Tue - February 13, 2007
New Arrivals
Well, I've said goodbye to several nice basses
recently. Both my Schack 5 string and my CB 5 string were sold on eBay. The
reason was that I managed to pick up a Tyler 5 string in psychedelic vomit
finish.
I played a Tyler 5 string for a couple of years and I really loved it. I'm not sure why I sold it, but I always kinda missed it. That was the bass that I used for the majority of the Benny Mao album. Here's a picture of me playing it.
I also found a vintage pic of me in college. This was probably around 1996!
Good times.....
I played a Tyler 5 string for a couple of years and I really loved it. I'm not sure why I sold it, but I always kinda missed it. That was the bass that I used for the majority of the Benny Mao album. Here's a picture of me playing it.
I also found a vintage pic of me in college. This was probably around 1996!
Good times.....
Posted at 09:32 PM
Fri - January 19, 2007
NAMM Show
As usual, the annual winter NAMM event was held
out here in southern California. I only got the chance to spend one day there.
Over the years, I've gotten less and less excited about gear. I mostly just
went to say hi to people and to take silly photos. Here's
one.
Can you believe what it says on the headstock?
I also wanted to get a photo with the bass player from Korn. I did, but it's on someone else's camera. I'll update the blog when I get it.
In other news, there's some new stuff. The variety of gear that's available to us gets better every year.
Can you believe what it says on the headstock?
I also wanted to get a photo with the bass player from Korn. I did, but it's on someone else's camera. I'll update the blog when I get it.
In other news, there's some new stuff. The variety of gear that's available to us gets better every year.
Posted at 10:18 PM
Thu - January 11, 2007
Happy New Year!
Here's to another great year of low
end!
I haven't been gigging at all, and I've slowed down a lot on the bass collecting. But the weather's been good (can you believe 88 degrees in winter?), so I've been heading out on my mountain bike as often as possible. It's easy to be a mountain bike gearhead. Here's my ride:
I haven't been gigging at all, and I've slowed down a lot on the bass collecting. But the weather's been good (can you believe 88 degrees in winter?), so I've been heading out on my mountain bike as often as possible. It's easy to be a mountain bike gearhead. Here's my ride:
Posted at 05:53 AM
Thu - December 21, 2006
Gibson Leland Sklar Signature Model Bass
Somehow I managed to find one of these rare
basses. It was just luck, really. Lee Sklar is my favourite bass player in the
universe, so it's kind of cool to have a bass with his name on
it.
Posted at 11:04 AM
Tue - November 7, 2006
Not Gone Yet
I'm still around! Just updating as I watch the
election returns on television. It's kinda like sports--I'm not really big on
who the winner is, as long as it's a good
match.
So I got a couple of new basses, both blue. There's a Modulus Flea J2 and a G&L L-2000. Both are very nice. The L-2000 is heavier than most basses I'm used to, but it sounds great. I like a really round, deep low end and the L-2000 has it in spades. Here's the obligatory photograph.
So I got a couple of new basses, both blue. There's a Modulus Flea J2 and a G&L L-2000. Both are very nice. The L-2000 is heavier than most basses I'm used to, but it sounds great. I like a really round, deep low end and the L-2000 has it in spades. Here's the obligatory photograph.
Posted at 07:20 PM
Tue - August 22, 2006
New stuff...not a lot of it.
Haven't been buying (or playing) basses as much
lately. I was in a cycling accident last week--hit the road going about 25 mph.
The scrapes and cuts are healing pretty well, but I snapped the rear derailleur
on my bike.
My 44-02 has a new pickguard though!
My 44-02 has a new pickguard though!
Posted at 05:05 AM
Fri - July 21, 2006
Non-Update Update
No, I'm not completely gone; just really busy.
Just got back from Wheaton, IL, where I was attending a conference. The week
prior, I was at a conference at the church where I work. And BEFORE that, I was
at Youth Camp. Fortunately, many of these events gave me at least some chance
to play bass.
The southern California summer has been hot--even hotter than usual, I reckon. I've been able to bike commute most days of the week, but some days, I just need the air conditioning. I alternate between my road bike and my mountain bike, which has a pair of slick tires for good rollability (yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not a real word). It's easy to be a gear freak with bicycles too, so I have to be careful.
