JTUK

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1472090244' post='3118457'] I'm intrigued by the EBS Classic 112. I've seen the quoted weight at both 15kgs and 17.5 kgs. I've seen comments that they look dreadful behind the grills Are they powerful? I had 2 x TKS 112'S and they sounded lovely, but they simply did not have the power to go against mic'd up snare/bass drum and two Black Star'd guitarists. [/quote] IIRC, the EBS are rated 250w each..so no more than TKS. However, I'm surprised about the perception they aren't loud enough. I've been running mine outside against loud drums and a 5150 and the bass reaches the back really well. I say this because I've heard recordings and the bass defo wasn't light. I'd be wondering what on earth the gtrs were doing, tbh Having said that, the TKS aren't budget cabs in any respect even if they aren't the most expensive

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1472080728' post='3118431'] I recently got an Ibanez SR305 in a trade. For the price point, it's an excellent instrument. Well put together with a nice array of tones. My only gripe is the string spacing at the bridge, just 16.5mm. After years of play four string basses spaced at 18-20mm, the Ibby feels alien to me. In every other way, it's great. Even my band mates like it, but as soon as I put on my Jazz bass, it's like taking off a pair of new shoes and putting on a pair of comfy slippers. I'm almost certain that if I were to play it exclusively, eventually the muscle memory would kick in, but that would mean leaving my four stringers in their bags and weeks/months of discomfort and hard work. I'd be interested to know what other BC'ers would do. Would you spend time, exclusively playing the SR or would you put it up for grabs in the 'For Sale' section and stick with what you feel comfortable with. [/quote] I made the conversion and now muscle memory is complete. The way I play and for what I do, I need everything to be in its place. 19mm is the string space for me and all my basses have it. I wouldn't compromise anything trying to adapt over again.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1472032203' post='3117778'] Just thought I'd seek some feedback and opinions from you lads, before making a definitive decision. I play in a covers band with two guitars and drums. We play small pub gigs. I have a GK MB500 head and GK MB2x12 cab (600 watts/8ohms). The head puts out 350watts @ 8 ohms. I would have thought that this was sufficient for these type of gigs. Invariably I have the volume at almost maximum and it seems to be jus about enough. The other issue (quite apart from the above) is that, even though wearing ear plugs, my ears still feel "a bit tender" the next day. Sometimes the crowd at a venue are loud before we even play a note. The band's volume on top of this, makes for an extra VERY loud gig indeed. I have broached the subject with the lads more than once. They take things on board, but it's soon forgotten about, until I broach it again. They say that we have to play loud to compensate for the loud punters. It seems that I am the only one who is affected in any major way by this extreme (at least it seems that way to me..) volume. The most recent gig, last week, was a "loud punters" one, and I suffered the next day. We have a rehearsal this evening, and I'm going to bring up the subject once again. Then I'll see how it goes. If there are no satisfactory results....then I'm out !! It's the last thing I want to do, but my hearing trumps any band any day. [/quote] It is simple, they wont address an issue. I'm surprised they get away with volume like that, tbh.... and there must have been comments from other quarters, if you are running an amp flat-out, --I'm surprised the bass amp can do that and sound 'good' tbh. They sound oblivious to me and is never a sustainable position in any band, IME. I don't give much for your chances, tbh... so you better be prepared to walk.

Sticky or just grabby..? Sticky, to me, is gunk or the string being off. Not sure what fast fret is but if it gets in the winds, this wont keep the string fresh, IMO.. One of the reasons I gave up on DR's after about 15 plus years was because they became unreliable when opening a new pack... and they weren't cheap either.

I get mine custom wound at Newtone and these are the best strings for me, and I've used loads of makes and certainly all the usual suspects. 2nd best set were Ken Smiths but yes I'm sure plenty of people get them made by a string factory and just re-badge them. My big thing is the quality of the metal used and this is pretty critical when re-using them a few time, IME

hmmmmmmmm

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1471944559' post='3117100'] I've been pondering this the last couple of days, mainly after seeing the amazing athletes in the olympics. If you jog in the evening after work, and do the occasional fun run does that make you an athlete ? If you play football on a Sunday morning, does that make you a footballer ? I'd say no, so at what point does what you do as a hobby, even a serious one, enable you to elevate what you do to a level comparable with someone who's been trained and educated, and has a very large skills portfolio ? I still maintain though, that if you play music, then you're a musician. [/quote] I'd agree with all that but can't go with the last sentence. But then that is my 2p... others have a different view.

You've done the work...you play with good people, why should anything go wrong. If you play gigs where you never played numbers with that group of musicians before and nobody can tell where the joins are, what is there to be worried about if you've had rehearsals

If you like the MM sound get one... but get full fat.

Is the pre amp Bart too..?? my feeling is that if the bass has a certain pricepoint, then the pre amp will be where they 'compromise' I changed the pre amp on a Fender as the stock one is pretty s*** and a decent pre amp rescued the pickups. I'm tempted to do the pickups at some stage, maybe but I need to swap out all the Fender hardware first..

Without hearing them, I'd be think Berg, ...but as with all these things, nobody can really say what which will suit you. I think your amp would be quite critical if you want an agressive sound. I find the TH500 a bit narrow............pleasant but a tad lacking for me in terms of character. Too polite.

