dave_bass5

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1440048511' post='2847786'] Well to be fair tech 21 are completely taking the piss with the price of their pedals, I mean they sound great and all but when you think that behringer can produce a similar sounding unit using the same basic tech (fet based drive circuit) for £30 I think its a reasonable assumption that tech 21 have a fair bit of cost "headroom" to dig into when pricing the head. [/quote] Ive always thought their DI stuff was over priced. Good quality gear yes, but a bit too expensive IMO. Saying that, i feel the same about my Darkglass, probably even more so. At least this head seems reasonable, they must have found a new way to cut costs. Good for them. I

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1439995642' post='2847388'] Is the BF retro 2x10 any good? The price for that is £449. [/quote] I hope so because ive just recently brought one :-) Still to really let rip with it, only played it at work so far, but i have a rehearsal with it on Sunday. Cant wait. So far my thoughts are very positive. I think it would work well with the warm Ashdown heads.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1439985610' post='2847245'] I know a mate who... can't get rid of one! [/quote] :-)

My posts in that thread about the Epifani 212 brought back bad memories of that cab.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1439843915' post='2846244'] Good news and bad news too! I already have a Schroeder cab, but have been repelling further Schroeder GAS quite successfully as they were relatively difficult to get hold of. Now this has put very great temptation my way... thanks for the link. [/quote] Dont worry Mark,. i was also going to put temptation your way very soon so you cant get away from it ;-) IIR over on TB there was a discussion about a small batch that went out that were made of a cheaper wood and all manor of things were going wrong with them. Luckily mine is a bit older and is holding up very well. In fact my 1212L is the first cab ive ever had a cover for. I started off with a 1210R and if it had been a lightweight version i would still have it, but even though it was a compact cab it was still on the heavy side. This is from a few years ago.

Congrats on the new bass. So we now have matching basses as well as cabs :-) Mine is 9.10lbs and i do notice the difference between this and my Squiers. Not a big deal really but i have switched to other basses for a couple of gigs because i didnt feel like taking the "beast". Fantastic basses though. Although i don't use my White/RW V7 5 string much at the moment (gone back to 4 string P) i do plan on getting a 4 string next year.

Yes, great review and thanks for taking the time to write it, especially after a rehearsal.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1439815094' post='2845948'] Open the box already!! We want to see a video of you unpacking the box and explaining the contents, like those idiots on YouTube. [/quote] If thats the case then he has to open the box first, get it all out, then pack it away and and then film himself opening the box and pretend its the first time he has seen it. Plenty of over acting and....well, yes, acting like an idiot :-) Really looking forward to hearing what its like, as im now torn between this and the Ashdown RM800.

Yeah, could be my next purchase. New band, new cab, trying hard to play finger style for most of the songs so might as well get a new head as well.

Thanks for posting back (I'll reply here rather than derail Marks thread any more). It sounds like a lot more versatile head than the Tech21 I was looking at. I normally run my MB head at about 10 o'clock in to my 1212L, I also find the input knob needs to be at about 3 o'clock with my passive basses so it seems like It might be a good change over. I'm still to play though my new BF retro two 10 (thanks for the review Dan) at proper gig levels but I have a feeling the Ashdown will have more poke and headroom than my MB head. It's funny but I never thought I would ever look at Ashdown again, even though I still have my old MAG combo at home. I think it's more boredom with my Markbass head rather any real need for a new head, but by the looks of the Ashdwon it should cover the few negatives I feel the F1 has. I just wish there was control over the 100hz freq as I love that on my MAG

I too await an early report. Very keen to get one so I can cut down on leads etc. I prefer the way the BDDI works with the EQ always active. I used to have the drive stuff off and used it more like active EQ. To me that's more sensible as its still a head that should have some form of EQ availbe even if you aren't using any sort of drive/distortion. Then again I suppose that's not really the idea of this head.

I don't think that's what some are saying. Of course those songs will sound better played on the original instrument, you would also need the right amplification as well to really nail it though. But there is no reason either of those songs can't be played on any bass. I agree that a more versatile bass will help you sound more authentic, but it's not always about the bass used. Strings, fx, amp, cab, the way it's played all contribute to the tone we hear on the recording. The G&L does sound like the right way to go though. I've seen a few west end stage shows where these basses have been used and they sound very versatile, and I think that's the answer. Versatile, not authentic. I've also seen quite a few covers bands (both clubs and weddings/functions) where the bass plYer is using a P or Jazz bass, and these two sound just as good in the mix no matter what the songs were. If you are going for authentic then you won't get one bass doing it all, you will end up compromising for certain tones. My view is as a lot of music over the decades has been played on Fenders then that would be a good stating block. An acts as would certainly give you a much wider range though. It's all good fun trying to decide what to get, I'm sure whatever you get will work. As for the high end basses comment, well GAS and need are two completely different things IMO. Some people like buying and collecting basses, some convince themselves they have to have certain basses to get by, some are impulse purchases, some just like change etc. End of the day I don't think most take all their basses out to gigs, and I'm sure some rotate basses at gigs without much impact on the overal band mix anyway.

