BillyBass

Do you mean the 230 volt AC mains supply for the PA amps? If an electrical appliance is 'class 2' which means it is doubly insulated, it doesn't need an earth connection. I haven't seen a class 2 amp, they always seem to be class 1, which require an earth connection, via a third pin (the top one). The powerCon leads have 2 conductors, not three, at least that is what I saw when I clicked the link above, so there is no earth connection provision with them. Class 2 equipment in the UK and EU will have a particular logo, a square inside a square: https://www.iso.org/obp/ui#iec:grs:60417:5172 If an amp is class 2, a 2 core cable and plug could be used to provide 230v AC, in which case a 2 core socket, like a speakon, could theoretically, be used, as long as it is rated for 230v AC and to at least 13 amps. Most class 2 kit in the UK is smaller stuff, mobile phone chargers, some lights etc but I have seen class 2 irons, so there are larger current drawing class 2 appliances out there.

I bought a Yamaha BB434 thinking I would get the best of both worlds but my experience has been similar to most posters above. I have Di Marzio Ultra jazz pups on my MIM jazz and they are great, no single coil hum and they sound fantastic. I was thinking of swapping out the Yamaha J pup for a single Ultra Jazz, then this caught my eye: https://ddmusic.ph/product/dd-awingan-4s-bass-black/ In case you are wondering, 11250 Filipino Pesos is about £170. Still worth the punt even with VAT and import duties.

As someone that owns a MarkBass head (the goldline ltd edition 500w) with a near invisible markings on the EQ and gain/volume knobs, I would appreciate something like the more recent Gallien-Krueger heads that have an LED light for the mark so you know if they are centred or are wherever, even in the dark.

You live next door to a shop selling bass gear!😮 That's dangerous. My GAS would get so bad I'd need to go to rehab...and my missus would have probably kicked me out by now.

I have been thinking of buying a power amp to put after my Geddy Lee Sansamp. I like the idea of being able to upgrade or alter the amp by just buying another pre-amp instead of a complete head. I spoke to Alan at 'Bassics' regarding the A900 power amp that they sell (when in stock), as mentioned by @MartinB above. Alan says it is having an upgrade at the moment and they are also awaiting parts for a new run. The new model will be able to put 850watts through a single 4 ohm cab, whereas the older model was basically 425 ohms per speakon socket and you only got the full 850 with two cabs. That isn't what I read on the website but that is what I was told over the phone. I was told the new version is likely to be out in about 3 months. Of course, if it sounds bad then the whole signal chain will be affected but I imagine its a lot easier to make a decent sounding power amp without all the EQ etc than a complete pre and power amp.

I'm not sure which song you are referring to but we did "Run' for a while and that certainly was an exercise in staying awake. On the other hand, we have added 'You Oughta Know' by Alanis Morissette to our setlist and that is a great song to learn. The bass line is basically all in F# Dorian so there is a lot of scope for adding in your own short phrases from the scale in the song. I don't usually have this level of freedom doing covers.

I have a Super Midget and I will admit I get a better result with this at home without the GED 2112 but I have yet to take this and the Marcus Miller to our rehearsal studio. More experimentation required. I shouldn't complain, as I said I can get the tone I want with EQ and pedals but it would be nice to have the tone I want straight out of the box with all EQ flat. I have failed to find any information anywhere as to the frequency point of the GED 2112 'Tight' switch, but it could be similar. 'Removing a blanket' is a good analogy! That is just what it sounds like.

I have one of the Gold line heads, like @fretmeister, though mine is a 500W version. Mine was a lockdown internet purchase as Andertons had the 500W version on a deal and I liked the look of the EQ points. if you are a P bass with flats guy, it could possibly be a great choice. I'm not, I don't like flats and my P bass tone control is always fully on. Playing my Marcus Miller (with the EQ flat) through a barefaced Super Compact doesn't give me the result I want, its too dull. It comes to life, however, with the GED 2112 pre amp before it, with the pre amp's 'bright' switch pressed. Horses for courses I suppose. I can get the sound I want from mine but only by the use of the EQ and/or pre amp bright switch. Perhaps I would have got on better with a Gallien-Krueger head or something with a bit more top end.

