Josh finds the GAS Man himself in Japan

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I innocently stumble my way into Ikebe Music Grandey…

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And who do I find but…

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A real life @howard , egging me on to try basses!

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I try foolishly to reduce the honky midrange of a Markbass cab, while Howard looks on, scheming how to convince me to buy basses I don’t particularly need.

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So here’s the Ace Bass AB-4 I bought. This is my ‘wait I’m buying ANOTHER bass???’ face. This is Howard’s “yes, indeed you are” face.

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Howard saves my butt figuring out how to communicate about shipping internationally.

We even found forum friend Eric (Eric what’s your forum handle???) to corroborate the bass nerding -

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And somehow I also buy this bass, a non-export JJ-type Aerodyne Jazz that sounded really damn good -

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I hereby dub Howard the “GAS Heretic”, for his achievements in undermining all my efforts to keep people from buying too much gear. :imp:

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it’s probably best to avoid howard if in a music store :rofl:

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He absolutely is the GAS king (my 734 is still my fave). I got him back once though.

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This is incredible! What a great connect. Both of these guys are now officially international celebrities. This also validates my own deep-seated and completely irrational drive to acquire basses. If the man himself @JoshFossgreen can fall- then I as a mere mortal cannot possibly stand a chance.

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gotta say i do love those aerodyne basses.

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I love it! That’s so cool. Especially, when you get to hook up with our ambassador @howard in Japan.

Huge congratulations on both find a black one and a white one.

I am certainly not allowed in a place like that anywhere in the world.

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Haha, that’s so funny! He’s a smooth operator, our Howard, isn’t he!? :wink: I also blame him for my latest acquisition (which I never knew I needed, but which I am happy to call my own now).

Looking at the photographic evidence provided, I am still a little mystified as to what exactly transpired on this fateful day in Tokyo?? Did Howard decide, at some point, he’s had enough for now, headed home to change into a new set of pants, and then came back, only to find you were STILL at the same store??? :thinking:

Congrats on the new basses - your own ebony and ivory pair from Japan :wink:

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Haha, you caught me in the act @joergkutter , I may have compiled photos from two different visits to the store and condensed the story for structure a bit. :wink: The coercion was DEFINITELY real and not at ALL overstated though. :stuck_out_tongue:

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fun fact, howard changes outfits every 20 minutes. the man is such a performer.

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Super great to hang out with you, Josh. That Ace Bass is killer too.

And yeah Joerg you caught the quick
change there :rofl:

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It was hard - you did a real Clark Kent there (glasses included) :rofl:

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Admit it, you wet 'em and had to change.

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no kink shaming

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Hey maybe realize that a lot of us (yourself included) are now at an age when that could conceivably happen.

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Maybe that’s how I could recognize the signs…

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There’s like, maybe 5 SNL sketches I could link right now…

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@howard has powers. I succumbed just like you with two basses going home with me.

Witchcraft!!

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I’m starting to consider not pinging howard if I end up going to Japan… my wallet doesn’t seem howard proof :smiley:

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You’re one of the few who my GAS powers wouldn’t affect but it’s only because you can’t fall down here without landing on an Atelier Z 6 string :rofl:

Seriously they can be had all over the place. You aren’t safe here.

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