In other news, I managed to sell a few more of my basses, most notably my Gary Willis fretless and Dingwall Z1. Sad to see them go, but time marches on. I also have my Spector NS-2O up for sale, but it looks like that might go through eBay. I actually sold the Dingwall on eBay (for $1425!); didn't hear from the high bidder, so I put it up on the Dudepit and found a buyer pretty easily. I wanted to get a refund on my eBay Final Value Fee, so I filed a non-paying bidder thing and I said that "Buyer and seller agreed not to complete the transaction"--not entirely true, but the high bidder confirmed it so I got a refund. Which is cool, but I put that high bidder on my blocked list. Not cool, man.
Oh yeah...eBay bidders need to be aware of these fake "Second Chance Offers" going around. Somebody got a Second Chance Offer for my Dingwall at $500! Just remember what they say about things that sound too good to be true. Also, I'm pretty sure that legit SCO's show up in your My eBay. Just be careful out there. I was just watching on TV about the Pastor who was murdered by his wife. Apparently, they were in some financial trouble because they got caught in one of those Nigerian scams. So be careful. No bass is worth getting yourself into trouble with family or friends.
So anyway...I'm planning on keeping five basses:
MTD 535: The sentimental favourite. I'm trying to learn to have things long-term. Besides, I love how this bass looks and plays; I feel it's a little too bright for my playing style, but a friend of mine is going to be trying out some new electronics options on his 535. If they work out for him, then I'll consider swapping the pickups. If not, I'll still keep it.
Schack Unique 5: I like this bass a lot, and I have a feeling I'll like it even more as I get the chance to play it more often. Additionally, I doubt I could sell it for very much here in the States.
Lakland Skyline Glaub: This is one of the Glaubs with a Hammon Dark Star pickup and it is excellent in every way. It's just a fun machine to play, and it does what a bass is supposed to do.
Lakland Skyline 44-02: I just got this bass last week, but I've taken a real liking to it. It looks really nice and it weighs only a few pounds. It's really one of the good ones. Who knew that import basses could be this good?
Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass: This is my beater bass. I leave it at work for when I need something to play.
I still have my USA Kramer-era Spector and my modded MIM P-Bass to sell, along with a couple of guitars. Wow, lots of gear.
The 535 was always my dream bass. When I was just starting out, I could never imagine myself really having one. So my desire for a 535 goes way back.
My 28th birthday is coming soon, and it will mark my tenth year of playing bass. A lot has happened since then, but I'm happy to say that I still get that simple thrill of laying down the low end. Of course, sometimes I find myself less motivated to play; it's a challenge to get myself into the same space that I so easily reached when everything was still new. But in any case, bass has been very good to me.
Anyway, to break up all this text, here' s a pic of my 44-02. You may have seen it before; it's pretty unique.
The story on this is that it started out as a regular Korean-made Skyline, but was refinished in this cool trans white with a matching headstock. Someone put a USA Lakie decal on the headstock. It looks like a USA, but there are still a few things that are pretty easy to spot: the inlays are plastic (they use maple dots on the inlays for the USA models) and the bridge saddles and tuner posts are matte finished instead of chrome. Also, you can't see from the front, but the neck bolts on Skylines are black instead of silver like on the American ones. So there you have it--a basic guide to determining whether a Lakland bass is USA or Korean.
I'm listening to the Demolition Man soundtrack. I don't think I've seen the movie, but it has some cool Sting live tracks from Italy. King of Pain, Shape of my Heart, Love is Stronger than Justice, It's Probably Me, and A Day in the Life. Pretty hip. Sounds like Vinnie Colaiuta is on drums. It's probably the Ten Summoner's Tales band.
Keep it real. And sleek.
The southern California summer has been hot--even hotter than usual, I reckon. I've been able to bike commute most days of the week, but some days, I just need the air conditioning. I alternate between my road bike and my mountain bike, which has a pair of slick tires for good rollability (yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not a real word). It's easy to be a gear freak with bicycles too, so I have to be careful.
In other news, I managed to sell a few more of my basses, most notably my Gary Willis fretless and Dingwall Z1. Sad to see them go, but time marches on. I also have my Spector NS-2O up for sale, but it looks like that might go through eBay. I actually sold the Dingwall on eBay (for $1425!); didn't hear from the high bidder, so I put it up on the Dudepit and found a buyer pretty easily. I wanted to get a refund on my eBay Final Value Fee, so I filed a non-paying bidder thing and I said that "Buyer and seller agreed not to complete the transaction"--not entirely true, but the high bidder confirmed it so I got a refund. Which is cool, but I put that high bidder on my blocked list. Not cool, man.
