Bigwan

Unless you're handy with a soldering iron I'd go with the John East, which is plug and play (no soldering) - literally! If you're going to have to pay someone to install an Aggie pre you're almost into the East territory anyway. (If you're handy with a soldering iron you could have a go at fixing the error in the MM preamp for a start before spending any money - see the Harmony Central review of the MM for a description of how to do it.)

...and please don't be put off listening to any samples by all the self advertising BS on the website - not my choice of how things should be done!

Perhaps not as impressive post mix!

My former band have finally released their debut album. It features drumming by former Paradise Lost/current 'Six Of The Best' drummer Lee Morris (a real gent) and a guest appearance by former Cradle of Filth female vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva. Available UK wide now via Code 7 distribution and iTunes. There'll be ads in Kerrang, Metal Hammer, Terroizer and Rock Sound in the coming weeks and months, but have a look at [url="http://www.creationstears.com"]www.creationstears.com[/url] for more info, studio diaries, pics, clips and nonsense! They're sans bass player at the minute, so if anyone's interested in some melancholy metal/dark rock in the vein of Katatonia and Paradise lost then contact Eddie via the website.

I have the 4x12 that I've contemplated selling... alas you're bleeding miles away and it ain't small (and it's the older livery - Tech Soundsystems era)!

Having owned one in the past I'd say no, for me they wouldn't be worth the money at the current used/new prices. Nice basses, but not THAT nice for me. Nice for the £500 I spent on mine (although it was a VERY well used example at that price) IMHO and YMMV.

I've been doing this lately too - actually recorded my last bands whole album on methelated Elites! Works a treat!

As per you Andy, I've always been an Elites man. I think initially it was because they were available locally, but I've grown accustomed to their feel and sound. They maybe don't keep the zing as long as some others, but that suits me just fine. I vary my gauge depending on the bass and tuning, but I've come to conclusion that if my fingers can take it I'll be moving to the heaviest I can stand (50-110 at the minute, but only on my 34" scales) - it really does help my sound.

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='981526' date='Oct 8 2010, 01:06 PM']Chinese CV Jazz or P. Both punch well above their weight. Keep the change.[/quote] +1. Or a used Warwick Corvette (my previous ATK recommendation might not suit as the neck's pretty chunky!).

Ibanez ATK300. I bought an ATK700 (with a few cosmetic issues and a dodgy switch and jack socket) last week for £150. Bargain I say... BARGAIN!!!

Stingray...

I think all the BBx14 series are basically the same bass, but the 'X' has a pickguard and the 614 is active. The x24 seems to have a 5 piece neck but otherwise virtually the same as the x14 series as far as I can see. All good. I wasn't knocked out by the 5 string version and didn't think the active circuita was great either, but the 414 (and therefore presumably the 414X and the newer 424) is a cracking bass for the money. In my experience Yamaha don't make crap basses at all.

Both the basses I saw were Sadowsky's. A natural standard 5 with maple board and a red 4 with rosewood board and matching red headstock. Didn't see the whole show though.

The Yamaha BB's are great basses for 4 strings, but I found the BB415/615 very lackluster in the B-string department... may just have been the examples I played though.

[quote name='markstuk' post='966574' date='Sep 24 2010, 12:19 PM']See... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=102569&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=102569&hl=[/url][/quote] Brilliant basses!

Surely the Sterling 5HS is too close to your current Ray 5? Be daring! Bongo, Bongo, Bongo!

Why not go the whole hog and have a precision modded to be a Jazz (Like Wille Weeks'/Clarky's Alleva)? Jazz bass sound with precision ergonomics. Problem solved. It's a step better than the PJ idea for me - PJ doesn't do the 'role-off-1-pickup-slightly' sound due to the mismatch in the pickup types. I seem to remember seeing a Musicman 'Ray modded this way somewhere along the line - think it was yer man from the Stereophonics... Or you could just put a P neck on a J...

I bought my Lakland 55-01 used for £400. It's a fantastic bass for that money. Hangs with anything under a grand (and to me it's better than the musicman stingray 5 i used to have). Also, if you can find one, there's the Cort RB5/Josh Paul signature. If you can handle the tight string spacing an Ibanez atk305 is worth a look too.

Bongos rule. Love my 4HH. I'd love a 5 string version again but can't get on with any EB 5. Something about the ergonomics doesn't work for me (ray and bongo). You learn to get around the limited spacing for slap with the neck pickup. I'll agree the visual aspect isn't for everyone, but you soon get past that! Don't think about it, just buy one!!!

I always fancied one of these. Smart looking bass.

Meh... they're no Bongo ;¬p

Bought one of these here a while back. Great preamp. Mine's fast becoming a fav!

I remember GarethHughes did some clips of a fretted custom he had for sale with ghs brite flats on it and I thought they sounded really roundwound-esque...

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='956531' date='Sep 14 2010, 08:54 PM']You'd think with all his high-profile gigs he could afford to get his bass set up properly.[/quote] Properly for you, or properly for him ;p I do see your point though!