neepheid

Then get a Z7, job's a good 'un. Really happy with mine, and I don't think it's that heavy (9.5lbs) - but everyone's definition of "heavy" is different. I use wide straps and am privileged to be in reasonable structural health. I've played 12lbs+ maple Gibson bruisers in the past, 9.5lbs means nothing to me. In fact, I'm one of those even rarer weirdos who has a minimum weight for basses - below 8lbs I just can't take it seriously, I get a toy-like feeling from it and it just doesn't feel right.

That's New Backup Amp Day, BTW. Yesterday this BH250 came into my possession. Had a quick razz on it last night and I was very impressed. Sounded really good at neighbour friendly levels through a Markbass New York 121 cab. I think I'd get a knock on the door if I cranked it, and that's at 8 ohms. I'd get an earful if it was one of my neighbours, but if it was the other one, he's probably bring a guitar round for a jam. One cool neighbour is better than none I guess. Anyway, I digress. Yes, great wee amp - despite only having three EQ bands, the frequencies seem well chosen and have a big effect on the tone when they're swept from min to max. The built in tuner is super handy and very responsive - the LEDs dance around while you're playing, it's quite fun to watch! But the secret weapon is the Toneprint. I thought this would be little more than novelty value and a toy to p!ss about with but I loaded up the Spectracomp Toneprint and it's actually really good - really smooths out the playing and makes it punchier, better than any single control compressor has any right to. I was super impressed with it. I think I'm just going to leave it on Spectracomp and have at it. And thank <insert deity>, there's a mute switch (plus the power LED blinks when it's engaged - nice). I like to have a mute switch on my amps. I was a little sceptical about the lack of preamp gain control beyond an active/passive switch but the gains seem to be set sensibly and it didn't seem to be clipping horribly. Have a pic. Very happy with this for my home practice/recording amp, and it's nice and small (not as small as some like the BAM200 or the TE Elf) but certainly not a chore to take to the gig, just in case.

All this drama could have been saved if you hadn't gone off the deep end...

If you don't need a neck pickup or the extra preamp features of the Z7 then it's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned.

Tomorrow night, Nine Lives play at the Kirkie Bar in Elgin. That's Elgin, Scotland, UK, not Elgin, IL. Other Elgins are available.

Tick tock... Also, 'tis the season - as Donna and Tom say on Parks and Recreation - treat yo'self!

I bought Tim's TC Electronic BH250 head. Super quick to post, super well packaged, smooth as you like. Thanks for a hassle free transaction!

I don't know what either of those things sound like, sorry! I'm only on my fourth OD ever so I really don't have a huge array of experience to draw on. I've only had a Bass Soul Food (which I didn't really care for), a Mojomojo (which I really liked) and the drive in the Monomyth (which I also really liked). This one's a bit different to those two, definitely wanders into Distortion territory beyond OD if you crank it, but it can be used more subtly. Best I can offer you is the video I put up in the "how was your gig?" thread this week - that was the T-bird and the Battalion's drive was on, pre-EQ for maximum effect. Sounded pretty meaty to me!

Bummer about the delivery cockup. A big store like that ought to work out the landed UK price and charge you the VAT/Duty included price. I have a super cheap bass on back order with them and I do not expect to pay any more on arrival. In fact, I am pretty certain they do, because if you look at the UK site, you see this next to the prices: So they're well aware of the need to add UK VAT etc. to the price. Why are you initiating a claim? It's a delivery issue, possible stock reporting mistake, it happens. Also don't fill your head with scare stories on Trustpilot - the bias towards negative reporting will be staggering - the vast majority of people will have been served satisfactorily and will leave no review/comment at all. Occasionally someone might be pleased enough to leave a positive. The most motivated commentators will be riled up disgruntled people of the "WOULD LEAVE ZERO STARS IF I COULD" persuasion. I recently received a bass from the States, and UPS was the courier. I filled my heart with dread reading the negative comments on Trustpilot. Guess what happened? The bass arrived on the (revised) estimated date quoted, undamaged, all good. I felt like I needed to leave a positive, 5 star review to try to balance out all the negatives!

Have an audition/jam, see what happens? They might be wilful in complementary ways?

I also have a project slated to start when a missing piece (the donor bass) finally (hopefully) arrives at the end of January - ordered in September and already paid for BTW Outside of that, I have made sure to procure all the parts I will need for that project before the end of the year so as not to sully my abstinence next year. I suggest you do the same, but it's up to you. They're separate things, these parts, they're separate transactions as far as I'm concerned. If you had put a deposit down to have someone else do it all for you and pay them the balance when it's done then I could understand, but as you're DIYing, I don't see that logical wrapper (as in you bought a "service" from someone rather than the parts directly) around the project as a single thing. Hey, if you see it differently then just don't tell us - we're not the abstinence police! Or just accept that next year is not gonna be your year, it's just a bit of fun at the end of the day...

Got a new preamp/EQ/OD/DI - adding a noise gate and a compressor allowing me to consolidate down a touch. Got its first live run at the weekend and it performed very well. The pre/post/dry switch gives levels of OD at the flick of a switch - that's maybe not what it's for, but that's the effect it has. It's louder when the OD happens first then the EQ is applied to the overdriven signal as opposed to the other way around. Pretty impressed with it. Versus the Monomyth it has replaced, we have less flexibility in the EQ (less bands, no shelving), no headphones out (not as useful as it might seem as there's no aux in) and no cab sim on the DI (but gain an independent level control and an OD/EQ bypass)

Aye, that'd be a fail, I reckon. Goes by order date, not "first twinkle in my eye" date

Yes, I would say it goes by order date, not arrival date. Paying on tick is a little different to putting down a deposit then making a final payment, but I guess it's tantamount to the same thing. Anyone else wanna weigh in?

My point is that it doesn't matter in this case, frivilous or not - this is a continuing job that was instigated this year - I see it the same as putting a deposit down on an item which will not arrive until next year when the remaining balance is paid. Infractions are counted from when they are initially committed - in this case when the job was agreed with the luthier and the bass handed over for the work to be done. They're already out for this year, but if they weren't and the refinish/nut replacement was deemed not to be a repair then it would have seen them bow out this year. In this case, it is moot.

I think this could be covered by the "deposit paid the year before" clause - in this case, the bass *is* the deposit? You instigated the work this year. I reckon this is OK. Anyone else want to chime in?

How did we get here? Have I wandered into Off Topic by mistake?

So, any sneaky Christmas presents bought? I, having being already long since out of the running, have been prepping for next year by ticking off as many wishlist things as I can to maximise chances of success next year. Epiphone Thunderbird '64 - hopefully sparkly enough to keep me smiling for the whole of 2025 Cheapy bass on back order and all parts procured for a project in the new year Spare/practice amp New preamp for the pedalboard I may get a few little stocking fillers on pay day before shutting up shop. Fingers crossed my hibernation hoard will suffice!

For F's sake!

Not universally so - my JC balances fine. Strap choice is important.

None of them produce enough volume to play along with other instruments on their own, and anyone who claims otherwise is frankly speaking, lying. Beyond a lazy boi practice against some laptop speakers (and yes, my Jack Casady does get used for that and is loud enough), it's a waste of time, you'll be plugging in.

Which scale length would you prefer? A lot of them are short scale, but there are some long scale options.

When the bass player isn't being sawn in half by a table... He's gone bloody walkabout, again! 20241214 Tolbooth walkabout.mp4 Bloody wireless pest!

Lovely stuff, and a great price too, congrats!

I don't see it that way, and it makes me background levels of sad that you appear to. A question was asked, I answered it. Doesn't make me any better or worse than anyone else.