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Say hello to my midlife crisis bass - the Epiphone Korina Explorer. I spied it in a photo someone took of the Gallery during their visit and it caught my eye. I caved when they told me it came with the hard case. I think the black pickguard makes all the difference - all of the natural ones I've seen up until now have white and I think that looks a bit naff. Haven't had a war volume play yet but it sounds good in headphones and at low amp levels. Ergonomics are better than expected - balances really well on a proper strap (so take that, Mr. Dibble). It's long, it's ridiculous and I love it. Also has the biggest hard case I've ever seen! That last pic is the hard case of my G&L next to the Explorer's case, with the left sides aligned.

Like Andy Rourke (RIP) Hate The Smiths.... or more specifically Morrissey...

Holiday Inn Cambonia — Dead Kennedys

Pah! Amateurs! Last set of strings I bought cost £218. (Admittedly they were a set for an Upright 🙂) For a bass guitar, the last set I bought cost £50 (Thomastiks) but that was in 2014 and they're almost broken in by now.

*UPDATE ON THE CQ-20B* I've had a chance to play with the mixer properly now, and it's definitely a keeper, but there are a few niggles that'll hopefully get fixed with app updates and firmware updates. The Good: It's a great sounding mixer. The mic preamps sound excellent; to my ears, it's transparent and, by nature, more warm than clinical across the mics I tested and very easy to tweak (either using the full features of the mixer or the easy tweaking features. The FX are well implemented and useful (I've only really played with the reverbs, echoes and delays so far). It's easy to navigate between screens; features are always in the obvious place and the layout is accessible. It's designed to be quick and easy to use and it achieves both. Setting up channels, from gain to EQ to compression and gate to FX to outputs, is easy. It allows me to create a dynamic mix more akin to a larger feature-rich mixer with ease and speed. It feels quality; it's beautifully put together and the metal and textured plastic feel quality. My only worry would be a stray foot breaking the antenna, but this is easily replaceable. I'm genuinely stunned by how complete a mixer this is for its price point, if you demoed this to me and asked me to guess what the RRP was, I'd be thinking in excess of £1,500. The Bad: There are no mute groups or sub groups. I'm very used to having a mute group for all my FX channels and another for all mics. I mute the FX between tracks, so there's no vocal FX when the band are interacting with the crowd. The mixer gives you two alternatives to this feature for FX that work great, if you're happy to adjust the way you mix: The first, from the FX page there is a "mute all FX button" which functions exactly like an FX mute, but it requires you to navigate away from the faders to enable it, which isn't ideal. The other alternative is to use one of three assignable "soft buttons." These are assignable to mute single channels, the aux outs, and the master stereo out. It can be assigned to mute individual FX or all 4 active FX. The soft buttons are accessible from every screen, so as far as FX goes this functions exactly as a mute group would. The only issue with this solution is the soft buttons don't have labels, so you need to remember what functions and channels you have assigned to each (and you need to communicate this with anybody else using the mixer). Unfortunately, aside from FX and stereo outputs, you can't assign a soft button to mute multiple channels (in or out), so there's no way to mirror the functionality of any other mute group. The monitor app that's due out this month looks to allow you to mix from assignable sub groups, so hopefully the sub group feature will be introduced into the mixing app at the same time. Assignable and labelable mutable sub groups are my biggest and most immediate desired feature. Channel names are limited to six characters. This isn't the end of the world, but it's required me to shorten some of the channel names I've historically used. You can lock an output fader to the right-hand side of the app, but this is replaced by the highlighted fader on the config screen (all other screens show the locked fader). I quickly got used to locking the Master LR to this slot whilst cycling screens; it's very easy to forget that you're not on the Master fader from the config screen and end up adjusting the output level to the wrong channel. The Ugly: When the app is minimised or the iPad screen is off (I'm using an iPad Air M1 principally, but have had the same issue on other devices) the app quickly disconnects from the mixer (the WiFi connection remains), and you're required to reconnect to the mixer before you can resume mixing. It only takes a few seconds to reconnect, but it's frustrating and could cause real frustration during a gig when you're trying to trouble shoot an issue quickly. I've never experienced this drop using any other mixing apps, so hopefully it's resolvable. Summary: It very much feels like it's been designed from the ground up to serve a very particular type of use case by people who are genuinely passionate. I know there are people lamenting the lack of Dante or Ultranet, among other features, but it is designed as a self-contained *small* unit and I honestly think that both features would've added cost and complexity that would make the mixer a less attractive prospect to the target audience. If I want Dante or Ultranet, I'll use a bigger mixer. I can get the sounds I want from this mixer; it's not a home run for Allen & Heath, yet. But it's a very capable unit that has addressed many of the short comings of similar products. The hardware appears faultless, and I imagine over the coming weeks and months the software in the CQ mixers is going to get better and better, and I can't wait. Right now, it's good enough, even with the above issues, to render my other small mixers redundant.

