molan

I've tried just about everything out there in the small/lightweight market. I settled on an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 (the 350 is even smaller, lighter and cheaper but sounds the same if you don't need the 500w head). After trying lots of cabs I settled on a Markbass 2x10 Traveller. One of the main, and very simple, reasons for this cab is that it stands vertically and is just nicely wide enough for a head to sit on top. Having the extra height brings the 2nd speaker up a little and I find it really helps me to hear myself without excessive volume. I keep thinking of getting a 2nd matching cab and stacking them both vertically but I haven't needed one yet. With a gig bag for the head I can easily manage cab in one hand, bass over my shoulder and head either on the other shoulder or other hand. The cab really is a simple one handed lift For combos I liked the Markbass 1x12 but found it needed to come up off the floor to be heard really well. The Carvin 1x15 or 2x10 combos are a very good low cost (£450) idea if you want the most bang for your buck.

Whoever that bloke in Muse is.

Should have popped into Bassgear - I was minding the fort today Dealt with one happy customer by telling him his custom ordered Carvin was ready 2 weeks early and then spent a cheerful half an hour discussing the merits of Chris Squire and Mike Rutherford, The joys of trying to get a good sound out of a classic Ricky, how to play Moog Taurus pedals etc etc. I love just chatting all things bass with customers when they come in or call the shop - I can never understand these people who work in guitar shops and can't be bothered to spend time with potential customers or give them help and advice on potential purchases.

Forgot to say - if you hunt around you can pick up 2011 Fender J's for £800-£900 in the UK. I know of a nice one priced at £800 but it's sunburst

[quote name='Gully35' timestamp='1356567053' post='1911327'] Sweetwater aren't allowed to ship fender products internationally they say. Maybe to do with the price? The 2012 jazz USA standards are £1066.00 on all UK websites. [/quote] US Fender dealers are not allowed to ship new basses overseas as part of their preferential price dealership agreements. However, some of them will sell 'ex demo' or 'used' models - in some of these cases the 'demo' consists of them taking it out of the box and looking at it. . .

I've bought n loads of basses without trying them first and can't really remember having had a problem. However, Fenders (even the new ones) can vary tremendously in terms of tonal quality and I'd be extremely wary of buying one without hearing it first. Overall QC is much better now but I've been really surprised at how different a simple J or P can sound from a seemingly identical bass. Friend of mine recently picked up a fabulous Fender P and wanted to buy another that sounded as good. Fender UK have been unable to replicate it so far and they've been trying for 2 months now! Although you'll have a 7 day return option you won't have anything to compare with directly Personally I'd buy a used one in mint condition from someone here that knows what they are talking about and can be honest about sound and feel. Failing that I'd try to test at least 3-4 Fenders back to back in a store. If nothing else it'll let you see if you can hear the differences between different basses and decide how important this is to you. I have to say that I'd always want a bass that's been taken out of the box, checked for dings, hardware and truss rod tested, basic action adjusted etc rather than take something that's unchecked since it left the factory. I've seen plenty of brand new basses with transit damage so would at least want to know the shop had checked it first.

Now there's a classic old school spam headline!

There are some good relic finishers out there who can reproduce things to look really natural. Then there are those, as described by the OP, who take a sander and a chisel to an instrument and it looks totally fake. Somewhere in between are the mass market cheaper makers who just sand away certain sections and it simply doesn't look real. I saw what should have been a nice bass recently that had been fake relic'd and not only did it look fake but some of the wear marks are in places that would simply not have natural wear so it looked totally wrong!

BMW Z4 Markbass Traveller 2x10 takes up the entire boot space. Aguilar TH500 in a gig bag in the front seat and bass (or 2) in a gig bag slotted into the footwell. What more do you need

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1356342167' post='1909259'] For me, jazz is a bit like sprouts. I feel I ought to like it, but every time I try it, I still go "yuk". I don't get it. I'll have a listen and see what happens this time. [/quote] That's almost the same as me - except that I do like sprouts

Sweat - let 'em age the way Leo intended

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1356267883' post='1908524'] Yup, but that's no great hardship. Rather harder is working out why the other band members (whether or not computer illiterate) seem entirely incapable of referring to said calendar, and claim that they can't add dates to it because "it won't let them". Does your band have an IT Department? [/quote] We do have a software engineer - maybe that'll help

Eden and Ashdown are going to sound very different. I've only ever tried Ashdown heads through Ashdown cabs and, in my very personal opinion, they've only ever sounded like mud playing through sludge Totally different experience with Eden. Cleaner, punchier, much more modern. Classic modern American sounds as standard and lots of variation available once you get the hang of the Enhance control

There's only 5 of us in the band but we have a pilot who gets his long hail flight allocation quite a way in advance and a drummer who's in 3 other bands and who works on a 'first come first served' type basis. Being able to check if we can make a gig quickly is easier than calling all four other members and cross-referencing individual calendars If I use Google does that mean everyone has to have a Gmail account?

I want to set up a calendar for my band that everyone can access remotely via the web so that we can book rehearsals, block out time for gigs etc. Ideally I'd like everyone to be able to log in individually with a single password and for it to show nice simple colour coded blocks for when people aren't available etc. I'm sure there are a few of these around but just thought I'd see if anyone here has any preferences or advice

I'm guessing you mean 48 inches and not cm? I've checked my strap and it's at 47 inches with about an inch to spare to the shortest position. If you're 48 inches then I'd go for the long strap and wear it short (if that makes sense!).

I got mine from Phil at Bassgear http://www.bassgear.co.uk/accessories/cables/ I'll get my tape measure out and check it for you soon (lying bed at the moment, lol)

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1356254901' post='1908353'] Spot on. A store asked me for 50% deposit on a 4 month bass order. Walked away. In this climate its too risky, especially considering it used to be 10-20% and I know for a fact the store doesn't pay for the bass until it actually ships to them. They then have the usual 30 days as well. [/quote] Depends which brand - deposits vary by supplier. There are certainly some that demand 50% up front before they will begin to build a bass. There's also loads of suppliers who will not give any credit and insist on advance payment before shipping. In fact of the, better, ones I've worked with recently I can think of only one that gives any form of credit.

Higgie is yer man - currently cruising the Caribbean and having a particularly fabulous time

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1356218074' post='1908187'] Private sales? As in you and another individual, not a shop? Bass Gear is an amazing store! But one of the things I'm after is a Squier, I'm sure they don't stock those [/quote] I've done it at least three times on a private sale with someone else here from BC BG doesn't get a lot of Squiers in but they did pick up a funky MIM Jazz in PX today if that's any help.

I've done this in private sales before. Never had a problem. I work at BassGear one day a week to help out my friend who owns the store. Pretty sure he'll be happy to agree something along these lines for you. Check his stock and see if there's anything that takes your fancy

[quote name='Cyrene' timestamp='1356129925' post='1907352'] Headache inducing [/quote] Sounds like an Ampeg SVT & an 8x10 at full tilt in a pub band context. . .