The Lurker Speaks....

[Steve_M]

Well Ken, you have my vote of sympathy. I've got issues with their mods too, but based on their apathy rather than a hidden agenda. Good on ya for airing the issue anyway.

Bob - thanks for clarifying, I have threads saved already.

I find Paul at Talkbass inconsistent which is unfortunate in my view.

I've been bullied on Talkbass because I own and run a competitive forum at www.basschat.co.uk and the tribal nature that sometimes exists on Talkbass singled me out after someone on Bassworld took issue with me over acting in respect of their behaviour. Basschat used to be www.bassworld.co.uk but there's a whole story behind that which I won't go into in this thread. Check out my other post on this forum here if you're interested.

Paul sent me an pm recently regarding how a test-site we'd registered for bassworld called "basstalk.co.uk" was "smearing" its interests with talkbass. We're going to keep the domain for the forseeable future but point it to the Basschat webforum, which seems to be doing amazingly well with over 600 members signing up in 3 weeks since its inception! We've also managed to shake some of the forum parasites too so it all looks good - all the best people have stayed. BTW, if any of you feel like an alternative to TB, give us some consideration. We're smaller but a lot friendlier and every member does actually exist!

I reckon Paul's making a good income from Talkbass and as its sole "employee" he's bound to protect his own interests. Unfortunately Talkbass.com is so big that I think its unlikely a politically influential clique will get an overview (or even care, for that matter). Its difficult for one voice to be remembered.

Ken did the absolute right thing in setting this forum up. As I've already said previously, if he hadn't done it this year, I would have.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Steve_M

Well Ken, you have my vote of sympathy. I've got issues with their mods too, but based on their apathy rather than a hidden agenda. Good on ya for airing the issue anyway.

Bob - thanks for clarifying, I have threads saved already.

I find Paul at Talkbass inconsistent which is unfortunate in my view.

I reckon Paul's making a good income from Talkbass and as its sole "employee" he's bound to protect his own interests. Unfortunately Talkbass.com is so big that I think its unlikely a politically influential clique will get an overview (or even care, for that matter). Its difficult for one voice to be remembered.

Ken did the absolute right thing in setting this forum up. As I've already said previously, if he hadn't done it this year, I would have.

Well thank's for the vote of sympathy Steve but my intention here and there as well was just a bright light shining on the truth. I did not go on TB for 'hobby' reasons initially but with my interests rekindling in the DB field it did turn in that direction. Then as I decided to 'double up' and start selling Basses and Bows once again and it was back to business but with my hobby being my work. I enjoyed meeting Jeff and Arnold thru TB and still enjoy their company on occasion as well as meeting all the other Luthiers that if not for TB I may have never known they existed.

Only a few are rubbed the wrong way as far as the TB commercial policies go which carry with them the protection of some of the advertisers but if that's what they (Paul and his helpers) want it to be then I will just spend my time and energy elsewhere.

In the BG field I answered a lot of questions and shared my knowledge with many including the development of the Luthiers Forum on TB which quickly grew into a do-it-yourselfer's page but hey, that's what the call progress these days. In the DB world I got reacquainted with my old self on all levels and learned a bit about what I had missed in the last 15-20 years being away from it. In return, I shared my past experiences and knowledge of various Bass making Schools as well as new research and a few musical things along the way. Yes, I was a professional Bassist for 20 years and have plenty of stories to tell but most do not know that about me. TB gave me a chance to come alive again verbally and musically only to see a few resent my presence especially when my postings made a few see where they might be wrong about something and resented it.

So now we have this Forum which requires Real names for which some bravery must be rewarded for posting publicly for the world to see. This month alone we have averaged 731 unique visits per day for the first 28 days of the month of May. Although Posting is low as compared to other Forums, it's the quality of the text and the people writing it that makes it worth spending time on-line. This includes Richard 'The Poet" from Down somewhere..lol

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

This includes Richard 'The Poet" from Down somewhere..lol

Ah, thanks Ken for the vote of confidence. For me there is only one bass site... right here. Hey, I enjoy reading the serious threads too. Did you ever get to play that cornerless bass as a three string?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

Ah, thanks Ken for the vote of confidence. For me there is only one bass site... right here. Hey, I enjoy reading the serious threads too. Did you ever get to play that cornerless bass as a three string?

It has been a 4-string Bass for at least 100 years or more from the date of the Tuners in the Bass which are high quality Brass gears with Iron handles/worms with laminated with Brass plated laminated caps or something like that one the handles and a large Pearl inlay in the Gear itself. I have seen these before on some old Basses so I guess 1850 to 1900 or so on the date of the Tuners alone. That's also a good dating for the 4-string conversion as well with most of Germany and Eastern Europe playing 4 and some 5s with England, Italy and France partially or mostly switching over.

[Richard Prowse]

Interesting. Yes, I realised after leaving for work that the '3 string' thing was actually a silly question since the scroll had been cut for a string extender before you got it.

[Ken Smith]

Yes, that was done about 30 years go or so and the Owner of the Bass did not like at all what the repaired did. Back then, cutting the Scroll was not such a big deal but on some Basses, it's just a crime. Arnold will do his best to re-build the head as it looked originally before making a chromatic extension which will hide most if not all of this repair anyway. Not that I have the Bass, it is a rescue mission to restore everything properly to last to the next century.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Chip Diemond

I hold no status here... I started this thread honestly and with due respect... It's been derailed in what I consider a rather rude fashion.

I wish you'd take your mindless chit-chat elswhere... Let the thread die. I don't wish to be associated..

Chip in Seattle

I have just deleted the off topic posts here. Even though this is the Bull Pit, we still have to respect other posters guys. Sry Chip.. hopefully this can get back on topic.