Been seen on here before, but this is my '1'.

Well it arrived, suddenly!! Was stressful as I wasn't at home so luckily my parents patiently sat in my house and waited! Amazing. The low B is incredible. The bass balances incredibly well, it's a nice weight. The finish is flawless! The sound flat is very full a natural, there's a lovely mid-range to the tone and it'll be interesting to open the control cavity up and see how it is set! The darkglass pre is very powerful!! Don't seem to need much boost or cut. The treble to my ears at least really gets that bitey spector growl! All first impressions but very impressed! Always played Warwicks before!

Here’s my mini board, all powered with a One Spot Pro underneath. I put this together for some fun at home after watching some of Ian Allison’s videos creating synthy type tones. I only really use the chorus and Microtubes in the band so it’s farewell to the rest soon, but I do like looking at them 😄

Love Bruce Thomas' playing but, apart from a handful of tunes, I hate Elvis Costello.

I like Robert Trujillo but not Metallica. His talents are completely wasted with that band. I'm also a bit of a Duff fan but can't stand GNR. He played on an Alice In Chains tribute which is when I realised just how good he is. Really like The Cure but can't stand Robert Smith.

Huge fan of Rob Trujillo, and his previous band(s). But not Metallica!

What about the Isle of Man?

The buyer has now confirmed that the guitar has arrived in one piece. Phew! I've been sending other items using royal mail, or parcelforce for larger items. However parcelforce don't cover guitars/basses. Does anyone have a preferred courier for basses or guitars?

I currently have a Spector that was supposed to be with me on Friday. Never showed up. Fefec Tracking turned to delayed until last night where it appears to now be at another depot but delayed still. I take comfort in the fact its moved but fear it could be low stuck there for days or weeks. I feel for you, it absolutely infuriating and I despise companies that can't get something they've been doing for years right..

I guess lifespan, and hence annual cost, is part of the picture really - if you're buying a particular string because of its new sound, or conversely because of its longevity...

Did you pay for insurance cover ? Evri is the last people I would use for shipping musical gear ( sorry ) DPD, Parcelforce, UPS, FedEx etc are better as the move a lot of the shops gear to customers I hope you get it sorted

Last set was £75 for 5 string TI Jazz flats . £50 odd for Labella originals for the Yamaha . All the others have Roto 88 tapes . Just under £50 . The longer I play them the better value they seem . Can't see me changing them in the next 20 years . Long term investment .

Not good and the damaged part is a worry. I had an issue with EVRI when they were Hermes where a delivery i was expecting on a "Next Day Delivery that i paid extra for) didn't arrive and was showing it was sitting in their local depot from 05:00hrs that morning. When i finally managed to talk to someone they had the cheek to say there wasn't a van due in my area that day so they haven't sent it. Altho i live in the countryside its still Central Belt of Scotland. When i said i paid extra for a Next Day Delivery they simply didn't care and offered no recompense. It was also due on the Fri and because they don't deliver at weekends i asked if i could come and pick it up from the local depot which was only 25 miles from me they said no as i need to wait for a failed first delivery. Absolute joke of a company and would not use them again if i have the choice. Hope the delivery is sorted out soon for you @Jean-Luc Pickguard. Dave

How long have you got..? Late '60s, we ( a younger brother and I...) were looking for guitars and/or amps, but with a budget of... Well even less than that. We had heard of a second-hand shop in Hampton Wick; it turned out be be rather the front parlour of a terraced house, stuffed full of all sorts of 'tat', and hosted by one Mrs Nichols (spelling..?). Despite the ... er... 'low quality' of the offerings piled around, the asking prices were rather more than we had in mind. I did manage to unearth a slightly-less-battered guitar case, in which resided a Hofner E2 Florentine President, which, after much haggling and starting to leave, became mine. I can't remember the price now, but it was expensive to me at the time. It has its own story for another time; back to the bass. On a wall hung a Hofner Verithin bass, which intrigued me until, upon closer inspection, it could be seen that the belly of the bass was not convex, but concave..! Probably due to water damage at some point, and a very difficult thing to repair; the poor thing's fate was sealed by a price akin to a new bass..! We left, with me clutching my new find, but the vision of that bass has stayed with me ever since. Fast forward a few decades; I was now in France, and had acquired a Hofner Verithin 6-string (another boyhood dream guitar, and very excellent too...). I came across an ad for a Verithin bass (they are quite rare, especially in good condition...) in Nottingham. I contacted the Seller (this is pre-interwebs daze; postal correspondance was the thing...). I reserved it, and came to the UK as a foot passenger on the ferry. Another younger brother picked me up from the coast, and drove me up country to see this bass. The Seller wanted only cash, so we went to a local bank for me to draw out £500, and the bass was mine. Back to the coast the next day, with the bass in a very lightweight gig bag. I couldn't resist playing it on the deck of the ferry as we crossed the Channel, to the amusement of other passengers. After a few months I renewed the black nylon 'Trubass' strings, which are still on it now. The bass is currently hanging on the wall just behind my head as I type this; I only have to reach up to get it down and play. It has done its fair share of gigs in past years, but I only use it now for playing at home and recording (I'm a drummer...). I have other basses (and guitars...), but this bass, for me, is 'the One'. Douglas

