Paul S

I am a heavy handed pick player - I went through phase of using Black Beauties but the coating didn't ever last intact for longer than a couple of weeks. Also it wears away on the underside from rubbing on the frets, which is ok if you never need to take off then refit the strings but a bit of a challenge if you do and try to line up the worn patch with the fret! Black permanent marker pen is a temporary fix - a fabric marker pen is a better match.

I would try out a JV Squier. I am sure they are not all brilliant - I gather that from the forum here, but some are magnificent. I have 2, both 57 RI models, and they are both extremely nice but not exactly the same. One of them is the nicest Precison I have laid my hands on, which is why I keep it. It is black with a maple neck that has a weird, almost holographic flame figuring in the wood. It came with a white pickguard but now sports a black one, a Schaller 3D bridge and Gotoh resolite tuners. Stock pickup and wiring does the whole range from old school thump through to major aggressive bark, all with that wonderful organic Precision tone. Weighs in at a smidge over 8lbs.

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1475485205' post='3146177'] agricultural... [/quote] That is the word that sprang to mind when I read the title. I use it in my band bio.

I wish they were lighter

Small update - I bought one of the Lidl things today on the basis that even if it didn't work as I would like it with the Volto it would be useful to have kicking around for phone charging etc. So I charged it up and connected it up to the charge socket of the Volto. When I test the Volto on its own I usually get around 2.5-3hrs max from it - that is with a Line 6 Relay unit, Zoom MS-60B, Boss LS-2 and a tuner all switched on, which I wouldn't normally do! But I wouldn't trust it at a gig from set up to the end. Joining this up to it I got nearly 5 hrs, so it is absolutely doing the job I need. So thank you Howiebass!

I am in exactly this position. I needed a 5er for one band and so I chucked myself into the deep end and have been playing nothing but for the last few months and have survived a half-dozen gigs. I also still do the odd 'mis-string' but largely it is fun. A bit confusing re-learning how to play some stuff but I very much like the 'timbre' of the low B string when played around the 5-7th fret. For me it seems it was all about finding the 'right' 5 string as opposed to getting on with any 5 string, which is the mistake I made on previous attempts.

I use a Trace Elliot AH-300 SMX to gig. I take an Ashdown miBass 550 as back up. I find it is just loud enough to get me out of trouble and it is very small and very light. But I do have a second Trace Elliot head, so the Ashdown miBass is for sale in the classifieds for a ridiculous £150, if you are interested...

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1475173054' post='3143791'] By listening to records & trying to copy what I heard. [/quote] This. Actually it is pretty much what I still do now.

I would throw a Westone Thunder 1A fretless into the mix. Exceptionally nice fretless for the money, unlined board, wonderful tone. I've had two at various stages and they knock spots of most Squiers IMO. You should get one for under £200.

Small beans by a lot of peoples' standards but I spent £1200 on a singularly lightweight example of a Musicman Sterling 5. That is more than twice what I would normally think of paying for a bass but my choices were so limited. I then spent some more on it fitting lightweight tuners. Spending even more on it again soon and having a Precison pickup installed in it. It will get some use, mind you, as it has become my main gigging bass. And I've shifted a few basses over the past few weeks that cover the cost. Nearly.

What a pair of beauties!

Bought a strap from John in the most straightforward of deals. Arrived speed of light, packaged well enough to withstand The Apocalypse. Even Royal Mail! A pleasure doing business.

That is an interesting idea! Never considered that.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1474974612' post='3141911'] Are you intending to use the Silvercrest unit to feed power to the Volto? It could work if the Volto can output power whilst it's receiving charge. [/quote] Reading into this a bit more it looks completely feasible and not at all complicated. Thanks for the idea!!

Being a complete technophobe I didn't really understand what was going on. So it is 5V on its own, which is fairly useless for replacing the Volto. Charging the Volto - if it is possible it is starting to get complicated. Oh well, I thought it seemed to good to be true - and it was! Thanks!

I wonder if this might make a decent replacement for my Pedaltrain Nano Volto, which I find struggles to keep enough oomph for a whole gig? It is rated at 5000mAh as compared to 2000mAh for the Volto, if that makes a difference? And it is £6.99 [url="http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=37546"]http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=37546[/url] Anyone know enough to say if they are compatible and or more powerful?

I quite liked the active controls on the Thunders. As I recall the centre indent was flat with a bass or treble boost depending upon which way you turned it, together with a passive roll off knob, too. I would usually select just off the centre indent towards bass - deep, powerful yet still punchy.