Bridgehouse

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1501790918' post='3347429'] they do do reissue 70's guards with correct truss rod access or if you are lucky you sometimes see original ones on eBay [/quote] I shall have to have a closer look!

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1501777622' post='3347318'] truss rod gap [/quote] Yeah I couldn't find one that matched!! It's close enough for a player tho

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1501774071' post='3347283'] thought as much, cheers [/quote] Was it the truss rod gap that gave it away or is it too shiny?

Guard on the white one isn't original - I have the original and it's cracked, so I swapped it out

I have two P's that are similar: a 64 and a 74. The 74 is a year of birth, and so special for that reason. I lucked out on both to be honest. In fact, I've probably used up all of my bass buying karma on them! Differences as far as I am concerned: - Neck profiles are very different. 74 has a standard 70's nut width (1.65") and a rounder C, the 64 is wider at 1.75" and slimmer front to back. - The 74 is maple, the 64 Braz Rosewood, and the 64 feels slicker, smoother and easier to move around on - Weight difference is negligible - the 64 is a touch lighter, but like I said, I lucked out getting a light 70's P.. - Finish feels different, with the 64 being nitro and the 74 not.. - Sound wise, the tone pot is more usable on the 64 and gives a more pleasing rolled off tone, and I'd say the 64 is generally a bit more 'refined' - it's a woodier sound. The 74 is clearly a hotter pickup and has more heft, but they both sound like classic P basses (duh!) They are both all original. They both make me very happy, for slightly different reasons. And the crunch question - which do I prefer? Well, only one gets hauled to rehearsals, used for recording, writing new bass lines and practice.. and that's the 64.

Funnily enough, we were lucky with the PA. My point was that unless you are playing a gig where you supply your own backline and it's small enough to stand alone, you're often at the mercy of what's there when you turn up, and the quality of the PA (and of course the soundman!) As someone who gigs all sorts of places, I've developed a multi- use solution - I have a good amp and cab combo when I'm in control, and then I use a DI box/preamp if I'm at the mercy of others so I have some semblance of control! Band is called Chris Moody & The Underground Kings - there's videos on the web if you search - some are with the VK and EICH head - however, as above, sometimes you are hearing a recorded output from the PA rather than the amp and cab!!

You're not actually disagreeing with me.... Sure, it might seem like a generalised answer, but actually it's not. Us bass players are very lucky - we have a lot of kit to choose from, and manufacturers are always pushing the boundary. On a basic level, some kit will be better than others - build quality, reliability, ability to cut through a mix and achieve a certain volume, and of course the base ability to amplify a tone well and in a pleasing way. What I was trying to say was that once you get past a certain level of quality, gear tends to be around personal preference rather than a "top trumps" style "what is the best?" Chart. I love precision basses - I have a 64 P with the widest neck you could imagine with a silky smooth braz rw board and a thumpy tone that _for me_ gives me the most pleasure I have ever had playing a bass. I've played a 64 Jazz - and it was horrid - I hated it. Thin neck, honky tone and it left me cold. I listened to someone else play it and it sounded wonderful. When I bought the EICH head, I tried the VK cab, and also tried a Bergantino - I personally didn't like the berg at all - just didn't like the tone. Others love them, and they help to capture their own preference of tone. Does that mean that the VK is better? No. For me - yes, for someone else? No. And herein lies what I was saying. If I were to generalise, we could end up with a "top ten cabs" list by consensus and recommend people only buy the top one. I mean, why would you not? And the fact is, I'd love to gig with an Ampeg 8x10 and a big fat valve head - but it wouldn't fit in the car, it's impractical to get up stairs, and it's huge and wouldn't fit on some of the stages I play on. Here's an interesting thought to leave you with - I played at the YNOT festival on Friday - it was cancelled yesterday due to the weather - when I arrived I had to wade through mud and rain to get to the venue we were playing in. I am very glad I didn't have to take my VK cab, or my BF cab - it would have been wrecked by the mud and rain. I took a partscaster bass and a tuner. That was it. The house bass amp was a carlsbro combo DI'd to the PA. It was one of the best gigs I've played all year - the crowd were absolutely epic, and how did the bass sound? Flipping epic. It was a huge thumping sound and chugged along brilliantly. Just goes to show huh?

I agree - P bass with flats. I use Chromes, as they can add a bit of clang with some nail used fingerstyle.

