molan

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1417393800' post='2620019'] We're not. [/quote] Yep - I'm with you. Prices haven't moved recently.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1417385162' post='2619933'] D'Addario, but I don't think they do .040" to .100". Failing that, Elixirs are a nice, smooth string. [/quote] EPS 190 is the D'Addario Pro Steel 40-100 gauge. 40-100 is now the standard gauge on a lot of new basses and its become out best selling gauge and now outselling 45-105 on 4 string sets. I first started using them on a Fodera who've had 40-100 as standard for quite a while. Really seems to help with everyday 'playability' and I never feel that I'm losing any bottom end by using thinner gauges. Should mean you can find this gauge in steel from pretty much any major string supplier

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1417381304' post='2619853'] I don't mean new goods, but second hand goods from a private seller. They've paid sales tax when they've bought them and the difference is not taken off when they sell. [/quote] Not if they buy out of state (which lots of Anericans do). Plus, as mentioned above, their sales taxes tend to be really low because they have such a different taxation and public funding economy.

You can't add an extension cab to this combo. It's already 6 ohms and adding another cab will drop it below the amp's 4 ohm minimum load. There's a special warning about this on the markbass site.

If you don't have scales then a decent guess for most basses with packaging is about 6kg. There are very few basses that only weigh 6-7lbs so I'd be fairly certain that's not the correct weight.

I bet it sounds "fantstic" though. . .

I know the La Bella guys well and hey always say that through-body stringing makes absolutely no difference whatsoever to tone. They do make through-body sets because their customers kept asking for them. You have to be really careful when stringing because you can get a twist in the string and this can make it go completely dead sounding (and not in a nice way) very quickly. I've heard people say this is rubbish but I had a customer innocently with a brand new set of the new La Bella Low Tension flats fitted and he said the G strig was completely dead, lifeless and lower in volume. I slowly unwound it and it pinged round as it got loose. It was twisted about 90 degrees. I simply let the ball end spin until it was as straight as possible and carefully re-wound it - hey presto, it sounded much better and volume output was much more even In terms of swapping strings to record I can definitely see what other people are saying about just trying the ones you already have. He only reason for changing might be that La Bellas, or other brands, should sound different from Chromes. It's just a personal thing but I really don't like the sound (or feel) of Chromes at all, probably my least favourite flat wounds. A cheap(er) alternative might be Carvin flats that are made by La Bella but come in basic simple packaging. Only for regular bridge stringing though.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1416665702' post='2612462'] La Bellas are relatively higher tension to TIs relatively much lower tension. La Bellas are thumpier, TIs are more middy. Having said that you can get a wide range of tones from both. [/quote] The new La Bella low tension flats are much closer to the TI in terms of both tension and gauges (identical except for the G I think). Personally I prefer the TI's but the shop owner, Phil really likes the La Bellas and just fitted them to his personal bass that he keeps at the shop so people can demo them. It's difficult to have 'demo' strings but we try and do this from time to time when something new comes out just so store visitors can at least see how a new brand or design feels under their fingers actually on a bass

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1415372795' post='2599731'] It's odd that they only make them in one gauge/tension. Given that Thomastik's more popular double bass strings come in several tension and scale length options I'm surprised they haven't considered it. [/quote] As a Thomastik retailer I'm vaguely glad they only do one set of gauges. TI are notorious for mixing up gauges in their packaging - we have to check every single set before dispatch to make sure they isn't a rogue short scale string or two of the same gauge etc. They always replace them but it's a bit of a pain

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1416859413' post='2614454'] You are correct, every UK stockist was upwards of £45, and while I paid the €10 postage on the strings, it was still cheaper than either travelling or getting some posted from a UK supplier, I'd happily part with £40ish for a UK supplier, especially if I then got the postage free! [/quote] Can be done if you shop around

[quote name='amir93smith' timestamp='1416482144' post='2610603'] I agree with the person above ^^ Ashdown need to be there. The reason i didn't go last year. [/quote] I seem to remember that Ashdown were at the show in 2013 or 2012 and got the award for the most obscenely loud and unpleasant noise anywhere in the show. Multiple amps fired up at max volume with huge stacks and sub octave switches all turned on. Huge gobs of bowel wrenching noise that didn't remotely resemble anything musical. I can see that this sort of low end might sound like a blast but not when it doesn't stop for two solid days!

Now that is very pretty indeed!

