Dan Dare

You don't offer creatively modified instruments for sale on eBay by any chance, do you?

Ah, that's where I went wrong. I practiced, whereas I should have PRACTICED. Thanks for the tip.

This. A 12 in a properly designed cab and with decent amplification is going to out-perform a less well executed 15 or 18 easily. Look at bass cabs. Companies such as Barefaced use 12s and everyone rates them.

It is more expensive, but subs are not cheap to get right. An active sub that costs £400 and odd new is going to be little more than a boom box - uncontrolled one note bass, little to no eq or facility to integrate with tops, etc - that will be a waste of money. Good subs start at around £1k (less if you buy used, obviously - a rough rule of thumb is that good used gear sells for around half new retail, so the OP should be able to find something equivalent in his price range). Not bragging, but the active sub I use cost £3k. I auditioned a lot before buying and tried (and failed) to find something that cost less, did the same job and was as light and compact. Buy once, cry once.

I added a 5 to the arsenal after 40 odd years of playing 4s. It was handy to have the fundamental when I was playing in D or C, but apart from that, it didn't really add much for me (I appreciate YMMV). I didn't find the slightly wider neck an issue, but I found I used it very little. Sold it and I now carry an additional 4 detuned to D or Eb depending on what the job calls for, which I can switch to when necessary.

The OP is asking about a single sub. I know I always say this, but putting large PA cabs on stands is not the best way to go, especially in small/cramped venues such as pubs where floor space is tight and they may get knocked over. Having them up on poles also lessens the bottom end because you lose floor coupling and boundary reinforcement effects. A pair of 10 or 12 tops on stands, plus a single decent sub on the floor, is the best use of resources. We don't know what top boxes the OP uses, but £600, even added to whatever his existing cabs might be sold for, is unlikely to buy much of an improvement over what he already has unless they are really poor, which I doubt. As he has Peavey subs, he may well have their top boxes, too. Their PA speakers were generally decent, but heavy and bulky. I'd look out for a used HK or similar powered sub. They can be had for the sort of money the OP is spending. I agree he is unlikely to get small and light for £600, but he should be able to find something of reasonable quality if he buys used. Carrying one is still an improvement on lugging two heavy old Peavey 15s.

Or even

This. It's awkward when people who mean well buy you something useless. The same applies to pretty well all hobbies and interests. I've been given useless fishing related stuff because I'm an angler, for example. I genuinely appreciate the gesture, but it saddens me that people have wasted their money. Never buy someone something specialised if you know little or nothing about the subject.

The thing to remember is that there isn't a Harley Benton factory. The instruments are made for Thomann (HB Is its in-house brand) by one (or more, depending on which has production availability) of the mega factories in China and the Far East that build for many other companies. Think firms such as Cort and World Musical Instruments in Indonesia and Korea. Thomann has to book production slots to have each batch of instruments made. At this time of year especially, all the other instrument brands are competing to get their instruments built. If a major name, such as Squier or Epiphone, wants several thousand, their order will take precedence over those from people such as Thomann, who don't buy in such large quantities. Money talks.

"flat" is very much a notional concept. The fact that the dials are at midday/neutral means little. The sound depends on how the amp designer voiced the preamp. MB are anything but flat in my experience. I'm partial to the sound they make, but "flat" they ain't.

I can't work out how to post a link, but the ones I found were in the plastic knobs section. If you have a look on the CPC Farnell site, they do a range of separate knob caps. You may be able to find some that fit your existing ones.

Take Bill's advice. Better amps don't do that, because they have protection circuitry and a relay which mutes them at switch on until the voltage in the output transistors has stabilised. That circuitry also helps guard against shorts, so if your amp bangs at switch-on, it doesn't have any protection.

Google "amplifier knobs UK" and a world of treasures will be revealed. An outfit called Knob Zone (Oooer, missus, etc) has what look to be identical ones to those on that GK. CPC Farnell and RS Components have zillions of different types, too.

Spot on. I should imagine not enough cabs or wattage (OP mentions he was running the amp flat out) to shift sufficient air didn't help, either.

I agree with Dr J. Construction is the important thing. There's quite a bit of compliance in a P bass - bolted, reasonably flexible neck, light BBOT bridge (assuming you're using it and haven't added an after-market one), etc - which combine to make it sound a little indistinct. The lack of really clear low end, combined with the upper bass and low mid emphasis, is part of the character of the instrument and the thing many love about it. Imho, you need a different instrument for more extreme de-tuning.

Or a fencing mask.

Given that Steve has looked up the serial on the Fender site and it's told him the colour, I think it safe to say it's tidepool blue. Nice instrument, Steve. Hope your daughter enjoys it.

A couple of new gems on the 'Bay as we speak. I particularly like the J with the extra wonky tuners.

Sounds as if you did well. You can't lose with an amp and cab for £80. If the cab has a Black Widow speaker in it, that's even better. Schlepping that lot to gigs will save you spending money on going to the gym too.

It's quite an old model. Traditionally, Peaveys were always regarded as being tough and reliable, but heavy (they're very much old school amps). If it isn't making any nasty noises, it should serve. If you are inexperienced, take someone with some knowledge with you when you go to look at/try it. Don't buy online, untried or unseen. And don't over-pay. I've just done a quick Google and they were selling used in around 2012 for $150 or so. Ignore talk of "vintage", "rare", etc. They're just old. You may want to move your post to amps and cabs. It's in PA set up and use at the moment.

Re. the original post, could it be a disguised audition? As they approached you, might they want to get you to play with them and see how it works out without the pressure of a formal audition?

Going rate for used Mexican J basses (Players and Vinteras) seems to be £500-£600, so right on your budget. Not an inspired or original choice, but a known quantity and easily sold on when upgrade time comes.

Not really. If you're happy, stick with it.