Club F-Bass (Part III)

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by dkb

So, here's a weird one for you. It appears that US Wildlife has raised in question the material the F Bass uses on the "F" logo on the headstock saying that it is from an endangered species. So, F Bass is temporarily unable to ship the US. Sadly I have two special order basses that are ready to ship, but are being held up do to this complication.

Let's hope for a quick solution, and I'll keep you guys posted.

You must have to flunk an IQ test to work for the government in the United States -- my apologies to any potential government workers we may have in this forum.

I'm all for protecting rare resources, but unless they see the remedy as potentially pulling the F logo off the bass, and returning it to its natural habitat, there is no sense in holding up a CONSUMED resource.

You prohibit it before it's harvested, not after it is in a product, geniuses!

[Vic]

Originally Posted by dkb

So, here's a weird one for you. It appears that US Wildlife has raised in question the material the F Bass uses on the "F" logo on the headstock saying that it is from an endangered species. So, F Bass is temporarily unable to ship the US. Sadly I have two special order basses that are ready to ship, but are being held up do to this complication.

Let's hope for a quick solution, and I'll keep you guys posted.

WHAT????? The MOP is subject to endangered species regulations????

What about the bazillions of other makers shipping this material on their instruments? What the heck, man....

[Vic]

Originally Posted by Tom7

You must have to flunk an IQ test to work for the government in the United States -- my apologies to any potential government workers we may have in this forum.

I'm all for protecting rare resources, but unless they see the remedy as potentially pulling the F logo off the bass, and returning it to its natural habitat, there is no sense in holding up a CONSUMED resource.

You prohibit it before it's harvested, not after it is in a product, geniuses!

Actually, it's not quite that bad. It's impractical, but it does make sense. If you kill the market, they can't sell any, then they have no need to buy more, and the source dries up for lack of customers, and stops harvesting the endangered stuff.

Again, in a purely theoretical case, it makes perfect sense, but in the real world, regulations don't kill demand, and where there's demand, there will be supply one way or another.

Thing is, to address the practical side they should at LEAST offer a stock depletion grace period (which would kinda' address your criticism as well I think). Dang.

[thndrstk6]

Yeah well it's my bass that's being held in Canada so I'm officially ticked.

[rabster]

Okay boys here she be. The photos aren't quite good enough to show the alder through the finish but it's very noticeable in person. I'll try to take some in a natural light setting which should work better. We experimented with strings and the alder/rosewood combo seems to work best with nickel DR's. I can't wait to gig with my new baby this weekend

[rabster]

Originally Posted by thndrstk6

Yeah well it's my bass that's being held in Canada so I'm officially ticked.

Sorry to hear about your bass being held up. Hopefully this mess will get worked out soon. I agree that they really should have allowed for a grace period, the last thing a builders need is an freeze on shipping finished products. I'd bring it to you myself if I could!

[thndrstk6]

Well I live about 3 or 4 hours away from the shop but I'm still in the US. I think I'm just going to go pick it up and have a visit to the Fbass factory.

BTW rabster, that VF5 is amazing. I would love to see a video of that thing making some noise.

[XavidmanX]

Originally Posted by Tom7

You must have to flunk an IQ test to work for the government in the United States -- my apologies to any potential government workers we may have in this forum.

I'm all for protecting rare resources, but unless they see the remedy as potentially pulling the F logo off the bass, and returning it to its natural habitat, there is no sense in holding up a CONSUMED resource.

You prohibit it before it's harvested, not after it is in a product, geniuses!

Hay...i werk fer teh guvirnmint.

[firebass]

Thanks thndrstk6!!

Can I request a couple of adjustments please?

1 : Can you make the Fiesta Red look more like this sample colour please?
http://www.bobdaisley.com/guitars/Bo...20Precison.JPG

2 : Hipshot bridge (not badass)

3 : No dots on the face of the fingerboard

4 : nickel hardware (not chrome)

Thanks!

Originally Posted by thndrstk6

Thanks Vic. I like doing mockups and I like Fbasses so I guess it just makes sense.

Here's the fiesta red VF5. Let me know if the color is accurate.

*CLICK ON IT TO MAKE IT BIGGER*

[firebass]

Hi George,

I'm pretty tempted... I'll ask Hajime for a price to see if it's within my reach or not.

