Dan Dare

Given that the great majority of P style basses have maple necks, I think it likely your choice will be limited. If Google, etc doesn't turn anything up, Warmoth may be your best, even only option. Wenge is a dense and heavy wood, so neck dive might be an issue on a lighter P body, unless you have one of those 70s instruments that weigh half a ton.

I agree with your summary of the differences in sound. I have an AG700 and a pal has a D800. We compared them through the same cabs (PJB). The Aggy is warmer (but not soft or unfocused). The Mesa is more aggressive. We both preferred the AG700 through my cabs, but he uses an older Epifani and likes the Mesa with it. They both use the same IcePower power amp module, so the difference must be in the designers' preamp choices. Interestingly, his has just gone pop (they are about the same age). I'd definitely try before you buy with your cab, if possible.

Well played, sir. It's full of trout, too.

They may be very good, but, as Lozz points out, that's fine if it's the bands schtick, but if not, not. If striving for ultimate realism, no thin white Duchess is going to be able to convince the listener that she's the thin white Duke. We are free to make art and music with whoever we choose, whether in tribute bands or not. Let's hope it remains that way.

It will be fine. You don't have to run an amp that puts out exactly the rated power of a cab. A decent cab (which you have) will tolerate occasional short term peaks that are over its rated input power. The usual rule applies - if it makes nasty noises, turn down.

Were, not are. The design and components (KEF bass and midrange drivers and a Scanspeak tweeter), whilst good in their day, are not comparable with more modern offerings. I'm not suggesting that everything modern is automatically better, but drive unit technology, cabinet design and measurement capability has advanced considerably since the 1970s.

Tell me about it. My late missus could still hear bats when she was in her 60s. I could up to about the age of 40, but not after that. I love getting old, although I suppose it's better than the alternative.

I have an Aguilar AG700 and the fan is quiet enough. It can't be heard over normal living room playing volume. If you're looking at compact/class D heads that are powerful enough to gig, virtually all will have a fan because there isn't enough space in the box for air to cool them via convection alone. A PJB BG400 will really only be loud enough for small gigs unless you add an additional C4 cab. Bass Cub definitely only suitable for jazz/wine bar type gigs. I'm not knocking PJB. Quote the opposite. I like and own PJB cabs. However, you do need a few of them to make a noise. I run two C4s for small to medium volume gigs and add one or two 4Bs plus a power amp for louder situations. Please don't buy on recommendation or reviews alone. Go to a decent shop and try stuff at "real world" volumes.

I see. Thanks Bill. I thought that, when an amplifier fails to deliver sufficient power, the peaks and troughs are cut from the signal, as in the illustration. Not exactly a square wave, but approaching one. I gather it's rather more complex from what you say. Certainly doesn't do drive units many favours.

Not always. Amplifier clipping causes a similar effect. It effectively means the cab is sent a square wave, which sounds very nasty indeed and will not do your drive units any good.

Sound advice (pardon the pun) from Bill as usual. I would also suggest not pushing the extreme low end. It makes little difference to the sound in the room and trying to get your rig to do the job of a subwoofer is a great way to soak up amplifier power and possibly do damage to your gear. Very few cabs can reproduce 40hz cleanly and at volume and you need serious power to drive those that can. In practice, sensible levels of boost at 80-100hz is as low as you need to go.

This is not a once and for all purchase, so I wouldn't agonise over it too much. Most small practice/starter combos from decent manufacturers (Fender, Hartke, Blackstar, etc, etc) will be much of a muchness. I would suggest you stick to readily available, popular models. When you do want to upgrade, which is inevitable with a practice/starter amp, they are easy to move on. I'd look for something with at least a 10" speaker.

I like my vinyl. I don't care whether or not it's the last word in fidelity and I appreciate that it's not the most convenient way to store and listen to music, but I don't care. YMMV.

If it doesn't happen with the more powerful amp, that would suggest clipping to me. If you are boosting the lows especially, the amp could simply be running out of steam. The Traynor, being all valve and with a meaty power supply, can simply deliver more sustained current than the other two.

