Sean

My 2 twin packs turned up today and one has only got one set in it!

1 minute ago, Bagman said:

I think there is very few passive models. Rare Bird 

I guess an East SR preamp just drops in if anyone wanted to “convert” one?

There's a decent one on eBay. It's got a gash but it's priced accordingly. 

https://ebay.us/m/r2dTGV

2 hours ago, Musicman20 said:

I noticed this mentioned here:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/GLGuitars/comments/1nla1iw/gl_shut_down_temporary_or_permanent/

There's some shocking stuff in there. I had no idea how bad it was.

On 21/09/2025 at 08:37, SteveXFR said:

This wasn't little things like leads etc, my list included Ampeg SVT Classic with 410 cab

What a tw4t. Everyone knows you have to go full fridge and run an 8x10 when you've got an SVT! 

3 hours ago, basexperience said:

I clean my strings in a meths / denatured alcohol bath so I get several uses out of one set (never had one break yet!) and they come back bright and played-in.

 

Cheers m'deers

 

Andy W

@basexperience could you give us a quick run through of the process? I've got a lot of isopropyl alcohol here. 

I’ve just spent invested my £37 voucher and £8 more...

£45 for 4 sets. 4 sets of Legacy from Strings Direct is £50. This lot would be £64. 4 sets of HQS Harley Benton strings would be 4 x £8.60 + £10 shipping = £44.40. 

12 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

I 'think' I've just ordered x2 12 string set for £48.63... if that is for 2 sets (image shows box that states 2 sets), then it is virtually half price!  

 

@Sean @12stringbassist @Wolverinebass

Thanks @warwickhunt. I got given £37 in vouchers this morning as a thank you from a client so will have another look. I use the EXL170-BT set (45, 60, 80, 107) on the Eb-standard Spectors but am willing to shift gauge a bit for that kind of bargain. 

I ordered 2 sets of 12s just before I got my 12 @£22 a set each. They were pictured as a twin pack but arrived as two separate packs. All legit, the players points went on no issue. The packaging was a bit crushed and I think they’ve probably been around a while but the bags were intact. 

Sad news indeed. There’s something about G&L that just doesn’t fly with the market and it’s been that way for years. Prices of used USA basses are proportionately low compared to US Fender or US MM equivalents. Some of the US L2000 instruments that you see for sale used go for Japanese Fender prices and the Tribute line used prices are rock bottom (I’ve sold a couple in the last 2 years). I had a few of each and the quality/sound/playability is as good as anything comparable but they have remained very niche.

A few times over the years I’ve had compliments on my G&L basses especially a US trans-orange L2500 I had but people said that they couldn’t get past that headstock. One person said that the G&L headstock makes it look like it’s aimed at the country music sector. I couldn’t disagree.

G&L has lacked faces too, in a recent Andertons video on why Andertons is still in business, Lee Anderton says that they keep good stocks of and sell lots of instruments that customers’ favourite guitarists/bassists are playing. G&L just isn’t on the radar of many buyers in the way that Fender and MM are. There isn’t a high profile artist roster and there’s not a history of legendary stars out there playing them in the same way you see Fender and Gibson etc.

G&L marketing focuses on the Leo Fender legacy and “the best instruments Leo made”. All commendable and worthy but I don’t think that figures in the buying decision of many people. The landing page of the website says “Made in Fullerton since 1980” - who cares about this except for me and few other crusties? It presumes that you know the history of Fender and significance of it, whereas most Fender owners have no idea where Fullerton is nevermind that it was where so many great Fender instruments were made. The product info is all “features”, like Saddle Lock Bridge and Dual Fulcrum Vibrato; that’s like a car manufacturer putting Fuel Injection, 16v or ABS on its products, it’s old hat, we expect all this and a lot more these days. On the homepage there’s a bloke in a G&L top and jeans sitting down playing a natural JB. Then there’s pictures of Leo and other G&L blokes in plaid shirts in the workshop, one is even holding up a competitor's guitar (it’s a Fender). That’s the shop window of G&L today. None of that helps get these amazing instruments into the hands of potential buyers. 

I’ve dealt with G&L customer service a couple of times in the past and it’s so far above and beyond expectation, it’s like dealing with a boutique builder that focuses on your need, they’re fantastic. I’ve had a pickup sent out FoC from California and another time they shipped me a tuner to replace one that was bit stiff. 

I really hope G&L comes through this in whatever way, the products are fantastic but they need a serious business rethink to get them out there selling decent numbers. Spector went through a rough patch in 2007-09 with distribution, image etc. Prices were disproportionately low but now it’s bounced back. Fender went through a rough patch in the 80s until the management buy-out. 

If someone like Marcus MIller can drive a new brand (Sire) to the point where it’s becoming a benchmark within its market position then surely someone can inject enough magic into G&L to make it a brand that is on a lot of people’s shortlists. 

No interest in this so far, so now open to trades. What? I've no idea. 

11 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

Hey Sean, yes - I was chatting to the new owner earlier - He was saying that most of the original SUBS have tatty necks where people have misguidedly tried to strip the gloss paint off. This particular example played like a demon. It was a very nice bass.