Gordon

Originally Posted by George Furlanet

EASILY ORDERED!!!!!!!
That would be a cool one! I haven't done that colour yet.
Just finishing up a "sea foam green" though.

[firebass]

Congrats Rabster - that's a real beauty!!

I would be tempted to give that a relic job :-)

G

Originally Posted by rabster

Okay boys here she be. The photos aren't quite good enough to show the alder through the finish but it's very noticeable in person. I'll try to take some in a natural light setting which should work better. We experimented with strings and the alder/rosewood combo seems to work best with nickel DR's. I can't wait to gig with my new baby this weekend

[George Furlanet]

Originally Posted by Vic

Actually, it's not quite that bad. It's impractical, but it does make sense. If you kill the market, they can't sell any, then they have no need to buy more, and the source dries up for lack of customers, and stops harvesting the endangered stuff.

Again, in a purely theoretical case, it makes perfect sense, but in the real world, regulations don't kill demand, and where there's demand, there will be supply one way or another.

Thing is, to address the practical side they should at LEAST offer a stock depletion grace period (which would kinda' address your criticism as well I think). Dang.

I completely agree, that if you dry up the demand, the destruction/depletion will cease. Unfortunately it comes at the worst possible economic time for all involved.
I will find a substitute...perhaps wood? Any suggestions out there? Something man-made.

[Vic]

Originally Posted by George Furlanet

I completely agree, that if you dry up the demand, the destruction/depletion will cease. Unfortunately it comes at the worst possible economic time for all involved.
I will find a substitute...perhaps wood? Any suggestions out there? Something man-made.

Yeah, and I also think it's not being handled fairly, but I guess you just have to do what you have to do.

How about synthetic MOP? I'm assuming it exists, right? Does it look ok? Any manufacturing or longevity concerns? I really love the look as it is... it'd be nice to preserve it if possible.

BTW, unless these circumstances change, the value just went up on all the basses currently in the USA with MOP on the headstock, but folks better not hold their breath on my VF5!!!

[firebass]

George,

Do you do vintage looking finishes? I don't like the look and feel of brand new shiny basses, especially flat colour finishes.

If so is it an upcharge?

Gordon

[Ostinato]

Originally Posted by George Furlanet

I completely agree, that if you dry up the demand, the destruction/depletion will cease. Unfortunately it comes at the worst possible economic time for all involved.
I will find a substitute...perhaps wood? Any suggestions out there? Something man-made.

Wood is good.

[Ostinato]

Originally Posted by Tom7

Oh...that's freakin' hot man

[George Furlanet]

Originally Posted by firebass

George,

Do you do vintage looking finishes? I don't like the look and feel of brand new shiny basses, especially flat colour finishes.

If so is it an upcharge?

Gordon

Yes it is an upcharge. Probably about $250.00 list

[rabster]

Originally Posted by thndrstk6

BTW rabster, that VF5 is amazing. I would love to see a video of that thing making some noise.

I'll break in in over the next week and I'll make some video soon.

cheers,

dc

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by Vic

... but in the real world, regulations don't kill demand, and where there's demand, there will be supply one way or another.

Thing is, to address the practical side they should at LEAST offer a stock depletion grace period (which would kinda' address your criticism as well I think). Dang.

A stock depletion grace period would be nice, but that addresses resources that have been harvested and but not yet consumed. These bozos are insisting on the cessation of a CONSUMED resource.

Again, I am all for conserving resources. I drive a Prius, and I bought my wife a hybrid Camry for Christmas. I recycle and do all those environmentally friendly things we all should probably be doing.

Nevertheless, have these government stiffs given one second's thought to the reality of their knee jerk reaction? Ceasing shipment doesn't put consumed resources back, nor does it even curb demand. This particular action makes no sense whatsoever, and I wonder what the tax payers are paying for it.

Are they scouring the talkbass classifieds in case someone places an ad to sell a 1962 Fender Jazz bass, so they can stop him from selling a bass with an endangered Brazilian rosewood fingerboard?

Of course not, so why pick on the sale of these completed basses? Do things that actually do dry up demand and discourage harvesting, rather than this activity that makes it appear as if you are doing something about a problem, but really just creating others.

I guess government mathematics calculate two wrongs to equal a right provided that the government is the group committing the second wrong.

Grr.

[Vic]

Originally Posted by Tom7

A stock depletion...
...Grr.

In short, +1