bertbass

In your situation I'd get an old 5 channel HH, Carlsbro, or Laney mixer amp, probably off ebay and a pair of 1 x12 plus horn cabs, also probably from ebay. A pair of speaker stands and you're away. If you can build cabs, try a couple of Bill Fitzmaurice Jack 10s or 12s. Seriously good cabs at a fraction of the price of quality gear and the're just as good if not better. Remember that you need 10 times the wattage to make it twice as loud so the difference between a cheap HH 130 watt mixer amp and a 500 powered mixer is not that great, speakers make more difference to output.

Oh how I remember starting to play bass in 1964 and the awful strings that were available then, a choice of flats or flats. The day that I bought my first set of Rotosound swing bass strings my world changed. I now had tone and loads of it, wonderful. Strange how things always go round in circles. Even I might come back into fashion.

Shame about all the venues that have closed because of the smoking ban.

What about one of these for a super gadget! Not for me but a good idea perhaps. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230720442281?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

I gave it try before taking it out of the house and it seemed to work OK but obviously I wasn't as 'aggressive' as I am on stage. Squaring the edges of my picks might well solve the problem, but what a pain and I like the sound of the picks so changing them is not an option. Found out why if fell in half. I'd been squeezing it to try to get the pick to be a better fit and this bent the bit that holds the pick in and the bit that fits onto the ring that goes on your finger out, so the tiny plastic pins that fit in the holes of bit that fits on the finger popped out. Does that make sense? If you look st the picture of it it makes sense. I shall put it back together and give it another go. Tried a thumb pick once but the different material made my bass sound totally different. It was also before they made left handed ones so had to heat it over the gas ring and bend it to shape.

Oh how I wanted this to be good. Unfortunately it's crap! My pick, a Jim Dunlop 1mm nylon, didn't really fit as it has rounded edges, a square edged pick seems to fit well. While showing the guitarist what a great gadget I'd found, my pick went flying across the stage. Embarrassed or what. I put the pick back in the holder and put it on top of my amp for later. Later came half way through the first set. I remembered it and stuck it gingerly on my finger. Played the song. Half way through I felt the pick coming out of the holder again but struggled on. The song finished and I had a look. As I let go of the pick, not only did it fall out but the whole thing broke in half. I think I may be sending it back. At least I tried it. It may well work for players less heavy handed than me and I still think it's a good idea.

Suffer the same problem with thin finger nails. I know it's because of the way that I hold my pick. My index finger hits the string at the same time as the pick. I glue on a false finger nail. The false nail wears away and my real nail stays unworn. until I forget to glue one on that is. I know that I should try and change the way I hold my pick, but after 45 years it's a bit difficult.

I don't like the sound of Sound City 120s. The reason being, I was lead to believe, is that they have an active eq as opposed to passive eq which all the the other valve heads that I used had / have. This was in the 60s and early 70s. It would also probably explain why I don't like SS amps very much. I don't know, but as passive eq only removes frequencies, how about setting all the tone controls at 12 o'clock, which should be flat, and only turning them down to get your sound. Never know, it may well work well.

[size=5][font=times new roman,times,serif]I bought one of these, JAM KAT PICK HOLDER SPRING LOADED GUITAR PLECTRUM, from, [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370568498294?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648"]http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1497.l2648[/url] The company that makes them is here, www.pick-smith.com Ordered it yesterday, Friday and it arrived today, Saturday. I'm impressed. I've tried it quickly and it seems pretty good, I'll try it properly at tonight's gig and give you a full report tomorrow.[/font][/size]

Ebay, google searches and the good old yellow pages. Isn't cheap though.

Bought a pair of Equinox Mega Bars and they're great. I had intended to use them with the supplied foot controller which would have been good and but my Ladies dad, an ex drummer offered to "do the lights". I found a Ryger controller which he uses to great effect and interfaces with the Mega Bar excellently. However, had I known that we had a 'lighting guy' available I would have gone down the LED par can with a separate controller route. Would have been a lot more versatile. The Equinox is a seriously good bit of kit if you want a bright stage with plenty of light changes and only have the band members to control the lights.

If they were the picks for me, I have to admit that I'd pay that as well. Our guitarist uses the plastic tags that come with heavy duty work gloves as picks. he says that they are perfect. I think he's just a tight git!

And I thought that 60p for a pick was expensive!

I always use Jim Dunlop 1mm nylon picks, the black ones. Try a few different picks though as the difference in sound from different manufacturers / materials is quite astonishing.

Pickup placement also plays a big part in the sound. Place them where Rickenbacker do and a bass will start to sound like a Rickenbacker.

You know more French words than me. I do know Citroen, Eiffel Tower, Renault and Paris though.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/klemt_echolette_bassmaster_100.html http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/page006.htm

Had a Ric 4001, 72 Precision bought new, Overwater also bought new, guild Starfire 4, Shergold 4 - 12 twin neck new, EB3 and many more too numerous to mention but the love of my life is now Danelectro. Loved the sound since seeing Golden Earring live in 74 but getting a left handed one, well you know the rest. Now got a L/H long horn and a L/H DC bass. Bliss!!!

My left handed black one is for sale. It's in the 'basses for sale' section.

A previous guitarist had the head break off his flying V and I glued it back on for him. Never broke again, sounded and played just as before the break.

What's Spey casting?

No speaker on a valve amp normally means burnt out output transformer very quickly. You're very lucky.