bassbiscuits

This is my whole rig running together at a festival I did this weekend. I normally use them separately - the Schroeder for pub gigs and the Aguilar for bigger shows. It's the first time I've gigged them as a pair and they sounded great - fat and loud!

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1436452620' post='2818268'] I put a set on my 66 Jazz at the Herts bash a few weeks back. So far I'm very impressed and much prefer them to Roto Nickels. [/quote] I found Roto nickels to be pretty disappointing the one time i tried them a few years back - made my bass sound like it had been neutered in some way, with all the thump and zing gone. Hoping the XLs are a bit more mainstream.

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1436448573' post='2818236'] Tried a few different sets on my Sandberg VM5 and EXL165-5's are the ones I've settled on. 45-65-85-105 and a stunning non-tapered 135 for the Low B. Great strings! [/quote] Ah now i was weighing up whether to put them on my Sandberg TT4 or my MIA precision - all the publicity for these strings makes a big deal of how bright they are, and with the Sandberg already being pretty bright, I had my doubts about them being a good pairing. In fairness on the little youtube snippets about them they sound nice and full, rather than harsh or toppy.

not mad on the new shape to be honest - i love the fact mine is a jazz bass clone. probably still great basses tho.

ha ha thanks both! much appreciated.

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1436439093' post='2818118'] I use them on my jazz basses, and the slightly heavier EXL-160 on my Precisions. Good strings (well, I obviously think that or I wouldn't keep using them!). I usually buy them as twin packs, saves a bit if money and means I usually have a spare set or two if needed. [/quote] Cheers mate - that's worth knowing. I was worried that they'd be a bit extreme and bright, which is why i avoided the ultra bright (pro steels?) on shelf next to them.

Anyone using D'addario XL165 nickel wounds? I'm a long-term Rotosound user, but none of the local shops have what I need, so i've ended up getting these as the only things in the right gauge ( i needed the bass re-strung for a gig this weekend) Haven't put them on yet - if they're dreadful they could always end up being returned soon...!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436104688' post='2814958'] Welcome... haven't we already met? [/quote] its a definite pissabolity

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1436192043' post='2815773'] Anyone use the Sandberg Deluxe case/bag? [/quote] yeah mine came with a black and red Sandberg deluxe gig bag. Seems fine - its a gig bag. No more, no less. Nicely firm and padded, makes for a very light way of carrying a very light bass.

Out of curiosity what gauge strings are people using on their Sandbergs? Mine still has its factory strings on, which felt stiff as hell, but are apparently only 40-100. I've been dabbling with 45-105 on my other basses, and i'm liking the extra thump they give. Now the Sandberg is nearly ready for a string change, i'm thinking that 45-105 might be a good thing, though at the risk of upsetting the millimetre perfect factory set up. Hmm.

Yeah I get a slight clicking when I touch any metal part or the strings themselves, but it's not massively loud even when amped up. When I'm playing and touching the strings there's no problem at all. I guess I want to check if it's safe as I want to use the bass at a festival next weekend

Cool that's my little job for this evening then...!

I liking the idea of carefully heating the saddle/screw to help dissolve the glue. I've got some old bridge saddles like that which won't budge. I'll give it a very careful try.

Yes sorry Gary Mac I think I might have missed the boat a bit with this....!

Ha ha yes Rhys P - a good point! As long as the buzz isn't something nasty luring under the hood I'm happy to ignore it...

Hello Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but... I realised the other day that my oldest P bass buzzes when you touch the polepieces. It also makes a very slight tick when you touch the metal parts. Unexpectedly tho none of this gets any worse if you tske your hands off the whole thing. So I guess in terms of a gig, you wouldn't notice any of this, as ,y hands would be in contact with it the entire time. So, is it safe to use, or an earth problem that needs sorting? For what it's worth, my other (newer) precision also does the same to a much lesser extent.

