SumOne

But isn't that something tariffs can potentially help with? e.g. Product imported from China currently costs $100 for US consumers, similar product produced in the USA costs $120, but add a 25% tariff on the Chinese import and consumers will buy more of the US made product - and the US company can even afford to put their prices (and wages) up a bit and still be competitive. The main problem I can see is that consumers (who are those same workers) lose out, they no longer have the option of the cheaper imports (unless they want to pay that tax - which goes to their government and in theory helps the government then fund things voters want)

That is the sort of 'business as usual' thing that fans of Trump are against though. Things change quite drastically and quite often throughout history. This level of global trade is a relatively recent thing and things can quickly change - possibly for the worst, but potentially for the better too. Asian living standards are going up, they will be demanding more money. And if people in the USA are forced to pay more due to tariffs then that's just what'll happen - they will pay more and/or buy less (either imports or domestically produced). It was a deliberate move by China to subsidise industries to get a foothold in the west so strong that the west loses its industries and completely relies on China for many manufactured goods. Next China step would be to put up prices. Perhaps it isn't such a bad thing that the world becomes less reliant on subsidised cheap labour from other countries and we move away from a constant drive to reduce costs however possible.

I don't want to seem a fan of Trump, but I do feel that people take these tariffs as some crazy global market disaster - rather than just being reciprocal. Of all the Trump policies, this one feels the most sane. It is an upheaval, but possibly needed doing if the USA wants to bring manufacturing in-country and for supply chains to be less globalised, it is a big enough country that it could potentially do that (the UK would have bigger problems trying the same). I don't know about every industry or if the tariffs will actually be fair and reciprocal but the UK, and EU and almost everyone else either have subsidies or tariffs to artificially skew markets and favour themselves. If the UK subsidises UK Steel then why shouldn't the US add a tariff on its import to balance things with US Steel prices? If the EU charges 24% tariff on US Jam imports, and USA charges 4.5% tariff on EU jam imports - why shouldn't the US do what it can to balance that?

Cheers all. As I've been through dozens of distortion pedals and always come to the same sort of conclusion I think before buying anything new I'm going to try some of the suggestions like using clean for the rowdier bits, perhaps moving about where I have compression, and possibly it is something to do with my Amp/Cab (or at least the EQ I have on the Amp) as they have remained constant while I keep swopping distortion pedals - they sound good clean, but perhaps need something different going on when it's distortion time (e.g. distortion in the fx loop). There is probably an element of the fact I'm stood right in front of the cab when playing live with the band - so what I'm hearing in those rowdy parts is a mix of that and the stage monitors, the audience might actually hear something quite different (I only have crappy phone recordings of that so can't really tell). I do think it is something other than 'use pedal XYZ' or 'use a clean blend'.

I came to the conclusion of distortion not really adding the extra oomph that I want on a gig this Saturday and ended up not using it. Playing at loud volume through an Amp/Cab and along with drums, 2x distorted guitars and the rest the main thing the bass needs in this band at those rowdy points is a clear pulse/thump/definition of notes within that I guess <400Hz sort of range. The rowdy parts of songs have the guitars going distorted, if I also click on distortion it just makes the fundamental thump of the bass get more mushy and distorted and actually loses impact, it adds mid/high distorted noise - but they are lost in with the guitars. Can turn up the bass but that doesn't bring back the 'tump'. In isolation it sounds big and heavy, but I think almost by definition it looses that when distorted. So yeah, I think it might well be more of an issue of where the compression is, what is going on with my Amp/Cab and the mix with the rest of the band rather than needing new distortion pedals.

I think compression and where it is in the chain might be a good call. I currently have an idiotbox blower box and there is no problem with the amount of bass it can produce - it's more that the defined 'thump' is lost and that seems to happen with almost all distortion I've tried. So yeah, perhaps it is something that the right compression after distortion can sort out, or a blend and changing the clean compression. I've tried so many distortions and it seems the same thing always once playing through Amp/cab and with a band, so I'm starting to think it isn't actually the distortion pedal as such - it's down to something else.

I can't get one a third time! ......or can I?! 🤨

Yeah, I recently got one and it is really good for that. My only issue is I use it as 'always on' for the lower-gain EQ mode and I need to stomp somethign on for a few more distorted parts. Another DCX would do nicely...don't think I can justify that extravagance though!

Philosophically that's all good, economically I think it'd be a disaster and would harm the poor.

But if the UK does that, and another country coesn't then the rich will just move their money. It needs global agreement, and that isn't going to happen.

I'm looking for a medium-gain sort of distortion that still keeps the punchy 'thump' of a clean Bass when played through an Amp/Cab. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer is 'pedal with clean blend' and 'use an LS-2'. Problem with that is I find it sounds like two things playing at the same time. Any suggestions? I'm almost at the point of giving up on it. The band has 2x guitarists guitarist and it feels that when we go to more heavy/distorted parts of songs it'd be good for the Bass to switch up to to a distorted sound as the guitarists do. Problem is, I've tried dozens of distortion pedals and they sound fine at home/headphones etc but with a band I think just the nature of distortion means the punchy sort of thump gets mushy and distorted (I guess the clue is in the name!) - in isolation that sounds all good and heavy, but with a band all going for it it actually loses some impact. Perhaps just stick to the punchy thump of bass and leave it to guit@ri$ts to the distortion stuff?

The trouble is how easy it is to be global for tax as a company or individual and there is no global consensus on rates - there's competition. I was at an event where one African government official complained about inequality and money leaving the country, then next presenter was from the government of a Caribbean tax haven country showing off about how money had been bought in and how much their GDP and living standards had improved recently. What's the African country to do? Put taxes for the rich up too much and the rich just move money(buy themselves citizenship in a different country ), and big businesses do the same, it's a balancing act. So I'm not sure it actually benefits the poorest of a country to do too much 'tax the rich/big businesses' and I think economists and governments come to the same conclusion.

Have you considered the catchily named Ibanez BTB605MS? 35-37" multiscale, neck-through, £1,059. https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/btb605ms_1p_02.html

I think it does solve the 'issue' of a 5 string B sounding best when it is longer and a G being better shorter, and giving more of an even tone and tension across all strings, and possibly helps ergonomics.....But I'm not sure they really are much of an issue that can't be solved with good strings and a decent well set up Bass. And it isn't just a win-win, there are some downsides to multiscale. People always mention a Piano as multiscale example, but they are a whole different sound and playing style and more than 7 octaves, just about every stringed instrument from Violins through to Cellos does fine without multiscale. I have owned three multiscale basses so am sort of in favour of them, but then again - I've sold them all so haven't been completely convinced. Things like pickups, preamp, ergonomics, weight, strings etc. are much higher up my priorities as issues to make improvements to.