Oh yeah...eBay bidders need to be aware of these fake "Second Chance Offers" going around. Somebody got a Second Chance Offer for my Dingwall at $500! Just remember what they say about things that sound too good to be true. Also, I'm pretty sure that legit SCO's show up in your My eBay. Just be careful out there. I was just watching on TV about the Pastor who was murdered by his wife. Apparently, they were in some financial trouble because they got caught in one of those Nigerian scams. So be careful. No bass is worth getting yourself into trouble with family or friends.
So anyway...I'm planning on keeping five basses:
MTD 535: The sentimental favourite. I'm trying to learn to have things long-term. Besides, I love how this bass looks and plays; I feel it's a little too bright for my playing style, but a friend of mine is going to be trying out some new electronics options on his 535. If they work out for him, then I'll consider swapping the pickups. If not, I'll still keep it.
Schack Unique 5: I like this bass a lot, and I have a feeling I'll like it even more as I get the chance to play it more often. Additionally, I doubt I could sell it for very much here in the States.
Lakland Skyline Glaub: This is one of the Glaubs with a Hammon Dark Star pickup and it is excellent in every way. It's just a fun machine to play, and it does what a bass is supposed to do.
Lakland Skyline 44-02: I just got this bass last week, but I've taken a real liking to it. It looks really nice and it weighs only a few pounds. It's really one of the good ones. Who knew that import basses could be this good?
Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass: This is my beater bass. I leave it at work for when I need something to play.
I still have my USA Kramer-era Spector and my modded MIM P-Bass to sell, along with a couple of guitars. Wow, lots of gear.
The 535 was always my dream bass. When I was just starting out, I could never imagine myself really having one. So my desire for a 535 goes way back.
My 28th birthday is coming soon, and it will mark my tenth year of playing bass. A lot has happened since then, but I'm happy to say that I still get that simple thrill of laying down the low end. Of course, sometimes I find myself less motivated to play; it's a challenge to get myself into the same space that I so easily reached when everything was still new. But in any case, bass has been very good to me.
Anyway, to break up all this text, here' s a pic of my 44-02. You may have seen it before; it's pretty unique.
The story on this is that it started out as a regular Korean-made Skyline, but was refinished in this cool trans white with a matching headstock. Someone put a USA Lakie decal on the headstock. It looks like a USA, but there are still a few things that are pretty easy to spot: the inlays are plastic (they use maple dots on the inlays for the USA models) and the bridge saddles and tuner posts are matte finished instead of chrome. Also, you can't see from the front, but the neck bolts on Skylines are black instead of silver like on the American ones. So there you have it--a basic guide to determining whether a Lakland bass is USA or Korean.
I'm listening to the Demolition Man soundtrack. I don't think I've seen the movie, but it has some cool Sting live tracks from Italy. King of Pain, Shape of my Heart, Love is Stronger than Justice, It's Probably Me, and A Day in the Life. Pretty hip. Sounds like Vinnie Colaiuta is on drums. It's probably the Ten Summoner's Tales band.
Keep it real. And sleek.
Posted at 08:17 AM
Tue - June 6, 2006
Sorry for the lack of updates....
So I'm updating because I haven't updated in
quite some time.
My blue project Jazz is on its way to completion. I left it to get wired up, and it should be back...eventually.
In other bass news, I sold my Elrick, and UPS destroyed my Reverend Rumblefish! I've started the claim process but I'm not all that hopeful about it. Too many horror stories. I'll probably put a few more things up for sale. Maybe the MTD?
I see that Parker is making an import version of their electric bass called the P41. It looks pretty nice--now who wants to try one out?
Life's been pretty busy lately. I'm finishing up my Biology class at the Community College in preparation for starting the MSW program at Cal State LA in September. I've also started to hit the bike again. Cycling is good exercise, and a lot of fun.
I'll be playing at a cafe night thing on June 30th with Benny Mao. I'm also filling in for my friend Duke in the band Something Beautiful, who will also be playing at the cafe night on the 30th. Should be fun. I get to play two gigs the same night without having to go two places!
That's about all for now, I guess.
My blue project Jazz is on its way to completion. I left it to get wired up, and it should be back...eventually.
In other bass news, I sold my Elrick, and UPS destroyed my Reverend Rumblefish! I've started the claim process but I'm not all that hopeful about it. Too many horror stories. I'll probably put a few more things up for sale. Maybe the MTD?
