three

Yes, the AER Basic isn't very light, the Amp One is around 32lbs from memory, though given it's cube-like shape and positioning of the handle, it's not as portable as it might look at first glance. The Amp Three is probably the more giggable AER if volume could be an issue (though the DI is excellent on the One and Three - I was using the One for on-stage monitoring). The Basic Performer works beautifully with an electric bass, along with all manner of acoustic instruments. They need to be heard/used to be believed really. Unfortunately, I can't comment on any of the other contenders - I like the look of the GR range and many of the reviews are excellent. However, I'd be going for wood rather than graphite despite the additional weight. I'm sure that the build quality is excellent with GR carbon, but I'd need to have a carbon combo flight-cased to ensure on-road resilience.

As above, AER produce some astounding combos - really amongst the best I’ve heard and used anywhere. I used an Amp One extensively and only moved it on as it wasn’t sufficiently loud for stage monitoring on loud rock/funk gigs - it was a loud stage. For moderate, smaller room gigs it was fine - quality, controlled tone is superb with a very stable and defined low end. Last rime I looked, Beedster was selling an AER Basic Performer combo at a bargain price on here - quite a step-up from the Amp One and superb for electric and upright. That would be my first choice - just found it, it’s here:

That was fun and some really nice ideas - I'd really like to see a re-worked Ripper

I hope this isn't a further thread derail but I'd agree entirely with Jazzvee. We use pretty much identical rigs, though I use a Warwick Hellborg pre as I prefer SS to valve pres. I'd sort of hoped (ridiculously) that the SF2 would make non Alembic basses - I use Spectors fairly frequently - sound more like an Alembic. For many reasons, not least the pickups in Alembics, the SF2 doesn't do this. It's pretty good, with a bit of messing around, at making an Alembic sound like a non-Alembic bass (Fender etc.) but it doesn't do the reverse. That said, the tweaking options with the SF2 and any bass are pretty much infinite. As with Jazzyvee, in pretty much all practical circumstances, I use the on-board filter on the bass rather than the SF2. I find that Series basses interact very nicely too with the Hellborg PR40 - I dial in a base setting on the PR40 (according to the room/circumstances) and then use the filters and q on the bass - pretty sparingly. Piers, your Alembic fretless looks lovely - beautiful body facing

Quite an interesting, sometimes fractious thread here - more about amplification than strings but some informative contributions: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/whats-the-secret-to-have-a-decent-sound-of-a-low-f-string.1156517/?amp=1433525564

Hahaha, You’re right and I thought the same when I looked at the images again! There’s a very nice bass amp too. I’ll have a look later in the week. Rare, valve and classy!

The fretless is very nicely done and I like the markers over the edge of the board - they're not intrusive but sufficient as a guide. I'm not sure as I didn't have that long to play the bass, however, it appears that the board is in two parts (not visible in these images). The the edge with the markers looks like a separate strip, though this abuts the main part of the board perfectly and it's very hard to see if there's a joint or not. The replacement board looks like a very nice piece of ebony and it's a really thick slab. The finishing work is really impressive and it's clearly a high-end job. There was a superb luthier in the area (really, world-class), though he very sadly passed away a couple of months ago. It wasn't his work apparently, so a bit of a mystery. The nut is brass too and I'm pretty sure it would have been fitted at the same time as the board.

I was in a local music shop this morning – a really nice place, with a friendly and knowledgeable owner. His wife runs a lovely cafe at the back of the premises. It’s not a bass heavy shop, though occasionally there’s some really nice stuff in there. There are two black ‘70s Precisions and a late ‘70s or early 80s Jazz available at the moment. There’s a ‘77-‘78 P that’s had an ebony fretless slab board fitted (very impressive job), and a ‘75 fretted with a rosewood board (in extremely good condition). Both need a set-up tweak but play very nicely. The fretless is around £1700, and fretted is around £2100. I think the jazz is up for £2250. Just a heads-up but worth a visit if you’re in the area: Gibson Music Ashton under Lyne - I’m not affiliated in any way.

I'd certainly agree with TheGhostofJaco's assessment of the Mullarkey pickups - the bridge pickup is fairly P-like and has a great deal of clarity but also a great deal of complexity and richness. It sounds big - and certainly captures a lot of the string and a lot of the note. In some respects reminiscent of an Alembic single coil. I thought I'd find myself using the 'both' pickup selection but don't. Most of the time I use the bridge only. The neck pickup is a monster and has the same dynamic range and fullness as the bridge, though given its positioning, provides a more traditional/vintage tone to my ears - not something that I really use. On conception, materials, execution and build-quality - just superb basses in every respect. As good as anything that you'll find from any other top UK luthier and at a much more reasonable price-point.