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I have a few of Alan's basses: http://www.acguitars.co.uk/acg_admin/wordpress/portfolio/0120-custom-j-type-fretless-4-string/ ; http://www.acguitars.co.uk/acg_admin/wordpress/portfolio/0178-recurve-4/ ; http://www.acguitars.co.uk/acg_admin/wordpress/portfolio/g025-finn-4/ ; http://www.acguitars.co.uk/acg_admin/wordpress/portfolio/g019-j-type-fretless-4/ Starting with the easy bits, I really like the flat board and asymmetric neck although I will 'fess up and say my custom fretless has a radiussed board. All of mine are under 9lbs weight and balance really well on the lap or on the strap, however if you play sitting down a lot I would probably suggest that the Finn body shape might not be the best option due to the lower horn being quite small. Personally I prefer the double cut body styles and the custom headstock shape. I'm also a big fan of the filter preamps; I know they are not to everyones taste but are worth checking out before you make a decision. You can dial up all sorts of tones from double bass to a really agressive bark. The passive basses with the 4-way switch are also great if you prefer that arrangement, different options to VVT or VBT and I think the new ACG 2-band EQ will combine the 4-way switching option with active/passive switching with a 2-band EQ in active mode as well as still having a tone control in passive mode. If there is any way you can get to the MBB it is worth the effort as there will be a lot of ACGs to try if the past few years are anything to go by. There are also a few on here for sale and if you get a good deal on a preloved one you get to have an extendede trial and are unlikely to lose much f anything if you move it on. I have had a go on the Border Reiver 4-string travel bass and I think it's a great bass; so light and well balanced. I'm not aware that Alan charges more for lefties, but Dread Bass on this forum is similarly afflicted and could not doubt put you straight on this point (or just ask Alan who is really helpful). Not to mention really patient with me as I'm sure I must ask him loads of daft questions. For what Alan charges for hand made basses you will be getting an exceptional instrument for considerably less dosh than a lot of other luthiers charge. Naturally my opinion may be a tiny bit clouded as you might imagine

Just acquired the new Waterboys CD and after a few listens I have to say that imvho it's one of the best records I've heard in the last couple of years. Some great song writing, please give it a listen.

[quote name='pajc72' timestamp='1421881334' post='2666303'] For those having a problem printing, I've just uploaded all the books again with printing restrictions removed. Apologies for that! [/quote] Thanks very much. Also to all others for helpful suggestions.

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1421853452' post='2665805'] Which album was that? Perhaps some have different permissions. I've only looked at Sgt Pepper. [/quote] It was Please Please Me. Not tried any others but will do to see if I get the same thing.

I gig all my ACG basses; no point owning a beatiful bass if you don't play it. That having been said the replacement cost for them ranges between £800 and £1,600 so not in the Fodera et al price range, but still not an insignificant amount of cash by any standard. I do have a bass for the less salubrious venues though.

I'm not sure that's the case as it would mean that you only ever heard the fundamental when you pluck a string. Just stick a spectrum analyser on the pickup output and you'll see all sorts going on.

I tried this when I first had the problem and got this: [attachment=181648:Permissions.jpg]

Have you seen these, 4-string R*********er like basses for £249 [url="http://www.probass.co.uk/Home.html"]http://www.probass.co.uk/Home.html[/url]

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1421786424' post='2665076'] I've used Acrobat reader and Foxit (free pdf reader), both print OK. Do you know what you are using to view the PDFs ? [/quote] Adobe Acrobat. It came bundled with my laptop.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1421763470' post='2664653'] Ah. User error then! [/quote] My download still says in the Permission box that you can't print it. I am a techno muppet though so if anybody can tell me what I'm doing wrong that would be good.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1421744320' post='2664416'] Err… It's just a PDF you print out individual pages just like any other PDF. [/quote] [quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1421757141' post='2664567'] Your browser may be displaying them in its window. You need to download and then view with any PDF viewer. You can then select any page(s) to print. Printing direct from the browser is usually a mess. [/quote] I tried all the downloading and printing but it looks to me like the file is protected to disable printing.

Excellent resource. Is there a way to print out an individual tab?

That's really nice. Is the bass new as I can't see it on Alan's website?

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1421352629' post='2660342'] Fender and Rickenbacker have both tried fanned frets in the 60's, soon ditched. [/quote] Wow, never knew that. Any pics?

I play fretless a lot of the time, however some tunes do seem to need frets.

All presumably quite good for metal OK, OK, I'm going now.

Do you think crowd-funding a 1960 stack knob jazz would be achievable? Probably not I suspect

[quote name='wingnutkj' timestamp='1421226132' post='2658522'] It's generally the first thing I do with a new bass - if there's some kind of position indicator on the volume and tone knobs, I'll line them up so that they're pointing vertically when fully on. It's especially important on Jazz basses, because if you like them up to be vertical when fully on, they'll follow the line of the control plate when fully off, and that's nice and neat. It ASTOUNDS me that they don't do this in the factory. Do people just not care? Is it just me? [/quote] What a relief; I know I'm a bit OCD about stuff. Glad not to be alone

J/MM?

There are complex foumlae available involving things like string mass per unit length, scale length and pitch of the string. I'm sure I've seen something on the D'Addario website about it. Dingwalls definitely allow you to use lighter strings across the bass and achieve a nice balanced tension which for me is a big positive. From what I remember the Dingwall strings have pretty well chosen gauges. For a 'standard' bass with a 34" scale my personal favs are the D'Addario BT170 balanced tension set which have gauges of 45/60/80/107. I suspect that construction of individual strings plays a part too, and then all the voodoo about string break angles etc (in the sense that it's harder to quantify easily).

I think it's the other way round. To achieve the same tension, the shorter the scale, the heavier the string needs to be. For example try tuning two adjacent strings on your bass to the same pitch which replicates a heavier and a lighter string .

I think I'm going to agree to differ with you kodiakblair.

I quite enjoyed them, but moved mine on in the end. I can't quite get the idea of the Super P & J where the scale length on the upper strings is shorter than a Fender. Presumable to go for heavier strings, seems to fly in the face of the purpose of a Dingwall.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1420927640' post='2655263'] I had a cherry burst one with Amber L.E.D's. Was a great bass. [/quote] There's actually a NS-94 with LEDs on evil bay at the moment. Pity about the LEDs, I'm really not a fan.

I have imported (an exported) a fair few containers in my time. Import duty, VAT, customs charges, inspection charges, storage, fuel (I could go on) are very real costs and all go on top of the shipping cost from where ever you ship from. In my case eastern europe and the far east mostly. Clearly the more stuff you have in a countainer the lower the unit cost of all the above will be. I used to ship 40ft containers of fabric around, so light, a bit bulky but you can get a lot in so my unit cost was less than £1. But clearly a different situation, as from a shipping perspective less to go wrong in transit. Take a bass, in a box, in a container then the unit cost will spiral upwards to a significantly higher value. Not that up to date on shipping costs (it used to cost me around USD1,500 for a 40ft container from China) so can't speculate but I suspect the unit cost would be around £30-£40 for a container stuffed full of instruments. I could be a bit out here as I said. Also to note that the US have a sales tax that varies from state to state which is analagous to our VAT. If you are exporting you knock that off and check charged at the point of entry to the EU at the rate prevailing.