Lfalex v1.1

Hope it sounds better than my Markbass Head when the input/gain stage clips. Note the use of "clips" not "starts to clip" It goes from clean to loud piezo- electric buzzer straight away!

Doesn't that allow the potential for noise* to creep in at lower levels? *hiss, noise caused by fan motors, RFI, anything else that wants to sneak in with the signal...

Chevelle Ra Suzanne Vega QOTSA Supertramp Mainly because I'm playing along..

On stage, I think it was my Warwick Infinty SN4 through a Hartke HA3500 and 4.5XL. That wasn't even my rig. It was the venue's. Singer/Guitarist in a band I was in maintains I produced the best bass tone he'd EVER heard with a 2004 MIA S1 Jazz through an Ampeg SVP-PRO into my little 80w 1x10 Combo... in the drummer's front room! 🤪 In the studio environment, the Vigier, straight into the desk has given consistently good results. There's an undeniable directness and clarity, in spite of any processing after the fact. Otherwise, I'm getting some nice noises from most basses via a Two Notes "Le Bass" preamp, a Markbass S450 and Schroeder 21012l. I really do need a band rehearsal/ audition to use it in anger, though.

Works for me. Except I don't own any Fenders or Squiers... Virtually all of the basses I own make me adjust my approach at least a bit. I find it helps to keep things fresh and appreciate the strengths/ shortcomings of each design. It also means whatever I buy next has to be quite different/ special just to get a look in!

It's raining again Who can stop the rain? ... Raining Blood..

I'm not entirely sure that it's legal to charge X online and X+300 instore. If PMT only have one of a given item, they'd be charging more for the very same unit. That said a brief check online at point of purchase would reveal the truth. Then hit them with a low-ball offer! 🤪

Jeez. I guess I'm pretty lucky! No real issues that affect playing at all. All the more remarkable given that I've used my hands, arms, shoulders, back and legs heavily at work for the last 30+ years. Could this actually have worked in my favour? I damaged my patello-femoral ligament in May, and still can't ascend or descend stairs properly. It's taking forever to heal. No problem standing still and playing- the other 4 ligaments can keep me stable. Getting the Schroeder 21012 upstairs still isn't too problematic. I'm glad it's a "L" not an "R", though.

There's a Dead Kennedys song that could easily have been added to that list...

I've sat through several power cuts with a bass, a Nux Mighty Plug and my phone.

Various Ibanez Might not necessarily have the big HB but there's a good choice at various price points, and they're even more reasonable second-hand.

That might well be because some (such as my old 1990 SR5 had the serial number engraved into the bridge baseplate. They weren't available to order then either; Saddles, screws, springs and posts? Yep. Baseplates? Nope. Whole units? Nope. Not OEM ones, in any case.

A mix in which the bass is clear/at least audible to work from. If it's buried or murkily mixed it makes it a whole lot harder. Tab or notation or lack thereof. A genre or style with which you might not be very familiar or proficient. A song which leans heavily on an unusual technique.

No experience of it, so a Wildcard; Two Notes CAB M+ Though it can't capture other amps' tones, it might fit the bill.

And in some crazy moment of synchronicity, this popped up...

The poles/posts on the bridge serve two purposes; To help anchor the bridge to body. To help prevent side-to side movement in the strings. Assuming a fairly normal set of strings are in use, and that the intonation is correct, bass bridge saddles often describe a diagonal line. On a four, the G saddle is further forward (towards the neck) than the D, the D further forward than the A, and A further forward than the E. The opposing positioning of the poles/posts on the 4 string bridge still contact the outer strings (G and E) restricting their movement. The D and A strings are restricted by the fact that they're sandwiched by the adjacent saddles. The addition of a 5th string (especially if it's a Low B) means that the saddle for that string will be further back still than the E. It would generally not fall into contact with the upper pole/post, and it's side-to-side movement wouldn't be contained. Moving the B post backwards addresses this, but means it's not directly opposite the G post. It's not a particularly elegant solution, although it does help anchor the bridge. Many designs are better in this respect; The stock G&L and 2 piece Warwick bridge, any monorail design, The Badass II plus hardware from any of the usual manufacturers like ABM or Hipshot. Is side-to-side movement in bridge saddles an issue? If you play with a light touch, probably less so. I found with my OLP, which had no posts, grooves or slots to be awful. A lot of my input went into flexing the saddles as I plucked. To me, that dulled the sound and muffled the sustain to an unacceptable degree. YMMV and all that.

None sound odd. They all sound like a version of me. Not sure that's a good thing... However, after playing either my Hohner B2AV or Ibanez EDA900, it feels strange to have anything even vaguely close to the inside of my right (plucking hand) forearm. The first two never make contact with it at all. The bigger and "slabbier" the bass body, the more marked the contrast.

Pretty much what I'd have said, except I have no experience with the Sandberg.

So... with Strings Direct being unhelpful , I'd given up. So my other half very kindly buys me a set of Elites 40-125s from Bass Direct, bless her. They arrive in good time. I fit them and ONCE AGAIN the D and A strings are too damn long. Why in the name of all that's low-tuned haven't The Bass Centre (Elites manufacturer) contacted their retailers and recalled all the sets from the duff production runs? So utterly F'ed off. And don't be mentioning adapters for regular strings. I don't want to do that. I want DBE strings that fit at a sensible price; not what D'Addario are charging...

I started a bit late. Went too long without an amp (2 years) when I started. Not buying that Ken Smith sixer at the Bass Centre. Bought a Warwick Streamer LX6 instead.

Works for me. Markbass CS450 head into newer Schroeder 21012L. Clean headroom for days. Sounds great. Drive/ Vintageness ably supplied by a Two Notes "Le Bass" preamp pedal. (So that's a 450w Class A/B head with a "lightweight" 2x10 with a 1x12 built in. Rated @ 1kW. 4 Ohm impedance. Pretty close to where you're headed?) Issues? The Markbass doesn't like to have it's input stage clipped. Hence the dirt from the pedal. The Schroeder's tonal balance varies dramatically dependent on where you stand relative to it. In larger rooms at higher SPLs, this disappears. Both are peculiar to the devices concerned and aren't huge problems. I'd try any combination of amps/cabs that came my way. Just out of interest as much as anything!

Not far off, Bill.. https://images.app.goo.gl/vFW16ths6ZTqAqNH7 Couldn't link the image itself. These are "hifi" loudspeakers, but demonstrate the form factor well enough. I think I'd make them shorter with a more vertical baffle.

Depending upon what you forsee using said cabinet for, I might consider a non- rectangular cabinet; tall and slim (but with a low enough C-of-G to keep it stable!) with the driver mounted in an angled top face to aid projection. I'm always concerned with 1x10 that at close quarters, my ankles are getting more benefit than my ears. Sure, stands and beer crates exist, but look untidy! I guess the port/s can be located almost anywhere as they behave omnidirectionally at the frequencies they're working at.

I once used a Super Redhead 2x10 combo that was laid on by the venue. I recall it sounding good and being perfectly adequate for the job in hand. If that sounds like my damning it with faint praise, I'm not. Amps are either up to the task in question, or they aren't. That covers power, tone, reliability, ease of use... whatever criteria you have.

Mine are permanently chained to a belt loop with a dog chain that I purchased in ~1991 so I didn't lose my keys in the Pro-Pain moshpit at the Marquee... Still going strong!