2025 Gear Abstinence Thread

[HeadlessBassist]

9 minutes ago, Richard R said:

 

(my emphasis)

Also - are you a time traveller? 

 

 

No that I know of, unless the Chameleon Circuit on my Warwick Alien/Tardis case is working very well indeed.

[Geek99]

16 minutes ago, Richard R said:

 

(my emphasis)

Also - are you a time traveller? 

 

Possibly he is fat fingered and meant 2009. 
I still say it looks cheap and nasty**. Probably from the reduced section

 

 

not really. 

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

Absolutely - It's the 'Happy Shopper' variety of one-off KingBass MkII from 2019.  

 

It's defective - it's got a headstock. Turn your name badge in immediately.

[HeadlessBassist]

8 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

It's defective - it's got a headstock. Turn your name badge in immediately.

 

So is this helping you lot feel better? I spent ALL the money, so you guys don't have to. 🫣

[Stub Mandrel]

On 15/02/2025 at 14:40, ezbass said:

BOOM! Tier 1 fail!

 

 

 

I thought surgical appliances were tier 2?

[Geek99]

On 22/02/2025 at 14:17, HeadlessBassist said:

 

So is this helping you lot feel better? I spent ALL the money, so you guys don't have to. 🫣

I think the new pope should move you to pole position on the “new saints” list. 

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I thought surgical appliances were tier 2?

It is an attractive piece of kit.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

*If you like carbuncles.

[fretmeister]

If I have a box of electronic components and after having looked through them realise I actually have enough bits to make a fuzz pedal... but I'd need to buy an enclosure...

 

Would buying the enclosure be a breach? 

[paul_5]

6 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

If I have a box of electronic components and after having looked through them realise I actually have enough bits to make a fuzz pedal... but I'd need to buy an enclosure...

 

Would buying the enclosure be a breach? 

Dunno, technically it’s not allowed, but it could be argued that it’s essential; have you ever used an unshielded fuzz pedal? I don’t recommend it!

[msb]

Long &McQuade are the big retailer here in Canada , and they have a big February blowout sale every February. It was this weekend . I received an email the day before the sale saying some strings I ordered back in December had finally arrived. I didn’t want to pick them up while the sale was on and things would be somewhat crazy. I’m not in a panic to get them. I did go online to see what deals might be in the works. Looked at my usual downtown location , and then checked the store across the harbour in Dartmouth. Checked the Bedford store at the other end of the harbour and even looked at Truro , about an hours drive. 
I’m safe.

I’ll pick up the strings Tuesday or Wednesday. 

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, paul_5 said:

Dunno, technically it’s not allowed, but it could be argued that it’s essential; have you ever used an unshielded fuzz pedal? I don’t recommend it!

 

I suppose I could gut an existing awful pedal and see if the bits would fit.

I've got a Boss ODB-3 lying about somewhere!

 

Or build it into a food delivery tupperware thing!

 

[Mrbigstuff]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

I suppose I could gut an existing awful pedal and see if the bits would fit.

I've got a Boss ODB-3 lying about somewhere!

 

Or build it into a food delivery tupperware thing!

 

That’s the spirit! 

[bass_dinger]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

I suppose I could gut an existing awful pedal and see if the bits would fit.

I am sure that someone out in the land of  basschat.co.uk will have a genuinely broken or gutted pedal that they will otherwise throw away. Let's see if something turns up. 

 

4 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I have a box of electronic components and after having looked through them realise I actually have enough bits to make a fuzz pedal...

Wow.  What are the odds of that!? Definitely worth....er....tidying up that box of bits. 

[Richard R]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

I suppose I could gut an existing awful pedal and see if the bits would fit.

I've got a Boss ODB-3 lying about somewhere!

 

Or build it into a food delivery tupperware thing!

 

 

A Tupperware food box (or Uppercase food box as my phone prefers to type) might not be strong enough, but would look rather cool if it were transparent. 

[Stub Mandrel]

On 23/02/2025 at 15:40, Geek99 said:

I think the new pope should move you to pole position on the “new saints” list. 

 

Hold on, Trump hasn't appointed the new Pope yet!

[Stub Mandrel]

7 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Or build it into a food delivery tupperware thing!

 

I did exactly that in the 1980s... I saw the remains of it a while ago, I'll see if I can find it.

[Velarian]

I have to declare a tier 1 fail.

 

I'd always envisaged that when I failed, it would be for a significant and worthy cause e.g. a vintage p-bass. However, it's ended up being for an entirely frivolous and low-level reason. When I put together my bitsa p-bass over 3 years ago, I ended up with a hand-fashioned acrylic control plate as a temporary solution because I couldn't source a steel/chrome one. I always said I'd address that later if and when the right part came available. Well last week, a chap in the Netherlands posted on another thread saying he was making them and I couldn't let the opportunity pass. So, I bought one and it arrived this morning.

 

I'm happy that I've managed to go well over 2 1/2 years without any significant purchases, so I've proved to myself that I'm reasonably GAS resistant. I'm sure I'll be back on the wagon next year and I'm hoping I win the lottery this year so I can get a vintage p-bass during this outage. 😉

 

 

[Phill]

I’m out! With the most boring purchase of a big standard DI Box for £22.99 😩

[HeadlessBassist]

On 22/02/2025 at 11:15, Geek99 said:

Possibly he is fat fingered and meant 2009. 
I still say it looks cheap and nasty**. Probably from the reduced section

 

 

not really. 

No, my KingBass MkII is the "penultimate" one ever made, out of around 60 total production. It was a one-off special order in 2019 for a customer in Hawaii who had already ordered about 7 other Statii. Even though the main of KingBass MkII production was between around 2008 & 2010, the last ever MkII was made in 2020. I played one Mark King's personal MkII's at the factory back in about 2008 and always wanted one. I tried to get one made in 2014, but it wasn't worth them reprogramming the CNC machine for a one-off bass, so this is the realisation of a 17 year wait. 

[neepheid]

Well folks, that's me bowing out.  I have just taken delivery of a bass which has been living rent-free in my head for about 12 years.  A Greco LGB-700, three pickup.

 

 

More pics later, but it needs a bloody good clean, new strings and a setup.  There will be mucho bass fettling tonight.

 

And in case you're wondering about how I know about the 12 year thing...

 

 

[Kev]

Bugger, forgot about this. 

 

New DI = me out

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Well folks, that's me bowing out.  I have just taken delivery of a bass which has been living rent-free in my head for about 12 years.  A Greco LGB-700, three pickup.

 

 

More pics later, but it needs a bloody good clean, new strings and a setup.  There will be mucho bass fettling tonight.

 

And in case you're wondering about how I know about the 12 year thing...

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Kev said:

Bugger, forgot about this. 

 

New DI = me out

2 quality abstinence fails, right there. Well played 👏👏👏.

[Richard R]

Blimey! I step away for a few days and you're all splurging cash like there's no tomorrow!

Mind you, given the state of the world right now that may be an accurate assessment.

I shall update the list on P2.

[Geek99]

I’m holding the line 

[Stub Mandrel]

I bought a tuner for £15.

 

It wasn't essential but I need a reliable  tuner and lead in each bass case.