I see that Parker is making an import version of their electric bass called the P41. It looks pretty nice--now who wants to try one out?
Life's been pretty busy lately. I'm finishing up my Biology class at the Community College in preparation for starting the MSW program at Cal State LA in September. I've also started to hit the bike again. Cycling is good exercise, and a lot of fun.
I'll be playing at a cafe night thing on June 30th with Benny Mao. I'm also filling in for my friend Duke in the band Something Beautiful, who will also be playing at the cafe night on the 30th. Should be fun. I get to play two gigs the same night without having to go two places!
That's about all for now, I guess.
Posted at 02:22 PM Read More
Tue - May 16, 2006
Non-Progress Update
I've made no progress on my blue Jazz Bass. I
got a can of tung oil from StewMac, but I have no idea how to apply it. It
probably has instructions on the side of the can, huh? The bass should all just
bolt together, right?
I also have a couple of other projects that I'm waiting on. One is a five string with a wenge neck that needs a pair of pickups. I'll be ordering a set of Dimarzio Ultra Jazz 5 string pickups for it, and wiring it passive. Then my Les Paul Jr., which has a pair of Lollar P90 pickups. Unfortunately, I took it to a local guitar shop to get wired up, and the guy did a horrible job. The switch was backwards, and he didn't even bother to swap out any of the pots, despite some of them missing lugs. What a nightmare.
Speaking of Les Pauls and StewMac, I managed to get a set of new tuners for my LP Standard Limited. I know that a lot of guys say that tuning problems on these guitars are usually the result of something besides the tuners, I found that in my case, switching out the stock "Gibson Deluxe" tuners for a set of Gotoh Kluson copies has made it much more stable.
So, after adding new tuners, along with new pickups (Peter Florance Voodoo in the bridge, Duncan Antiquity in the neck), it's actually a guitar that I am proud to own and play. Gibson should've just made it better in the beginning though.
And speaking of playing, I'm really out of practice. I usually get a lot of practicing and gigging done over the summer. Summer's not here yet, so I'm about as far away from practicing as I can be. It doesn't feel very good.
I was talking with some of my band friends and someone remarked that it's hard to have the same enthusiasm for playing as we once did. I remember being really excited about going to hear new bands, and checking out all their setups and listening to their music. Now, it's more like showing up at the venue, loading, and resting until it's time to actually play. Kinda sad, really.
Well, I've just got three weeks of my bio class to go. There's a midterm today and then one final. I hope I pass--I need it for school!
Also, if you know of anyone in the El Lay area that wants a good deal on a Trace Elliot AH350SM or an Ampeg B2R amp, please send 'em my way.
I also have a couple of other projects that I'm waiting on. One is a five string with a wenge neck that needs a pair of pickups. I'll be ordering a set of Dimarzio Ultra Jazz 5 string pickups for it, and wiring it passive. Then my Les Paul Jr., which has a pair of Lollar P90 pickups. Unfortunately, I took it to a local guitar shop to get wired up, and the guy did a horrible job. The switch was backwards, and he didn't even bother to swap out any of the pots, despite some of them missing lugs. What a nightmare.
Speaking of Les Pauls and StewMac, I managed to get a set of new tuners for my LP Standard Limited. I know that a lot of guys say that tuning problems on these guitars are usually the result of something besides the tuners, I found that in my case, switching out the stock "Gibson Deluxe" tuners for a set of Gotoh Kluson copies has made it much more stable.
So, after adding new tuners, along with new pickups (Peter Florance Voodoo in the bridge, Duncan Antiquity in the neck), it's actually a guitar that I am proud to own and play. Gibson should've just made it better in the beginning though.
And speaking of playing, I'm really out of practice. I usually get a lot of practicing and gigging done over the summer. Summer's not here yet, so I'm about as far away from practicing as I can be. It doesn't feel very good.
I was talking with some of my band friends and someone remarked that it's hard to have the same enthusiasm for playing as we once did. I remember being really excited about going to hear new bands, and checking out all their setups and listening to their music. Now, it's more like showing up at the venue, loading, and resting until it's time to actually play. Kinda sad, really.
Well, I've just got three weeks of my bio class to go. There's a midterm today and then one final. I hope I pass--I need it for school!
Also, if you know of anyone in the El Lay area that wants a good deal on a Trace Elliot AH350SM or an Ampeg B2R amp, please send 'em my way.
