chris_b

Of course you can reuse strings. . . . . but after all that work and expense upgrading your bass, don't you think a new set of strings would cap it off nicely?

I've got a Mono Vertigo. Great case and you bass will be totally safe.

If your problems can be fixed by sorting out an unbalanced bass then that's good. If they can't then reducing the weight is the only way forward. I can just about gig with my 9 1/2lb Jazz bass but if I move a lot (or it's just a bad day) I'll feel the ache in my lower back starting. If I carry on I know the next day will be very bad. There have been gigs when I've had to switch over to my 8 1/2lb P bass in the interval. These injuries never go away and many get worse over time. Some can stabilise but take care of your backs then you won't have to worry about stinky poo like this!

If you like Hartke so much you'd better check out any lightweight rigs they make. I use Aguilar amps and Barefaced cabs. I'd recommend them all day long.

The 4 ohm cab will get 2/3rds of the volume and the 8 ohm cab will get 1/3rd of the volume.

IMO there is always a possibility that a small cab is not going to be loud enough. If you've bought 4 ohm cab then then you're stuck because can't add another cab, which is the easiest way to increase your volume and improve your tone. You really won't be able to tell the difference between 4 ohms and 8 ohms. The sound difference is small. The benefit of an 8 ohm cab is it's flexibility. You can add another cab if you find you need to. Again IMO, a 110 wouldn't be capable of pushing bass frequencies out into the audience on any gig I've played in the last 10 years. I've gigged with a 112 and a 210 but I wouldn't expect a good sound out in the room from a 110 unless I had FOH support or was playing with an acoustic guitarist.

Big teeth!!

I used a Berg CN212 for several years. One of the best bass sounds but sadly the 46lb, or so, lift started to wear me down.

The F112 is a very good cab. We heard a couple at the SE Bass Bash a few years ago. One of these cabs will have more low end than the SC because the cab is lager, but at this level personal preferences are the only deciding factor. What one cab sounds like is critical but, even on the quietest gigs, I always run two 112 cabs. Two of these cabs just sounds better to my ears.

I once had an E string that was badly wound and one of the winds was standing proud of the rest.

If they don't want to talk to you, you shouldn't be talking to them. Basic online safety.

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!