Bassman Steve

That is a brilliant review. Honest and comprehensive.

[quote name='symcbass' timestamp='1381688620' post='2242387'] Thanks, don't know why they came out on their side. Me n technology do not get on. [/quote] That'll be why you play an acoustic bass then!

The 400's are terrific amps (as has been said) and I have a Walkabout that is very much (again, as someone else said) a modern day B15 Portaflex. You would expect that I would be a big fan and think they are easily worth the hassle of the weight and the price. I would caution that you need to live with it and take the time and effort to get to know it before you get the most out of it. It probably took me 6 months to really understand how everything works and I recall being a bit disappointed until I figured it out, but from then on - tone heaven.

Never been a JE fan myself - rather too busy for me but then I've never really rated Hendrix and his drug-addled noodling either (most of the time anyway). I'm just completely tasteless.

I would have gone but for the fact it was my birthday and I had family things to do but I certainly try and get to hear something in action. I had quite hoped to get a 2x15 and a Dubster but evolution has left me behind yet again!

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1380886183' post='2231892'] See, this kinda stuff doesn't interest me. I decide if I like something by how it sounds when I play my amp through it. I would say that, in your average pub or club, as a cab, there is probably nothing better than a Barefaced Compact. Loud, deep, light - WIN. Perfect. There is no need for a 4 x 10 or an 8 x 10 etc in those situations. I really don't care about the technical aspects. It is easily loud enough, with headroom to spare, and sounds great. I think it really is that simple. [size=2]PS: However, I do respect the fact that you are interested in such things, so please don't regard this post as derogatory in any way. Each to his own.[/size] [/quote] To be honest I'm not that interested - despite how it appears. I have a rig I love the sound of and I've had plenty of bass players/soundmen tell me it's the best bass sound they've heard. It's flightcased and heavy so the idea of a lightweight rig is appealling but it's got to overcome the inertia of 25 years hearing a sound I like. Barefaced offer a refund policy but that means forking out and buying blind (and waiting). If I am to make that jump then I want to understand why it might be the equal (or better) of what I already have. In the absence of any aural evidence all I have to go on is the theory. Maybe one day there'll be a mighty 2x5" with enough excursion to render a 2x15" obsolete. That's the inference but it's turning a lifetime of understanding on its head.

Thanks Alex, I appreciate the response - you have quite a high SPL yourself I guess :-)

I must confess that this is where I struggle. The argument goes that a smaller speaker can move the same amount of air as a larger one (if I understand it right) with the main difference being excursion. Ok, so if the area of a circle (I know it's not a flat circle) is Pi r2 so that is either 36Pi or 52.25Pi. To accomodate the difference the excursion is longer which means the speaker is travelling further and taking longer to do it (surely). I'm not disputing anything here - I haven't heard a BF cab as I have no access to any - but I'm a tad sceptical. I hope that's justification enough for some

No wonder the lead times are so long if they just laze about posing for pictures. Get yer hands out of yer pockets!!!

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1380756638' post='2230320'] The worse place I played was the Royal Hotel, Redcar. The stage was so small, to fit on it, I had to take a light fitting off the wall so I didn't hit it with the headstock. I was playing a Washburn Status headless at the time. The venue was at the front of a run down hotel which we were allocated a room each for the night. There was no door on the communal toilet and shower room and the rain dripped into the bedrooms. When I finally drank enough to try and get some sleep in this sh*thole, I got into the bed and it was damper than a puddle of p*ss and smelled as bad. The drive back to Essex from Teesside was memorable for the stink from my bleary eyed bandmates as we tried to get warm from the van heater. The joys of gigging. [/quote] Ditto!! Played there in 2003 and the pub manager kindly crowbarred the planks barring exit to the 'hotel'. It had been shut and condemned and we were told that there were probably ok beds and water somewhere in there and to help ourselves. You paint an accurate picture of the night that followed in there.

Nice to see him playing live. Lovely homage to his late brother - he always had a great sense of melody. He'll hate me for saying it but the live version of 'Adventures' contains some of the most sublime guitar playing ever.

Talk to Mark at Classic and Cool as he might be able to sort out a Limelight version of that - he's done a slab 66 tribute in the recent past.

Isn't there a Hercules 5 guitar one going in the classifieds at the moment? I love Hercules stands and would be grabbing that if I were you.

My single biggest influence was John Deacon. He played pretty much exactly the lines I would hear in songs (with a very musical sparsity and a great use of sustain) and had the sound I wanted. I had a Jazz bass when he first appeared and I have been a dyed-in-the-wool P-bass man ever since. Second influence is definitely Jamerson but they have a similar approach to bass lines really. No need to be flash, just play what the song needs and they both did it exceptionally well.

Absolutely. I happily parted with all my pre-CBS Precisions when I got my '66 as it was easily the better instrument and much cheaper (1953 = £995 and 1966 = £260 - a no-brainer).

Inside my Mesa Bass 400 - 25 years and still going strong. 6 x Winged C 6550 power valves and 4 x ECC83s. The transformers explain the weight!!

Another big thumbs up for Simon. Case couldn't have been delivered any quicker and arrived in bomb-proof packaging and in excellent condition. Communication was exceptional throughout. Just need to fill it now!! You can deal with Simon with complete confidence. Steve

[quote name='artist57' timestamp='1379173384' post='2209496'] My experience has been that you get treated, pretty much proportionate to how much you're paid. If you're paid j*** s*** that's sometimes how you'll be regarded. We do some charity stuff and are happy to. Like most of us, we do this because we love playing music but there's a point at which you might well think, wait a minute, we're turning up, enhancing somebody else's product, often enough to enable them to maximise their income, for nothing. Subjective, I know but there's a load more cost involved than just getting there with all your gear and playing for however long. I'm sure everybody knows all the stuff that goes on the list. [/quote] Exactly this - you get paid what the promoter thinks you're worth. There will be times when such a gig is worth it as a punt (speculate to accumulate) and if everyone agrees then fine. Those times are rare.

I have called Ampeg in the US and they have given me two possibles, one in Germny and one in Belgium. I have emailed both and will hopefully organise the casters. I am touring with a US band in 2 weeks and will also see if Ampeg US can send the part to one of the guys there and he can bring it over with him. Watch this space.

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:136965] Here's the picture I mentioned - the 'real' one is on the left. The Bass Doc charges similar (or did) for a custom made scratchplate.

Howard the Bass Doc has done 3 for me and I posted a pic a while ago which had an original '71 with tort plate next to 2 reissues with tort plates and they were identical. Howard is your man.