Dan Dare

Recording bass "to pro level" is usually done direct in. You don't need large numbers of large cabs (even if studios mic' up an 8x10, the mic will only be pointed at one driver). All you need is a preamp/front end. Always tickles me that people spend a fortune on Ampeg B15s "because Jamerson used one in the studio", despite that fact that the bass was recorded direct at Motown and the rig was only for monitoring/so the band could hear the bass.

Same as

Anyone else notice the snag? Flip it over and it's a leftie.

Is the drummer one of those who is trying to lose her?

Makes a lot of sense and explains a those ludicrously priced items on Amazon, eBay and the rest..

I often wonder about these ad's. They're clearly not going to attract any buyers. Are they some kind of coded message? Dark forces at work, etc?

If it will make me play exactly like him, I'll pass, thanks 😜

Nice looking rig. Assuming you can't keep it just because it looks good, trust your instincts and keep the cabs you like, which appear to be your 12s. 2x10 plus 1x15 used to be the standard set up, but things have moved on.

Got asked for Duelling Banjos once. I explained it was tricky to do without a banjo player. Punter said "Just play it anyway".

Don't remember the model name. It had a single 15 and, within its limits, sounded great.

Wise move. We have the physical attributes we have and, whilst we may be able to develop on them a little, we can't change them substantially. You will never make your fingers grow. If you have smaller hands, a short scale instrument is the logical way to go. No point in aggravating things.

Same here. I've had and got some nice (and expensive) toys, but a little Ohm 60w combo I had once sounded as good as any of them. I've always wondered whether I should find a small amp I like and just buy multiples of it. In a way, I've done that, in that I use small PJB cabs and just take out more of them and extra amplification if I need to be louder. It's a bit of a faff, though.

If you are a "beginner", I'm afraid you have to learn your craft, serve your apprenticeship if you will, before you can expect to play with "PROs". They are not being "entitled", they simply want to work/play with others who are at their level. It simply isn't reasonable for you to expect or demand that you can jump straight from nothing to playing at a high level. Could you go to your local hospital, tell them you are a "beginner" and expect to be made a member of their surgery team? Would the doctors (who have worked and studied for many years to gain their skills and knowledge) be behaving in an "entitled" way if they refused to work with you? I'm sorry to be blunt, but that's the way it is.

This may be helpful - it has been for me. Never invest all of yourself into one thing - playing music, job, even family. If you do, it becomes your sole reason for living and if anything to do with it goes amiss, the effect on you is profound.

That's the problem - it's tricky to narrow things down to a meaningful steer, really. All we can give is our personal preferences. For example, I'm a big fan of Phil Jones speakers - I run 3 of his cabs - but they're not for everyone. They do that vintage P bass sound wonderfully, but you'll probably need more of them than I have in a loud classic rock setting, so I'd hesitate to recommend that option to you. Markbass is a good, solid choice. If you like it, go for it. Re. cabs, 15s are out of fashion these days, but they do that classic rock/old school bass sound very well. The most well rounded bass sounds I've heard seem to come generally from 12s. I'm not that keen on 10s, unless in large numbers, but that's just me. Although it means taking a day out, a visit to somewhere like BD (preferably with no set ideas/shopping list) could save you a lot of time, not to mention money, in the long run.

It's very difficult to describe how something sounds and we all like and look for different things. If you're thinking of spending proper money, you really need to go and audition stuff. Don't take anyone else's word - have a look at all the recent, high quality kit that's for sale. It's all good, but obviously didn't suit people, so they're trying to move it on. A day out at Bass Direct or a similar retailer who has all or most of the decent brands in stock will pay dividends in the long run. I went to BD to audition heads and ended up buying something I had barely considered because I found I preferred it to the ones that were on my short list when I tried it out for real.

Spot on. I bet Nirvana and Plant don't get bored by the royalty cheques that roll in every month...

What's the problem? It's 3, 5 maximum, minutes out of your life and if it makes people happy...

Guitar amps respond well to swapping out the tubes in the input stages for lower gain versions, too. It helps get rid of that on/off switch effect, where it either sounds filthy or clean with nothing in between.

Nothing, not even playing a musical instrument, is the cure for all ills or the one thing that lifts life from the mundane. Any job (including playing a musical instrument) has its repetitive, even dull moments. I agree with those who say the bass (and by extension every other instrument) should serve the song. You gotta take the rough with the smooth. If a roomful of people want to hear Dance the Night Away or Cocaine Superwally, why argue with them? You're more likely to get booked back if you keep people happy.

It's quite difficult to make a '72 Jazz sound awful, too...

Magellan is a nice amp. Try an Aguiilar AG700, too. I bought one after I found I preferred it to the Magellan when I was looking at heads.

Pointless indeed. There's always good stuff (and bad).

There are a variety of similar systems - sub plus small array top box - to the Evox. I'd audition them against some of the alternatives, such as Bose, FBT Vertus, Fohhn (which is what I have), HK Elements, LD Maui, EV and others. In general, they offer a clean, hi-fi type of sound, but, as casapete says, the smaller ones tend to be better for playing recorded material and lack the clout needed for live work at any volume. Best to try before you buy to avoid an expensive mistake. Line array systems aren't cheap.