chris_b

I don't haggle but I have made offers and I've had people make me offers. That's fair enough. The only issue I've had on BC was one guy who kept coming back to me, trying to knock me down, then trying to haggle over postage. Initially I was flexible but in the end he irritated me so much I told him I wouldn't sell him the bass under any circumstances.

IMO muting issues are over stated and shouldn't be a concern. We all learnt how to mute 4 strings from scratch. Adding an extra string is easy.

I hear most players using low mids rather than a ton of actual bass. That's what the Precision has always done and most players I see are in that ball park. The bass on most records on the radio are in the low mids area. Bass heavy sounds are usually not helpful on a gig to the sound of a band.

. . . . also the RH750 runs down to 2.67 ohms. That means you can add a third 112 which would give you a better sound and adds an extra 400 watts to the equation.

I used an RH750 with 2 Berg 112 cabs, 300 watts each. In spite of the nonsense that surrounded the RH amps they are as loud as their supposed rating. The RH750 is loud and clear, but even in loud bands I never had it above half on the gain and master. My Bergs never missed a beat and that was with a 5 string bass. IMO your MB 112's would be fine.

1. Buy the best 5er you can find. 2. Put your 4 string bass away and don't touch it until you are fluent in 5. Sorry. Can't count.

How about making this change is stages? Get the new cab first and see where you go from there.

Tried putting mine in the recycling, but the collection guys took them out and left them on the drive! I solved the problem, I don't put new strings on my basses any more. The PJ has flats and the Jazz has a set of NYXL's that have been on a since 2019 and they still sound good, warm and mellow.

I had the 210 EV version of that cab. Jeez. . . it was as heavy as a small planet! And they only give you one handle!! One thing you'll have to accept. . . . your new rig won't sound like your old rig. So your adaptability is key. You'll have to accept that your sound is going to go through a significant change, and after 30 years that might be a hard thing to accept. I decided on a 30lb carry limit when I went lightweight. My Barefaced Super Compact is 22lbs. It's light, loud and puts out a great sound with the right amp. My amps are Aguilar. The TH500 sounds very "vintage". You have plenty of choices and many/most cabs are designed to a much higher standard these days. Good luck.

From the Lakland website. . . . https://www.lakland.com/about-lakland/frequently-asked-questions/

Trouble is, most of the other songs suggested are pretty light on Funk.

No one's mentioned any Sly and the Family Stone (Thank You, Sing A Simple Song) or Larry Graham (Feel The Need). What about some Boz Scaggs (Lowdown)?

I saw an interview with Lee Sklar and he just plays the songs until he remembers them, which is basically what I do. If I haven't time I just chart out the songs and play them from that.

I can understand your frustration. Our jam night works on a first come basis. Many years ago, couple of the better players tried turning up late, so they could get the "top spot" and finish the show, but on busy nights they didn't get to play, which taught them a lesson. We have a trumpet player who regularly turns up. She hasn't learnt a new note in 3 years, she's terrible, but she is called up every time she turns up. That's a jam night.

Know your patterns. Most songs follow one pattern or another; 12 bars, 16 bars, Pachelbel, middle 8's often go to the 4, sequences of 1, 4, 5 and 2,5,1 and circles of 4ths are very common. Recognise which pattern the song is using and you can anticipate where it is going.

The tone is Freddie, the bass is a Precision with Bartolini pickups and a badass bridge.

. . . . and don't hit the strings so hard.

In the right context the accordion can sound good. Garth Hudson of The Band regularly played one. . . .

Markbass beats Barefaced for size, weight and volume? Really??

You might have an amp and cab problem. I've played a PJ5 with flats for 12 years, these days with TI flats and a lump of foam, and never had an issue with cutting through. I usually have the P pickup on full the J can be 80% on or completely off, depending on the room, and the tone control usually between 60-80%. I'm using Aguilar amps and Barefaced cabs so the sound always projects well.

I don't know their cabs, but I owned an LM2, which I loved, and an F1, which I didn't love, but all the players I've heard using Mark Bass rigs have sounded pretty good. IMO if you want the cab to end all cabs I'd still be considering Barefaced. An SC or BB3 would perform to a much higher level than an MB 115. The hassle and extra expense would be worth it.

This. Finally, great designers are providing the bass community with fantastic options. Excellent sounding gear at every price point. It's a great time to be a bass player.

Fleetwood Mac got by without Peter Green, Queen did well without Freddie and Slade did well without Noddy. ELO didn't miss Roy Wood. Nor Genesis, Peter Gabriel. A few years ago, I saw the Straits, actually the Dire Straits band with a Knopfler replacement. They were very good and filled the Albert Hall. No one is indispensable. If the band want to gig and can put on a good show then, good on 'em.

I can see your problem. When looking at the bass from the front, you could move the strap button to the underside of the top horn. Maybe 1 or 2" beyond the tip of the horn. That might help with the neck dive. Just found this photo.. . . .