chris_b

That might not be as true as you think. When the fan starts up will depend how long it takes for the amp to warm up. Playing quietly might take longer than playing loudly, but at some point the fan will come on. My Aguilar and Thunderfunk amps take from 5 to 10 mins playing at very low front room volume before the fans kicks in. Edit PS Since posting this I've been checking my amps at home and the fans come on a very low volume after 2 or 3 mins. If silent running is as important as has been posted then this is something the OP needs check, even try out.

If a "dodgy" back is the problem then the weight is the first issue has to be sorted out. You have to find a bass that you can hold up for several hours without any pain or discomfort. All my basses have balanced well so that has never been a problem for me, but if the body of your bass is so light that the balance is thrown out you can buy (or make) strap button extenders. For a bad neck or shoulder, a wide, soft and supportive strap is also a prerequisite for a comfortable gig, but they don't always help lower back problems. The best solution to a bad back is not to have one. Too many people don't seem to understand the importance of looking after their backs.

Sorry to hear that. Very sad news.

I wouldn't change anything until you've had at least 3 gigs that didn't sound as good as you intended. When this happens to me I tell the guys in the band I'm having a problem with my sound and ask what they think. Most times the reply is "sounds fine to me". At that point I know it's just me having a bad day. Then again it helps that I have gear which sounds good with no effort on my part. It doesn't matter how bad I think I sound I know it's not the rig. I did a festival on Saturday. I was depping with a band I haven't played with for a couple of months and the sound was all over the place. Maybe the monitoring could have been better but the poor balance put me off and I felt I played very badly. They drummer and guitarist thought it was good. So what do I know!

I guess this is a sign that most of his business in now online.

That is true. I'm just countering the suggestion previously made that NAMM would advise on CITES rules. Also I'm assuming the OP is exhibiting his wares so he can meet people who can help him set up future sales opportunities in the US.

I guess we're not on the same wavelength. . . . . . I look at this and think how can you hoover around that lot!

Plucking strings is a precision exercise. Some people become better players when they tie stuff like this down.

Of course you can get used to anything, but I don't have to. 18mm - 19mm is my preference and all the basses I like seem to fall into this area.

The Sting Ray is another design that won't go away. MM have introduced instruments that were intended to take the bass to another level and they didn't sell.

They need to sell more instruments in a shrinking market. Post Chapter 11 Fender are supposedly addressing the problems that brought them to their knees. They have to differentiate the ranges to try to get over the indifferent QC that old Fender thought we would accapt. What's new is a new name for a relaunched product that should be of higher quality of manufacture. If it isn't then we can say good-bye to Fender.

They do! It's called Custom Shop/Masterbuilt. Every time they introduce something "revolutionary" it doesn't sell. So they stop making it. Fender is a business and have to sell product. They keep making Precision and Jazz basses because that's what most bass players want to buy from them.

Rocco was the first example of crowd funding I saw, about 20 years ago, when he was trying to fund his liver transplant!

Is this going to be an active or passive bass? Either way I'd also try an out board preamp.

Reading and understanding the regulations is the only way you're going to guarantee that you don't fall foul of the rules. This is something you should know as I assume by exhibiting in the US you're expecting to sell basses over there. IMO you'd better assume the worst until you know exactly what is allowed and what isn't. You're definitely asking the wrong people here. Also I would expect NAMM wouldn't advise anyone about customs and CITES rules. That's not their job.

I know presentation/looks is important, but are you sure you're not choosing that Markbass amp because it looks like a traditional valve amp? IMO sound should be first, second and third in any list when choosing an amp. Find the amp you prefer the sound of and then decide if the looks are going to put you off.

Some guys prefer to feel the bass behind them others don't need that. Does your band rehearse with the full rig? That's the place where you should be running both options and then deciding which one is best for you.

I assume you are talking about selling the Ampeg rig? Good move. IMO there really is no point owning stuff and not using it. The gear you load into the car is obviously more appropriate than the stuff you leave sitting in the corner. So while it might be the "best amp in the world" to someone, it's plainly not the best amp for you anymore. Always look forwards, not back, and sell the gear you no longer use.

I haven't bought a bass for 2 years. Not even looking. Well not seriously!

This is the problem with the new breed of amps and cabs. With the level of clarity and definition on tap, never mind full blown mistakes, all the fluffs, hesitant notes and the slightest inaccuracies also stand out a mile!

Sad news.

I don't often buy stuff, but if I do I'll mention it to the wife. She just says, "If you think it's good, get it". She has 11 dolls houses around the house (and 2 in the loft), about 10 big boxes of quilting fabric, 20 cacti and various other house plants and the whole garden is hers to do with as she wishes. My corner of the front room is tiny by comparison.

I currently have a set of D'Addario NYXL (45 - 130) on my Jazz and another set waiting to go on. I'd recommend them for a fat and full sound, with a nice defined top end. They'll take as much EQ as you want to throw at them, at either end of the scale.

Everyone is influenced by someone. Nothing in music is new. It never was. Also it's not new to criticise music based of your own preconceptions and preferences. I saw Knower at the Jazz Cafe and liked them. By the end I was hoping for a different groove, but I was glad I had seen them. I took my son to see Vulfpeck and even he (not a natural fan of this type of music) loved every minute of it. A night to remember. Great presentation, rapport with the audience, songs and playing. Those guys are great together and in their separate projects. I also saw an outstanding gig the Meters played at Earl's Court, supporting the Stones, in 1976. Those guys were easily the stars of the show for me. These are all fantastic bands making quality music and as a unit or separately their members will be influencing musicians for decades to come.

This type of observation happens all the time over on Talkbass where someone posts that 5 string basses can't be that good, because there are so many for sale. Over there the guys who notice this can also be the ones who post "Jaco only needed 4" when 5 string basses are discussed! There are always far more 4 string basses for sale. Does that mean people don't get on with 4's? I think this is a case of trying to make random data fit a hypothesis.