paul_5

In complex matter like this it often helps to delve into the wisdom of the ages, namely one Joe Meek who put it like this: "If it sounds right, it is right". Just play bass, if it works for you, then great, buy it. If not then look elsewhere.

Started with a Hohner short scale 'P' bass thing 5 string headless hohner (Steinberger copy) Hohner 5 string with a head and active EQ (at this point the first P bass copy was defretted) squier 5 string P bass (changed the pickups for some DiMarzio ultra jazz - made a world of difference) Current basses: Hohner BA2 acoustic bass (since defretted) Levinson Blade B15 5 string - a brilliant bass. A 'Frankenstein' bass - the neck from a Yamato P Bass copy, and the body from an unknown Hondo bass (ebay). I defrettd the neck, got new pups, bridge etc... more of a building project than a proper instrument, sounds beautiful but the action needs some attention.

[quote name='RhysP' post='980684' date='Oct 7 2010, 04:31 PM']I still have a Blade guitar (a pre-lawsuit Texas Standard strat) & that is also wonderful - far better than any Fender I've ever played. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=46075&hl=levinson+blade+b4"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...vinson+blade+b4[/url][/quote] +1 on the fender comparison. When I bought this I wanted the fender Jazz sound palette and the playable Jazz neck contour, but not the high gloss finish on the neck or the active electronics which seemed mandatory for the price bracket I was in. I simply wanted a passive bass with higher grade woods to give a better fundamental tone, rather than trying to create one artificially. I've gigged this bass loads and done all of my studio work with it. It has made such an impression that I have sold all my other basses. Probably worth noting at this point that I don't actually work for Gary Levinson, neither am I a shareholder, just a very happy customer.

I'm currently loving playing my Blade B15, but can't seem to find any other Blade players on this forum, I'm surely not the only one. Stand forth and be recognised...

yeah, looks a bit dodgy, but it was a spur of the moment thing at a gig and I've just kept it 'cos it seemed to work.

I've been active on an American forum similar to this but to be entirely honest I've forgotten my login details. Thought it was time to join a UK one since that's where I live. I've been playing mainly 5 string basses for 17 years through a variety of amps and cabs. Currently I've got a Hartke rig (LH1000 and Hydrive cab) for live, and an old Ampeg SVP PRO preamp for recording. I'm into composition and mainly 'do' rock and prog / avant garde stuff. I also sing a bit and dabble with a variety of other instruments, but my SERIOUS instrument is the bass.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='979950' date='Oct 6 2010, 09:58 PM']What's with the taped-on lumps on the Boss pedals?[/quote] they're used 9v batteries to make the footswitches easier to 'hit' mid song, particularly the ones at the back.

Here's mine. probably changed a little bit since this photo but the main ingredients are still there.[attachment=60713:P8190123.JPG]