Hiya I've been knocking around on Basschat for a couple of years but never did the introduction thing, so here it is (tho some of you will know me by now anyway). I'm Bassbiscuits, I'm 40+VAT, and I've been playing for nearly 30 years altogether, almost all of that in bands of some sort. apart from a few fallow years here and there and occasional ventures into the land of guitar. I grew up in the 1980s on metal, funk and classic rock, but over the years have broadened to pretty much everything, including folk, jazz and country, and my playing style hopefully includes elements of all that stuff. Saying that, I do try to keep things simple and effective, playing wise and gear wise. I've always used something akin to a precision bass, and they're still the backbone of what I use. I suppose I'm a semi pro player who still has to lug his own gear to and from gigs at the end of a 9-5 working week. Thru my own band and depping work I do get the privilege of playing with some of the finest local musicians I know, who make it easy for me to sound good as a result! I guess I must be doing something right. I constantly remind myself that not everyone is fortunate enough to do this in their life, in however humble a way, and that helps me make sure I give it everything whenever I play. So yes, hello fellow Basschatters!

[quote name='Greg.Bassman' timestamp='1435872381' post='2813310'] A lot of guys that I've spoke to about markbass gear all use active basses, does it matter that I only use PASSIVE basses? I'm currently playing a fender jazz. [/quote] Nope I've got two passive precisions and a passive Sandberg and they all sound very happy indeed thru my set up. If I had to choose I'd say the precisions sound slightly better with it, as they're fat, smooth and with a bit of grit, which nicely balanced the very clean clear Markbass sound. Just realised you've already said you've got a jazz - that'll sound great no problem at all.

I found myself alone in the house today with some songs to learn and with a couple of different bass heads and cabs, so I did the decent thing and rigged them all up together to see how they'd sound, out of curiosity more than anything else. So we've got a Littlemark 3 into an Aguilar GS410, and then a Littlemark 2 into a Schroeder 1210 for a sort of asymmetrical half stack! I used an old Boss bass chorus pedal (turned off) to split the signal chain into each separate amp and cab set. It sounds cool - not exactly louder than each individually, but huge and full sounding, and I used the amp EQ to try to make one cab smooth and bassy and the other more punchy. Started out as a bit of fun but I reckon it could work live. I've got a biggish festival gig later this month and I reckon it could all come along! Anyone else come up with some odd Frankenstein bass rigs that turned out to sound monster?

[quote name='Greg.Bassman' timestamp='1435872088' post='2813307'] Cheers bassbiscuits. Again, very assuring coming from an ex ashdown user. Many thanks for the feedback! [/quote] No worries! They're good amps so you won't go far wrong.

My bass cabs used to get tucked side by side under this massive dinner table the last owner left in the house. It was the only place I could get them in and out easily for gigs. Nicely out of the way until you kneecapped yourself on the corner pieces while tucking your chair forward to sit down.

Bummer - that's a sickener. My bass, my amp head and a bag of bits all got nicked along with the car they were in a few years ago, but it all turned up in various secondhand shops where I'd put out feelers and I got it all back (weirdly apart from one old woolly hat and an AC/DC album I never saw again..) Don't lose hope mate - it can and does happen that it turns up. I'm not a million miles away in Leicester so I'll keep my eyes open too for you.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1435861235' post='2813193'] The other thing to consider is what bass is being used - in my experience the matching of a Precision to Markbass is just awesome, really work well together. [/quote] ^^^^^ This definitely!

I echo one of the othe comments above, I also came to Markbass from Ashdown - I loved the Ashdown sound but never found any of them loud enough. Markbass has a tighter punchier low end, rather than the gargantuan sea of bass of Ashdown. Personally I find the Markbass sound suits me more and seems more efficient - and they also in my opinion seem far higher volume for the same apparent wattage rating. In short, they're cool. I've still got one Ashdown head but I don't think I've used it once to gig since I got the Markbass stuff about four years ago.

Ive got a Markbass Little Mark III into a Aguilar GS410 and it absolutely kicks ass. The Aguilar isn't even remotely lightweight, but as an indication of how a LM3 sounds into a good 4x10, I'd swear by it. Fwiw for smaller gigs I used the same head into a Schroeder 1210 and it's still bloody loud! Markbass are great. Not everyone's taste perhaps, but for people like me who have to lug their own gear round and contend with rubbish parking at many venues, my Markbass head is an invaluable bit of ultra-transportable kit.