Dan Dare

Particularly impressed with the mix of domed and countersunk screws used to attach the neck. Obviously used what he had in the spare screw jar...

I've had this worry with PA power amps. If your rack case has the provision to mount things either way round - i.e. has drilled strips both front and back - you can get rack shelves, which you can attach at the rear. You can then rest the rear of the amp on the shelf (get a sturdy metal one, obviously), which will take part of its weight. I always do this, even if the amp is supposed to be able to be mounted front only. It may be OK just sitting in a rack, but if dropped or struck (which happens), it might be a different story.

I have to use my subs. The power amps are built into them. However, I practically always roll off the bass - sometimes markedly so - depending on the venue acoustics. A little goes a long way and too much can easily turn everything into a mudfest.

You need to watch the impedances in bridge mode. Normally, a power amp that will run into two 4 ohm speakers in stereo will need to see 8 ohms in bridge mode.

Bob Babbitt. Although I didn't know it was him (or even who he was), the bass part on Tears of a Clown (Smokey Robinson) really made me want to play bass. It drove the entire song.

Sorry. me again. Have a look in the for sale section. Chap called pentode - I don't know him and am not attempting to plug his stuff - is selling several rackmount pre's, any of which would do the job.

A pleasure. In basic terms, you need something with a high enough output. Some pedal type pre's may give that and enable you to drive a power amp directly, but you will need to check the specs. Your power amp will need something that gives around the same output level as a mixing desk. Here's a handy and brief article about line and mic levels from the Audio Technica website - https://blog.audio-technica.com/audio-solutions-question-of-the-week-what-is-line-level-and-what-is-mic-level/.

A pedal or pre that gives line level output (which is intended to be routed to the front end of a standard head/combo) will not provide sufficient output to drive a power amp sufficiently. Check the input sensitivity of your power amp. It will probably need around 1.75 volts to deliver full output. Full rack type pre's are probably going to be your best bet. They are intended to drive a power amp directly.

Thanks Bill. That's generous of you. Eminence is becoming increasingly available here and prices aren't bad.

That's very interesting, Bill, especially the reason why European manufacturers concentrated on the PA driver market. I understand that you may not wish to answer this question (I appreciate that you've done your research/experimentation in developing your cabinet designs and may well not wish to give away your knowledge), but could I ask which 10" and 12" drivers you favour for bass guitar (assuming they are mounted in suitable cabs of course)?

Are all the drivers in the one large enclosure, or is it divided internally so the 10s and 15 have separate compartments? If they're all in the one space, they won't be doing each other any favours. Peavey did a 2x10 plus 1x15 once with no internal subdivision. It didn't work very well (the bass player in a band I used to play in had one and it wasn't great). If possible, you might look at dividing it internally.

You should typically get a little more volume from a 4 ohm drive unit. But (and it's a big but) check the efficiency figures of the drivers you are interested in. They will say something like 98db for 1w at 250hz and will give better guidance as to how much output a driver will give.

In practice, that amp will only be capable of producing 900w for a couple of milliseconds (if at all). It was doubtless measured in a lab, run into a stable, non-reactive load and over a limited range of frequencies. In the real world, forget it. Claiming massive power outputs has always been the way of things. You'll be fine.

Gear 4 Music's own brand as far as I'm aware. Generic gear, sourced from one of the big factories in China that makes for Thomann et al. Economically priced and does the job. As long as you don't expect miracles, it'll be fine.

Any moment now, someone will recommend the Fender Rumbles. They're decent for the money and nice and light, but really, you need to go and try some kit. Find a well stocked shop (Bass Direct or similar), spend some time comparing and make an informed decision based on your preference, not anyone else's. Don't buy on recommendation. That's a major reason so much nearly new stuff appears in the marketplace on here.

You can make a pick more resistant to slipping by drilling a hole in the centre of it. Allows a bit of skin to skin contact and increases grip.

This. Switchcraft plugs are also excellent. You can save quite a bit making your own.

Churches are always hard work. The more grand they are - high vaulted ceilings, reflective stone surfaces, lots of nooks and crannies - the worse. I did sound in one last night and it was challenging. Certainly didn't need any reverb...

If it enables decent musicians (you can't be a duffer playing jazz - smooth or any kind) to make a living, I'm fine with it. Don't care for it myself, but different strokes for different folks and all that.

I agree Francis Rossi has the best claim to the name in SQ. More generally, bands are like companies (especially established ones). You wouldn't expect a company to cease trading when it had no original staff left working for it, so why a band?

At last. Sensible advice. Never mind all that practice your scales malarkey. Practice is for wimps. People won't notice a few fluffy notes. It's only a bass, after all. And you won't care anyway. Win, win 🤪

Oh dear. I shan't be bidding on that bass when it pops up on eBay...

Malcom Hine. In Edmonton. Google will find him.

If one is playing covers, there may be limited room for interpretation/personal embellishment, but by and large parts should be as the original. As for someone suggesting me where it might work best on the instrument, I'm not precious about that. If someone has a good idea, I'm all ears. There's more than one way to skin a cat and it's not out of the question that they may know better than me. Being willing to listen is what helps us improve.