Baloney Balderdash

I just recently converted to playing my 5 string Ibanez GSRM25 Mikro Bass as my main instrument of choice, from my 4 string Mikro Bass, though having a just 28.6" scale length I have it tuned to G standard tuning, that is 3 half steps above the upper 5 strings of a 6 string bass in regular B standard tuning. So really closer to a baritone guitar tuning wise, but with only 5 strings, wider string spacing (16.5mm), and tonally really sounding more like an actual bass. I do however play it as you could perhaps imagine one would a hybrid between a bass and a baritone guitar. My point though being that, while I struggled a bit adjusting to it at first, eventually I actually really felt it a relief having that broader range on the fretboard vertically, and it really seems to make a lot of sense that you basically have 3 octaves within hand/finger reach, and gives a lot of freedom. Here it is, named "Mr. Growley - The Noodlemancer", by the way :

I must admit I liked how the reverse "Strat" jack socket looked, also seems to me that it would be more practical considering jack plug/cable insert. But it is your bass, so of course what matters is that you like it. The black hardware I agree with though, definitely suits it much better than I would imagine chrome hardware looked on it.

Lullaby - Low

Just to specify, the reason why the processing takes longer the lower the frequency of the incoming signal is is that the wave length gets longer the lower you go, so it takes slightly longer for the pedal to actually get a signal that it is able to detect/track as a specific note. So no matter how fast the processor and algorithm of the picthshifter is there is simply a physical limit to how fast it is possible for it to track.

The neck of the GSRM25 is 67mm, not 70, at the 22 fret, Ibanez's own specs: https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/gsrm25_02.html It has a 16.5mm string spacing, so just a question of reducing the string spacing at the bridge, and just doing so by 0.5mm, to 16mm, to gain the additional 2mm missing, easily doable with individual bridge pieces. To compare the 4 string Hofner Violin Bass only got a string spacing of 14mm at the bridge, so not like narrower string spacing than 16.5mm is completely unheard of and unplayable on a bass, and the 0.5mm reduction required to make it work will hardly do a huge difference in feel.

I don't know if it counts, but one of my ex-girlfriends used to carry around with a couple of those.

I am extremely satisfied with my Sennheiser HD 380 Pro studio headphones. Very faithfully neutral and clear reproduction of the audio source, which is what you would want from a set of studio headphones. Unfortunately they are not in production anymore, but suppose the Sennheiser HD300 Pro would be the closest current production equivalent. Those are not crazy expensive, 152£ at Thomann, but about the same I paid for the HD 380 Pro ones, from new, over 20 years ago. That said my ultra cheap (23£ at Thomann) Behringer BH470 studio headphones are surprisingly decent, even if they definitely far from have the same neutral flat frequency response and clarity, and there is a bit of a boost of the lower frequency spectrum. But on a very tight budget I would absolutely recommend them for practicing bass, if that was all that could be afforded (but would strongly advice against using them for music production/mixing).

I know this is not answering your question, but which headphones do you use? You would want them to be FRFR, that is higher end "studio" headphones (you should expect spending at least 120£ or so for a decent pair), not "Hi-Fi" ones.

All the more reason to get a Hotone Ampero II Stomp instead which is about 150£ cheaper, but, at least spec/processing power wise, superior: https://www.thomann.de/gb/hotone_ampero_ii_stomp.htm Or this for just about the same price: https://www.thomann.de/gb/hotone_ampero_ii_stage.htm

The Boss BD-2 Blues Driver works great for bass, and have a surprisingly wide range, from just on the edge of breakup, to a really grindy sort of high gain overdrive, and everything in between.

Of course, but to a considerably higher and much more essential degree so did playing in original bands with skilled musicians. Edit!: I think I misunderstand the question. Not music school, but public school. In that case the answer is a big fat absolutely definitive NO!

Buy a good bass mic and insist on using the miced signal, so that it actually sounds like you. If they can do that for guitars, they can do it for bass too. And a lot of professional bass players/soundmen actually does do this. As someone pointed out the sound guy is supposed to work for you, not against you or to his own whims. Yes, it is much easier for him to do the exact same routine on every single bass he encounters, but that isn't actually doing his job properly. Different bass players and bands do tend to have their own sound that defines them, they are not supposed to all sound the same, and a soundman who doesn't recognize this is a lazy hack who shouldn't have been given the responsibility over the PA system and mixer.

Call an exorcist!

Are You Shivering? - Coil

Prince Harry?

You can't get 500W from 18V and 2 9 volt batteries. Even if that poweramp could run at 18V the batteries would be drained in a matter of minutes because of the power consumption required for it to work. You would need a special plug in the bass for plugging in a power cord to feed the poweramp. Also 200W seems more realistic as far as the size of such a thing would be.

I agree, but your tonewood choices are all WRONG!

I do realize that you're being ironic, but did you hear it to an end? Not disagreeing, just saying/pointing out...

Also I think I did quite alright just using my experience and ears composing, programming, playing/singing, recording and mixing this piece:

That doesn't however mean that you can't hear stuff in your head and play accordingly, simply based on experience. Also your ears are more than the meat pieces on the side of your head, they are connected to your brain, your ears as such doesn't hear anything, they just pick up vibrations and transform them to electrical impulses for your brain can interpret. This is however not what you usually mean when saying "using your ears", it actually means using your sense of hearing. I don't know why anyone with any degree of common sense would take this so literally, it's absurd.

I found a source online that claims that the Cool Cat Metal is based on the preamp of the Fender Champ amp (not to be confused with the current production cheap solid state Champion amp), with some modification and a clipping diode in the gain stage, and that the Cool Cat Metal II allegedly is based on a heavily modified Boss MT-2 Metal Zone, among other the whole tone stack removed, and replaced for a High/Low Mid switch toggle, that can also be switched completely off. Should prove interesting.

Absurd! Now I can't find it, but there is this YouTube clip where a highly acclaimed music professor explains and demonstrates how you need to hear in your head what you play while you play it in order to play it properly.

Isn't that exactly why you should focus on training your ears rather than theory? What is music if not sound? If you can't hear what you play, your can't play it properly. What is that joke about the blind and the deaf guy: "Can you hear what I see?"