It is quite early days but I don't think Fender stuff is for me... but I use Jazz type basses. I think Fenders efforts are quite basic and even agricultural, and I say this as I sit here listen to todays gig playback. For sure they are ok, but there are so many better products IMO, than what Fender put on their basses. by quite some way. The first set was recorded on a CS and the second on a 'super' Jazz... chalk and cheese..!!

I have to hear certain things back for me to play... If I don't get that, i lose quite a large facet of my playing and I could be anyone else. I don't want to do that so I'm very picky about tone and sound.

When people I rate as musicians think I'm a good player.

I can say I use barts and east and the East has so much scope.... Not always a good thing, or what I want, but the east's aren't shy of top frequencies. Having said that, most name pre amps have a lot of sweep.

I'd want to hear the pickups passive if possible. I did the same thing with a Fender and found the pre amp was agricultural at best. I put a glock in which is such a nice piece of kit I'm thinking also of swapping out an East on another bass. I'm a bit wary of no name pre amps after my experience of fender.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1471606314' post='3114376'] Whhhhhaaaaaa???? £1750 for a Fender Elite 5?! What happened there? They've just replaced the previous Fender deluxe models which were about £1400 a year back....what on earth is going on?! I for one am glad that I don't want to buy any new basses! [/quote] You could pick up an Am Del for around £1000 6 months ago.... the price bombed. I don't see how these Elites are any different. Looks like a classic Fender re-badge 'trick'... as with a CS. Same parts as an Am D. And if that is correct, then this is very dodgy, IMO.

2-3 times, iirc. First ever bass and tuned it too high, the other two were from fatigue as I would clean them up 5 or so times. This is one reason why I like top loading bridges so you don't need to unwind them then. Now, I retire strings when they feel bad ..which is sooner than they sound bad...but with rotation and decent care and attention, I only buy 3 sets per year or so, which for 3 basses and a string turnaround of 6 -10 weeks is not bad, IMO. Having said that, some clean-ups don't last too long when the string has basically had it...maybe 3-4 weeks. I like the strings to be peaky..I don't like them thumpy at all...

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1471535503' post='3113802'] I just don't think they offer anything significant for the money. Do you get a nice flame/birds eye roasted neck? No. Do you get extremely rare and interesting nitro colours etc? No. Boutique high end pickup? No. I understand these will be well made, but they just don't seem to be much more than a decent American Standard Fender. Although Sadowsky basses are more money, that is where I would go. That or a Fender Custom Shop. Even 2 Maruszczyk basses instead, and they'd be pretty much at the top of their range like a lightweight body. [/quote] I have to say the CS have none of the things you'd expect as an upgrade..and use stock AM Deluxe hardware IMO. I've swapped out the Pre amp for a Glock-which is sooooo much better. The pegs will survive but have two replacements on order as they have lost the friction screws. These are 'original' replacements. The pickups are under review, but the Glock has given them a stay of execution so far. and I have a Hipshot bridge on order. So, what I will be left with is the wood and construction.... which is ok enough but nothing fancy like grained or anything... There is no way in the world there are worth anywhere near £2.8k new.... I'd price them at half that at best... so that name on the headstock is perceived as worth a lot.. Having said that..there is something I like about it and am using it a lot atm.. but it is a block of wood and not worth their price, IMO

Good review... do more

Nope..not for me at that price. I wouldn't say I wouldn't have one at all, as I have a Fender CS which is a stock offering, but I wouldn't pay that price. I'd far rather pay nearer to £3k for a Sei or something ..get the exact build I want plus I know it would be twice/three times or more the bass. IMO.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1471448318' post='3113131'] HMRC would probably want to know. [/quote] They will... but there is pro and pro, IMO so that is why it depends where the question comes from. I know plenty of people doing nothing but music but are a million miles away..

If you play with good standard pros..you could probably be considered 'pro' yourself. But then again, the 3 piece that only do one thing for a living may not be a good standard so it means not a lot. Depends who is asking...

Anything that comes to mind.... I have a few stock little trills that I can rattle off depending how inspired/bothered I can be. I'll have a sense of that the 'audience' might expect but it will be short and sweet.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1470997803' post='3109853'] Given up on the B string. . . . . It seems to that there are a lot of players who like what they know and don't like having to think too hard about what they are doing. They've done the "heavy lifting", can play pretty well and feel comfortable in themselves. Some of these players will look around, see 5 string basses and think, "I'll have a go at that." I reckon 99% of those guys will give up and the reason doesn't really matter. You can discuss shortcomings in the instruments as much as you like but IMO most of them will give up because they didn't [i]need[/i] to play a 5 string bass in the first place. They fall at the first hurdle because they didn't buy into the requirements and changes they'd have to make in order for the transition to be successful. You can play anything on a 5 string bass, McCartney played Beatles songs on his Wal, but there are a lot of songs where you [i]have[/i] to play a 5. If you're not playing any of those songs or it doesn't matter to you if you are playing them an octave up then you didn't [i]need[/i] a 5 string bass in the first place. If you [u]want[/u] to play a 5 string bass, don't bother. If you [u]need[/u] to play a 5 string bass then work it out. Work through the changes and difficulties and if the first instrument doesn't feel or sound good find one that does. [/quote] Pretty much this.... I was hearing one every time so I got one. It was about an 18 month transition where I got really comfortable with it without having to think or worry about any muscle memory issues. I couldn't go back and neither would I want to. If you areco