Shaggy

Best one I've ever had was a Retrospec Juice box - foolishly traded, and I've never seen another since The Dave Hall VT-1 Purist currently FS (in "Musically related items....") is very decent, especially at that price - better for adding valve warmth than actual overdrive, and main thing against it is no balanced DI out.

Interesting, thanks casapete. Makes a bit more sense now. The guitarist in one of my old bands had an old Peavey combo with this configuration (Bandit?), and to be fair it had a lovely clean valvey tone, although as you say couldn't be pushed into overdrive in normal use - he eventually upgraded to a Mesa Boogie mk.V

Clocked this whilst doing a bit of YouTube surfing after watching "The Dirt" -

I think the '70's Music Man amps used the same SS pre / valve power configuration - Peavey did the same with some of their older guitar amps. Didn't seem to make sense to me,, but they have their aficionados My hybrid heads (mainly Mesa) have all been valve pre / MOS-FET power, been very happy with them as performing very similar to all-valve but more reliable and portable

That's definitely top of price range.......cheaper one recently on BC from a great seller; withdrawn but he might be tempted - Nearly gone for a Jaydee a couple of times; real quality and unique basses

Just noticed that - was that the '75 AVRI Jazz? Hope you're still liking that - I'm loving having the Steve Smith Custom back in my stable, still with the very nice TI flats you fitted...... They do crop up, and there was a very nice Stagemaster Standard recently FS on BC (in Wales too!) but it would have to be an Imperial. I think the later ones have a double Jazz pickup at the bridge.

Very few basses I any GAS for now, but I've been hoping to stumble across an affordable Stagemaster Imperial for a while.......

Kind of surprised at the reports of neck dive, as I haven't noticed any? The original bridge is similar to the Fender BBOT and a Badass fits with no hole modifications and just looks so "right" - I've done on both of mine (keeping originals of course!). May have counterbalanced in a small way, as a Badass 1 is a heavy chunk of brass!

I'd imagine the DMZ 4001 would be quite a bit more cutting with rather less bottom end than a standard P - alu Kramers have a really ringing sustain too. Meant to say that they're ideally best played through a valve amp (to my ears) as can othwise sound a tad piano-like - I play mine through a Mesa Walkabout or Titan V12 and they sound massive and growly..... The necks are a joy to play as well as being an iconic exercise in styling - the ebanol boards on my two are barely marked after 40+ years.

Plenty of info online, eg:. http://www.vintagekramer.com/alum.htm I have a 650B and a fretless 450B, essentially the DMZ series were very similar (alu necks on heavy walnut or maple bodies) but with the well known Di Marzio pickups rather than the chrome covered single coil Mighty Mite p/ups on the earlier models. I love mine; distinctive looks and distinctive tone (quite "toppy" -think bass intro to Boomtown Rats "Rat trap" which was a 650B), and quality build - they were boutique range basses in their day. Neck is roughly P profile, medium scale, and ultra stable as long as you don't use very heavy / high tension strings (in which case they've been known to bend!). Necks not as cold on the hand as a Travis Bean - which is about the only other bass you can compare then to -(which I've also got) due to the wood inserts Good luck, - there were a few alu-necked DMZ models recently on eBay, though not sure if there was a 4001

Agree with all the comments on this thread that it's probably more about strings and technique than core bass tone, but an Ovation Magnum is just fabulous for reggae / ska - I've never played another bass with such naturally massive low end whilst retaining complete clarity / articulation. Currently using La Bella 750T White tapewounds on my fretless Magnum 1.

It's a far from perfect system, but I've bought a shedload of basses and a few amps on eBay, mostly from abroad, and have to say I've never had any trouble whatsoever. It's generally a more friendly experience buying and selling,on this forum, but flip side of that is I've been shafted twice

Yup....... Yup......... Yup....... Yup....... Neither of these meh in the studio, but IMHO improved live - Deep Purple - Made in Japan Bursting out - Jethro Tull

The one exception for me being the much-covered "Knocking on heavens door" - Dylan's original never bettered. As has been discussed before; much of Led Zeppelin's "original" material were essentially covers of blues standards PS I forget 2 gems of popular music Mickey - Toni Basil I love Rock n' roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

IMHO it's surprisingly rare that the the cover is better than the original best example to me of the reverse being the case is the sublime "It's all over now Baby Blue" by Them, covering a Bob Dylan song (actually, probably most Dylan is improved by covers.....). Also: Heatwave -The Jam Nostalgia - Penetration Fields of gold - Eva Cassidy One - Johnny Cash

Aesthetically that bass is crying out for a Charlie Christian style pickup: https://www.musicstore.de/en_OE/EUR/Roswell-Pickups-CHC-Charlie-Christian-Black/art-GIT0043527-000 Some great ideas above, mind

Same bass as this one?

In 42 years of gigging I've only once ever played to zero audience - a gig in Llandovery when there happened to also be a local festival going on. Played half the set to the staff, who enjoyed it Worst non-gig was a booking for a summer outdoor festival in the Valleys, turned up to find the power supply was a single extension lead plugged into another extension lead plugged into a shed with one domestic socket. Our PA is 2KW. We snuck off quietly before anyone had noticed we'd arrived.......