neepheid

It has taken me 12 or so years to acquiesce to using an overdrive pedal, so as neanderthal with an octagonal wheel I hear you. For what it's worth, the overdrive pedal that softened my previously dead set against effects opinion is the Bass Soul Food. I'm sure it's considered a toy to the effects specialists, but it was the first one I tried that didn't cost an arm and a leg and I could get a sound out of it I liked without too much faffing around. That said, I think you have to be happy with your blank canvas sound before you start adding effects - it isn't going to help you if you aren't happy with the sound that's going into the effect(s). I came from a position of liking my basic sound and wondering what else I could do with it. Joining a band which is instrumentally a trio added some impetus to this - sometimes the single guitar needs a bit of help to fill things out, give a lift in song choruses, that sort of thing.

I'm back in G&L land after some time out. Here's the CLF Research L-1000 I took possession of this week: Royal purple. Lovely finish, difficult to photograph

I'd agree with that assessment. Epiphones have got better and better over time, Gibson's output has stagnated IMO both in terms of quality and general lack of giving a fig.

Where was that? Nosey Aberdonian asking - feel free to PM if you prefer not to say publicly

As someone whose weapon of choice is a "500W" 1x10 combo with removable head I can confirm that it's only 500W with the addition of an 8 ohm cab (or popping the head out of the combo and providing your own way to present a 4 ohm impedance). I've found that 250W 1x10 is enough for the rehearsal room and I only add an additional cab for gigs.

It needs a muzzle. One time when I was soundchecking with one of these, the sound guy asked me if it was active OP: Welcome (back, if you've been here before) to the G&L club.

Everyone has their favourite flavour of angry fruit salad

Pickups wired out of phase perhaps? Swap the hot/ground of the bridge pickup and see if it helps.

They're not exactly high output to start with but if you want to check everything then I'd replace the battery snap if it's still using the original - I had to do this on my '79 model to cure weirdness. Also your '78 will have the double three way switches below the bridge and they sometimes get a bit messed up so they need a clean/checking the contacts. The '79 onwards model had two mini switches instead of one of the three way switches. See this page for some pics and info: https://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/RDartist_techinfo.php (thanks to Jules for collating all this). Can't help you with local info, but hopefully that's a start. Good luck.

Devoted fans? Fans?

I didn't start playing, let alone writing songs until I was 33, so I guess it must all be crap then. All hail the sad, delusional old fool, can't even call himself a has been because he never was, playing a ridiculous game of catch up he'll never win. Sometimes I do wonder how utterly awesome I would have been if I started playing on my teens. Mere competence is the best my dessicated brain can achieve, lest I forget my PIN number.

Can't make a /fornightly/ rehearsal? Next!

I've played in four bands (still in two) with the same drummer since 2008. Find a good 'un, retain at any cost. You can't have my drummer. The fact that we're hundreds of miles apart does not make me feel like I don't need to say it

If everyone is competent and does their own practice/learning properly inbetween rehearsals then once a month could work - but it does rely upon everyone doing their bit. I'm in two bands who do rehearse almost every week, it's partitioned into one covers band and one originals band so it takes up different spaces in my brain. Dunno if I could cope with being in more than two bands at a time - I would feel like I was spread a bit too thin.

Because it used to be mine? I'm hurt

I think it used to be mine also. If it is that one then I'm the reason it's got a battery box in it so you're welcome/I'm sorry

I know, I would have loved a batwing on the new one too, but I don't know if the longer top horn would have cancelled out the batwing and the full size tuners. I mocked it up for amusement's sake: Looks awesome, but I got a deal on mine that took the price below the point where I cared about the headstock any more, and I do appreciate how well balanced the new one is for being such a retro design. Wider neck is a plus for me, I don't get on too well with skinny necks.

Ooft, nice batwing, sir!

Bummer, I was sure that was the answer

That's a great shout.

Maybe a stupid suggestion but to cover off all eventualities have you got the output from the tuner pedal plugged into the Bypass socket instead of the Output one? That one doesn't get muted when you engage the pedal. Edit: never mind, already been mentioned. I should learn to read the whole thread before wading in...

If you can't even stand right now, a 0lb bass isn't going to help. Sit down.

D'addario nickel roundwounds? Good strings, no brainer choice for me. I can't seem to get my preferred Hartke strings any more, D'addario nickels are the closest I've found to what I like. Never had any trouble with them. Buy with confidence.

I can't imagine there's a simple way around this which works 100% of the time for 100% of people if the same pot is used for both purposes. In active mode, the sweep of the pot is -5, 0, +5 and in passive mode it's 0-10, active 0 becomes 5 and when you switch back, passive 10 becomes active +5. Has been the way ever since active basses with passive option became a thing. The Gibson Victory Artist had exactly the same thing and it even nailed its colours to the mast with special speed knobs with 5-0-5 numbering were used, making it clear that this was an active bass first and the passive mode was a freebie/nice to have/afterthought. Other early active/passive basses solved/sidestepped this issue by having no passive tone control at all (such as a Guild B-402) making it very much a get out of jail free card in the event of battery failure, or having passive, cut only EQ (such as the G&L L-2000). A separate and distinct passive tone pot is the only true way around this, but extra pot/knob = extra expense and brings aesthetic and usability issues of its own. None of these please everyone, in the end you just have to work with what you've got.

In the height of my Gibson pomp I was regularly playing a 12lb+ Victory Artist and RD Artist. A wide, cushioned strap can take you a long way