Paul S

A relatively cheap impulse buy on eBay - double cutaway and shaped body caught my eye: Not even here yet and I am thinking this might be nice. Made in Japan stamped on the neck plate, according to then pics, so Matsumoku, I think. Anyone owned one/know anything about them? One of Uncle Mats better basses or have I just bought a pup? Not much on t'net that I have found.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1463682478' post='3053379'] BC has completely convinced me that the magic produced from your artists and they're impact on me in that 1964 time period meant a hell of a lot more to me than it did to you guys. Blue [/quote] Irony failure.

I think Dad's puzzlement is perhaps more due to this thread being about Lady Gaga playing the role of Cilla Black (or not) rather than about Cilla Black. I guess Blue thinks we undervalue our Cilla just like on-one over here likes the Beatles.

[quote name='grandad' timestamp='1463636002' post='3052922'] Born 1948. 1998-ish picked up a bass guitar. 2016 still improving slowly and recently learned to play 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong, (what a wonderful tune), and now a favourite on our playlist. As my old man used to say "nil illigitemi carborundum". [/quote] Wow, that is old. No-one has spoken Latin for, what, 1500 years?

Does it live in a case or bag? If so maybe the tuner is being moved when going in or out?

I imagine you could rack mount the head using something off the peg - ABS/metal/wood whatever you prefer? I have a Trace Elliot head that is mounted into a Gator ABS 2U and it is just the job.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1463570916' post='3052396'] Born in the 50s but no genuine memory of them, my earliest datable memory would be summer of 1960. So, 56 years of memories then. And the answer is ... now. The best time to be alive is definitely now. Anyone who thinks otherwise is probably not paying attention. [/quote] Same for me. I enjoyed the 70s very much as an awful lot happened in my life during that decade but this one has been the best.

Angled for me too - less to bash my arm against.

[quote name='zbd1960' timestamp='1463434301' post='3051386'] An osteopath I knew used to say that the root of back problems generally is that the human muscuko-skeletal system is not really designed for walking upright - it's evolved from being quadrupeds and it's still not the finished product. Whilst weight, muscle tone etc can be factors, they guarantee nothing. Fundamentally we do things (e.g. sit in chairs, use computers, play basses) which we were not specifically 'designed' to do. Most of us have bad posture habits and other behaviours which are less than ideal when it comes to protecting our backs. My back first went out at the age of 22. At that time, I was fairly fit and weighed 10st. Unlike then, I am now careful about what and how I lift things and some things I will not even attempt. I have had far fewer problems in the last 10 years or so (I'm now mid 50s). A work colleague in his mid 30s had always 'laughed' at others' back problems. He's a fit guy, running half marathons etc. Suddenly 2 months ago his back 'went'. He said afterwards that he never understood why people went on about backs and he thought people were making it up and just 'slacking'. Cue excruciating pain and being unable to move for several days: he now has a different perspective. If you've never suffered, be grateful, and sympathetic to those that do suffer. [/quote] All of this, very much so. When my back first 'went' I was in my early 40s and a very fit and strong gym bunny. I was getting over a lengthy illness and went a bit mad on exercise - used to rep with 100kg for bench press and 200kg for squats etc. Thought I was invincible. One day I was measuring the width of a room indoors with a tape measure and the act of pulling the end out and sideways is what did it. I actually cried with a mixture of pain, frustration and laughter - often heard the expression 'helpless as a baby' but never thought I'd experience it until that point. So, yes, if it hasn't happened to you count your blessings but try to understand those who are afflicted. Having a bad back infiltrates pretty much every aspect of your life, not just lightweight bass gear. From not being able to put your socks on some days to standing all day, just because you don't want to have to get up from sitting.

Yes, indeed. 'I was exhuming corpses and found this in a crypt' I am two impulse buys over my quota so will leave it be. I do fancy it though.

It showed a BIN before. Now gone as someone has bid on it.

Looks kind of nice for £142 BIN collection only Sutton, Surrey. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-bass-/162071448306?hash=item25bc360af2:g:NHoAAOSwSgJXOD32"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-bass-/162071448306?hash=item25bc360af2:g:NHoAAOSwSgJXOD32[/url] Anyone know anything about them? A swift Google seems to indicate they were made in either Japan or Korea, bit of a cross over period?

