Russ

For new instruments, got to second the Revelation recommendation. I've got a Revelation 5-string Jazz-type bass, and it's somehow ended up being my #2 bass after my Sei (this is up against a Spector and several high-end Ibanezes). Fantastic instrument.

Just bought a Boss GT-6B effects unit from Pete. Top bloke, no issues, arrived when promised.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1448486887' post='2915905'] But they haven't... they have Eden and thats where they are focusing their R&D. [/quote] True, although there are no longer any Marshall-branded bass amps being made. Eden amps are great, but they don't really carry Marshall's rock'n'roll legacy with them...

Good call on the Peaveys - you might be able to find a Cirrus BXP for £300-ish, although keep an eye out for a G-Bass - they're US-made, with a Modulus graphite neck and Peavey's beefy VFL pickups. Spectacularly good bass, and, when they do show up, cheap as (moderately expensive) chips.

A few good candidates would be a Spector Legend. Ibanez BTB, ESP LTD F-series, Warwick Rockbass (pick a body style) or possibly, if you want to consider used instruments, a Stingray or German Warwick (the Corvette $$ or Standards spring to mind) sometimes show up for the sort of money you are looking to spend. You can't really go wrong with any of these.

The first bass I ever played, 24 years ago, was an ESP Jazz. I love the new Bunny Brunel bass - it's way better than the Carvins he used to play. Quite tempted to get a fretted and fretless pair. And my metal side is quite fond of the F-series basses. They do make some brilliant stuff, but very little of it makes it over here. The Japan-only Edwards basses are fantastic, and I love the woods on the Stream series - take a look: Some of the Japanese basses have rather amusing names though, the Halibut and the Bottom Bump, for starters...

Just got hold of a Rootmaster 800 - great little head. I was upgrading from an Ampeg SVT-7 after its notorious reliability issues reared their ugly heads and it died on me mid-gig. I got the Ampeg fixed, but the RM-800 just sounds better to my ears. The EQ voicing is just a little more musical, somehow, plus having the built-in compression, fuzz and octaver is handy (especially the compressor). No issues with it as of yet, although it's only got a few gigs under its belt so far and, unlike the Ampeg, I haven't heard any scare stories. Definitely worth giving one a try.

The Soap Girls played a gig with us this past weekend at T.Chances in Tottenham. To be honest, when I saw them there, I thought they were a hen party who'd got lost. The bass player (who was rocking a nice Warwick Vampyre) wasn't actually wearing a top - just body paint! The guitarist had some very nice gear, including a mirror-finish Ibanez Jem77 and some expensive pedals. And, lo and behold, they could actually play. They weren't very good, but they could play. What happened to them in Hastings was sh!tty and the guy was obviously a prize dick.

Ashdown. The EQ voicing is nicer and more usable, there's bucketloads of tones on offer with the pre-shape, the drive control and the octaver, plus there's far fewer horror stories about their reliability. I had my old SVT-7 head die on me during the first song on a gig a few weeks back, and it's been replaced with a RM-800 (partly thanks to Merton's review on here ). Loving it so far. Great tone, and LOUD though my Barefaced Big Twin.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to bail. Got a gig in Wakefield on Saturday night, and we've got to leave by 12 to get there in time for soundcheck. I was going to try and come for the first hour or so, but it's probably not worth it just for that amount of time. I'll see some of you at the London Bass Show next year though.

[quote name='bagsieblue' timestamp='1442436454' post='2867020'] Great story - show us a photo please! (of the bass) [/quote] Here you go. Not a great pic, but you get the idea.

Got a nice Spector-related story for you. Back in 2004, I found a nice blue Spector NS5-CRFM on eBay for a really good price. The seller was in the US, and wouldn't ship internationally, so I had to think of something. I was planning a little holiday in the States in February 2005, so I contacted an online acquaintance of mine in the next town over from where I was staying (Edison, NJ) and asked if she could take delivery of the bass, and I'd pick it up when I got there. So that's what happened. And a year later I married her. That special Spector ended up getting sold about a year later, as we were a bit skint and needed the cash. About a year later, whilst browsing eBay (as you do) a familiar-looking blue Spector showed up, this time for an even cheaper price. Turns out it was my old one, and it was cheap because the truss rod was broken. So I bought it and had it shipped to my in-laws' place in the US. Next time we went over to visit, I made arrangements with PJ to take the bass up to the Spector workshop just outside Woodstock, NY (tiny little town called Saugerties, with a little shop right next door run by a hippie British expat that sells British import food). They replaced the truss rod for me, then and there, for free. Now that's proper customer service, above and beyond the call of duty. And I still have that bass. Never letting it go again.

I'm going to have to downgrade my visit a bit as it seems I have a gig that evening up in Yorkshire! But I'll make sure I'm there for a couple of hours in the morning and I'll look forward to seeing everyone.