Sparky Mark

Guys, you should be conducting this conversation by direct messages.

4 hours ago, shoulderpet said:

Honestly because of the scale length and the small tuners you are a bit restricted, Labella or TI (the Hofner sets for both) are both very good, the TI's being more articulate and the Labellas being thumper.

When I used a Hofner I started on the Labellas but ended up using Thomastik infield as the lower tension suited me better.

TI's are the only flats I've ever enjoyed playing. I think it's because they are low tension. 

I used to own a lovely Bongo 4H and never had an output level issue. The one problem I had was the point of the lower bout digging into my thigh when playing whilst seated. I think that is an ergonomic fail. Standing up it's not a problem. 

Hofner make flatwounds, which are about the cheapest out there. 

9 hours ago, bakerster135 said:

Yep, cheap screen-printed replacement decal. Font and pat/des numbers totally incorrect. 1964 onwards pat numbers with the end two the wrong way around.

 

Rest of it looks quite passable but the photos aren't near detailed enough. Need to at least see if it's a slab board and the neck end pencil date. 

 

 

The lack of wear on the neck is inconsistent with the heavy wear on the body. I'd wager the incorrect decal was added following the neck being refinished.

The warmer air in your cabin will rise to the ceiling and likely permeate through the panels and any moisture will condense on a colder surface. Every time you open the cabin door, moist air from your garage will enter and the cycle repeats. Hot drinks and your breathing also add moisture to the cabin air. If the cabin is effectively sealed there's nowhere for the moisture to go other than condense on the cold surface in the ceiling. Ventilation is the best way to reduce humidity in both your garage and cabin and continue with your dehumidifiers.

11 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

Completely agree, it's also a bit one sided isn't, we get to moan about them, sometimes by name, they get to apologise or similar. I'd love to hear what they have to say about some of us (note I have an excellent solicitor)!  

Contrary to the popular saying, the Customer isn't always right, but is always the Customer.

15 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

Not trying to get into a fight, but to be honest these days it's a reasonable response.

 

First, it's probably going to take him longer to look it all up while on the phone that it would have taken you, and he might have more calls waiting a shop full of customers also wanting attention. OK he might have been. alittle more polite if he only said what's written....

 

Second, given it's all on the website, what more can he tell you over the phone about the pros/cons of what they have in stock that you can't get one one or more internet forums (if I were going to buy any gear new the last place I'd trust for advice would be the shop and the first place I'd trust would be Basschat)

 

Good to hear that Will at BB was very helpful, but I've hear bad stuff about him also. Bottom line is that you can get lucky and catch someone at a good moment, or get unlucky and catch them at a bad one. Doesn;t make Bass Direct or Bass Bros or the people who work in them good or bad, just human 👍

 

 

Agreed, but the BD website does invite calls:-

3 hours ago, Rodders said:

My last contact with BD was a phone call asking about lightweight 4ohm cab options they available, the response was "Everything we have is on the website" - not interested in helping me or any discussion.  

So I called Bass Bros, Will was very helpful so I visited in person and came away with a awesome cab and a new bass!

This seems to be the result of poor customer service training, unless it was Mark you spoke with? If I worked at BD and were too busy at that point to discuss your options, I would've asked for your email address so I could send you links to some relevant cabs in stock when I was able.  That shouldn't be too hard and would keep you interested. 

In my experience, many music shop employees are budding musicians first, with little to no CS training.

1 hour ago, sblueplanet said:

Just a pity they dont use the teacup controls on the modern budget Hofners.

They do on the Ignition SE Bassman. The teacups are quite expensive hence not on the very cheapest models.

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/hofner-ignition-violin-bass-se-bassman-sunburst/

Some great photos of Herbie plus some close ups of his 59J (page 2)

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/herbie-flowers

1 minute ago, NAS Bass said:

Located near Tunbridge Wells - TN19. Happy to travel for a meet

Canterbury wins. 😀

I really, really, really don't need another bass, but I'm five pints in and I love a PJ and Bareknuckle wind fantastic pickups, so I hope this one is far away from Hertford. 

19 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Where are you based @NAS Bass?

Yeah, you can't say collection preferred but don't say where from. Lol.

Bargain bump!!!

Beautiful. I'd put a tortoishell pickguard on it and have a pimped Pino.

And he never suffered from GAS. I think he only ever owned that one tuba, upright and J bass for his whole career.

On 04/09/2024 at 06:53, police squad said:

for me, the ignition pickups are the wrong shape. Also the neck joint is different.

 

The pickups and control plate on the Ignition models are true to the Japanese made parts fitted to some German 80/90s basses. It makes sense to me that the Japanese tooling would've transferred more readily to the Chinese Hofner factory some time after Japanese production ceased.

I loved that man. Herbie's son Nick attended my secondary school for a while and Herbie started my bass playing passion by lending me a Fender bassman combo and bass guitar for a few months until I could afford my own. Meeting him 40 years later at the 2016 SE Basshchat get together was very emotional for me; as is the news of his passing.

11 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 

Exactly. Even a line saying "reasonable offers considered" would let potential buyers know there's room for flexibility and wouldn't make it an auction.

Good advice. I've just updated a couple of my bass for sale ads with that comment. Not sure it'll make a difference as they're both pretty niche instruments, but worth adding anyway. 

I do have a few relic basses, which have been done really well IMO. I couldn't buy a Pino P any other way unfortunately. I'm okay with them because I don't get stressed when they pick up dings on gigs. I hate scratching pristine basses. YMMV of course. 

15 hours ago, Owen said:

BF 410 in Orange Tolex? Like Hannah Montanna.....

Get Alex to guarantee the tolex won't peel off though. 

I think the only way to guarantee that our photos can't be hijacked is to include a post-it note in every photo stating the bass is only for sale on Basschat, and no other marketplace. Otherwise, the frauds can just select the photos without. 

Is a photo of the back available? Cheers.