Marty Forrer

I have had a GB Streamliner, a Shuttle 3.0 10T, and more recently a Genzler Magellan. In recent times I've drifted away, but just lucked into a mint GB Shuttle 6.0 12T and matching GB ext cab, both with heady duty US made covers, and got them for a song. 600w and 2 x 12, plus works great for double bass as well. I'm a happy camper.

Just gotta say, someone (not me!) dropped my 800 and damaged the volume pot. I emailed Pat Quilter to buy a new pot and he sent me a replacement pot free of charge. I live in New Zealand and he sent it priority! Customer service... top notch!

Well, it looks like Lee Sklar has started using GR, so if that ain't a good recommendation, I don't know what is.

I have used most pickups... Realist, Shadow, Underwood, Barbera, Wilson, BassMax, Fishman and Rev Solo, but my choice is a Zac Victor. As good as any, better than most. I have also used a Krivo magnetic, great for volume, but doesn't sound as good as the Zac. I have used a myriad of amps, and really I can make them pretty much all sound the same, but I keep the gain low and the master up, tilt them up at me and run a line out to the PA. The PA is mine, plus I'm the sound guy, so I keep the mids present at my amp for clarity, and get my out-front tone at the desk.

My Bacchus.

I have my dream bass. After decades of having USA Fenders (including an L series Jazz), a Wal, a Pedulla, an MTD, a Peavey USA Cirrus and one or two others, I am now perfectly happy with my Bacchus 5 string active Jazz. It is perfect in every way, particularly since I installed US Hipshot Ultralite tuners. Although not light at 9 lbs it balances absolutely perfectly on the strap, so weight becomes irrelevant.

GB Streamliner GB Streamliner GB Streamliner

I have a Streamliner, and I absolutely love it. This is obviously a modern version of it. I wonder if Agedhorse had anything to do with it. Being in the industry, I have owned and played most brands, and in my opinion Jeff Genzler is right up there with the best.

Thanks Phil.

I have two cheap plastic fantastic Vonyx SPJ1500 cabs which are 400w RMS with 15" drivers. They have both an input level control and a volume control. The line level input level knob has no markings for unity gain, so I emailed the makers (Netherlands) but they replied they didn't know!! I have been setting the input level at 12 o'clock seeing as that is the defacto on most PA gear. Does this sound like a reasonable assumption? If I crank the knob I don't notice any distortion and the clip light does not come on, but I don't want to blow them up.

Yeah, I bought a surf green jazz a few months ago, but two gigs convinced me it was too heavy, even with an SBL strap. Sold it and replaced it with an Aria Pro II Jazz which is 2 pounds lighter.

I settled on an Aria STB Jazz for a modding platform. It's cheap, made in china or indonesia, and, did I say it was cheap? I first checked fret level, and it was spot-on, no work needed. I rolled the board edges and polished the fret ends, set up the nut for 21 thou string height, and added a set of Hipshot USA tuners. The body got Dunlop straplocks, an Allparts vintage bridge, a pair of DiMarzio Area J pickups, Alpha concentric pots, a series/parallel switch and Switchcraft socket, and I knocked up a pickguard from a sheet of mother of toilet seat pickguard material. A new set of TI Jazz Flats and we're off. At just under 8lbs (3.6kg) it is a great weight and balances absolutely perfectly on the strap. It's one of the most comfortable basses I've ever had. Soundwise, in parallel mode it sounds just like a quality Jazz, in series mode it rawks! I had most of the mod parts in my stash drawer, so it's been a cheap build. Yes, this one is definitely a keeper!

Clear nail polish is the trick. Just a dab around the threads. It will not back out and you can still adjust it when necessary.

I've purchased a couple of basses over the years. They've turned out to be very good. Frets, tuners, bridges etc have been fine. The only thing with them is if it's active, they always use the Ming preamp, which isn't bad, but they always wire it wrong so that the battery is constantly being drained. This is a very simple fix and usually just involves changing the connections on the output jack socket. Overall I find them OK, especially if you're looking for a modding platform.

I play 4s and 5s depending on the situation, and I have had several 6s. I have gotta say... NO-ONE NOTICES. NOT YOUR BAND MATES, NOT THE PUNTERS, NO ONE! Well, maybe the sound person if it's anything other than a P. My wife comes to some of my gigs, and even she doesn't notice which bass I bring. My P is sunburst with flats, my Aria 5 string is Polar White with rounds, and still... nobody notices! Only me.....