Musicman20

If Gibson actually just stepped up to QC as good as Musicman and PRS, they'd sell a lot more instruments anyway. I've recently played a lot more guitar and I am astonished at some of the guitar forum posts about poor workmanship on £2k Les Pauls. I want a nice classic tone of a Les Paul but I am not risking buying one.

If I was in the market for a new amp, I would choose the Genzler Magellan - £675.

I imagine, from a business and cynical point of view, the TH350 stock in the UK is pre-price rise/pre £ slump. The TH500 isn't. That price difference is insane. I also think £829 for an amp that has been around for a good few years is incredibly high. It is basically Mesa Boogie tier of pricing. If I were you, I'd look at another brand. Aguilar make amazing gear but the prices shot up way before the £ slump, and the £ slump has made it even more expensive. The TH500 used to be around £600 not that long ago. Whilst not related to the TH500 as it wasn't around, The Bass Merchant used to order Aguilar in directly and the pricing was much fairer. Another example of a bizarre business structure of having 'middlepeople' who essentially act as dealers, storing the product....sometimes helping with problems (often, it's just easier to get hold of the company directly, e.g. like Genz Benz).

I'm pretty certain a lot of nitro checking happens with the environment it is kept in. If you take an instrument out of a very hot house into a cold venue and do this repeatedly without letting the instrument warm up a little, chances are it will start to check. I have a few nitro instruments and now I understand nitro, I am less worried (although I would still be a little gutted if it were proper damage) if the paint reacts a little. It's almost like 'oh well, it's nitro.....it'll react at some point.'

Nice instruments but not £408 nice. That's way too pricey.

Bass is definitely a different world, even when it comes to just reviewing a cab or pedal. It needs a bass player to have that knowledge of why we need totally different things to guitar.

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1489069636' post='3254145'] However from some of the sycophantic nonsense you'd think he was the first person in the history of music to sit down and perform a song on acoustic guitar that he'd written himself. [/quote] That's exactly how I feel. When I see documentaries on someone, for instance, Kurt Cobain or the Beatles, writing their own songs from a young age, and not needing a team of corporate writers behind him, it makes me wonder what the fuss is about. 1000s of musicians write their own music and play it on their own. It is braver, I agree, but someone like Jake Bugg, (especially earlier on), is far far better, much better guitarist, etc. I find that ES has basically no catchy guitar parts...at all. Just the same old stuff. Best of luck to him though....if I could be in his shoes I would be.

[quote name='uk_lefty' timestamp='1489073083' post='3254183'] I bought a cab from them a month or so back and got some "loyalty points". Anybody know what, if anything, you can do with these? I gave up looking around on their site for info. [/quote] Yep - if you buy again you can take the money off of the next order. Works out pretty good if you buy something expensive or during the time they have 2x/3x loyalty points. Considering GAK used to dominate adverts etc, and I'd never heard of Andertons, (say 7-8 years back or more), Andertons really are at a level that most other stores need to compete with. E.g., loyalty points, genuinely good service, good shop, excellent online reviews, etc. GAK are way behind even with just their website.

I think they've started to use Lee #2 now, from their guitar department, who is actually mainly a bass player first and foremost. Danish Pete is an exceptional player.

I don't know why, but I just cannot listen to Ed at all, not any of it. Something really grates me about it. I've got no problem with pop music, but I just don't like his songs at all. I must have poor taste as everyone else seems to praise him.

Yeah I think it will take time, but I much prefer a nice chat about basses (although I spend a lot more time looking at guitar gear nowadays) than just very fast slap/obvious funk then nothing. They seemed to corner the YouTube market on guitar gear without even realising it...and now they, and 'That Pedal Show', are my two most watched channels. I'm hoping they continue with more bass videos. Nathan is a great player and seems to be relaxing more on camera. The only thing I've been disappointed with is the recent 'Sound Like' for Johnny Marr/The Smiths...which kinda made a point that a lot of their videos can be metal/heavy/detuned themed when it comes to some of the musicians (who are, lets face it, pretty damn great). They seemed to struggle to nail Johnny's sound and for the first time didn't seem that into it. Johnny is a fantastic player, doesn't shred/solo, yet his work is unique and can be difficult to play, as they seemed to demonstrate!