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1463246507' post='3049948'] surely it's no big deal to carry an old head around? it's the cabs that are the trouble, I actually use a Trace Elliot 200 watt GP12 head with my Fender Rumble V3 500 as an extension cab because I prefer the Trace sound, plus I've got back up if my ageing T E head goes tits up [/quote] This is my compromise. I like Trace Elliot, not found a class D I like enough to replace Trace Elliot, so I mainly use an AH-300 head that I bought on here a while back that had been ABS rack-mounted so it is now just 12kgs. This gives the ideal set-up for me and a balanced carry with a BF Supercompact cab in the other hand. Back in the day I used some big TE gear - 118 cab paired with a 210 plus the head - nearly 100kg! I just can't load that kind of stuff in and out of the car any more with my fragile back. Funny thing is despite occasional bouts of nostalgia for that old rig I used a Trace Elliot back line recently that was the same head as mine but with a pair of TE 410 cabs. Moved a lot of air but give me the Supercompacts any day - sound is more focused in those!

I am new to mine and, other than home practice, I have only used it for one rehearsal with one band. But even so I can compare how it performed to other amps/cabs/combos I have used in the same situation as, with that band, we always rehearse in the same room in the same studio. So the CMD121P with volume at 12 o'clock was loud enough for this one band in that rehearsal room but, as indicated above, it will probably run out of steam very soon. To get the same presence in the band from the Fender Rumble 500 I had briefly I had the master on around 11 o'clock. Using my Trace Elliot AH-300 into a Barefaced Supercompact I have the master vol on the TE set at 8 o'clock, with tons more available on tap. I may be wrong, but I feel I can then project that one direct comparison to how I need to set up the Trace Elliot/Supercompact at the various smallish venues I play with that band. Usually I turn up a little or leave it the same, so I think the CMD121P would cut it for those gigs - small pubs where 100 would be crowded. But I also know how much I need to turn up the volume for my other bands and I know that the CMD121P wouldn't be loud enough. For example, in my loud 'classic rock' covers band I need to have the Trace Elliot to 1 or 2 o'clock. I had to use the Rumble with the master pretty much on full but it started to object and was better with an extension cab. Which is very loud but has to be because the drummer doesn't do soft. That is even with PA support and just using it as stage monitor. I guess all this means that 'loudness' is a subjective thing right up until you start metering it, which would be a bit silly.

Is the output as hot as they say?

Proper bargain!

I saw that this morning and thought the same. But I am an impulse buy too far this month already.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1462985650' post='3047609'] If you don't play loudly and you can take advantage of a back wall/floor to add with bass reinforcement, you may be ok. I've used mine (I only sold it a few weeks ago, so it's still very recent in my memory) by itself a few times in small bars and it worked. But anything a bit louder and it runs out of steam. My comment wasn't so much about what it can achieve alone, but about the notion that because the master volume it's at noon there's lots left. There isn't. You pretty much reached its limit (through its built-in speaker). [/quote] Yes, I was with you all the way, just added some musings

Interesting. I've only rehearsed with it once and didn't need to push it that much. In fact probably got to around 1 o'clock and was asked to turn back down again. Overall I have been impressed - my next gig with this band is at a small place where we play quietly, so I'll use it there and see. Maybe take a second cab and leave it in the car, just in case.

I've just acquired a Markbass CMD 121P and like it a lot. For my main band, who are pretty quiet, it is fine on its own. Gain and volume both around 12 o'clock so room to spare, even. I am in two other, rockier, bands with loud drummers and it wouldn't stand a chance on it's own. I have a Barefaced Supercompact (2, actually ) and would heartily recommend one of those to team up with your choice of class D. If it were me, I'd be looking for a GK MB Fusion 800 or TC Electronic RH750 - something with that kind of power.

I've had it for years and find keeping busy the best antidote. I had it described to me by the audiologist as 'brain boredom' and if you are in a quiet environment with nothing much going on your brain starts to make the noise for you.

Consistently for us it is the Steve Earle country classic 'Copperhead Road', which never ceases to amaze me as we aren't a country band playing to country audiences.

A band I was in for 5 years from start up. The singer had a few promotions at work and it seemed to go to his head, developing a bad case of LVS - Lead Vocalist Syndrome - and behaving increasingly like we were 'his' band, not the band we all started together. He believed he had the ultimate power of veto and that only his opinion counted as to choice of gigs, choice of material etc. He started to treat us like minions (banada!) and he and I increasingly clashed over things. It all came to a head immediately before a gig over something silly (by this stage anything would have kicked it off) and we ended up having a very immature and rather loud finger pointing argument. I believe I threatened to throw him off the fire escape He said to the band, after a very awkward gig, 'its him or me' and they chose him. I was relieved as I should have left months earlier. And, to be fair, although a prize cock he was a very good front man, so i would have chosen him in a similar situation. But it doesn't matter how good a front man you are if you don't have a complete band - they struggled to find a bass player over the next year until the singer left because of his new baby and, with no bass player or singer, the band folded.

Incredible - that will make someone very happy!