Posted at 03:21 PM
Thu - May 11, 2006
New Project
Haven't been updating much. But it doesn't look
like anybody's been reading either, so that's
okay.
I picked up one of the clearance Genz Benz GBE600 amps from Musicians Friend and I like it so far. It'll be paired up with my Ampeg SVT610HLF cab for rock and roll.
The blue Jazz project should be happening soon. I got most of the components, so it's just a matter of assembling everything and setting it up. Here's a mockup of the bass.
So what we have is a bunch of parts from eBay, and some leftovers from my personal stash. It starts with a Warmoth ash body that's been stained blue. The neck is an Allparts 70s style with the cool black block inlays and binding. Pickups are from HAS-Sound. I'd never heard of them but I put in a lowball bid on a pair and somehow ended up winning the auction. The bridge is a Hipshot Vintage Style that I took from my other Jazz. The parchment pickguard also came from that bass. The neck already came loaded with the string tree and the Fender reverse-style vintage tuners.
Like I said, I just need to wire it up and assemble everything. Hopefully it'll turn out good. My friend Todd is working on the headstock decal too.
I picked up one of the clearance Genz Benz GBE600 amps from Musicians Friend and I like it so far. It'll be paired up with my Ampeg SVT610HLF cab for rock and roll.
The blue Jazz project should be happening soon. I got most of the components, so it's just a matter of assembling everything and setting it up. Here's a mockup of the bass.
So what we have is a bunch of parts from eBay, and some leftovers from my personal stash. It starts with a Warmoth ash body that's been stained blue. The neck is an Allparts 70s style with the cool black block inlays and binding. Pickups are from HAS-Sound. I'd never heard of them but I put in a lowball bid on a pair and somehow ended up winning the auction. The bridge is a Hipshot Vintage Style that I took from my other Jazz. The parchment pickguard also came from that bass. The neck already came loaded with the string tree and the Fender reverse-style vintage tuners.
Like I said, I just need to wire it up and assemble everything. Hopefully it'll turn out good. My friend Todd is working on the headstock decal too.
Posted at 12:29 PM Read More
Tue - May 2, 2006
Working on the Site
I'm adding a section to Realsleekfeel.com that
features pictures and descriptions of my bass collection. Here it is, so
far:
http://www.realsleekfeel.com/basses.html
Any feedback is welcome!
http://www.realsleekfeel.com/basses.html
Any feedback is welcome!
Posted at 07:31 PM Read More
Mon - April 24, 2006
My Slow Improvement
I've been kind of forcing myself to play fretless
bass, or at least to practice on it. It's going to be awhile until I get the
confidence to play it in public.
Played a gig with Something Beautiful on Friday night. It was a good time, and I finally got to hear my Dingwall 5 string played through speakers. That is a seriously great bass. I'll be making room for it by selling off a few more. Right now, I have my Gretsch, Bongo, and Jerry Jones up on eBay. I've listed my 60s Classic Jazz too, and I might end up selling the Elrick. I'll be sad to see that one go, but I still have plenty of nice gear to keep me occupied.
I also picked up an older USA Spector 4 string. That'll be a good bass for metal.
Played a gig with Something Beautiful on Friday night. It was a good time, and I finally got to hear my Dingwall 5 string played through speakers. That is a seriously great bass. I'll be making room for it by selling off a few more. Right now, I have my Gretsch, Bongo, and Jerry Jones up on eBay. I've listed my 60s Classic Jazz too, and I might end up selling the Elrick. I'll be sad to see that one go, but I still have plenty of nice gear to keep me occupied.
I also picked up an older USA Spector 4 string. That'll be a good bass for metal.
Posted at 11:32 AM
Thu - April 20, 2006
Weekly Update
So I managed to list a bunch of stuff on eBay. I
commented last week about how I'd gotten good at finding some nice deals online.
One thing I neglected to mention is that you might need to sell some gear in
order to keep the cash flowing. That's what I'm doing this week. Up for sale
is my Bongo, Jerry Jones Bass 6, Gretsch Spectra Sonic, and my Martin acoustic
guitar. They're all on eBay.
