Conan

[quote name='bassatnight' timestamp='1368441477' post='2076987'] the lad in question is now the very happy owner of a 1994 Stingray. £550 sealed the deal.[/quote] Great price for a great bass that will certainly (at least) hold its value! Maybe not what I would call a real "all rounder" though... but we could argue about that till the high horses come home!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1368275576' post='2075193'] This thread is like a microcosm of Basschat at it's worst. [/quote] It's certainly heading that way. Tie up your high horses here....!

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368437997' post='2076937']I would say that anybody who is that upset about him revoking membership from himself is probably only upset because of either his status, or the information and help he could provide to people here. I'll not lose sleep over it.[/quote] I'm not upset, and I won't lose any sleep either - but I think some people need to engage their brain a bit more before hitting the "post" button. None of us are perfect, but some people seem to think that it is their right to say exactly what they want to say - and (to quote Tom Petty) damn the torpedoes.

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1368396461' post='2076669'] Water under the bridge, eh? Is that why the thread title clearly suggests Kiwi is not lovely? Is that why you feel the need to repeat your oversensitive response to an interwebs remark? Is that why you feel the need to use constructs like "well within my rights" and "to the point of slander"? Well, I don't buy it. You could simply have said: "Kiwi, mate, I don't know what happened, but as far as I can remember, I've never done what you think I've done." We all know what you opted for instead. The pressure on Kiwi must have been enormous. Myself having been on the receiving end of similar, potentially income threatening remarks, I surely think I understand your feelings. They can however be dealt with in vastly better ways. best, bert [/quote] I would have had a lot more respect for you, bert, If you had raised this with GP by PM. This is old news and things were calming down. WTF did you have to start it up again for? I am normally a big fan of your posts, but this one?

No Cinema Show? What a rip off. I must make an effort to catch the Newcastle show...

Which particular brand of crane do you use to lift it?

I once owned a pair of Ashdowns, but I am not a knocker! The MAG 410s were incredibly bright, almost brittle-sounding with both an Ampeg SVT200-T and (even more so) my Hartke LH500. They could have done with a horn attenuator really, but woolly they definitely were NOT!

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1368307055' post='2075623'] Dunlop plastic strap locks. Useful in an emergency. About £1.99 for two. [/quote] Grolsch (or similar) rubber washers. Do the same job (sometimes better) and cost nothing at all once you've bought the beer. Or you could think of it as cheap straplocks with free beer thrown in! And another big plus one for the Behringer BDI21

Second hand Geddy Lee J bass? There's a nice one on here for £450....

The differences in shape and profile between my Status and Geddy lee Jazz couldn't be greater - and yet both feel like slipping on an old pair of slippers!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1368119436' post='2073507'] Mr. Nice chap from Lakland replied to say they frequently offer strings to all their UK dealers, but none take them up on it... [/quote] Hmmmm. The old vicious circle isn't it? If there is no demand for the strings you can't try them out... and if nobody can try them out there will never be any demand for them!

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1368088163' post='2072935']So, if you're running good gear, be safe and get the best cables you can for sensible money. I use OBBM's cables, because they are good quality and they won’t break the bank.[/quote] This. It's the old ha'porth of tar argument isn't it? How many of us own thousands of pounds worth of amplification and basses, but scrimp on the cheap items like strings, picks, straps and leads!? False economy. OK, maybe there is no real sonic difference between crap speaker cable and OBBM's stuff. But I'd rather not take that chance for the sake of an extra tenner here and there.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1368086280' post='2072906'] Just admit it, man. You're no better than Starbucks. [/quote] When I was importing coffee from Costa Rica (and paying all due taxes on it, I might add!) and using my Italian espresso machine.... I was MUCH better than Starbucks!! Although I do have a bit of a soft spot for their caramel wafer things...

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1368028544' post='2072254'] Just wondering if any of the contributors to this thread (those wondering how to avoid import tax) were outraged with Starbucks, Amazon etc. for their tax avoidance antics. [/quote] Yep. And I have no problem paying the costs/taxes for stuff imported from the States, I just like to know in advance whether I will be charged, and how much. Is that a lot to ask?

Had a ticket to see then in Newcastle on sunday night but was ill.... Gutted.

Some people will go to great lengths to get an audience...

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1367931373' post='2071131']BTW your neck and body build is going along nicely [/quote] Thanks for the update Dr Frankenstein.... but how is his bass progressing?

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1368025627' post='2072211']If I send you a fiver will you rip us a copy on your CD Bhuna please? [/quote] Ah! Some top-quality punnage there my friend! Back OT... I don't really have what you might call heroes or idols; but there are quite a few bassists whose style and or tone interests me. Owning (or at least borrowing) the same type of bass that they used allows you to get some kind of feel for whether the instrument facilitated or hindered their playing. Or at least it kind of does, because every individual bass varies of course - but at least it gives you an idea of what was going on in their hands, if not in their heads! You can also explore some of their individual technique better if you have a similar instrument, knowing that the differences between the way you sound on a sixties J and the way Jaco sounded on one (for example) is down to the differences between you and he, rather than the guitar itself. Does that make sense?

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368024843' post='2072194'] You don't avoid the duty though. It goes on the value of the products, not who they were bought or sent from. [/quote] And annoyingly it seems to be completely random whether you get charged or not! How does that work? Do they only check a certain number of packages?

I'm quite a big Muse fan, and I especially like the drummer. Think I'll go and listen to the Origin of Symmetry right now in fact. When I'm in the mood, I like to Pop a Dom CD in....