highwayman

Anyone have experience of the Ashdown Tour Bus 10 little combo? Just for home practice - looking to play 80's style music.

Thanks for the replies, excellent all of them. I've been impressed by the Markbass range and am looking at purchasing the Minimark 801 (best price £299 delivered?) - it's modestly loud but I suspect a decent keeper even after I progress to more power.

Thank you all for your feedback - I certainly think it's the one for me - also one to keep for home use when I progress to a bigger amp. I was looking at the Roland Micro Cube RX but TBH the added effects/drum beats etc are not of interest to me.

I'm thinking the Markbass Micromark 801 would be a good choice for my first amp - can anyone testify for it? Also the best price I've seen is £299 new from a couple of retailers, anyone know where it's cheaper please?

Well I now have a gorgeous Stingray bass and have had my second lesson, now I need a practice amp. I have been considering the Roland Micro Cube RX as I'd previously found the guitar ones to be very good; perhaps I might seek your advice please? I certainly don't need anything loud (ideally something that will sound good turned low in fact, as my apartment block isn't the most soundproof!), what I'm after is great tone - think mid to late 80's Killing Joke as my perfect sound. My hesitation regarding the aforementioned Roland is that I would happily forego its plethora of features for a killer sound. Thoughts/suggestions please?

Thank you both, lesson moved early to Thurs now; going to make sure that we spend the first part on tuning!

So, my first bass came today and I have a lesson booked next week. I've bought the GuitarToolkit app for my phone and am trying to use the tuner to tune my bass. I've managed to do the D & G strings, though the tuner's saying "D2" & "G2" - what does the 2 mean? As for the E & A strings, I've yet to get them to tune as I'm worried that I'll snap them trying to get there and I don't know how far off I am from the various letters flashing up; I know that my tutor will get me on track but I'd like it in tune so I can practice what I was taught on my first taster lesson.

Just received my gorgeous Stingray this morning; posted a wanted ad on the forum, Terry replied, we chatted on the phone, he checked out fine and I made the bank transfer. Couldn't be more pleased.

Thanks again all, I think 2eq will do me just fine. I appreciate they'll be a price difference but what are the characteristic differences between the bridge strung Stingrays and the earlier body through ones?

Hat's off - it looks lovely & thank you for the offer.

Thank you for the replies all; my favourite bass sound is Paul Raven's from Killing Joke's 'Night Time' - I know other factors such as amp, etc influence such things but that would be my ideal if that helps?

So I've decided that a Stingray 4-string is the first bass for me (not Sterling etc. - the real deal), but I'm in need of some advice about the differences of 2 or 3 eq? I believe there's an argument for each?

Thanks walbassist - the text said a five string anyway and I'm after a four string. Thomann lists this tobacco burst model as out of stock but available to order; at £950 it looks good value? http://www.thomann.de/gb/sandberg_forty_eight_4_vm_tobacco_burst.htm?ref=search_rslt_forty+eight_368584_3

Having sampled my tutor's Sandberg Jazz style bass, I fell in love with its exquisite neck and immediately went to the Sandberg website to peruse their wares; when I caught sight of the stunningly badass Forty Eight I knew it was the "one". I prefer not to buy new, whether it be quality watches or cars, and the same goes for instruments; any idea of what the starting retail price of these are, if they ever come up for sale used and for how much, and finally what they are like ergonomically (in particular - do they sit well on a strap)? cheers

After a long time thinking about it, I took the plunge yesterday and had my first bass lesson; I even came away having learned the basic bass riff to Love Like Blood! (Paul Raven RIP). I've dabbled with guitar in the past and at one time could play passable rhythm along to Sharp Dressed Man or Fool For Your Loving, but only after my tutor had broken the songs down for me. Perhaps, because I'd always been drawn to the sound of the guitar, I became intimidated by the instrument and would avoid practicing; with the bass I don't feel that "fear" and find myself listening to music outside of the genres I'm traditionally into, such as soul and 70's disco. It's early days of course but I feel excited about doing something new (to me) on the bass that I didn't feel with the guitar. Among his many fine basses, my tutor has a Sandberg Jazz style bass which has the most exquisite feeling neck - time to go shopping...