Dan Dare

Sorry to be sensible, but when you say "darker", do you mean fatter, with more lows? If so, it could be that you have improved the lead, which you say was a cheapie, by making a decent contact between it and the new plug (which, being a Neutrik, probably makes a better connection than the old one). The highs could be the same as they were, but you perceive it as darker/fuller because you are now hearing the low end properly as well.

If you get another 210, you can pair it with the one you have to make a 410. It will be cheaper than buying a 410 and you have the option of using one or both depending on the size of the job.

Pinegrove wide leather strap. I got one for my 5. Nice bit of kit.

As you won't need the preamp section if you use the Sadowsky, any sufficiently powerful head with an effects return or power amp in or PA power amp will do the job.

Me too, only I have a 30ft lead.

Simple solution is to leave the house with a case containing a bass you are happy to say goodbye to ("just taking it to the shop for a set-up/few repairs") and return with the new one in the case.

If you're playing in an out and out covers band, it is usually to get paid gigs first and foremost - parties, weddings, etc, etc. So satisfying one's soul has to take second place to giving audiences what they want/like. With that in mind, if I don't particularly care for a song, I just suck it up and play it. It's only a few minutes out of my life and, so long as the experience overall is satisfying/enjoyable/lucrative, I'm good with that.

I bought an Aguilar AG700 after comparing it with a Genzler Magellan, Tone Hammer 500, Little Mark 3 (which I liked a lot) and few others. I think the Tone Hammers would be too similar to your Ampeg if you're looking for a cleaner sound. The AG700 is cleaner, but you can still add a little character/bloom if you need it. I find it a good compromise. I am using PJB cabs, which are known to be clean. Your BF 210 is designed to be a little more old school in character. It's always a balancing act according to the taste of the player. You should definitely try some amps with it and see what you like. The Gallien Krueger mentioned above is a good shout, too.

Manufacturers don't want you to buy direct. They prefer you to buy through retailers (and they certainly aren't going to undercut their retailers for reasons mentioned above). It's a faff for them to have to package and ship a single unit to you when they can sell a container load to a retailer or wholesaler. Some offer direct sales to cater for those who have no retailer to buy from.

If your stomp box puts out a sufficient level of signal, you could use a PA power amp.

I got a three-sided concave fret file from eBay cheaply, which I find works well.

If you don't mind the size and weight, old Peavey Black Widow cabs can be had for little money. I had one and it was excellent. Only sold it because it was a bit of a beast to transport and store.

Depends on the part. Many components won't be unique to a particular manufacturer - they buy them in - so a faulty resistor, for example, can be replaced by another of the same type/value. You're right about this. Class D modules are machine built and components are small/tightly packed and even sealed, making repair all but impossible and replacement modules are not cheap.

As far as I know, Laney are.

You say you have active speakers, so Speakons would be no use to you anyway. You need connectors that allow you to use shielded cables. Speakons won't do that and are intended to carry high current. XLRs are for mic or line level signals and your mixer will put out a line level signal. As others say, mic cables will be fine, although you might want to look at heavy duty versions as they may get trodden on, etc.

What is the string tension like? I haven't tried Jazz Rounds, but I did try a set of Jazz Flats. I liked the tone very much, but found the A string far too light. It was 070 I think. I replaced it with a D'Addario Chrome in 075, which improved things.

Uh oh. Time to panic buy a crate of Aguilar DB751s...

You need to experiment. The ideal string height will depend on how hard you play - often, finger players need a higher action than pick players - and what the tension of the strings you use is. Do you mind a bit of fret rattle? A lot of people like the bite it gives, but I can't stand it. Rounds tend to buzz more than flats. Some like a dead straight neck. Others, including me, like a little relief (very slight concave). Different strokes for different folks, etc.

Bill's advice above is the only way to go. Take it to someone who knows what they're doing and has the right test equipment. Buying replacement parts on a hunch or willy-nilly is a waste of time and money. Not a lot of point in asking on here. All anyone can do is to speculate - we can't hear or see the amp (and even if we could, the vast majority of us would be none the wiser as to what's wrong with it).

My post wasn't entirely serious, although as I use small cabs in multiples, I don't need a furniture removal van to carry my stuff around. If you have one cab, placed relatively high off the floor, you do lose that nice coupling effect that gives the sound weight. It's a matter of working out the best compromise to suit you. I agree with those above who warn of the dangers of using Quiklok or similar stands. If you play at any volume, a bass cab can easily vibrate/walk itself off them and fall to the floor. This is especially true of lightweight gear.

Definitely. The hardness of graphite/carbon fibre means it can be brittle and prone to cracking/splintering if you don't know what you're doing and don't use very sharp cutting tools.

I just pile enough cabs up so one at least points at my ears...

Surely if the amp is there mainly for the player's pleasure, then any old amp won't do, unless you don't care what you sound like. The FOH engineer takes care of what the audience hears, so if you can afford it, get the amp that makes the noises you like. The value of that for me is that I feel I play better if I'm happy. Even if I don't, I enjoy the experience more, so I wouldn't say it's purely vanity.

Surely if the amp is there mainly for the player's pleasure, then any old amp won't do, unless you don't care what you sound like. The FOH engineer takes care of what the audience hears, so if you can afford it, get the amp that makes the noises you like. The value of that for me is that I feel I play better if I'm happy. Even if I don't, I enjoy the experience more, so I wouldn't say it's purely vanity.

An old joiner's trick to ensure that two pieces of wood mate really flush together is to slightly countersink the holes in the piece that the screws are screwed into. It avoids the threads pulling a slight cone shape from the holes, which causes the pieces to have a minute gap between them.