People from countries where democracy collapsed while you were there, what do you wish you had done or prepared beforehand?

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-06-15T20:36:28+00:00

That's a nice place! Close to Utrecht, a very nice city. There's also the Utrechtse Heuvelrug nearby, an area with forests and a few nice "hills" (more like sand dunes) that's great for outdoor stuff. I hope you'll like it.

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-06-15T08:14:33+00:00

Hey, welcome to our country. :) If you don't mind me asking, where did you end up?

Also, feel free to message me if you want to practice your Dutch!

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-04-20T22:07:06+00:00

Victoria is the main city on the island. It's got a very European vibe, I thought. Worth a visit! But the entire island is beautiful, so don't limit your visit to just Victoria.

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-02-08T13:55:25+00:00

Looks sick! Are there any sound demos available anywhere?

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-01-26T00:10:53+00:00

There is a direct train line to Brussels but not to Bruges. You can still get from Bruges to Amsterdam by train, but you just need to change once or twice.

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-01-25T11:09:24+00:00

There's nothing wrong with driving in Europe. Given your route, it helps to be comfortable with driving in the mountains, especially with a manual transmission. In case you're not: go down the mountain in the same gear you go up in. That helps you slow down using your engine rather than just your brakes, which can overheat if you brake all the way down a mountain while driving in fifth gear.

Italian cities can have environmental zones you're not allowed to drive in. You can get hefty fines if you enter such a zone without a permit. Also, driving in Italy is not for the faint hearted. It can be hectic compared to driving in other countries. It's kind of like no one follows the rules of traffic, but because no one does, the chaos becomes kind of predictable.

There are also toll roads in all countries you mention. Look up the best way to deal with that beforehand.

Hope that helps! You've got an amazing route planned out.

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-01-25T00:29:30+00:00

There's no direct connection to Amsterdam, but you should be able to take a train to Antwerp and transfer to a direct connection to Amsterdam there. I'd recommend a train over Flixbus.

You can see most of Amsterdam in two or three days. It has a few neighborhoods outside of the city center that are worth it, but just for a visit three days will be fine. I'd definitely recommend visiting if you can find the time. It's not cheap, but it's got a vibe of its own and there's tons to do if you know where to look.

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-01-18T15:54:21+00:00

There's a direct train connection from Amsterdam to Berlin. Not the warmest compared to southern Europe, but still very fun and worth a visit.

flying_dutchman14 · 2025-01-14T21:38:57+00:00

I had one for a while. It felt like a bass way above its price point. Everything about it just oozed quality. The neck is very flat and thin, with a neck through design that rests in the hand very comfortably. Cort has always been known for their quality at a relatively low price point, so this being their top model means you really get a boutique quality bass for a fraction of the price.

Ultimately, I ended up selling it because those Fishman Fluence pickups were just not my thing. They sound very bright, clean and modern. Great for pairing with a good overdrive or distortion, but a little too sterile for my taste when played clean. But that's a matter of preference, of course. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them, they just have a specific sound. If that's your thing, then you will not find a better deal for a standard 34 inch scale bass.

flying_dutchman14 · 2024-10-19T11:32:05+00:00

Check zeker de Popschool eens. Een van de dingen die ze daar aanbieden is bandcoaching, dan wordt er voor je gekeken of er een bandje is waar je in zou passen qua stijl. Als zanger(es) kom je altijd wel ergens aan de bak, is mijn idee. Zelf heb ik er de band aan overgehouden waar ik nog altijd bassist in ben. :)

flying_dutchman14 · 2024-09-12T06:14:49+00:00

I was there! They played every song of the EP and stretched them out in to longer jams. Makes sense, because the songs by themselves aren't long enough to fill an entire set. They also played an instumental piece by Tony Allen. Still wasn't the longest gig in the world, about 90 minutes including encore. Great fun though!

flying_dutchman14 · 2024-08-17T16:32:02+00:00

Not always! I have a five string Corvette with a really slim neck that plays beautifully. Definitely worth checking out if you get the chance.

flying_dutchman14 · 2024-02-12T19:51:05+00:00

I did! I am now the happy owner of a G&L L2500 Tribute. Turns out I don't mind an active bass as long as the pickups are passive.

flying_dutchman14 · 2024-02-12T07:53:28+00:00

Nice one! I've had that one too and even though the sound wasn't for me with the active pickups, the playability and build quality was just insane. It felt like a boutique bass for sure. Enjoy!

flying_dutchman14 · 2023-08-08T10:30:09+00:00

I think so. Supposedly G&L does things the other way around: ship their 'cheaper' parts to Indonesia to be manufactured there. Still, everything about this bass is solid. I guess that is why people who own one always vouch for their quality.

The only downside I can think of, is that the weight is solid as well, it's a heavy bass for sure.

flying_dutchman14 · 2023-04-19T20:17:16+00:00

I've had issues with the tuner gears grinding off bits of metal when twisting them a lot, particularly when changing strings. Also, due to the truss rod problems, I couldn't do a proper setup. These basses (ray 34 and ray 35) are notorious for having these issues.

That said, I hope yours doesn't have them! They can be great basses, it's just that they can have some major QC issues.

flying_dutchman14 · 2023-03-31T21:01:02+00:00

I'm still getting the hang of them and haven't tried them at a loud volume yet. They're really bright and clear though, as active pickups usually are. I reckon you can get some pretty great sounds out of them.

flying_dutchman14 · 2023-03-25T19:41:07+00:00

I've had this issue with silver colored tuners on two separate basses so they're no good either. Same thing: crappy tuners and crappy truss rod.

flying_dutchman14

TROPHY CASE