molan

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1415313805' post='2599226'] If you could only have one. A Fodera or a Smith, which would you go for? [/quote] We have both in the shop at the moment All the Smiths I've played have a very individual 'signature' sound. I've tried them with several different body & neck woods and although there are variations they all have that KS tone. If you like that core sound then nothing else really comes close. Foderas tend to have a bit more of a difference between models. There is something of a Fodera tone about many of them but I find on a Fodera I sound like me playing on a nice bass, on a Smith I sound much more like someone else playing a Ken Smith (not sure if this makes a lot of sense but that's kinda how I hear it in my head, lol). One of my Foderas had a cracking vintage P bass tone at the flick of a switch which simply solo'd the neck pickup with tone wound back a bit. Very, very different from the one I currently have!

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1415311447' post='2599199'] Can you post s picture molan? [/quote] Sure, it's this one: I just love looking at the headstock, lol

Apart from meeting the guys and having a good old natter my favourite moment of the day was a little test on the pair of TKS cabs with the Sei, through the Ampeg at some serious volume with, I think, some bass boost on the board pre-amp. Policesquad and I realised the roof tiles were beginning to move and scattering little flecks of dust down on us - the cabs seemed to be handling things much better than our ceiling

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1415275582' post='2598633'] Molan, what's the difference between the TH500 and the Little Mark 3, in your estimation? [/quote] I like both and would happily gig either. The MB feels a bit cleaner and articulate but it doesn't have the lovely vintagey warmth and roundness of the TH. You can use the filters on the MB to approximate the tone of the TH but then these start to dominate to sound. It's not unpleasant but I don't find it as easy to work with as the TH. The Drive and Mid controls are really intuitive on the TH. I tend to use them to set up a core tone. The MB takes a bit more work to get a tone I really like but I think that's just my ears not being as good as some people's! I know a couple of local players who get a cracking tone out of the LMIII and one of my favourite function band guys uses one (in a combo) and sounds really, really nice. I guess he simple difference is that one is a bit more modern and the other a bit more vintage but both can be used to great effect with some tone tweaking and nice cabs

Umm, as a Fodera salesman, I should probably keep well clear of this thread I love my current Fodera more than any other I've owned (I think I've had 4 others) and it was, even by my standards insanely expensive. If I'm sitting around at home with nothing to do then it's always the one I pick up first and every time I do it makes me smile. Because I know the Fodera guys quite well I often think of them working on it and remember their faces when they gave it to me - the level of personal pride and love of what they do was clearly apparent and they were desperate for me to like it (it was made as an 'exhibition' bass for NAMM so not actually commissions by me). Does this make it 'worth' the money it cost - for me yes, but then I'm obviously biased

I keep getting this email: [i]"Brown haired bassist wanted for hard rock band. Long hair. Over 22."[/i] That's it, the entire message I wonder if they get many replies. . .

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1415211434' post='2597984'] There was one back in 2010, details here: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/72161-london-region-bash-2010 I'd most likely be up for another one. P. [/quote] Schools are always good venues at weekends because they invariably have playground parking and a lot have a decent sized music room with ok acoustics. Usually need a direct contact at the school to smoothe things along rather than just simply hiring the room. The parking is the big 'win' with a school, usually better than most rehearsal spaces and many social clubs.

I've used a TH500 through a variety of cabs from different makers. Working part time in a shop means I get some time to try the TH through quite a few different cabs. Obviously most of these will be things the shop stocks but we tend to use it as our first choice reference head for testing any pre-owned cab that comes in. Until very recently it was also my main gigging head so I've used one a lot live. From the Aguilar range the SL112's are a good match but I've also used it with DB112's, a DB210 and a DB410. A lot of the tone of a DB750 is in the TH heads so it's pretty happy wih any of the Aggie range really. The cab I've gigged one most with is a Bergantino AE210. I really love this cab and its a shame that Berg don't make it any more. I've also tried it with a pair of CN112's and the CN212. Running one into the, 4 ohm, 212 is a great one cab solution for live work. Most recently I've been testing it with a pair of TKS S112's and an S212. I really like the flexibility of a pair of 12" cabs and the TKS units are physically smaller,mane a shade lighter, than the Aguilar or Bergs which is really appealing for transporting around. Another favourite of mine is the MarkBass Traveller 210. The TH sits nicely on top of one of these standing vertically and will cover most small gigs quite happily. A pair of them stacked vertically is a really cool little 4x10, 4ohm, rig. I recently ran one through an Eden stack with a 4x10 and a 2x10 - that sounded huge! To be honest I've yet to find a cab that doesn't sound good wih a TH (hence why we use it to test things). There are definitely a lot of cabs out there that I really don't like at all but I'm guessing the TH might make even those sound good As others have said, if you definitely want a TH then you ideally need to hear it, back to back, with as many cabs as you can to make an informe decision.