Even if the bands were crap, you could get into the Music Machine after your gig somewhere else because it stayed open til about 3:00 a.m. Luckily for me the N90 night bus outside would get me home! They used to hand out those little ticket/card things with money off coming gigs, which was sometimes handy. They also had the best dressed bouncers in London, tuxedos and bow ties! You would have been daft to mess with them though. Didn't take the blue pills, Tuinal was my preference. And I saw Classix Nouveaux loads of times! "Tokyo, Tokyo is so far away..."

I was there! Great gig! Summer 1980, the sun was shining and every band was worth seeing. We were spoilt for choice in London at that time. Wednesday evening Sounds and NME would come out and I would scour the gig pages to see what was on and would limit myself to just two or three gigs per week as that was all I could afford or didn't want to go to bed at 1:00 a.m. too often as I had a job. I remember wishing I had been born just a year or two earlier so I could have seen the Sex Pistols but thinking back, I was a teenager at just the right time in just the right place.

Bloody hell, that is a gig to show off about! I sometimes boast to younger people about seeing Joy Division but that doesn't come near Cream at the Marquee.

I've probably seen them play about 15 or 20 times, never a bad gig. The Electric ballroom gig stands out, as does another at the Greyhound on Fulham Palace Road, probably in 1980. They would always put on a show.

Best gig: The Damned at the Electric Ballroom, Camden Town, December 22nd 1979.. cracking gig, Lemmy came on to help out with 'Ballroom Blitz' towards the end Worst: Adam and the Antz at Cleopatras in Huddersfield on the 'Antz Invasion tour', would have been April 1980. Fights constantly breaking out throughout the gig, the local skinheads versus us.

When I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s going to punk gigs the fake encore was done by pretty much every headline band. The only time I can remember a band not doing one was Adam and the Antz, on two occasions. At one gig in Huddersfield there had been fights between the locals and us throughout the gig. The Huddersfield Town skinheads had just come for a fight. Adam walked off at the end of the set and didn't come back. It was a horrible gig. The second time was at another Adam and the Antz gig in London. They were sort of in the transition from being a punk band to being a silly teenybopper pop band. Instead of all shouting for "More" the audience all shouted "Andy Warren, Andy Warren" (he was the old bassist before the Antz went sh*t). Adam said "You don't deserve it" and walked off stage.

I was there in December and the room we had was spotless. I can't remember the room number but it was one of the larger ones, requested by a keyboard player we were auditioning as it had a keyboard that didn't face the wall.

Have you been there recently? They have had a makeover and its spotless. This is my regular rehearsal studio. Its true, there are SVTs and 810 fridges, and Marshall and Blackstar 412s for the guitarists, just what you need in a 4 metre by 4 metre room. It has parking and is right next to Holloway Rd tubes station, so very convenient.

So the bass is the perfect instrument for you. The drummer and I refer to ourselves as 'the 2 ugly blokes at the back' I'm like you, the least experienced but, as has been written above by several posters, I make sure I know the songs. Our guitarist is handsome, has over 20 years experience and has a Wikipedia page about him...but he relies on his experience and sometimes tries to wing it instead of putting the time in to learn songs before rehearsals. I've often taken days off work to make sure I have nailed songs before rehearsals (being self employed I am able to do that) I will admit this is partly due to awareness of my lack of experience.

Yes, fingers crossed. Your post seems upbeat so I assume you are happy with how its progressing; which is marvellous news.

Reading through this thread I have even more appreciation for our drummer. He makes the odd mistake in rehearsal when he hasn’t learnt the song well but apart from that he is great. He doesn’t use a metronome at rehearsals but I sometimes see him counting. For some songs with syncopated bass lines that I haven’t put into muscle memory I just keep an eye on his hands and feet.

You pull out the plastic battery cover and poke your finger in. There is a button to press, directly under where it should be had they included it as a button pin the top, next to the mute button. It's straightforward. Really, I've not heard of this. I got this about a month before Christmas as Bax Music were doing a deal on them. The deal seems to be over now, unfortunately. I find using this with the 'Tight'; button engaged really improves the sound through my MarkBass amp, which I'm realising is a bit too dark.

Thanks for this. I watched the first 4 episodes tonight after work and I'll continue after work tomorrow. My missus is a muslim, though she is quite anti-hijab.

Anyone got one of these?

As someone who owns the 500W version of the MarkBass amp you have, I'd be intrigued to read your thoughts on the three heads and a comparison. Thanks in advance!