Muzz

I've never seen one I like the look of, and for that money I'd have to be in love with it. I've played some very very expensive basses I didn't like at all (and I'm including things like Alembics in there), and to spend over that 'excellence threshold' of about £2-3k where the quality of lots of basses is uniformly magnificent, you have to buy into the whole thing, and neither Smiths nor Foderas nor Ritters do a damn thing for me.

That's the problem with GAS: it often bears little relation to reality. I was the same with the Walkabout head: wanted one desperately, finally got one, I think it went back to the seller (WoT IIRC) the following week in a mutually beneficial regret-based transaction. He loves it and missed it, I thought it was a bit 'meh' and couldn't see what all the fuss was about. That's not to single the Walkabout head out particularly, tho: I can't say I haven't done the same thing with umpteen amps, cabs and basses.

I love to play live, probably more than any other part of being a musician. I'd do it for nothing, the money's always a bonus (wedding and function money even more so), so I look forward to even the smallest pub gig. Have had very very few gigs I havent enjoyed in some way or another, whether it's been a really good crowd, or the unalloyed joy to be had playing with inspirational musicians - I'm lucky enough to play with a lot of those...

Bought some knobs (fnarr fnarr...) from Alain: simple, easy transaction. One of the good guys...

With uk_lefty on the whole 'looks good, plays...meh', try before you buy thing - I had a 78 Jazz a while ago which was in great condition, all original, all good, but sounded...brown. And not in a good way Oh, and it weighed nearly twelve pounds...

Yep, Halloween special gig at a big pub/eatery Worsley way - just the trio, as space was at a premium, I ended up playing the bass with the neck almost vertical as the dancers were packing the dancefloor right up to us...we'd brought costumes, but it was waaaay too hot for them...felt for the punters in full regalia; Pinhead and Edward Scissorhands in particular looked like sweaty beetroots by ten... New venue for us, nice as it's only round the corner, and the landlord was impressed enough to want us back ASAP: "We've never had that many people actually [i]dancing[/i]..." Another trio gig tonight in a other localish pub, similar Guy Fawkes/dressing up do, we'll see how that goes...it's up int'th'hills Crawshawbooth way, if I see a wicker man on the hill I'm off...

I'd go with raising it up, from my experience the Super 12 is a very very loud cab, there'll only be you not hearing it! If that's not a goer, perhaps have a play with putting some mids into your sound for definition?

I've spotted your problem...stop listening to the guitard...

[quote name='odysseus' timestamp='1414514599' post='2590102'] Some old biddy came up and cupped my balls down at some social club in Penzance. And her husband was at the bar 20 feet away.... I felt dirty... and not in a good way.... [/quote] This...this is why basses should be worn lower. that Mark King bloke runs this risk every time he gets on stage...

Yeah, cross-posting there...

I used a Streamliner and an F1. Rather different amps. I found you pretty much get out what you put into a Super 12. I found the Streamliner was best with a Schroeder - the low-mid voicing of the cab seemed to tame the big arse end of the Streamliner.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1414502459' post='2589888'] Well... You could try the Barefaced website. [/quote] Boom!

Only just seen the pictures - very very very nice, love that board... My build has EMGs - I have to say I was expecting to have to change them out (I originally wanted Nordys, but I'm an impatient bugger and the bass was for a 50th birthday present, so time was tight), but they've been fantastic - I have two 40Ps, and they sound (with the East U-Retro) as good as anything I've heard. It's my go-to bass. Along with my other Shuker...

I'd be straight back to Jon for another 2 Shukers, and I'd buy the same Dingwall. The Thunderland I'd be screwed for, as I doubt I'd get another Lakland neck for less than 10x what I paid for mine. Rig-wise, I'd get a light 1U power amp (still using the iPad for preamp duties) and I'd be looking at Alex's website for a Series 3 cab...

Oh Lord, there's plenty, here's a quick selection of the ones I still wince at: 1. Playing Jillys nightclub in Manchester in the 80s (on a three foot high prefab stage) I jumped unwisely under a beam, cracked me head, bit the tip of me tongue off and as I landed I pushed two of the stage sections apart, so spent the remainder of the song bleeding profusely a la Gene Simmons on the cover of Kiss Alive II in an increasingly dynamic and wide-legged stance as I attempted to keep the parting stage together... 2. Snapped a string (again, back in the 80s, haven't done it since) and attempted to pull it off out of the way. Nearly took the top of me finger off, again, claret everywhere... 3. Blanked totally for the intro of a song we were covering. The band started, I didn't. The band stopped, the guitarist shouts the name of the song at me, I stare at him blankly. The band starts again, I still didn't. The guitarist walks over, plays the intro riff at me. I stare at him blankly. He plays it again, and then, like a dam breaking, it all comes back. We all start again, I'm in the wrong key... 4. Walked over to the drummer mid (guitar)-solo, knocked the overhead mic stand over, it topples slowly towards him, until it hits him square on the forehead. There's a huge BOOM, but like a trooper, he keeps playing. His forehead is now very closely mic'd and making some very strange noises. Still frantically playing behind the obliviously-thrashing guitarist, I try and right the mic stand with a foot. The stand is now mic'ing the drummer's shoulder. Eventually one of the audience takes pity, gets on stage and rights the mic stand. He gets a huge and ironic ovation, which the guitarist, delighted, thinks is for him...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1413980890' post='2584327'] Those pics are pretty crap (which doesn't bode well, I'll admit) but from what you can see there's no real evidence that it's badly-refinished. I wouldn't go for matt black obviously, but it's not totally outrageous. Problem is I do have terrible GAS for a Wal, so I'm probably biased! [/quote] Well, I was going off the (few for £1400) ropey photos, and the description of the refin where he says it's a 'reasonable job' and applying my EBay Description Paranoia Filter...

Hmmm...a badly refinished Pro 1e at £2k? Dunno if it'd have gone at that...last one on here went for £1600 in good nick with the original case... As you say, tho, it's all a gamble.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1413920285' post='2583694'] Had fun watching that! Someone got a bargain. [/quote] D'you think? Dodgy electrics and a dodgy refin/paint job? I had a look at it and thought it was plenty of money...

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1413898916' post='2583291'] Crikey! You must be rough on gear! [/quote] I'm about 40 gigs in with my Compact. Nothing missing, nothing broken, a bit of paint scraped on a couple of edges, that's it. Doesn't have a cover, either. Maybe it's in too good nick, that's why nobody comments on it...?

I was about to start a separate thread entitled "Missed My Mids" about how I used my only gigging bass WITHOUT a John East pre* (my Dingwall) the other night at a gig, and despite it being a fantastic bass, I really, really missed the John East pre, especially the sweepable mid control. I'd just become so used to relying on it live that I hadn't realised how much I use it. Santa might yet be bringing me another U-Retro for the Dingwall... * Both my Shukers have U-Retros, and there's even one in my Thunderland (in my avatar).

5 kilos? As Duncan Bannatyne would say......... "Ooooo me back..."

Nobody, but nobody has ever commented on my rig. They comment about the band, yes all the time, the basses very very occasionally*, but not the rig. Apart from the rest of the band, when we're loading and unloading. Then they say "I'll carry your cab, you take my kick drum/PA cab/combo...". All the time. * "They look weird, you want to get one of those Fenders, mate..." said by punter looking at my Dingwall and Shuker...