[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1439043289' post='2839611'] If I genuinely believed that any bass will do, and that it is all down to the player, then I would sell everything, buy a Squier Classic Vibe P (which are cracking basses, btw) and put the rest towards a new car or a nice holiday. [/quote] But surely every genre of music has been played on many different types of basses. There is no standard bass for any as far as im aware.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1438951545' post='2838933'] I suppose the amps that [i]don't [/i]burst into flames just go on and on! [/quote] Or fix themselves. My MAG started to distort at all levels just over a year after i got it. It was in the Bass centre for six weeks and they couldn't find anything wrong with it (although could hear the issue). They had to just give up and give it back (minus a knob). its actually a lot better these days. Very strange.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1438947388' post='2838862'] I did have quite a lot of GAS for that, and still do to a certain extent, mainly because it wouldn't need a preamp or pedal in front of it. But neither does the ABM, so I've gone off the boil somewhat. I suppose it's down to whether hauling the ABM gets tedious. But it really isn't [i]that [/i]heavy... I yearn for the time when men were men, there were no Class 'D' amps and no power steering! Everyone had huge biceps, even the dweebs, dorks and nerds!! *Does heavy weights while scowling and smoking a fag* [/quote] I like it for the fact that its going to be very close to what i use now, but without the extra leads etc. I normally run my MN head flat and let the BDDI or DarkGlass do all the tone shaping, so having it all in one box really appeals to me. Having owned an ABM i agree its not THAT heavy but due to the way the band has gone recently im already carrying more than i used to back and forth, no point making it worse. That was one reason for replacing the cab. Im not a particularly strong bloke but i dont mind carrying heavy things if i have to......i do try and get out of it if i can though lol.

Nice, please do as its probably going to be a toss up between that and the new Tech21 500watt head.

I must admit this thread has got me interested in Ashdown again. I still have my MAG307 C-115 that i use about once a year, and actually dont mind using it, but its only used in emergencies. I could never go back to a heavy head, but the Rootmaster 800 looks very attractive.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1437914214' post='2829906'] I just ordered two for my Barefaced cabs... let's see how long it takes. [/quote] I ordered one for my new BF cab at the weekend. It's probably going to turn up when I'm on holiday.

I think i posted some pics of the internals, along with Mark earlier in this thread, although it might have been another thread.

Hamish you aren't closer as you could have come to me and played mine through my Retro Two 10 :-) I had the chance to put mine up against a Fender MIA last weekend when trying out my Retro. Although the strings on the V7 weren't as new as the MIA, and im pretty sure the MIA had steels and not Nickels, i felt it held its own in passive mode, and kicked the MIA out of the room when active was engaged lol. I think the V7 is a bit more middy, not quite as scooped as the MIA, but as every Jazz bass ive ever owned has sounded slightly different anyway i dont count this as a negative. The EQ is very, very powerful though and its unbelievable value for money. I dont use mine at the moment, I just dont need that 5th string, but i plan on getting a 4 string early next year when i get bored with my P bass.

Nice write up. I had one of the 307watt versions just before i switched to Markbass. This was used with my 1210R cab and the very first gig i was told to "turn right down" by the venue owner (it was a large function room). Now, ill be the first to hold my hands up and admit i call them the Pillow amps. I just never felt it had the punch or sparkle of the MAG it replaced. Same cab, same output rating. Saying that, it was probably just the fact that it was deeper and more rounded. It certainly vibrated the room more than the MAG, although i did find i would run it with the master higher up. Given the choice id prefer the ABM over the MAG tone now, but back then i wasnt too impressed with the output level. Maybe i should just have gone for the 500watt version, the cab could certainly handle it. I never really found the tube to do anything, but again i probably wasnt pushing it hard enough. These heads seem to be all over the TV during Festival times, so they must have something going for them. If they weren't so (relatively) heavy id like to try one again.

[quote name='bassbora' timestamp='1438769119' post='2836993'] But what to get and how big? I have always known what I want/need/like from a bass and I know for a fact I will never buy one again but I just cant get excited about amps and cabs. [/quote] Ive been exactly the same. For me the rig is just something that sits at the back of the stage and makes sure i get heard. Ive gone through a few heads and cabs over the years but never really had a "wow" moment with any of them. Some have been a disappointment, and they have been short lived, but other than that if its functional then it stays. Might be worth looking at the BF range, they get a lot of love around here. I have just got a Barefaced Retro two 10 cab, and although ive yet to gig it it does seem like a very nice, small cab. Not the smallest as its a 2x10, but its not big either. Its very light and the footprint is smaller even than my 1212L. Low end seems to be there with loads to spare, and although it doesn't have a tweeter or horn it has a nice smooth top end, Its been designed for a more retro tone, which is exactly the type of music we play.

[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1438684361' post='2836324'] How hard can it be?! [/quote] I'd expect a good majority of the styles listed were played on passive Fenders, and i cant imagine any of these humbucking basses getting that close. Its a non starter really, and more of a GAS release....IMO of course :-) Saying that, the G&L's do look like the most versatile for covering most things but not really needed IME.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1438682405' post='2836299'] So, 60 posts and 59 suggestions. If we are correct and that many different instruments will work then, your style, ability, note choice and how you EQ will make your performance fit and not the instrument you choose. [/quote] Right then, lets sort the amp and cab out next lol.