Beedster

Nicely put, I often feel that fretlines are to all intents shouting 'Hey, we're the notes, don't you go anywhere else....."

Agreed Lawrie. It's going to be interesting to see the effects of Trump on people's emotions towards US goods, even legacy ones. 80's Japanese Fenders might ramp up in value even more than they have recently, which given they are of equal or better quality than many US Fenders - certainly 70's Fenders - would also represent a legitimate correction. I also suspect 70's MIJ instruments generally will start to creep up, I've played many that were likewise significantly better than Fenders of the same era at 10% of the price (calling @Bassassin......)

I'm very surprised there are no UK authorised service engineers, but am sure Andy @agedhorse will be along to help and advise 👍

That's a really interesting point, perhaps the market isn't really there after all, or at least thos who need them have largely got them, and needs have moved on? It'll be interesting to see if they do. And those Klos necks look lovely I remember seeing some really badly warped graphite necks, IIRC at least one of them was on an MM Cutlass. Interested in two points, firstly why do they have to be 'not too stiff', and in what way were the neck over-designed?

Given how well regarded Status necks are - there must have been thousands built and they only very rarely come up for sale meaning that those who have them hold on to them (plus there are always one or two people looking for them) - I wonder whether any other manufacturer will pick up the reins and either buy that part of the business from Status or start from scratch?

I found that the tone I ended up with using EBMMs was achieved using either old/dull rounds or brightish flats, tolling back the highs and the lows a little (on 2EQ models), and tonal heaven. Because it sounded more like a Precision

You could install a passive circuit, @KiOgon would not doubt be happy to advise and build it. If there was a Nobel Prize for bass circuits......

^ This I've owned many many active basses - Modulus, Status, Musicman, Enfield, Fender - and ultimately it took me 20 years to realise that I don't really like playing active instruments, no matter how well designed the instrument or the circuit. But it's not really a audio/tonal thing, I just don't need or like too many options, even playing a PJ I find myself trying to find the tonal sweet spot. I also tend to run my amp tone controls flat, with the occasional foray into using a footswitch if I need to emphasise a certain tone in a certain song, I don't use effects, and rarely even touch the passive tone control on my Precision or variant of, but can usually get a good range of tones by the usual means - pic/finger/thumb, palm muting/ghosting, varying the distance from the bridge etc. BUT....... I play music that usually allows me to find a tone and stick with if for the set (at present the set we're doing need two tones, standard Precision and dub, hence the footswitch), it would probably be very different if I was a pro playing functions, shows, or recording.

There's another thread on it somewhere

Agreed 👍

...and on reflection I suspect technically incorrect, although I can't face watching it again to scrutinise further. But surely while had had be been comparing fretless with fretted his point would be valid, but I very much doubt that given the slight 'finding' of the correct pitch plus vibrato no matter how slight, there would be any noticeable audible and even measured difference between lined and unlined intonation on the notes in question. Unless you were specifically trying to demonstrate one in a YT piece of course.........

OK he's not wrong but even when I played lined fretless I would still find myself adjusting for tuning, as he says, the lines are a guide not a fret (and he admits to using the side dots anyway). I like unlined necks because I prefer how they look, I'd not be surprised if that's true for a lot of people And bloody hell, that was painful watching

….clearly 🤔

But this is how trade works, I get that it's annoying, but if it didn't work this way no-one would set up as a trader in any field, and our options in life would be severely restricted. Like all walks of life, there are good traders and poor traders, some are fair and reasonable, others devious and cynical. I'm certainly no fan of those who pretend to not be traders, the 'From my personal collection' type, one of whom advertised a bass on eBay I'd sold him only a couple of days before on BC as such. OK, technically I guess it was now part of 'his personal collection', but the phrase is to my mind used to give the impression that it's been a long standing possession and therefore the seller can be expected to be aware of and take responsibility for issues etc. And going back to the hobby or business, question, I know a lot of people do bloody well out of it, but frankly, if HMRC saw my buying and selling record they'd send me a hefty rebate, a sympathy letter, and the book 'Business For Dummies'

Completely agree, the assessment will often be based on the idea of 'normal' buying and selling for personal use. Normal people do not own 50 bass guitars and try to sell them all at the same time. OK, if it's an estate, or if he's selling up a collection acquired over a career, there would probably be some latitude, but when there's evidence of ongoing purchasing of instruments only for them to be listed for sale at a higher price - and no matter how much he might want to claim "I just like trying different basses" (or how true that might actually be) - he will be treated as a trader

I think I can see where Entwistle found inspiration for the Buzzard headstock 👍

Someone will be along soon to tell us that bubblewrap has acoustic properties similar to alder and better than ash 👍

I'm a big fan of the use of the word 'quality' as in the ads, i.e., 'two quality pickups'. Very poor quality is, after all, still a form of quality 👍

....and often with better QC....

If I got locked out of Basschat it would save me a fortune 🤔