LeftyJ

Well, that didn't take long: "Thanks again for being an Italia Leather Straps customer! As a way of saying thank you, we are sending you an exclusive promo code good for Buy One, Get One Free Pricing plus an additional bonus discount! Add any two straps to your shopping cart. As you checkout, enter the promo code 418BONUS. The cost of the second strap will be removed from your total plus an additional bonus amount. Need just one strap for now? Add any single strap to your shopping cart and enter the promo code 418SINGLE during check out. Promo codes are valid for 24 hours." https://italiastraps.com/collections/all

Actually I totally mistranslated "cardiology" in my mind as being cancer-related. D'oh! It is of course heart-related.

Not so sure about that. She worked as a cardiology research nurse for the last 21 months, so it may also be related to her work interest. I see on her LinkedIn she was forced to give up her job as an ICU nurse because of a lower back injury. I figured there might be more on her X-account, but I can't read it as I don't have one. For those who do, it's https://x.com/samiam_uk

Wow, did not see that coming. That's sad

EBS make a nice reverb specifically for bass, the Dynaverb. It's had a few updates through the years, and it's fairly expensive but can be found used for decent prices. It doesn't offer a low cut, only a passive tone control that cuts the treble. It is voiced specifically for bass though.

I've been using Italia Leather straps for a long time. Unlike what the name suggests, they're actually made in California They come in 2 widths (2.5" and 4") and 2 lengths (37-49" and 42-54") so they fall just a little short of what you're looking for. They only sell directly though, and there will be import duties when having one shipped to the UK. They're expensive at around 100-110 USD per piece. That said, they often have sales (for returning customers, but the weblinks and discount codes to the sales can be used by anyone) like free shipping, buy-one-get-one-free or something along those lines. The most recent one was a 24 hour sale on April 6th, but I'm sure their next mailing will be along shortly . That's my one gripe with the company: they keep spamming your mailbox with deals. You can easily opt out, and I really should because I already have 8 at this point...

Ah, makes sense now! Yep, missed opportunity.

While not exactly priced as an entry level bass, they do have been making the U5 for a few years now, which sells for about 400 GBP.

LOL Most high mass bridges are made of some type of zinc alloy (usually some form of ZAMAC - Zinc, Aluminium, MAgnesium and Copper - with zinc being the main component at over 90%). It's popular because it has a fairly low melting point and is easy to cast. But of course it also has mythical tonal properties

I'm pretty sure on the Schaller 3D the base and saddles are made of a zinc alloy, and only the rollers themselves are brass. The Power Jazz Bass Special had model number 27-9000 if that helps. There's a PDF scan of the original user manual on Fender's website that pops up as one of the first results when you Google search for "fender 27-9000", but none of the spec sheets mention the bridge type.

Yep, kinda regret not snagging that! But with the post B-word situation the added VAT and import duties would have been no joke.

Someone in the Netherlands is selling two (!) Peavey TB Raxx preamps: https://link.marktplaats.nl/m2254244925 Ad says they're already on hold, but not sure if that's about both. Same seller also has a H&K Fortress preamp with poweramp and floorboard for sale.

Ibanez always sell a 28.6" set, for their Mikro basses (GSRM20).

Briefly had a Fender Japan '57 P reissue that I really didn't get along with. I didn't like the fat and wide neck, the very lightweight basswood body, or the very dry and thumpy tone even with fresh roundwounds. Sold it to someone on here who loved it, and had a gold anodized aluminium pickguard made for it (try finding those in lefty) for more authentic looks. I don't have pics of it anymore, but just imagine your typical 2TS Precision with a maple neck and board I had two Carvin LB75's for a while that I also really didn't get along with. Both were silly cheap and really well-built and comfortable to play, but the tone was sooo... bland. Just meh. Didn't really care for the looks either. They weren't bad basses, just very uninspiring and dull. I paid just 250GBP for the black one (i think here on Basschat) and 350 for the flamed walnut one (on Gumtree). The black one was all stock, and the better of the two. The flamed walnut one had its neck stripped of its lacquer, slightly shaved down and refinished in tung oil. Funnily enough I sold both to the same guy, with a few years inbetween . I bought the black one back at one point to try again, but quickly sold it again for all the same reasons.

Could this have something to do with the switch from 33 7/8 to 35" scale? Or were all of the early ones 34" and did they only switch to 35" with the series II?

Definitely the same bass! Wow.

When plugged into the FX return you can adjust the Ashdown EQ all you want, but it isn't in the signal chain because you've bypassed the Ashdown's preamp section. So it has 0.0 effect. If you want to make changes you'll have to use the Digbeth's EQ controls I haven't had an Ashdown in years, but when I had an ABM300 Evo II C210T I always thought it sounded very boomy and needed quite a cut in the low frequencies to work for me. Especially with a 5-string. Not sure if that's the preamp voicing or the amp as a whole, but I could imagine it being the latter.

I've got a great idea for a headstock logo too! Quick, where's my sharpie...

Some early Stingray prototypes had a reverse P pickup in the MM pickup position. So indeed absolutely nothing like on the Joe Dart shorty, but it's not weird either.

Not too familiar with PayPal (haven't used it in years, I only had it for my eBay ventures and it's been well over 10 years that I last used that). How is a Friends & Family payment different in terms of buyer protection?

Yes, Jochanan Bax was fired from his position of CEO in January - by his brother and FIL. He'll possibly be looking into buying back the company though.

Ha, I wasn't aware. I only know Hosco from their luthery and guitar maintenance tools. I have some Hosco-branded polish pads and a vintage truss rod adjuster (for the old Fender-style neck heel adjuster type with a crosshead). All excellent stuff. Never knew they also sold guitar hardware under that brand name.

That's lovely! I've always liked the smaller bodied American Deluxe Jazz Basses of the late 90s and early 00s and kinda want one. They made lefty 4-strings in sunburst and a pretty cool black metallic finish with gold pickguard. I'd really love one of the black ones! Prices are gradually going up though, it seems.

Probably! Sanding a radius exposes these layers, but I recon you'd only see the top one if it was perfectly flat. Although I expect a little sanding will always be applied to properly level it after carving it to the right thickness. Unless the laminates are manufactured to extremely high tolerances, and come out exactly right.

The boards on my Status basses are too - you can clearly see the layers thanks to the fingerboard radius. This is my 2012 S2 Classic 5, after applying a little WD40: