molan

I played this at [url="http://www.bassgear.co.uk/products-page/pre-owned/bass-guitars1/xotic-xj-1t-5-pre-owned/"]BassGear[/url] last week: Really nice 'refined' bass I thought. I'm not really a 5 string player but it looked really nice hanging on the wall so I just had to have a quick blast Some very nice touches, like the wooden pickup covers, and lots of tonal options.

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1338988416' post='1682002'] I think the puckups are different. [/quote] I think you are correct: "[color=#666666][font=HelveticaNormal, sans-serif][size=3]The American Standard Jazz Bass is the same sleekly versatile, best-selling instrument it has always been, and it’s now upgraded with Fender Custom Shop ’60s Jazz Bass single-coil pickups"[/size][/font][/color]

apart from about £100 on the showroom price. . .

Check out Alex Lofoco. He's seriously good at double thumbing and I know he teaches as well

Good question, My '64 P came with its original case but the poor old thing has definitely seen better days and could do with some TLC. I've not come across anyone who can restore old cases

Before you start opening it up it might be worth simply whacking a jack lead in and out of the socket over and over again. Then flip every rotary control back and forth repeatedly. It's amazing how sometimes a head can just 'lock up' in certain positions if it isn't used for ages or is simply left with every control pot in the same position. TBH it sounds like it needs more than this but it's worth a try anyway

[quote name='1976fenderhead' timestamp='1338903178' post='1680820'] I do find that option very tempting... How do you find the 'Drive' in that amp? I had an Aguilar Agro and didn't like it, so if it's a similar character, it's not for me... Also, a bit annoying that you can't just footswitch that on or off... [/quote] The Agro is the same as the saturation circuit on the AG500. I used to have an AG500 & really struggled to get a usable sound from that channel (I now have the SC single channel version). The Th is a totally different beast. I set the drive about 11 o'clock and it adds some nice warmth without being over-powering. Have to wind it up a fair bit to bring any distortion in. It would be nice if it was footswitchable but it's really designed as an enhancement to the core sound rather than an 'effect' I think. I saw two guys at a masterclass recently and one of them was a pretty serious jazzy chordal type player with a through neck Wood & Tronics. Not really the sort of person you'd imagine liking a TH500 / SL112 rig but he sounded amazing & he really loved the rig (it was loaned to him). Playing along with him was a major slapping, double thumbing guy who also had the same set-up. Really very different styles but both had their heads set virtually identically & both sounded as good as each other. Really surprised me just how versatile these can be

I've owned lightweight MarkBass, Genz Benz, GK, TC Electronics, SWR, Epifani, Bergantino, maybe a few more as well For my money the Aguilar TH500 paired with the SL 112 cabs offers the best core tone with a decent amount of flexibility. I have to say that matching the cabs with this head really seems to bring the best out of both. The head can be a bit too warm for some people (in fact I've just picked up an Aggie AG500 which is cleaner and crisper than the TH yet still works well with the cabs). I find the cabs a real revelation. Stupidly light yet they go seriously loud and sound great for all different types of music

If you liked the Xotic then BassGear have a lovely burgundy red 5 in the pre-owned section. There are so many 'super jazz' options out there though that it's difficult to recommend anything. Are you after something fairly true to the original J passive build or do you want a very variable on board active circuit? Having tried most of the super J's out there I've settled on an Alleva Coppolo RA4. It sounds great passive but you can dial in some sweet bass and treble boost if required. The RA is jimmy's take on an early 70's J. He also makes a '60's, the LG and a late '70's, the LM. The latter is getting great reviews everywhere at the moment

Herbie's is autumn of '59, oldest one I've ever heard of (he paid well over the odds for it as well $79!).

There's a big residential studio near me that looks amazing & was once owned by Trevor Horn. I know a couple of pros that use it. It was first used owned & used by Alvin Lee I think, then Dave Gilmour took it over & then Trevor Horn installed all of the high-tech stuff & lots of big names have used it since then for recording. http://www.hookendstudio.com/recording-studios.php

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1338314912' post='1672656'] Indeed, it's incredibly loud (not that I need that), the lows are full yet controlled, and the tweeter control and "colour" give a nice sheen to the sound to avoid any danger of mudiness. Very happy.... Mind you, the 1x12 cab stack looks a good option too! [/quote] I always thought those 15's would work well as a pair. They can go pretty low on their own but they don't get 'boomy'. Running a 2nd one should fill the sound out nicely without it all becoming just low bass. I tried the pair of Bag End 15's when Phil had them & they sounded great. First time I've ever tried 2x15's together.

Woo hoo - that looks great! I wondered about exactly this set up. I bet the 2x15's kill

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1337348595' post='1658627'] [/quote] Did I hear that a second cab headed in your general direction as well? If so, I bet the stack looks awesome!