Lozz196

I find the irony of the modern music of my teens is that I hated it then but love it now. So working on that theory in 40 years time I’ll love the music of 2023.

Def something wrong there Andy, the Ashdown I used at Skegness was an ABM500 through an Ashdown 215 cab and I didn’t need to push that at all.

I don’t use compression live, have tried many times but just don’t like it. However for home practice I like it. I wouldn’t say it covers up poor technique rather than really highlights it, and as such it improves technique as a result.

Agree, this series is def my fave too.

I like the Ampeg SCR-DI, it has a more traditional bass amp sound, plus a nice drive which when used sparingly sounds much more tubey, plus it can be switched on/off independent of the rest of the pedal.

Bruce Foxton used to use one, with two of the matching VBC412 cabs, sounded immense but really captured his sound.

What band are you in @Combed20, was gonna come down last night as have played many times with Menace but I fell asleep in front of the box.

Looked like a bit of Riverdance going on there Jack

They’re a very comfortable Pbass neck, think Fender put a lot of thought into these as they feel just right.

Makes playing bass so much more enjoyable when there’s a good drummer in the band

In my experience with bands there’s always been someone not so much in charge but with a clear vision & focus about what the band should do & where it should go. I don’t have any problems with that, it’s if they have an unmanageable ego as well, those types I won’t work with anymore.

Well given that on my 2015 Fender US Standard Precision (black/maple) I’ve changed the E tuner to a Hipshot Extender, added a Stealth Retainer to the A tuner and changed the white pickguard to black I suppose it could be said I wasn’t 100% satisfied, but I am now.

The last gig I played, in Nov 2022 was like that. The on stage sound was great and the whole gig was amazing. One of those nights where you give yourselves the metaphorical pat on the back.

Same here, Stevie Wonder told me so.

I love playing in bands but I also love having my free time. Although I’m in 3 bands at present I still have more free weekends and nights in the week than on band duty. I’ve been in bands where pretty much every weekend was gigging and it’s just not for me anymore.

I think it`s realism, as although I rarely use my full gigging rig I`ve done pretty much the same. My mind tells me that my ABM600 and matching 210 & 410 cabs was better - and it was sound-wise, however my ABM600 with two ABM PRO NEO 210s is better for my needs, and that`s the important thing. Even better is that for one of my bands the RM500 fits the sound more than the ABM600 does.

This was the same with my last band, 50+ gigs, gigs which covered the whole of the UK and a fair bit of Europe. The only times we cancelled gigs were when the singer/guitarist (so pretty much impossible for anyone to dep for) had a heart operation.

Lovely burst on the 34

In the punk/psychobilly band I’m in the drummer is in a good few bands so we have a reserve drummer. But other than that I’m of the opinion that you either all do the gig or all don’t.

Even with a right angled jack I find the placement is just in the wrong place for putting on a guitar stand. Typically the guitar I’m using in one of my bands has this placement, bah.

I think this is the reason why every now & then I try flats yet again, in the vain hope that I`ll get on with them and never have to re-string again.

Interesting that DM Blue Steels last you so long @Phil Starr, given they do 50-105s I may well give them a try.

I use two Ashdown ABM PRO NEO 210s - they also do 112 & 115 in the range. They’re nicely sized (speakers angled to cut down width) light enough to be able to carry both at the same time (think about 15kg). I think I’d be looking at similar sorts of cabs from across the regular manufacturers.

Having taken a look at the manual online I’d start with the suggested rock settings but would turn mid frequency to around 400 then turn this down to about -6, maybe -9. Precisions are very bulky at around 400 so cutting there helps sculpt the sound better imo, less of that punky twang and more of a rock grind.

If the use of the Katana is essential to the bands sound and the venue are insistent on only their gear being used pull the gig. I’ve been in this situation a good few years back, provided gear that had to be used at a festival, rotten sounds, not powerful enough. We didn’t sound anything like how we usually did, none of us enjoyed the gig.