bigjohn

I play in loud bands. I started out using a valve amp (a lovely 100W Hiwatt with matching 4x10) ended up going through a few solid state amps over the years. Mostly Ampegs, and latterly some pre/power amp set ups. I've fried nearly every single one. Even a quality UK made 600W power amp died a death. Power transistors all fail and catch fire eventually with me. The only survivor is my C-Audio ST600. That's a proper tank but it's heavy. That's also 600W. I used most of these with a very early Barefaced Big One and before that a couple of Acme Low B2s. About 15 years ago I did spend a year or so with a Marshall JCM800 Bass Series. That survived and did well but I went back to solid state for the weight. I set fire to my very expensive class D amp very quickly, though that was diagnosed as a faulty pre amp that killed it. I now use a Handbox WB100 into a Barefaced Big Twin Gen 3. It's loud. MUCH louder than my 600W amps were. I also use high and low pass filters to really squeeze out the frequencies I want. TLDR - Valve amps sound MUCH louder and when looked after, don't die on stage as often

I've been using a WB100 for about a year now. Into a Barefaced Super 12. It sounds pretty, pretty good... A couple of months ago I got a Vong Filterung (HP+LP filter with a level boost) and have been using that through the effects loop. I have to say, this has really opened the amp up. Before now, I've always been just on the edge of distortion and having to play hard to keep up with my (loud) band. Especially with low notes. I do play a p bass with heavy flats and the tone completely rolled off, so it does take some oompf to get the pitch audible, especially playing with 2 guitarists who are playing with lots of mids in their sounds. Feels like the amp I always wanted now. Much more dynamically responsive. Very loud, but not aggressive when I want it to be, solid and musical when I play soft and consistent up and down the neck.

Much like buying used instruments, the value is in buying 2 year old phones and getting a decent sim only deal when they come up. I've been using an iPhone 8 plus for about 5 years. It cost me about £300 (so about £5 a month and getting less as time goes by). I've got a sim only deal that gives me free calls and texts with 4GB of data that costs me about £12 a month. The first contract I took out for this phone was less than a tenner a month with 1GB. It's a perfectly good phone. New phones on contracts are expensive.

Yep. Consumables and often slightly different and critical components are definitely so... nobody should be over applying the law of diminishing returns when buying tyres or brake pads for instance. Basses though, over a couple a hundred quid they're luxury items so very much diminishing returns. They're Veblens. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good

That seems like a lot of effort for something that sounds like Nintendo.

The moving oooooohs

Take the wins where they are First cup of tea in the morning is a massive win

I would imagine that's why. I was once in a band for a relatively short time with some fellas about 10 years younger than me. Was a while ago and 10 years was a lot then Was fun and all, but I did feel a bit like band dad and they almost certainly felt similar the other way around, despite me insisting that they drove me around everywhere because I had other need for a car at the time. Lol. All just fizzled out in the end. Bands with varying ages tend to work better with an array of different ages I feel.

I snapped the E on a set of 760FMs on Saturday. I've never snapped an E with these strings before. Only a couple of As Not bad considering I've been using them for 10 years+... But considering I play fingerstyle and that's a 109 string, maybe not. Lol. anyway I digress... Last time I restrung my Jazz I put a set of LTFs on. I like 'em. Am thinking of putting a set on my P. Hopefully the lower tension will mean my brutish hands and tendency to play them hard during gigs won't snap them. Has anyone strung them through body? I can't remember if I used to string through 760FMs before they made specific through body ones.

I didn't play a P for about the first 20 years of bass playing. I played a Marlin Jazz (that was nothing like a jazz in terms of dimensions) and then an Epiphone Power bass like this one... But with Jazz pickups. Then in about 2010 I bought a Mex P/J and now I play a US Standard P although I do have a couple of other basses knocking around for fun, like a Bass VI and a fretless cowpoke. Once I got hooked on a P, that was it. I can't imagine playing anything else live.

Yeah, I have a B50R. Have had it for donkeys. I really don't need it, but I couldn't bear to sell it I have at times taken the amp out and used it as a pre amp for a big rig. It's great. Used to use a B100R at a studio too, that was nice too. I really need to get around to fixing the light on it.

I've been looking at these recently... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203136977806?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

Is it made from pure yellow?

Super Twin. Super comms. Super packing. Super man.

Clarkson should be fired at the sun. I’d pay for that. It would make great TV