Machines

The only way is up, don't forget that the £ has inflated since then. £330 in 2004 is equivalent to £540 now, which is about how much a MIM is currently (see https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator)

I'm glad they're diversifying from the usual occasional rarer colours. The Sunset Metallic Super P I quite like, although the pau ferro looks awful (never had and never will have this on a board). However this 2TS Jazz looks like pure crap. It looks likes someone's first attempt at sunburst in a garage with a spray can from Halfords: https://www.andertons.co.uk/brands/squier/squier-40th-anniversary-jazz-bass-vintage-edition-satin-wide-2-colour-sunburst

If it helps, I've been trying to play Panic Attack by Dream Theater for 2 years. I'm just at the point I can do it without any errors.

Have looked up the tab here: https://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/mastodon-blood-and-thunder-bass-tab-s12344 It looks simple, but there's some tricky parts eg bars 6 & 8 . Muscle memory is going to be key here. I'll give it a go after dinner and see where the pitfalls are.

I have struggled to sell anything on FB/Gumtree etc, but via comm sale at BassDirect, everything has gone in a couple of weeks at a price I wanted (more than FB !)

I'm doing alright, seen a couple of well priced basses but nothing i'd keep. Since selling 2, i've put more attention on the ones that are actually here, which so far is proving to work well. So much so in fact, i'm considering selling one more of them, but knowing the money would very much burn a hole in my pocket. I'm not sure I have a 'gap' that needs filling, in terms of tone currently.

That's the thing with 'wood finishes', there is a variation in them and it's not guaranteed you'll get the best exemplar of it. I've seen a few with quite a blurry flame/quilt, that one looks quite focused though. That said, my Poplar Burl one is outstanding, i'm posting it again for posturing purposes.

2013 Lakland 55-60 Custom

If that were my collection, i'd be thinning them out (if required) based on duplication. There's 2 P basses and 2 Stingrays. The others look unique enough to be justified.

I have come to the conclusion you have too many hats.

https://dingwallguitars.com/blog/88-general-news/262-fret-marks

That's what happens when you go to BassDirect bored. Great score.

I also had an Combustion NG3, it was something i'd lusted after for a few years, and it was not a disappointment when I got it. However overtime I found myself just preferring 'normal' basses as most of the music I played didn't need a B string at all, and whilst they are as ergonomic as such a long scale can be, it wasn't as comfortable as a 34/35". In the end, I just didn't need such an expensive bass collecting dust and sold it. I think there's a market gap for a mid-range fanned fret that isn't a 'metal' bass (e.g. Ibanez, ESP etc). Gear4Music has the Coliseum 5/6 which is the cheapest going, but poorly ergonomically designed instruments, despite sounding good.

My GB95 is from 2011. It's got Seymour Duncan pickups and is quite lively, not sure the preamp is the best (SD designed, rather than SD) but it's quite similar to the proper SD preamp I had in my Tobias. I'm 90% going to get a coil tap for the humbucker to open up even more possibilities. It only cost me £450 and was mint, that was probably even a bit more than the going rate - but it's really not far off a Lakland 55-02. I'd wager the body/neck are made by the same machines/people.

Bridge and pickups are £350 alone (well, to buy separately). I assume a decent preamp too so let's call it £400 before you've got tuners (probably hipshot ultra lights) there's another £100. Looks like roasted maple, with fancy top too. I'm sticking to the £1k, if it's less it won't be by too much. Then again, Cort do have a way of undercutting others.

Updates coming in March, website says. Looks like a GB with roasted maple neck and expensive bridge/pickups. I expect this to be £1k+

I get good service, but have been going there since it was running from a garage in a farmers field in 2008ish. It is very much the owner's business, there are no other shareholders that work there. He has the prerogative to run the business however he wishes, but the consequences of which will eventually be present in the accounts. There is the potential more money could be made with a better service, and there have been a lot of lost sales. But if he's making enough money to do what he wants in life - then that's how it is.

Great review, surprising how similar it sounds to my Euro LX4 with Aguilar pickups

FYI they'll have a new website with realtime stock levels in a month or two.

These are the next logical step to replace my B3n, but it does look overengineered and overpriced for my needs. I'd be happy with no touch screen and just a few updated/better effects/GUI.

It's a great way of projecting your own issues onto someone else and the blaming them for the decision.

That's as close as I could get, but it's still got plenty of presence. I think it may be bolt on vs neck through, different body woods, active EQ etc. Very different sound.

I had one for a couple of months recently, plated great bit the pickups were indeed the weak point. Had to max treble on outboard preamp just to make it sound like a normal passive tone.

False alarm. Had a practice on Weds and it was superb. Warm P bass sounds aren't happening with the Euro, but getting lost in the mix is definitely not a risk factor.

You're all weak. I have managed 2 weeks not only not buying anything, but not even finding anything I want. To add extra self congratulations, I'm also selling 2 tomorrow. Hah.