I've ordered a couple of pedals from them just to see if they are reliable. Free postage and nice prices (if you don't object to clones) too good to be true? We shall see. https://www.affordaboard-pedals.co.uk/

...not sure about photo (pixel) sizing...

@attackbass congratulations on your new Spector - is it your first one? (also congrats to becoming an endorser) I have yet to try this LT5 version, I've been put off a bit by the reviews and general consesus about the barts but almost purchased one of these thrice already (Bartolinis I happen to like in some of my other basses but Spectors are EMG for me - apart for the '77 and '79 reissues with DiMarzios)) I think the Czech shop are really outdoing themselves lately, I have / had a couple of US Spectors and a handful of Czech ones (currently a small collection of 7 US/CZ basses ) and the gap is surely narrowing.

I’ve asked on here once or twice what sort of sounds are folk actually getting out of some of these exotic boards and I know most folk are being creative and doing lots of interesting stuff but I never really get board envy. I’m a simple drive and comp guy and this is reflected in my board and mediocre playing 😀

Do they owe us a living? Crass

Yes, I've played gigs like that, myself: "Free Admission ...£5 to leave"

😎

- Beedster got there first with the stingray comment

They could probably lose several Thunderbirds

I seem to remember that position being put forward on a Jefferson Airplane album. It does hold up, both as metaphor and mild double-entendre...

Lately Waitrose and Fortnum and Mason but Waitrose wins. I put TI Jazz flats on three basses, replacing La Bella DTB’s but after a few weeks the old played in La Bella’s are back on all of them and the TI’s are back in the packets. An interesting experiment but for me ultimately a waste of money.

I'm not much of a Jamiroquai fan, less so Jay Kay, but Stuart Zender is great. I guess Stuart had similar feelings towards Jay Kay as they argued and he left Jamiroquai a few years ago (and they've not been as good since).

Eh, it's all noise to me now. Do I like how the bass looks? Do I like how the bass sounds? Do I like how the bass feels? If yes to all three, buy the thing, I don't care how it got there.

At £25 a set it'd cost you £2075 to re-string your herd! 💸 💰

Just checked, he used Secursus https://www.secursus.com/en-gb/?gad=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImaGpvKyTgQMVRvDjBx3oUQtjEAAYAiAAEgJsd_D_BwE

They're all a shower of buggers when it comes down to it. I take the "courierproof packaging", siege mentality approach - I double box, I pack the bass out internally so there's no internal movement in the box. So far, all's been well. I've historically used UPS or ParcelForce, but they're all a bunch of slopey shouldered box chuckers at the end of the day. I think it's absolutely outrageous that we have to pay insurance against their potential cluck ups in the first place.

And I can prove that you are a rock!: A rock can't fly You can't fly Therefore you are a rock!

I believe £20 - £40 but it all goes wrong with the more specialist instruments. My Bass VI was about £60 and the upright £140. Most I have seen upright bass strings for sale for is an eye watering £600.

Fender 7250M x three packs for three basses approx £20 a pack and I change every 3 months on average

I once made a joke that Hofner basses were like DFS sofas. Stuffed full of sawdust and dead cats. The fact that they sound like it kind of clinches it really.

You know when those negative folk say 'Why have you got two basses when you can only play one at a time?'... wrong!

Paul who?

I owned a 66 Hofner bass. Struggled to play it . Struggled to sell it . Certainly don’t want it back .

So excited that I forgot to upload some pics! As well as the mute and decals, I also asked Mark if it was possible to supply an extra scratch plate that just covered the control cavity. He came back with the genius idea of cutting the regular scratch plate so all I have to do is undo a couple of screws and then the bulk of the plate will lift off. Will show what that looks like when it arrives!