I have a CS and an original Jazz. I think it's like everything really, there are both good and bad of each. Probably my favourite two CS basses were from the very early Vince Cunetto era. An Olympic white one definitely gave my 63 a good run for its money. CS seem to be a lot more consistent these days but I'd be sure to try before you buy. Of the replicas I've owned a couple of Nash basses but they didn't really do it for me Nothing intrinsically 'wrong' with them but I couldn't get past the 'fake' Fender logos on the headstock (which I know makes me very shallow!) plus they also had very club-like necks.

[quote name='Jimelliottbassist' timestamp='1414876431' post='2594345'] Just purchased a Aguilar DB 410 at 4ohms. Sounds really good with the DB 750. Cheers [/quote] There is something really nice about the look of a DB750 sitting on top of the DB410 cab as well

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 th 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 wih beautiful tone

It doesn't sound like you're having anything done that the Gallery wouldn't be able to do really well. Martin is one of the best luthiers in the country. He used to work on my old one and always did a fantastic job. I'd definitely agree that having an instrument set up in the US and then shipped back is a bit of a false economy as being bumped around in transit and the extremes in temperature can effect the set up a fair bit - although some instruments survive really well and can come out of the case sounding great after a trans-Atlantic flight.

Best live sound I've ever heard was a DB750 into a pair of Aguilar GS410's - overkill for most gigs these days but sounded so nice. I've used one with a pair of DB112's which I liked a lot and also a DB410 which I preferred but simply couldn't carry it any more

I gigged one for a while and really liked it. Being on wheels really helps. Might be worth checking the speakers are original as they sometimes get replaced. I think the 10" was prone to blowing so it might actually be good to have a better driver in place.

[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1414542708' post='2590596'] You mean other amp manufacturer's handles break?? Surely not! [/quote] Any of the grab handle types will wear out over time. My Euphonic had been gigged a lot by me & the stitching on the leather handle had started to unravel. It was still perfectly usable but by OCD nature meant I wanted a smart new one. I offered to pay but Euphonic just sent me a free replacement. The SWR & Eden were both 90's cabs that had seen a lot of wear and had surface damage. The other one was actually Ampeg & not Aguilar and that was even older than the SWR & Eden - it had been sitting in a garage unused since the mid 80's and various bits had rusted up & were looking tatty. I'd expect stuff to start wearing out & showing damage after heavy use over many years but it's great when the builders want to help by replacing bits & bobs for free rather than charging and/or causing a fuss

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1414493609' post='2589728'] It's too late, I've found the thread On the plus side - special deal coming for BCers as soon as our StringPing BC account gets authorised [/quote] Great minds think alike - BassGear signed off on their BassChatter's special discount prices as well today Details in the affiliates' forum

[quote name='StringPing.com' timestamp='1414540516' post='2590581'] That is a good deal! I think the string winder/cutter is actually the D'Addario Pro-Winder. We use them all the time - they're actually really good. [/quote] That's correct - standard retail on the twin packs is £29.99 at most dealers that stock D'Addario & comes with the red 'limited edition' pro-winder. Available in 45-100, 45-105 & 50-105 only

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1414540635' post='2590582'] Yup, I've had two replacement handles from EA no quibbles [/quote] Those EA handles are good quality leather jobs too

I'm quite missing my old one of these at the moment - mine was the same colour but had twin Lane Poor pickups and a funky Randy Hope-Taylor inlay at the 12th fret