SumOne

Yes, it's supposed to just be out of the headphones: I assume (apart from just home headphone practice) that being wired that way is so you can listen to a click track on headphones while the Bass signal alone is what everyone else can hear out of the other outputs.

If you're just after a small backup pedal in-case the Helix dies then I'd consider the Zoom MS-60B (or the B1 Four as mentioned, but it's more bulky to carry about as a usually un-used backup). It can do EQ, Compression, Overdrive, Tuner, and other effects (including synth effects that might be useful to use in the Helix FX loop), and it takes batteries so no need to carry a backup (non Helix) power supply. Or on a bigger budget as you're considering the Atomic Bass Box or the GK Plex which are both about £250 new (and I'm not sure if they take batteries- which would mean you'd also need to carry a backup power supply) I'd consider the Sansamp pedals - they take batteries, are small/sturdy, have EQ and drive and the XLR DI (which the Helix and Zoom don't have, so could be useful). If the Helix dies on you though would you also need a Tuner, and possibly Compressor? I've recently ordered a Fishman Platinum Pro which takes batteries and has EQ (including HPF), XLR DI, Tuner, Compressor...not drive though so perhaps not suitable for what you're after.

I've just bought another pedal from Nigel, good communications and it was delivered quickly and all in good condition as described. Thanks!

It's likewise for other things, half of my Thomann whish list is saying things aren't going to be in stock for weeks (or months) and a pedal I ordered a month ago which was noted as 'available in 2-5 days' is still not delivered and is still noted as 'available in 2-5 days'.

Yeah, innofensive. I guess in a way they're growing old gracefully by playing middle of the road daytime radio stuff that translates to a big stadium sing-along rather than trying to be 20 year olds playing more in-your-face funk/punk that works better at smaller rowdy venues. Seems a bit of a shame with the amount of $$$ they already have that they don't use RHCP as a platform to make some slightly more progressive music rather than focussing on lowest common demominator for more $$$. John Frusciante released this recently, from what I've heard they are all into more underground type stuff than they release as RHCP

Nice one, yeah all good advice cheers. I currently play with a Reggae/Dub trio and a Reggae/Ska band but both are just at the practice room stage (although there are some pub bookings not far off) and to be honest, my 500w amp and 300w Bergantino 122 are plenty for the practice rooms and for pub gig sort of stuff in the pipeline, and it does tend to be the low-mids that I boost while cutting back on the sub frequencies so I don't really need a sub for that music. A rig with more air-moving and chest-rattling 60Hz-200Hz would be nice though as I do have a love for Reggae Soundsystems and kind of feel that if a Reggae band is being booked I'd like to turn up with something that can potentially push a bit more low-end than the equivilant pub rock band Bass rigs (although I know a big part is that Reggae gives more space for the Bass to be prominent, rather than necessarily having more Bass). My thinking for the sub was more along the lines of the track I put in the first post with <40Hz type sub heard from 3m5s. Not so much traditional Reggae/Dub, more like electronic/dubstep type of sub bass that couldn't be achieved with just with Bass guitar and no effects, it'd need a signal that's been processed through something like a DOD Meatbox or Mantic Hulk or some sort of Octaver or synth and then perhaps going into a decent Cab that can really move air at 30Hz (or bi-amp to a sub, or send to PA). It'd add something different that I don't think I've heard from live dub/Reggae bands (possibly for good reason though!), Jungle/DnB and Dubstep (and other electronic music) has been using sub to great effect for years but it seems to be avoided with live bands/Bass rigs. I think I'll ditch that idea though. For starters I'm not in a band that plays that sort of electronic/dubstep music (it's all more traditional dub/reggae/ska), and if I was then it's the sort of stuff that probably get played at venues with a decent PA that could handle it.

You've probably tried this, but I used to run the 'Clean' on full (it's not 100% blend) and 'Drive' on minimum, with 'Treble' high, and the volume adjusted accordingly and that gave me a low gain and less muddy tone. You're right though, it should be called a distortion (and quite a high gain one at that) rather than an OD, and it is quite a dark tone.

