Now selling my other six basses (did I ever need six), to pay for it and my B-15 as an insurance for the possibility of needing a new DB, but very happy I've gone the path I have. Problem is that at present I have two Wal FLs, one with rounds and one with flats, and love both equally. Do you see where I'm going with this

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1443773662' post='2877518'] Here's the 8-string: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/dean_guitars_rhapsody_8_bubinga.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...y_8_bubinga.htm[/url] If you ask them to fit an extra four strings, they knock £35 off the price: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/dean_guitars_rhapsody_12_trans_black.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...trans_black.htm[/url] Bass Guitar Magazine rates them: [url="http://www.deanguitars.com/content/articles/pages/rhap.htm"]http://www.deanguita.../pages/rhap.htm[/url] The reviewer wasn't so concerned about separate saddles, though I'm not sure I follow his logic. 8lbs 8oz seems remarkably light ... [/quote] It's not you Jack, it's a bit boring and predictable. You'll buy it and hanker for the Yank [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1443774819' post='2877530'] Destiny is a terrible thing but perhaps inescapable. [/quote] Exactly Dave, well put

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1443772868' post='2877511'] I've had SO much helpful advice on that subject in the last week, Basschat at its finest. Love the idea of that Kramer I spotted on eBay, but splashing £1000 on a bass I've never played, to be played in a style I've never used, in a band that has no suspicion as to what's on the horizon ... maybe not. Watching eBay (UK) to see what surfaces, and I'll stroll down to Macaris a bit later and see what they have by way of Dean Rhapsody basses. [/quote] Where's your sense of adventure young man

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1443766250' post='2877452'] You mad impetuous fool! Like it though. [/quote] Calculated risk to be honest Jack, you gonna do the same with that 8-string?

As far as PayPal are concerned you did the right thing and sent to his registered address, it's his fault and his issue to resolve. Hold firm on this.

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1443643222' post='2876606'] I'd forgotten how heavy a 1978 Fender Precision is.... [/quote] You'll be needing one of those new fangled things WaterofTyne is playing these days then! Welcome back mate. C

In fact make the claim now and see if the seller offers to pay for the work

If you bought it on ebay, don't touch it, get it to a luthier and then, once in the know, claim either for the work, a new pre-amp or a return. If you do it yourself and it still doesn't work (for any of a number of reasons) the seller can claim you did the damage C

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1441190527' post='2856734'] ... so all in all it wasn't the greatest suggested purchase [/quote] I beg to differ Rob, many thanks for the heads up [quote name='Musashimonkey' timestamp='1443725364' post='2877247'] Wow! You did it, nice one. Lovely looking bass. Congratulations �� [/quote] Thanks mate, it was a little anxiety inducing to the point that the moment I received the customs invoice I went straight to the depot, paid and collected there and then! Lovely lovely bass

The BigHead is an very very very good piece of kit, completely changed how I practice on electric simply because all previous headphone units made me sound crap, this makes me sound rather good

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1443717006' post='2877147'] Of course - the main point of interest for me was how a chambered featherweight PJ can compare to a stock P. [/quote] That's actually a good point, weight was never a predictable characteristic of 70's Fenders!

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1441190622' post='2856735'] Time will tell Rob [/quote] Well it was worth the risk! Great seller, very helpful and up front, great comms and a fantastic bass for less than it would have cost me through a UK dealer for sure, even with overheads. I'll post better pics when I have time. although even in this rough pic it looks rather lovely next to my '85. [url="http://s80.photobucket.com/user/Beedster/media/IMG_5208_zpsyu2ywtid.jpg.html"][/url] I'm now selling everything I own to pay for it, and with perfect timing by DB has some potentially expensive issues also

Great playing and great tone (as ever) Michael, but at the risk of having stuff thrown at me, why should we be impressed that a bass built this year can sound as good as one built over 40 years ago? The reason the Fender has high market value is related to culture, it doesn't take anything away from it, but it's what it is, in many respects an antique. What I'd really like to hear is what the newer bass can do that the older one can't (and I'm not talking about the J-PUP)? OK, I take the point that owning the newbie means not having to take expensive instruments to gigs etc, and also that the newbie is perhaps a tad more reliable. But unlike the Squier Precisions, it's still far from a budget instrument? Not trying to be difficult, and I've been as susceptible as anyone else to the appeal of the retro and vintage, but we seem to go through waves of various Fender relics/copies on BC (Nash, Bravewood, Limelight, etc), everyone appears to get excited, then we move on to the next brand? It seems to be becoming almost a forum pathology?

[quote name='roceci' timestamp='1443709304' post='2877071'] Maybe I should have just made this a poll after all... [/quote] Ha ha, I wouldn't worry about it mate, you're amongst friends and perhaps it's good to air these things occasionally, it;s all swings and roundabouts with bass gear anyway Like I said above, no rights or wrongs, just different values, and like tastes, there's no accounting for them! Enjoy the bass C

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1443706970' post='2877049'] +1 Surely you leave "the community" behind when you enter the For Sale section. Especially as sellers don't need to even be part of our community? I can't help being suspicious of ads from sellers with 0 posts? I understand that this may not be the case here , but just saying [/quote] Many members join simply to buy and sell, if it wasn't for the marketplace the membership would be a fraction of what it is, and yes, whilst there is a sense of community even in the marketplace, it's the foundation for sure, but it's not always to be seen and it is probably naive to expect it with all members. Examples of when it's been there in shovel loads for me are when I've been sent items on spec, when I've been sent items ahead of payment, or when sellers have dealt with problems professionally at their own expense and inconvenience. There are some great folks on here, Shaggy, Clarky, Legion, Mr Bassman, Silverfoxnik, I could go on for hours, all of whom have on one or more occasions been great to deal with. Examples of when it hasn't been have been items that arrived damaged or unusable and the seller simply disappeared, buyers who haven't read details fully and have kicked up a huge fuss about tiny things (even, and I'm not joking, "I want to return the bass because the action is too low for me....", a member who gave me the wrong address resulting in courier chaos and blamed me. But hey, it's all generally been extremely positive, and the key thing is that when things do go wrong here, there's always a strong sense of community in getting them resolved, and that's probably the key thing. Re ads from sellers with zero posts, I don't know, but through experience I'm equally wary of buyers with zero or low posts also!

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1443627756' post='2876409'] OK, look what I've found now: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131615738395?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]http://www.ebay.co.u...K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT[/url] So yes, that really is all original. And 10.5lbs. Ulp. And it's a lot cheaper than the Japanese one I posted earlier, but will still come up to about £1000 by the time you factor in shipping, duty and VAT. [/quote] Jack, it's quite simple mate, a few weeks ago you woke up needing a pointy, today you wake up needing an 8er. The universe has decided, that is your bass, what's a few hundred quid on import duty between a man and his destiny?