LeftyJ

I play in a modern female-fronted metal band. I usually play a 5-string custom Ellio Martina (basically a Jazz on steroids, with custom large singlecoils and an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp) or a Stingray 5 through Ampeg tube preamps (usually my SVP-PRO, with an SVP-CL as backup) straight to the PA. It has a great overdrive section which I usually set to a mild drive. I keep the EQ section slightly scooped. I have to compete with two 7-string guitars through an ENGL Powerball and a Mesa Mark 4, and the Ampeg provides massive bottom end and nice cutting highs so I have no trouble being heard. And because I don't use any cabs onstage (neither do our guitarists), sound engineers are usually very happy too . We bring our own engineer whenever we can, so we can be sure we sound exactly the way we want to.

[quote name='Nodd' timestamp='1344516520' post='1765775'] I noticed that the 'U' shaped strap end had turned around and with the open end up it was easier for the strap end to pop off the button. [/quote] The open end is [i]supposed[/i] to be up. The U-shaped bit supports the weight of your bass, not the little lock pin inside. But you're right, Schallers do wear. I have them on most of my basses and on my main gigging bass I have to replace them every 4 years or so because I'm able to slip the lock right off the strap button without the need to pull the pin out. I also have to fasten the nut that holds my strap to the straplock once in a while. I therefore kinda favour the Dunlop system nowadays.

[quote name='merello' timestamp='1264537013' post='725669'] B4 [url="http://www.carvinguitars.com/customshop/boltneckbasses.php"]http://www.carvingui...tneckbasses.php[/url] [/quote] I recently bought one of those right here on this forum. It's not as luxurious as the one you picture, mine doesn't have a flamed maple top and no gold hardware. It's a great instrument, especially for the mere 250 GBP I paid for it! Very well-made, plays like a dream, and sounds great. I've never understood why Carvin never managed to gain more popularity here, and why their resale value is so poor. Here's a review I wrote: [url="http://www.leftybassist.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3557"]http://www.leftybass...php?f=16&t=3557[/url] [quote name='7string' timestamp='1264549502' post='725911'] Carvin never sold their products outside of the USA until recently. [/quote] Here in the Netherlands there have been two dedicated Carvin stores for a long time. One was a webshop that acted as an intermediary between the customer and Carvin and had basses built to order. The other was an actual store that had Carvin instruments in stock and was called the Carvin Music Store. They went bankrupt several years ago, unfortunately. I've also seen some new Carvins in another store here, but I suspect they bought some remaining stock of the Carvin Music Store after their bankruptcy.