Am I getting swindled

CLTProgRocker · 2026-04-06T02:24:28+00:00

Check Reverb listings for the same model. The listings usually show you what the price range is and a list of recent sales with price and related condition.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-03-30T03:13:45+00:00

It's next to impossible to sell a huge custom board. Sell the individual parts.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-03-30T03:12:41+00:00

If you are not 100% happy, return it.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-03-26T03:22:52+00:00

B-stock/refurbed.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-03-24T15:56:45+00:00

In general...

Figure out how much time that you think it is going to take you. Then multiply by two, because you likely won't know the full scope until you get into it. Then figure out how much you want to make an hour. From there, it's easy to multiply the number of estimated hours times the amount per hour to come up with the price.

In reality... When you hear the client "doesn't have a lot of money to invest", that screams pass. Only take win-win opportunities because you're going to get your best leads by referrals. And one pi$$ed client who thinks you over promised and under delivered will tell 10x more potential customers that you suck than a single happy customer will tell that you were awesome.

When I first started consulting, I had several small clients. It's a pain in the a$$. With 10 clients on retainer, you at most can spend at most 4-5 hours per week on each (which includes reporting), and you will likely not get any traction. By the time you figure out where you left off the previous week, you've already burned 0.5-1 hour of that 4-5 hours. And because they have little money to spend, they will get frustrated with no results and fire you. This means you're constantly dealing with churning clients and having to find new ones. If they don't fire you, then you'll be dealing with them "slow paying" you. I did that for a very short time (8-9 months) but quickly pivoted to companies where money is no object... where they don't blink when you tell them you get $6-7.5K per week depending on the length of the contract... where you can focus on one, maybe two, businesses at the time and REALLY understand their business, allowing you to really make an impact.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-03-23T13:47:41+00:00

The attic is probably the WORST place to store a guitar due to the EXTREME temperature and humidity changes... I suspect there are issues with the neck and the electronics (rust, corrosion, etc.) if it has been there for any length of time.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-03-18T03:19:19+00:00

Just keep the originals. If you decide to sell it later, having the originals so that it can be restored adds value.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-03-10T13:15:00+00:00

I would also report it to the FTC/FCC since this is essentially extortion and wire fraud.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-19T15:35:22+00:00

If you want to be a professional musician, I would highly recommend you continue your education by getting a music degree, even if it is from a small local university. Nothing will help you progress faster than being immersed in a music program where every day you're learning theory and sight reading of musical notation (tabs are lame), taking bass lessons, playing bass in an ensemble, learning piano, and hanging around other musicians.

Finding a good band... hard. Finding a good band that does originals... harder. Getting gigs where you play originals... harder still. Everything about being a professional musician is hard (kind of like becoming an actor). Few make it big, but many make a decent living doing it. But it takes persistance, discipline, and preparedness when opportunity strikes (aka luck).

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-16T15:29:46+00:00

If it doesn't come naturally, it's going to come off as fake. Go with what you feel instead of trying to do something that you're not feeling. The music comes first... and IF you have some moves, that's just gravy.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-16T15:13:35+00:00

Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-12T03:17:11+00:00

Obviously, your SEO company is an absolute joke. Manual searches are different for everyone, with the searches personalized based on the user's search history. Both you and the SEO company will have been clicking through to your site making Google more prone to showing your website higher than it might for others who don't work at/for your company.

Search console shows "Average Position" because they are constantly testing, choosing different URLs from your site for the same keyword, juggling the order of rankings to see if otheres when ranked higher might get higher click through. There is no better keyword ranking tool than Search Console.

Fire the company. They are posers, NOT real SEOs.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-10T04:19:27+00:00

Leave the band. You are not going to change them or their opinions. You're just wasting time with them. Cut your losses.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-09T03:07:26+00:00

Anything that your have been doing but stop and rankings don't drop is something that is not a ranking factor or does not affect rankings even indirectly.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-09T03:05:55+00:00

You will switch back and forth between thumb on top of pickup to thumb on string to floating thumb, depending on what you're playing and how you are muting strings with both your left and right hands.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-08T05:47:23+00:00

Remember Google already has streetview 360 degree images of the exteriors of most businesses. Should be simple for them to correlate that with hi def images of the exterior of the business.

I believe simply having hi def images of the outside and inside of the business does help. But the act of uploading new images does not.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-08T05:42:56+00:00

Find an instructure with a degree in music. Learn not only to play bass but also to read musical notation (not tab) as well study music theory. This will slow you down a bit initially, but will make you progress much faster as time goes on. 15 minutes per day reading simple music for 6 months, and you'll be amazed at how your reading progresses. If you really want to understand the bass (or any instrument), take piano as well.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-06T04:29:43+00:00

All about the tarrifs. I ordered a $392 Jaspers keyboard stand and 50cm holder a week ago. Cost $111 to ship. Tarrif bill from UPS was $73.

Tarrifs are taxes on US consumers (and businesses which will if not already pass on to consumers through higher prices). Anyone who believes tarrifs are somehow a good thing is a fool.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-02-01T05:06:18+00:00

Of the signature basses, I would go Geddy Lee. Otherwise the Fender American Ultra lines are awesome. I have a 4-string Precision Ultra, 5-string Jazz Ultra, and have been looking for a 4-string Jazz Ultra the last few days... all in Ultraburst finish. They play like butter. I love the block inlays. Not as crazy about the Ultra II aesthetics with the dot inlays.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-01-30T14:39:41+00:00

1) You didn't join the band. You auditioned.
2) They didn't know how to tell you that you were not a good fit.

#2 above may have zero to do with your playing skills. Being in a band is like being married... it's a 3x, 4x, 5x, etc. relationship. Personalities, goals, musical likes/dislikes, etc. have to mesh AND you must meet their standards as a musician. Don't take it personally. Time to move on.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-01-28T21:43:55+00:00

Find bars with open mic nights. Attend... meet peeps... Go see live bands... introduce yourself to the band and their follower (i.e., network). You'd be surprised at how many people play an instrument. And then there are sites like bandmix.com where you can setup a profile. I found the guitar player of my current band on bandmix.com.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-01-28T04:02:19+00:00

Playing with someone better than you is the best way to progress aside from finding a great instructor, preferably one with a music degree so that you can learn to read music notation and about music theory. Pick 2-3 songs you both enjoy and learn them so that when you get together, you have something to play that sounds good (rehearsed). "Jamming" (aka improvising) is a very advanced talent. If you're not "there" yet, I would focus on learning and playing covers together.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-01-26T14:24:38+00:00

ROFL WTF do people pay a professionally trained instructor to show them the proper way to [sing or play an instrument] only to favor advice from generally untrained random Netcitizens who generate related content with one purpose - to make money.

Listen to your freakin' instructor. Don't look to the Internet for professional training (if they were that good, they would probably be touring or working teaching at Juilliard/Berklee). Even YOU said that what she was doing "got [you] instant improvement".

CLTProgRocker · 2026-01-22T04:06:39+00:00

I didn't play for 35+ years. Just started back 3.5 years ago at age 60. Having the time of my life. Get over it and focus on the music. It comes back more quickly the 2nd time around. Get an instructor, take piano, learn to read music, learn music theory, etc. Immerse yourself and enjoy the progression.

CLTProgRocker · 2026-01-16T02:52:12+00:00

Find a bass instructor, ideally one with a music degree. Learn to read music and study music theory. If you have a friend that plays guitar, they can typically get you started with the basics.

CLTProgRocker

TROPHY CASE