I have one of the new Vanderkley 2x10's, and I also have a BF compact. For me, it's totally horses for courses. I personally prefer the Vanderkley, but that's mostly because the sound suits what I personally like. The VK is more 'Hifi' as some have said, and for me it's a bit more articulate, clearer, and cuts through the mix a bit more. However, I really think it depends on the amp and bass choice as much as anything else. I have an EICH 1000w head - it loves the VK, but just sounds a bit non-descript through the BF. The Markbass amps I have though, they love the BF but through the VK sound a bit too heavy. Similarly, I'm a P bass guy - it's my sound, and it's the sound I like - the P sounds great through the EICH and VK cab, but I'm sure a different bass would sound better through a different combo. And if we go down this route further - 90% of my playing is daddario chromes and fingerstyle - again, suits the EICH and VK really nicely, but if I was a picker or a slapper? I suspect a different combo would suit better. No amp cab combo is necessarily better than another - it's about what you are after tonally that counts.

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1497298101' post='3317183'] Hey - I'm guessing you've managed to use this in "anger" on several occasions now - be really good to hear your thoughts? This does look like one helluva great cab and a complete "one cab" solution. Just seen you [i]also[/i] have a BF Compact. Okay I appreciate we are talking about £600 for Gen 3 BF Super Compact vs £800 for this Vanderkley so they're not quite in the same price bracket, but it would be really interesting to hear how the two cabs A/B (apart from the massively greater power handling of the Vanderkley). [/quote] Sorry - been away for quite a bit! The Vanderkley cab is more like £1k as it's the 1200w version. If I'm honest, it's incredible. More dynamic, responsive and more air moved than any other cab I've used. It's a lot more dynamic and expressive compared to the Barefaced, and the SPL is noticeable

74 for me. Took a real flier on this one but it's absolutely perfect and isn't going anywhere..

[quote name='Rocker' timestamp='1493325486' post='3287565'] That is actually a [b]spade[/b] that he used. But I enjoyed watching the video. Thanks for posting. [/quote] I like a man who calls a.. Ok, I'll get my coat too

I notice that the RBX a2 has a 38mm nut width.. I'm more of a wide nut kinda guy. Do any of the lightweight suggestions have wider nuts?

[quote name='chrisgriff' timestamp='1493056210' post='3285253'] Dawson's seem to have stock of the RBX A2 And here is Prince giving one a go: [url="https://youtu.be/7ZBEfPhC2bc"]https://youtu.be/7ZBEfPhC2bc[/url] [/quote] That was not helpful - in a "in stock and sound fab" sort of GAS inducing way. Meh. I may well just have to investigate this further.

[quote name='Bass_Guardian' timestamp='1493044944' post='3285140'] [url="https://youtu.be/47tKorh9vgo"]https://youtu.be/47tKorh9vgo[/url] a good review by Ed Friedland [/quote] They look good for the money tbh. I notice you can still buy them new, but Yamaha's site says they are discontinued..

[quote name='Bass_Guardian' timestamp='1493044260' post='3285128'] The battery is purely for the knob lights. Gotta love knob lights... Pickups are passive [/quote] Even more interesting... Ugh. Gonna have to go try one I reckon. Someone please tell me this is madness.....!

[quote name='Bass_Guardian' timestamp='1493043042' post='3285112'] You can take the battery out the bass at the back so the lights don't come on. The pickups are passive. I regret selling mine to be honest. [/quote] Are the pickups passive/active or is the battery purely in there for the flashy bling lights? I must say, as a lightweight gigging bass it could be pretty cool. I didn't start this thread to generate more GAS....

[quote name='Bass_Guardian' timestamp='1493035740' post='3284989'] My Yamaha RBX A2 was incredibly light. Not sure if it was chambered or that. Will double check EDIT: There was one second hand at Bass Direct claiming it to be 7lbs [url="http://bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Yamaha_RBX4_A2_white.html"]http://bassdirect.co...4_A2_white.html[/url] [/quote] Oooo, those RBX4 A2's look really interesting. Not sure about the flashy lights, but I feel I may have to investigate more.. goddamit, I shouldn't have started this thread...

I kinda expect hollow or semi hollows to be a bit lighter. I'm probably thinking of the lightest solid body.. hmmmm.

To be fair, I'm not specifically looking - more out of interest I guess. I have a very lightweight guitar - a 1965 Epiphone Olympic, which checks in at 4.5lbs. Was wondering if there was a Bass equivalent of stupidly light but still conventional and playable. Some great suggestions so far, though!

I was musing over this recently - what is the lightest (weight) conventional (full body and headstock) bass available (past or present) ?