As a CS dealer we get quite a lot of queries for specific era builds and very often the only way to get exactly what you're after is to go Masterbuilt. This is a serious 'big money' option and for something as 'new' as '70 P you'd almost certainly get an original for less money. The problem will be actually finding one that's really nice and doesn't have any issues with either the neck or weight. A Masterbuilt really ought to be at the top of CS in terms of quality control but wait times are long and prices are high

I've tested a Cub at rehearsal volumes and it was surprisingly OK. Our line-up when we're learning new material is usually a Roland electronic kit (with 'proper' cymbals) into a 300w powered monitor, lead guitar into 15w Roland practice amp, rhythm guitar into 30w Vox modelling combo, keys & 3 sets of vox into a pair of small 500w PA powered monitor cabs. The Cub will handle this setup if raised off the floor so it's a bit closer to me. Requires master volume at around 15:00 and some bass & mids boost & bit of tweaking to make sure it isn't breaking up. It's Ok as my personal monitor and the band aren't struggling to hear me. We have toyed with running a DI out into the PA but haven't really needed it. This would definitely be required for gigging though. I couldn't use it in this band for loud gigs as the two guitars are pretty loud but I think it would be Ok for smaller acoustic type gigs when used as a monitor with PA support. Of course it isn't designed as an out & out gigging amp so using it like this is a tough test. It does make a bass sound like a bass though and a lot of rehearsal type combos don't achieve that very well. I also like the fact that it's got an aux in and headphone out. I've used it both with & without headphones to learn new stuff and for practicing - nice simple solution to this & a doddle to balance straight from my iPhone. Again, lots of amps can do this but the Cub tone is very nice

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1416937408' post='2615271'] Doesn't really say much. They could have had a 60% failure rate and now it's only 40%... I had 2 die. Wouldn't trust them again. [/quote] My understanding is that they don't blow up any more. I can't say precisely when this was fixed but it does seem to be Ok now. Certainly any new models should be good. We're not an Ampeg dealer so this is not from direct first hand experience however we do deal with the distributor and they are the last people to want to promote a product that keeps coming back for repair and we've always found them to be very open and honest when there are issues with anything

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1414884772' post='2594446'] There are lots, and lots, of players whose technical skill really impresses me but every now & then I hear something that tonally just floors me (as per the OP question). The most recent has been Lee Sklar. I was in a pub and there was a music TV channel on in the background. Something came on and one of the very first things I heard was this lovely bass tone. Turned around to check who it was and there was Lee Sklar lurking at the back of the picture. I was with a few band mates and pointed him out and they all stopped to listen - one of them said 'you should buy one of those basses and try to get that sound'. I just gave him a rueful smile. . . I've since bought the album and some of his playing is just sublime, not a flash run in site, just classy playing with beautiful tone [/quote] So I went to see Mr Sklar in person on Sunday night and, by complete chance, we ended up sitting in the front row at floor level directly in front of him. Literally no more than 2-3 metres away. His tone live was even better than on the album. Just his Warwick Star Bass, a little Hartke head and an Ampeg 1x15". From where we were sitting we would mostly have just been hearing this setup rather than any PA reinforcement & his tone was just sublime. Beautiful playing right through every song, perfect arrangements, subtle flourishes here & there and, unsurprisingly, the interplay between him, Waddy Wachtel & Russ Kunkel was just great as well. First man to make me lust after a Warwick ever! Not that this would make me even remotely sound like him of course - his one just looked beautifully finished

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416919839' post='2614981'] Is that the general feeling that they problem has been cured..??? It would be good if true.. as I rather like that little amp. [/quote] I was told 'officially' that returns were much lower now but I'll do some more detailed checking. They were truly awful at one stage. I know someone who had three of them fail in a week! Some major Ampeg dealers refused to even stock them for a while because they simply couldn't trust them

There was a nasty period of PF500's going bang. Seems to have been cured now. 2 years warranty through the retailer (technically 6 but tough to claim after 2). The retailer may well go to Polar but it's their responsibility in the first instance.

Saw Lee Sklar last night - very possibly the best live bass sound I've ever heard. Not only that but, based on a beautifully produced album, he was note perfect all night. Right down to the subtlest touches

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1416842696' post='2614155'] OK, so I've veering WAY off topic again, but I do wonder if there's a correlation between ... erm ... how shall I phrase this ... ah yes! ... the Barefaced NON-[i]fanbois [/i]and using Markbass amps. I've played through a variety of BF cabs with very satisfactory (to my ears) results using heads by people like Eden, Orange and Matamp but I personally detest the uber-middy sound (to my ears) of a Markbass through a BF cab. Is it really as simple as that? People with Markbass amps don't like Barefaced cabs? [/quote] I do wonder if there's a 'clean vs warm' effect in terms of how BF cabs interact with various amps. The amps you've mentioned generally have an inherent warmer sound and should not be emphasising those 'aggressive' mids that BF are so famous for. Conversely I've only ever experienced BF cabs with brighter cleaner heads and it's this combination that has me reaching for the earplugs very rapidly

Ive bought Trace stuff like this before. Cabs were ok but amps were literally 50/50 working and not. Overall deal worked out ok but one amp required a lot of expensive repair work

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1416774006' post='2613485'] I had a look but for the life of me can't find that info. [/quote] It was definitely there on the main auction site when the first bread went up. I'm in the car now so can't go back and check easily

Are you using both instruments simultaneously?