Dan Dare

Try a few. I find some hex wrenches can vary a bit, especially the no name/budget ones you buy as a set. I bought a decent set (Wera) and find they fit well.

Agreed. The other thing that irks is when bassists play every measure/verse differently. Just find the right part and play it every time through (with just the occasional spicy note to enliven things). Leave "really expressing my creativity" to the solo instruments. And on no account play a bass solo...

Sontronics mic's are excellent for the money and they are a nice company to deal with. I have a Solo and a couple of their pencil condensers. However, many of their mic's are made in the PRC to the company's design/specs and some are modified or part-built here. Nothing bad about that - China is quite capable of making quality products, provided costs aren't cut to the bone - but "made in the UK" is stretching things a bit.

It was hijacked by scammers. I know it's difficult to be suspicious of everything - if you're a decent sort, it goes against the grain not to trust people - but needs must.

Kits can produce good results, BUT you need some skills to make the best of them.

If you send a video of the item you are selling, he could create his own listing using it, take payment from someone and the buyer who didn't receive it would come after you. There'd be "proof" you were the seller via your video Don't do it. Defo a scammer.

Exactly. It had to happen that someone would play the "Jaco" card and sure enough... Who cares? Jaco may have been a great player, but he was also known to be, erm, difficult. You wouldn't want him in your band. He'd turn everything into the Jaco show, arrive for gigs off his face and generally be a PITA. It got him killed in the end (you have to be pretty deluded about yourself to think picking a fight with a doorman is a good idea). People like that are best admired from afar. I'm one of those who finds Danny S amusing. I wouldn't pay money for anything he's played and I wouldn't claim he's the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I like some of what he does. He seems a decent sort. Who cares that he doesn't have "ground-breaking talent"? Few do.

He's pretty shameless, but hides quite a lot of knowledge and ability behind the BEHS humour and dipstickery. I like that. Much more relatable than Chas B. Mohini D and those who esteem themselves highly.

This. The sound we like - the one we set at home when playing at modest volume - is often not the one that works best in the room. The classic mid-scooped bass tone with a touch of low end lift that sounds so good in the lounge or showroom often sounds like mud in a real venue when the rest of the band is playing.

I just take a lightweight head to a rehearsal room and use whatever cabs are there. Never had a problem.

If something doesn't sell, it's either not desirable (which is not the case for a quality P bass neck), or the price is too high.

Sounds as if a full and frank discussion between all parties, rather than one to one chats between A & C, A & B, B & C, etc, is needed. Get everything out in the open with everyone present (not online, but physically present, where nobody can hide). If it crashes and burns, so be it. Doesn't sound a particularly healthy situation at the moment, so no great loss.

If an agent books out a band, he/she will charge - usually 15%, sometimes more - on top of the band's fee. So how is it different that a venue asks for 10% for recommending a band? If the band doesn't get the booking, it (and the customer) won't pay, so what's the problem?

I read somewhere that MB drivers were/are made by B&C (which would be plausible as B&C is an Italian company). Worth approaching them for advice?

If I'm reading this correctly, it appears the venue wants 10% for recommending bands to those who book the place if those bands actually get a booking. Given that agents charge at least that in commission, it doesn't seem too bad. Perhaps I'm missing something.

That's what I use - two or three 4x5 cabs - and it works for me. My amp (AG700) is 700W, but I don't use it at anything like full power.

Use enough of them and you will.

Like a lot of pros, too.

Interesting. I just measured a driver in one of my PJB cabs. The cone (from the join with the suspension roll surround) is 3.75" in diameter, which gives a surface area of 11.05 sq in. Multiply by 4 and the cone surface area of a 4x5 cab is 44.2 sq in. A 1x10 with an 8.5" diameter cone would have a surface area of 56.75 sq in and a 1x10 with an 8" diameter cone would have a surface area of 50.28 sq in. In practice, because cones are not flat, their surface areas will be larger. So there is a difference, but it isn't enormous, especially in the case of a 1x10 with an 8" diameter cone. Edited to add: there is a coupling effect from multiple drivers in a single cab, which is also relevant. Area is not the whole story, of course. You need to factor in excursion, plus how the cone behaves as it moves. A smaller cone is likely to be more rigid and flex less, which will increase its ability to move air cleanly. Having compared my PJB cabs with various 1x10s, I can only say that they are not left wanting in either volume or bass weight. One man's meat is another's poison, of course. They do the job for me, which is all I'm bothered about.

The same applies to a 10" driver or any driver for that matter. Frame and surround are usually included in the quoted diameter.

It's equivalent to a 1x10 in terms of cone area, but things such as excursion are also relevant. In practice, I've never found a 1x10 that betters one of my C4s or 4Bs. I felt a couple were equivalent - the baby Barefaced was one - but none were superior. That's imho, obviously.

I'd love to hear some Danley cabs in the flesh, Bill, but they're pretty well unheard of here in Blighty. Demonstration videos on YouTube are impressive, especially the amount of throw they produce, although even if you listen on quality headphones, you don't really hear what they can do. Are they really as good as they seem?

Yes, but you need plenty of them. In terms of driver surface area, a 4x5 is the same as a 1x10. I appreciate that surface area isn't the only important thing. Excursion also plays a part. I have no problem making enough noise with my PJB 5" drivers, but I use up to five 4x5 cabs depending on how loud I need to be. In practice, four is the most I have needed. I usually use two or three. I don't know which PJB combo is the most powerful, but the specs will tell you. PJB cabs are inefficient, so you do need power to drive them properly.

The PJB amps are cleaner/more "hi fi" sounding than Aguilars in my experience. The difference between them and mine (AG700) are not great, but noticeable. The difference between them and the THs will be greater. If you like your Bassman, a TH would be worth trying. Many years ago, I ran a Bassman 135 with a 2x15. Great rig, but I'd struggle to move it around nowadays, especially as I don't have a Volvo estate any longer. I find the slight warmth of the Aguilar is a good match for the clean PJB cabs. It gives them a bit more character. Ditto my Carvin. Aguilar cabs are good, but they are expensive for what they are. You do pay for the name and the fact that they are made in the US. If you're looking at spending PJB/Aguilar money, you should definitely try before buying. If you have some nice valve amps, I'd like to hear them with PJB cabs.

I had a similar experience to yours - bought a small PJB combo, liked what it did and decided to try a full rig. You can certainly do it, but it won't be cheap. They will deal with fat tones happily, but you'll need a few of those small drivers to shift enough air in a live situation. The good news is that they often come up used and, as they are often bought by jazzers and non-headbangers, they are usually in good shape and have not been caned. They cut through very well on stage in my experience. However, I am playing in a soul band and doing functions, pubs and clubs. I am not competing with heavy-handed drummers or guitar players. Your situation may be different. They also project well into a room. I used to play in the house band at a local jam night and it surprised me how well my two PJB 4x5 cabs filled the space when I listened to others playing. If you want to make a bit of noise, especially with fat, low-end heavy tones, you will need a few drivers as I mention above. I have five 4x5 PJB cabs and run three or more of them when I want to shift some air. They are inefficient, so you will need powerful amplification. If you buy the PJB powered cabs, that will be taken care of, but if not, you need at least 250W per 4x5 cab to get them singing. I'm not so keen on PJB amps. I find them a bit too hi-fi. I use Aguilar and/or Carvin amps, plus a PA power amp if needed, which give me the warmer, more old-school tone I prefer.