I'd be careful switching some of these boards on, they look close to becoming concious and gaining free-will. It'll be the begining of what future generations refer to as 'The Event'.

Cheers all, I'll drop the bi-amped sub idea and will start considering new amp/cabs. Barefaced cabs looks like a good contender.

Nice! I Like their lairy NG designs too: I like lairy designs and don't really care what others think about the look - until it comes to whether it negatively affects me getting into a band. I think something looking like that NG could be a negative factor to getting into certain bands that care about their specific image so it has the knock-on effect of me being more conservative in the looks of Basses I get. I can't see many bands saying 'we would have you in the band, but that white Jazz Bass just doesn't work with our image' (well, perhaps some particularaly image concious death metal bands would).

I'm monogomous with my Basses but the marriges don't last long! My Bass selection is mostly down to ergonomics as technique, setup, strings, pedals, amps & cabs can do a lot for tone but can't do anything to solve a Bass that's difficult or uncomfortable to play. I'm not fussed about looks but I know others are - so that makes me fussed! e.g. I like the idea of the Ibanez fanned fret headless Basses (given that one of their selling points is their ergonomics) and the looks are fine with me but one thing that's putting me off is if I do something like audition for a classic 60s/70s Reggae/Ska band (which is the sort of stuff I'm into) it could negatively affect my chances if they feel the Bass doesn't fit the look.

I'm not sure about the 'a Bass is a Bass - it's all about the player' or 'it's all in the fingers' cliche's, they seem a half-truth from my experience. For starters, they don't apply for situations like wanting to play a low B on a standard tuned 4 string, or to do fretless slides on a fretted Bass, or to do tapping with Tapewound strings etc. And discounting those technical limitations, my first £200 Squier Jazz Bass was heavy, needed a high action to stop fret buzz, had a fairly severe dead spot, it had some clanky steel strings, the bridge pickup control was all or nothing, and it had a noisy hiss. I'm sure putting it in the hands of a great player it could sound good but it'd be lot more effort to do so than if they used my current USA Fender Jazz which has none of those issues. I imagine going from a Jazz to a higher end things like a Fodera would be another step-up in playability and ease of making it sound good.

The way I approach it is that just because a Bass looks like a Guitar doesn't mean it should be played like one - it evolved from the role/sound of the Double Bass and should be played with the mindset that providing a solid harmonic & rhythmic foundation is the priority. There are many other instruments (almost all of them) that are better suited to displays of fast melodic virtuoso stuff and people should play them if that's their musical interest. (Obviously just my opinion, I do find virtuoso lead melodic Bass players impressive but it just isn't my bag as a listener or player).

Yeah why not, if you've got the spare money might as well get something that sounds/plays/looks how you want. It's a refundable deposit after all: If you can buy either a £500 or £2k second hand Bass and play it for 2 years then sell it - either can be sold for about the same you bought them for so it doesn't really make a difference financially in the long run, but you'll have had 100s of hours paying a better Bass by getting the £2k one. Saying that though, I think there is a fair bit of jealousy/reverse snobbery 'he spent £2k on that and can't even play X which I can play on my £500 Bass'. And I think some good players revel in playing cheap Basses well and letting everyone know about it - subtext being 'I can play that well on this cheap Bass imagine what I could do on an expensive one' (and the answer probably is they wouldn't sound that different with the more expensive Bass but it might look better or be more comfortable to play).

.

.

A big % of 70s Reggae (and since then) was played on Jazz Basses so I don't think lack of low end is a problem with them... Any lack of low end probably comes down to a combination of technique, strings/setup, amp & eq, cabs. I don't think the Jazz Bass itself is the issue though - or it wasn't for Aston Barratt, Robbie Shakespeare, Flabba Holt etc.

Cheers, yeah probably the bigger amp & cab is simpler (I'm using a 500w with a 112).

Some play Bass as a lower register guitar (skill = how many notes you can play quickly) but I always think of it as an evolution of a plucked double bass, it's in the rhythm section where skill is more about tone and timing. So it's no sign of lack of ability to play a 'simple' Bassline really well.