David B

I still play through Laney Linebacker combos (75 watt bass amp and 30 watt guitar combo). Owned them for decades. Solid sound, built like tanks. Bass combo is extremely heavy but I keep it in the garage and my son’s band use it for band practice.

Bugera Veyron gives a lot of bang for your buck. Easy to dial in a good sound. A brand that flies under the radar.

It’s a reflection of how far Harley Benton have come that the main talking point about their latest line of budget basses relates to whether or not their dot markers glow brightly enough in the dark. It may only be 200 bucks, it may play and sound great but dammit the neck isn’t bright enough! More expensive basses don’t seem to get the same level of critique (their faults are often glossed over as being well known quirks or design features). To be more serious for a second, I think HB guitars and basses (I only own one but have played a few) are superb vfm. I have a shorty P bass which cost £83 and I keep it at my son’s house. Yes, it’s built to a price but well put together. With a little bit of eq tinkering it is ideal for jamming and in a mix it holds its own (admittedly it sounds a bit lightweight played solo - but as a useable, cheap bass it is ideal). I’m keen to see full reviews of these new basses. A shorty PJ could be right up my street.

I bought a Behringer BOD400 just as an Ace of Spades dirt tone. Very cheap, good tonal options and just very good for the price. Forget the critics who point out the plastic casing. It is extremely heavy duty and short of driving over it I can’t see how it would get damaged in normal use. I also got a Joyo Monomyth, mainly as a pre-amp but it too has a good variety of grit on offer. Also a really nice looking pedal. I do like a budget pedal.

I’ve have a pair of Monitor Audio BX5 speakers. Very happy with them. Not huge although quite deep (but I think they need to be a certain size to ensure a decent bass response). My son has a pair of BX8 speakers - he just had to go “one louder”. They are much bigger but have a killer sound and provide volume in spades for home use. His home practice set up is a Kemper through his monitors. I’m more of a cheapo Zoom guy.

My one was delivered today. Every Xmas I buy myself a random gift and this was it for 2022. Alas I have no cab(s). Will scout used cabs but remote location cuts down my options. Any thoughts on vfm options? I can best describe myself as a “classic rock/punk” player but at the casual jamming stage only so no immediate rush. Can probably connect the 15” speaker from an old, broken combo meantime which is gathering dust in the garage.

Checking the Ashdown site it says the RM 2x12 cab is 300 watts at 4 ohms. I’m not technically minded but 300 watts seems a bit on the low side, despite the good price and weight (and it looks good).

I see it is down to £250 in a February special offer. Anyone got or tried one? I have a Unity 120 combo which I like and thus far has proved reliable for practice and jamming. I wonder if linking them up would give me enough poke for pub gigs (or even using the powered cab alone with my son’s rack Kemper).

Very under rated (much like Ringo) and made the band swing.

In my experience they are not cheap and nasty but just cheap and good. Never a trendy brand but good bang for your buck. The usual issue that people raise is the plastic casing. Frankly I cannot see how you would damage them unless you drove over them or abused them in some other way. Lightweight plastics in planes, trains and automobiles are lauded but if it is a Behringer pedal they get a slagging.

I’m not familiar with the seller but they do seem to have some very well priced products and I wondered if there was a catch somewhere. From what the OP has said it appears they are sound. Is Germany awash with different music superstores?

I was looking for something to give me that “Ace of Spades” sound on a budget. Tried a Behringer for £21. Incredibly good. It is a bit noisy if it does not have a decent power supply (silent with a good supply). Lots of negative comments about it being plastic but I cannot imagine it breaking in normal use unless you drove a tank over it. I still find it hard to believe that you can get such a great pedal for the price of a takeaway.

I know a mediocre singer whose big personality completely takes over when he is in front of a live audience. Bad singer but great front man.

The headline drummer using my kit (at a multi band freebie party) told me afterwards that he likes to loosen everything off so when I clear the stage afterwards I should look out for washers and screws. That was years ago and it still rankles. And yes I did find screws and washers which had become detached. I had a damn fine kit that night and I’m convinced he adjusted everything just to show how “pro” he was. However, other than that I have been on both sides of kit and pa sharing without any issues. There’s always one.

I was a drummer for years, playing in a rock/punk covers band. We gigged regularly and then I relocated through work. I have had regular jams in my new location but nothing that really got off the ground. My drumming fizzled out, played guitar, injured my finger and ended up on bass since last summer. I have no neighbours who are too close so I can let rip when it suits and play a bit of everything depending on my mood. It is certainly the case that my drumming background helps me to lock in with the beat when I am on bass. My son is a guitarist so we can jam in our family bubble with YouTube backing tracks to accompany us.