The Roadworn version is probably lighter...they usually are.

Hi all Noticed Andertons have been ramping up their bass content on YouTube, but they've confirmed they are going to expand their bass department significantly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5puJ-gXGpak

As you are a bassist as well, I think you will enjoy the Source Audio pedals. Whilst you might have to shell out £150, the Kingmaker fuzz is awesome. Firstly, if GAK actually send you a new one (they should as they aren't in stock at the mo), go here: [url="https://www.gak.co.uk/en/source-audio-kingmaker-fuzz/110943"]https://www.gak.co.u...ker-fuzz/110943[/url] £130. Secondly, this pedal allows you to use ANY of Source Audio's current 'One Series' boost/overdrive/distortion/fuzz engines, even two at once, all in one pedal. It takes a while to realise just how much this offers. The pedal has 3 stock presets, all fuzz, all GREAT fuzz, but if you use the Source Audio app, or their incoming Desktop editor, you can essentially change the 3 presets to whatever you want from their catalogue, and there is a lot of choice. This would give you a LOT of excellent tones and it also gives you great bass engines as well... Oh, and whilst I haven't tried it, I'm 99% certain you can run TWO of them together, so a boost/overdrive, etc, at once, through one pedal. I've got one and I'm super impressed. They've even made a 'Klon' engine, (just FYI, it is a guitar/boost pedal that now costs about £600-1000) and it is super impressive. They are like TC's toneprints but, IMO, massively advanced. Do not worry that it is digital....the fuzz tones sound very analog and organic.

A Sterling sound with a thicker/more substantial neck.....hmmm....I'm not sure what options they have for that. If you liked 5 strings you could get a Stingray 5 with the Sterling pickups....(ceramic)....certain eras cover this.

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1488442342' post='3248913'] Yup, I'm confused, as my Reidmar 250 produces 250 watts at 4 ohm..and yes it IS feckin loud, I got it as backup to my Eden WT400, which it blew into the weeds! Looking at the specs it seems to me they have just re badged mine as a 500.....poor show! [/quote] Exactly

Great investment and lovely looking bass!

The Reidmar use a D-class power amp providing 470 W Dynamic Output @ 4 ohms load (250 W RMS). Weight is 3.1 kg (7.0 lbs).

60's style Jazz options - Fender Custom Shop Sadowsky (modern take - stunning quality) Xotic (modern take - awesome) Flea 60's Roadworn Jazz Bass - 60's styling, great colour, amazing pickups (You'd save a fortune) I wouldn't go all out. Most expensive does not mean better. I personally wouldn't go with a custom builder, apart from Fender.

I have the RH750 and the RS210 cabs. I probably use the cabs more than the head, but I've been very pleased with TC's bass range. The RS210 is a fantastic little powerhouse and fits in the house quite well as a bonus. Now prices have changed, I've no idea how they compare, but I still think its a good range.

I don't understand the use of the taller frets on a bass. It could help with guitar players, but bass, don't see the point. Bizarre. Possibly the most content I've been with my gear for a LONG time.

The Cribs have always been into weird old Fenders, including offsets and student models. It's part of their sound and look I guess.

[quote name='Saved' timestamp='1487708336' post='3242096'] Well..multiscale is evolution.Also extended range or extended scale basses.Even compount radius,torzal necks and tapered strings are evolution. Is like telling that all the active electronic basses are fad. The relic doesnt afect sound or playability.Its like trying to make a guitar looking epic.The other exaples i give,afects sound or playability and go the instruments one step forther. Oh!dont forget..relic is more worse than lined fretless.. [/quote] I'm sure the Novak system is from around 1989? Whereas multi scale has been around for a LONG time. It's not necessarily new, but the latest ultra heavy bands are using them so they have taken off a little more. I just don't personally see the issue with normal scale non-fanned fret instruments in the first place...but obviously each to their own! Relic'ing or wearing of the neck can have a positive impact on playability.

PMT Manchester are pretty good, but PMT Leeds, nope. Hopefully since I last did business with them they aren't as shifty, but who knows.

I'm getting bored of anything Dingwall and Darkglass orientated. It's apparently a dream combination... If you think a relic'd bass or guitar is a fad, then fanned frets are right up there as a fad.