Dan Dare

Mmmm. Nice. I have a couple of PJB C4s - 4x5" drivers in each. They sound remarkably good. Need a bit of driving - they're quite inefficient. Great tone, though.

Being old, it was the Beatles and Motown. The first song that really made me sit up and listen to the bass part was Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson. I thought it was Jamerson for quite a while until I discovered it was Bob Babbitt who played on the session. Magic.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1495554011' post='3304741'] As long as the playing is right, it doesn't matter what gear the bassist is using. An engineer with a good set of ears can polish up the sound of any bass with the facilities of even the smallest studio. [/quote] Dead right. Studio equipment, well used, can get a great tone out of any instrument. Was at a friend's garage studio (nice enough, but nothing special by way of kit) yesterday with my bass plugged straight into the board and monitoring via his Tannoys. Sounded fab and I was wishing I could get closer to that sound live (and I'm using nice stuff - Epifani, Phil Jones, Carvin). It' a whole different ball game when you need to move serious amounts of air.

If you use a skate or dolly, attaching the cab with webbing straps makes it much more secure. You can get them with quick tensioning fasteners/adjusters - they are quick and easy to put on/take off. Mine are Thule, because they are what I use with my roof rack, but plenty of companies make them. They're not expensive. I find castors permanently attached to a cab a nuisance.

If someone has bid £400 on it, someone ought to send him a message to warn him that all may not be as it appears.

Just don't get this "owned by (insert famous name)" guff. It's a mass produced instrument. The magic was in JJ's fingers and brain, not a piece of wood with bits of metal stretched along its length. JJ would have made magic with a Satellite copy. The only good thing is that a famous player's family sometimes gets to make a bit out of these sales. Other than that, it's bullshit.

No. The one I got had the Fender 'F' stamped in it (was very cheap, so I figured I'd take a punt - not a disaster that it wasn't up to the job). The one you highlighted looks of decent quality.

Need to watch the fact that some of those 'Fender' neckplates on eBay are made of very thin metal. When you tighten the bolts, they bend and the corners dig into the back of the body, as I found when I tried to fit one. So I bought a proper Fender one and it was fine.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1494667395' post='3297684'] ..and a complete PITA to carry about. [/quote] Should they rename it the Lugabout?

Class D watts have to be smaller than tube watts, in order to fit in the smaller amp case. Simples

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1494503146' post='3296523'] Having a lifelong developmental/neurological condition, being referred to as "retarded", "backward" "wrong in the head" & other lovely, confidence building terms all through my life by family, teachers & people I worked with, nearly being institutionalised by my mother when I was a child because there was "something wrong with me" - Those good enough for ya? Probably not. [/quote] I'm sorry to hear about it. However, it isn't reasonable to expect (and certainly not to demand) that the rest of the world walks round you on tiptoe because some people have been unkind to you.

To answer the OP, if you can afford it, have a look at the baby AER.

[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1494366969' post='3295488'] PJB gear is very good quality and transparent sounding. Debatable if the Double 4 (75w) or Cub (100w) would have the volume to compete with a guitar amp or drums. I have a Double 4 and it is surprisingly loud for the size, it's stupidly small. Sounds great too. Not the cheapest of options though but suits me for home use perfectly...... At the moment [/quote] You'd need to add a power amp and more speakers to a Cub or Double 4 to do that. My Flightcase (twice the size) didn't complete with drums and guitar. Lovely sound, but not enough wellie. I sold it and got a couple of PJB C4s, which are fine with a suitable head.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1494433780' post='3295974'] As is not giving a f*** about whether somebody has good reason to be upset or offended by something it would appear. [/quote] So what's your "good reason" then?

"Taking offence" is becoming a popular hobby these days, sadly.

[quote name='Toasted' timestamp='1494431150' post='3295936'] I think you'll find it's actually hugely offensive. [/quote] Oh dear. How sad.

You can only earn what people are prepared to pay. It's a buyer's market in most areas.

No such thing as a standard rate anywhere, really. Depends on so many variables.

Doesn't bother me. I'm a basstard.

The EBS tone is quite distinctive - tending towards the bright/punchy end of the spectrum. Reidmar probably the best lightweight option if you like the sound. Mesa Subway head worth a listen for that style of sound, too, but expensive.

Watford Valves have some of the old high impedance Celestions that Trace used originally. Ask their advice.

Jack's Instrument services in Manchester. Excellent and quick. Not cheap, but good value for the quality. Google will find him.

Don't do it, captain. She cannae take it. Remember that, even if it worked for the fingerboard (and it's a very big 'if'), the rest of the instrument would be likely to be adversely affected by the damp/humidity.

As Rhys says, I very much doubt you'll find mandolin strings long enough and most, apart from some very light sets used by classical players, are roundwound, anyway. I'd look at jazz guitar strings.