chris_b

I've never used a pedal either. I briefly owned an amp that had compression and HP and LP filters but never found a use for them. I just prefer the sound of a good bass plugged into a good amp.

You can find the widest selection of 5 string basses in the Basschat classifieds. Not many Mike Lull basses come up but the Japanese made Metro Sadowsky's would be a very good place to start looking.

There is no rule here. Build the signal chain where each piece compliments the other and gets the sound that you want and like. It may be one make or two, use what sounds best.

Get a Barefaced 212 and an Aguilar AG800. Best of all worlds.

Bought a bass on a whim? No, never. I only buy basses cos I know they sound good. They also have to pass the "looking good" and the "can I afford them" tests, but that's always secondary to tone. I have bought bass amps on a whim, to check them out. Sometimes that works, my Aguilar AG700 and TH500, but mostly it doesn't.

Not so far. After doing my homework, I buy what I'm pretty sure will work, so no "spur of the moment" or surprise purchases for me.

Having already wasted a shed load of money on "upgrades" I don't mod anymore. IMO buying the bass that does what you want is the sensible upgrade path. Apart from that, all my gear purchases are an upgrade, ie each one is supposed to be better than the last one. If it isn't I sell it and keep looking for the next "best thing".

When Steely Dan started gigging after a break of 20 years, they bought the sheet music to all their songs but found so many mistakes that they had to relearn all the songs off their records.

A guitarist I played with used to just shout, "Go!"

# My SR5 was a 1989 model. It was the only decent 5 string bass I could find when I switched in 1995.

I'm also interested. It's a subject that has currently grabbed my attention. I played my heavier (9 1/2lb) bass for 3 hours last night. Today my back aches and I have to be very careful or I'll not be able to stand. This has nothing to do with working out (I do) or better straps (mine are excellent) it's about injuries and wear and tear on load bearing joints. 6lb basses here I come.

I'm playing tonight, tomorrow, the day after and the day after that. 2 gigs and 2 deps, 4 gigs in 4 days and I'm looking forwards to each one. It's why I bought my first bass in 1965 and why I just loaded the car. Love it all.

I haven't watched the programs, but the drummer has just posted a photo of an Isle of Wight gig on Facebook. . . and I know him and have played with him. I haven't seen him for a few years but Barry is a great drummer.

Never mind that the guy was a "name" in the 80's. What's the band like now? A lot of guys haven't aged well. If the band is good enough join it. If you're not interested, give them my number!

So when you join an originals band, who have the set already written, you're actually joining a cover band?

I've played in cover bands and original bands and many that are a mixture of both. It's all music and if you play the songs right they are both equally satisfying.

Ah OK. On our jam night, all jammers bring their own instruments and drumsticks. As a result of Covid, we are now requiring singers to bring their own mics. No one touches my bass. If you don't bring your own, you don't play. IMO by eliminating people who just want to get up and play on the spur of the moment, you get a better bunch of players turning up, and it's a better evening for all.

Why are you worried about taking a bass to jam nights? I'm in the house band for a local jam and take my regular #1 bass. No one else plays it but I have no problem using it myself. Basically the only guy who is guaranteed to sound good is the house bassist. It's his gear, so that's to be expected. Very few jammers sound great. They don't know the amp and are usually flailing in the dark when they try to adjust the eq, so it's all about what they play rather than what they sound like.

I have both, a passive PJ5 with specially designed Seymour Duncan pickups and flats and an active 5 string Jazz with Sadowsky single coils and rounds. IMO the PJ sounded better at low volume, and was the bass I played the most during lockdown, but the Jazz, on a gig, has more dynamics. After lockdown I've also decided that I prefer the PJ through my Aguilar TH500 and Super Compact, while the Jazz sounds better through my Aguilar AG700 and any combination of SC, BB2 and SM cabs. I'm also dedicating basses to different genres, something which I've never done in the past. The blues and soul bands mostly get the PJ and everyone else gets the Jazz. Although that can change depending on the band line up and the room. 2 pickup basses can sound scooped if you have both pickups on full. I turn the bridge pickup down 10% or so, and the "scoop" goes away.

I'm very happy with the sound of my active Sadowsky Jazz bass. Would it sound the same without the preamp? I very much doubt it, so there is definitely a place for active basses.

No matter how many times. . . it all comes out like me saying it.

After 50 years common sense kicks. You play 50% less notes and sound 200% better.

Ag-u-lar - as pronounced by Dave Boonshoft, ex owner of Aguilar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz4GadmRPW0

I get a man in to do that.