Just bought a PRS guitar from Rod. Packed it extremely well, posted it promptly and good comms. Very pleased.

I second that. I saw a band playing in a local pub. The bassist had the MB 2x10 combo. The guitar players were using Boogies, so were not exactly quiet. You could feel the bass in your chest and he wasn't going through the PA. I was impressed.

A trip to Bass Direct sounds like an excellent, if potentially expensive plan. Have fun.

M Pulse 360 or 600? If the larger one, I would expect it to have plenty of wallop. I wouldn't expect the TC to, though. It's claimed to give 550w into 4 ohms (and TC are known for being optimistic with their quoted power ratings), which is not great. You need plenty of headroom for weight of sound. You mention that you might need more cabs. As others suggest, 4x10 or equivalent would be the minimum (and you say you liked two 2x10s, so that's a good starting point). What are you using? Really, the only way is to visit a well stocked shop and try stuff. As Paul says above, we can only recommend our favourites. I'm a PJB user, but I don't know if they would suit you. They can be very punchy, but you need a lot of them and plenty of amplifier power because they are so inefficient. That can work out a bit expensive.

Cabs are the final link in the chain and can only produce what goes into them. The instrument - together with string gauge/type and playing style - and amplification largely determine how much punch you get. I've heard bass players that had plenty of punch using pretty well all the cab brands you mention. What instrument and amp' are you using?

They are quite samey, too. I reckon that's because of the electronics they use (and a lot of makers use stuff from the same few manufacturers - Bartolini, etc). True. Most pros play stuff they've had for ages. Wealthy weekend warriors buy most expensive instruments, as well as most golf clubs, sports kit, cameras, etc.

Would you ask "Am I good enough" to live in a nice house? To drive a decent car? To have nice holidays? And so on. If you can afford it, have it. Do whatever you want with your money. If others want to twist their knickers about it because they are envious, let them. Smile as they wail and gnash their teeth.

Exactly. I don't know why some of these venues bother to have live bands at all. They appear to want everything controlled and compressed to death, removing all the dynamics and life from the music. They may as well limit the music that is permitted to recorded/processed pap (which is what such systems are designed to reproduce). I'm not arguing that bands should have complete free reign to deafen everyone, but there seems little point in having real people playing real instruments in places like that.

The bane of our lives all too often. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to explain to a KB player that the fact that he has the ability to play ten notes simultaneously doesn't mean he has to do so all the time. Getting them to understand that there is a difference between playing solo, when they have to provide the lot - melody, chords and bass line - and playing in a band context, where space has to be left for everything else that is happening, is a never ending quest.

Rachael Price is a fabulous singer. Someone once described her along the lines of "Amy Winehouse minus the self-destructive issues", which I thought was pretty spot on.

Too many to mention. Many, many pro players are far more able than you would realise from listening to what they do with the bands they make their names with. A few are mentioned above. There are countless others. A question. You are offered the bass chair in a successful outfit, playing relatively simple music that is massively popular. You can pretty well play the stuff in your sleep. Do you: 1. Say "Yes, please" and play the music to the best of your ability, enjoy the experience, fame and travel, etc, live in a nice house, drive a nice car (or cars), use the freedom from having to work 24/7 just to survive to play the music that really floats your boat in your spare time (not needing to worry whether anyone likes it or if it will sell), spend plenty of time with your family and give them the life you want them to have and retire to live in comfort after a relatively short working life? 2. Say "No thanks. It's not enough of a challenge" and continue to plug away for 50+ hours a week at the day job (which you can't stand, but, hey, we've all got to survive) whilst juggling your time to fit your musical endeavours around it, turn up at work feeling like cr@p because you got home at 4 am from last night's gig, squeeze practice and rehearsal into what little spare time you have, use up all your annual leave to do the odd bit of "touring" where you play to small numbers of people who think it's a shame you aren't better known and appreciated, worry about the bills and argue with your partner because the kids (who you don't see nearly as much as you should or would like to) need stuff you can't afford because you've just bought that expensive gear you have to have and work until you drop? I know which option I'd have gone for had I been offered the choice.