This week has been good for music. On Tuesday, we tracked the drums for the Fullsuit Weather album. Well, I didn't track anything. We left that work to Nathaniel Morton, who's played with a lot of cool artists around here--Michael Thompson, Vanessa Carlton, Poe. Maybe his most famous gig has been as the House Band drummer for that Rockstar INXS show. Anyway, the tracking went great. Nate did two or three takes for each tune, even though any of them would've been usable takes. I'm not really used to sitting three feet away while that kind of music is happening. It was a cool experience. There's one song where he channels the spirit of John Bonham. Great stuff. Now the hard work begins. I'll have to throw down some serious stuff in order to match up to what we've already got.
Anyway, here are some pics from the studio.
Here's the drum room. It was pretty cool. I was reading Modern Drummer's piece on Nate, and I looked up from the magazine and it was the same thing.
Here's the man at work:
Subway and Coke are good for sessions. And here's Nate playing the drums. He even did some percussion stuff (that's why the djembe is there).
And here's me hard at work. I figured I could rest easily knowing that the groove was already taken care of.
This week has been good for music. On Tuesday, we tracked the drums for the Fullsuit Weather album. Well, I didn't track anything. We left that work to Nathaniel Morton, who's played with a lot of cool artists around here--Michael Thompson, Vanessa Carlton, Poe. Maybe his most famous gig has been as the House Band drummer for that Rockstar INXS show. Anyway, the tracking went great. Nate did two or three takes for each tune, even though any of them would've been usable takes. I'm not really used to sitting three feet away while that kind of music is happening. It was a cool experience. There's one song where he channels the spirit of John Bonham. Great stuff. Now the hard work begins. I'll have to throw down some serious stuff in order to match up to what we've already got.
Anyway, here are some pics from the studio.
Here's the drum room. It was pretty cool. I was reading Modern Drummer's piece on Nate, and I looked up from the magazine and it was the same thing.
Here's the man at work:
Subway and Coke are good for sessions. And here's Nate playing the drums. He even did some percussion stuff (that's why the djembe is there).
And here's me hard at work. I figured I could rest easily knowing that the groove was already taken care of.
Posted at 11:43 PM
Fri - April 14, 2006
Tips for Acquiring More Gear
I haven't had this much gear in years. Looks
like I'll have to do a mass sell-off. I'll probably list the Jerry Jones Bass 6
and the Bongo 5 HS. Somehow, I've acquired three pickguards for that bass, so
they go with it too. Also, a few pedals and some pickups will go up for
sale.
In the past week, I've gotten an Ampeg B2R for $200, a Boss BD-2 for $35, a Fender Aerodyne Jazz non-export version for $390, Baggs M1 Active for $99, and some other stuff. I'm also high bidder on a couple of eBay auctions. Where does all this money come from? Nowhere! But it's hard for me to pass up a deal.
I've done well on eBay over the past few years. I don't always come out ahead, but usually I do. The best eBay help I can offer is just to be patient. If you're looking for an item that's widely available, give yourself a couple of months. I typically do best on Buy it Now auction listings. Just bookmark the page of the category you want. Make sure that you've clicked the Buy it Now tab, and that you're sorting by "Newly Listed". Then just visit every time you go online. It's tedious, but you'll start to get an eye for it. Generally speaking, the best deals come from private party sellers as opposed to dealers, and you'll quickly get a feel for which listings are private party. Make sure to check feedback, and watch for high shipping fees. On things like pedals that are $50 or less, a high shipping fee can kill the good deal.
Another thing I ought to mention is to keep on the lookout, but stay calm. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Give yourself enough time to calm down and look carefully at the item. Since you're online, maybe you can look up the product on Google. Sometimes items are discontinued and blown out at the online stores. If you're not up to speed on these crazy sales, you might end up paying more than you need to. Look at reviews and Completed Listings for the same item. You may end up losing the BIN to somebody else, but this rarely happens, and researching the item is time well-spent. Unless the deal is super nutso, you'll probably be able to find it again in due time. And the next time it shows up at your price, you'll have already done the work.
When I'm listing stuff on the 'Bay, I try to think like a buyer. When I'm buying on eBay, I like to see a good description and pictures. I'm sure everybody does. When selling, my focus is presenting the item in a simple and complete way. Even though it takes longer to write a detailed description, this saves time in the long run because you end up getting fewer questions, since they're answered before they can be asked.
There are still some eBay users who don't quite grasp the concept of reading an auction listing. It can be pretty frustrating, but that's just a part of being an eBay seller. Deal with them at your own discretion. I'm fortunate that I don't have to make my living from eBay, so I just go with my mood. I do try to stay polite, though--remember the Golden Rule, and consider that nobody likes to be treated poorly when they're browsing eBay.