Yes, I've seen a few "shipwrecked" Subs out there. I've only ever owned 2 MM basses; a 5 string Ray for a few weeks and a Sterling (USA) that was lovely but got sold/traded for whatever reason. It could be a future endeavour, who knows what this crazy world of Bass GAS brings 😃

That's lovely, Richard. There were a few times back in the day where I nearly bought one...

They were an absolute gem for the money. The likes of these don't exist anymore. 

On 11/09/2025 at 09:27, Rosie C said:

 

Well, I pulled the trigger - ordered the Dimarzios from Thomann and my bass is with my local guitar technician. I've a couple of studio sessions coming up, so I'm looking forward to how they sound! 

Have you had a change to play them yet? 

I've not really played DiMarzio, it would be interesting to get your take. 

My 400+ is poorly and needs to visit the Amp Hospital, it's tripping out the socket circuit at home 🫣. So, it is highly unlikely it'll be ready to go to the SW Bass Bash by 12th October. 

I wonder if anyone else has a 400+ that they could take to Taunton.  Saying that, who's going to bring an 800D? 

It's good to know Fair Deal has responded accordingly. 

I've owned a 425x and a 2025x, and I've played a 1025x. the 1025x shares components including pickups with 2025x and has a similar/same sound because of that. 

I picked up a 425x as a gigging backup to the 2025x at a very good price, hardly ever played it but it was a worthy instrument and excellent quality. The 1025x is of similar quality to the 425x i.e. excellent as most Yamaha basses are but sounds different due to the pickups.

Yamaha is generally good at differentiation of different levels of instruments and nailed it with this series. Each step up in price delivers a step up in what you get. The 1025x is the bang for buck instrument in this case especially if you can find a good one used in a private sale. 

We talk a lot about Spector basses but don’t share the sounds very often, so hopefully this’ll make a change. I’ve been editing the recording of the cover band’s last gig and thought I’d just post these snippets of my gigging basses.

Depending on the song, it’s either the Bahama Blue (Jap Import) Euro 4 LX with the maple board and black blocks or the Amber Euro 4). Both have EMGs and an LHZ-03 dimed going through a GK Fusion 550 with an Origin Cali 76 comp. FoH is taking a DI from the 550 postEQ+FX. The 550 is going through an LFSys Monaco on stage. Recorded with a Zoom H2n mounted above the mixing booth at the back of the venue. 

These clips should give you an idea of what it sounds like both up and down in the mix. You can hear some of the top end sizzle and clank cutting through in places. 

Is a Spector a one trick pony? Maybe. But it’s the best trick in the World and it’s a golden winged pony. YFKI! 😀

Being a shameless Mesa fanboy (I've had a Mk IV guitar combo and a Stereo 2:50 power amp) gigged a Carbine M6 for years, currently have a WB Scout and a 400+, I'm interested in @agedhorse view or the industry take on new solid state analogue amps. The new Gallien RB Legacy heads were a huge surprise, they're big, heavy and really expensive and seem to be bucking the trend that we're seeing with the move to class D. 

I thought the Fusion 550 would be the last big analogue GK but was wrong. I look at the RB Legacy (I own 3 GKs) and wonder what customers, that don't have a road crew, touring budget and trucks, are going to buy them. 

Mesa must've gauged the market and conceptualised, however briefly, doing a modern take on a Carbine/BigBlock/Titan? Like a WD/TT/BD-800 front end with a big analogue power section? 

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

If this amp is that good it deserves a cab that doesn't get in the way or arbitrarily alter the sound.

 

2 makes immediately spring to mind that would fit that description perfectly.

I shall be taking both my 400+ and a Monaco (two actually) to the SW + SE Bashes if anyone is interested. 

Hearing the 400+ vs the 800D through the same cabs would be interesting. 

2 hours ago, Beedster said:

I must dig out my two 1516 stories, one in which it broke the singer’s car, the other in which it created its own horizon rendering it apparently invisible to the human eye 👍

Would you like a slot at the SE Bass Bash to regale us with your 1516 dits, Chris? 

I'd be front row, obviously 😀

9 hours ago, PaulTrevellyan said:

 

this is a little awkward…thank you for thinking about me, I lost all my login deets (hence the rebrand) but yeah Phil The Bassist here sayin’ hi! 👋 

Just to bring you up to speed with the last 15 years. It's the same people, chatting the same chat but the gear got lighter, GAS got more intense and basses became a lot harder to sell. 

Other than that, you've not missed anything. 😀

37 minutes ago, bassofdeath said:

I don't know so much about tapping sounds but I have tapped the pickups with various metal implements and the magnet stops short of the G. You can feel the pull drops off.

That's most likely a faulty pickup. There were a batch of them apparently. I can't find the source but I looked into it a while ago. 

Another fabulous BassChat deal with the mega-efficient Mark.  Packaging was very robust, it arrived overnight. Comms were quick and easy. All continuing to prove BassChat is the best place to buy and sell.

Thank you Mark. 

28 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

I have an old GK amp which needs looking at. Surrey Amps have been recommended, but they are very far away from me. Who is Dennis the Legend?

dennismarshall.co.uk 

He was the official Mesa service technician in the UK for years and is renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge and ability to fix even the most desperate amps. He's in Dunfermline.