You do have other options besides eBay. I like to check local Craigslist and Recycler listings from time to time, and there are some online stores that have "clearance" sections. The online dealers usually have the advantage of a return policy and some form of recourse if the item isn't what you expected.
In other news, it looks like I've been accepted to the Master's Program in Social Work at my local University. I'll be back to school in the fall! More studying, less gear.
In the past week, I've gotten an Ampeg B2R for $200, a Boss BD-2 for $35, a Fender Aerodyne Jazz non-export version for $390, Baggs M1 Active for $99, and some other stuff. I'm also high bidder on a couple of eBay auctions. Where does all this money come from? Nowhere! But it's hard for me to pass up a deal.
I've done well on eBay over the past few years. I don't always come out ahead, but usually I do. The best eBay help I can offer is just to be patient. If you're looking for an item that's widely available, give yourself a couple of months. I typically do best on Buy it Now auction listings. Just bookmark the page of the category you want. Make sure that you've clicked the Buy it Now tab, and that you're sorting by "Newly Listed". Then just visit every time you go online. It's tedious, but you'll start to get an eye for it. Generally speaking, the best deals come from private party sellers as opposed to dealers, and you'll quickly get a feel for which listings are private party. Make sure to check feedback, and watch for high shipping fees. On things like pedals that are $50 or less, a high shipping fee can kill the good deal.
Another thing I ought to mention is to keep on the lookout, but stay calm. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Give yourself enough time to calm down and look carefully at the item. Since you're online, maybe you can look up the product on Google. Sometimes items are discontinued and blown out at the online stores. If you're not up to speed on these crazy sales, you might end up paying more than you need to. Look at reviews and Completed Listings for the same item. You may end up losing the BIN to somebody else, but this rarely happens, and researching the item is time well-spent. Unless the deal is super nutso, you'll probably be able to find it again in due time. And the next time it shows up at your price, you'll have already done the work.
When I'm listing stuff on the 'Bay, I try to think like a buyer. When I'm buying on eBay, I like to see a good description and pictures. I'm sure everybody does. When selling, my focus is presenting the item in a simple and complete way. Even though it takes longer to write a detailed description, this saves time in the long run because you end up getting fewer questions, since they're answered before they can be asked.
There are still some eBay users who don't quite grasp the concept of reading an auction listing. It can be pretty frustrating, but that's just a part of being an eBay seller. Deal with them at your own discretion. I'm fortunate that I don't have to make my living from eBay, so I just go with my mood. I do try to stay polite, though--remember the Golden Rule, and consider that nobody likes to be treated poorly when they're browsing eBay.
You do have other options besides eBay. I like to check local Craigslist and Recycler listings from time to time, and there are some online stores that have "clearance" sections. The online dealers usually have the advantage of a return policy and some form of recourse if the item isn't what you expected.
In other news, it looks like I've been accepted to the Master's Program in Social Work at my local University. I'll be back to school in the fall! More studying, less gear.
Posted at 07:51 AM
Fri - April 7, 2006
A Movie About Apes and a Planet
Besides my bass obsession, I am also a huge fan
of the Planet of the
Apes movies. So you can imagine my
disappointment last week when I found out that
The Planet of the Apes Ultimate DVD
Collection cost $135! But
wait....Planet of the
Apes is a FOX film. My cousin works for FOX!
Yeah, it's true--everyone in L.A. has a relative that works in the entertainment
industry. I asked her to check with the FOX Studio Store, and ended up with
their very last copy of the box set. The packaging is pretty incredible. It's
a realistic-looking ape head bust (of the character Caesar, who's Cornelius and
Zira's son). Check it out!
Yeah, it's freaky, but in a cool way!
Yeah, it's freaky, but in a cool way!
Posted at 11:33 PM
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This is just another blog about bass and bass-related topics. The name came from a phrase coined by a well-known bass dealer's site.
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Noodle Planet is generous to me.
About Me
I'm 27 years old and I live in southern California. I've been playing bass for quite some time, both live and recorded. In real life, I'm a Pastor at a church. Other interests include religion, great white sharks, Slavic literature, aquarium-keeping, and fried noodles. And of course...I have way more gear than I have talent.
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Published On: Feb 13, 2007 09:32 PM
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Published On: Feb 13, 2007 09:32 PM