Muzz

Your car'll break down...

Just had a listen to the first song on the link...now THERE'S a bass sound (and mix)...fantastic Was that you on the recording, BRX?

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1498119568' post='3322575'] I can now chose, depending on the size of the gig, between the Super Compact, the Super Twin, or both... [/quote] Do let us know what sort of gig you're playing where you need both, Dave...I'm imagining Wembley without FOH...

The one I had (and I'll stress that: it was one bass, bought online unseen) was not a great bass: the action was very high (the nut seemed to be cut very high), I couldn't get it anywhere near smooth (and I don't have a very low action - I'm a clunker who hits them hard) - the bridge didn't help with that - and there seemed to be more than one dead spot: if fact the whole bass just didn't ring or sing (acoustically), if that makes sense. I might've persevered for the looks alone had it not been such a lot of money. That price point is into luthier territory, where I've always found standards (and consistency of standards) to be very very high. At current prices, it's even deeper into luthier territory... I should add I've played some ropey Fenders, too (as well as good ones) of nominally identical models, but again, at half the money it's easier on the head to work with them...

I got some very nice distortion from both my Streamliner and currently from my Magellan...I thought the LM Tube and Rocker were a bit...fizzy in this regard... My Walkabout does it best, though...

Conan, he speaks the truth...

Hey Al, Well, it's all very subjective, and the basses I have at the moment cover a lot of ground and are all active - they all have John East Retro EQs, which have sweepable mids, and I can get everything I could need out of them. My two main Shukers are both (new) in the price bracket, and the Dingwall is close. The 4003w I had (and again, it was only one, I was probably just unlucky) unplugged didn't feel or play well enough - I think I said (on here) at the time, if I'd closed my eyes I'd have said it was a sub-£500 bass: it didn't zing or sing, and if a bass doesn't do that, no amount of plugging in and EQ and amplification's gonna fix it. All IMHO, YMMV, etc, etc, of course - I'd reiterate if you've played one that you liked, that worked for you, then there's no reason not to buy it.

The business methods of Mr Hall aside, I love the look of Rics, the newer walnut ones especially. I had a 4001 decades ago, my first 'proper' bass (Jetglo, all Geddy Lee's fault ) for several years. If you've played one you love, and it feels and sounds right, then just buy the thing. I'd play it first, though: for my 50th a couple of years ago I bought a brand new walnut 4003, and sent it back (thank Buddha for GAK's returns policy) the next day. Rose tinted spectacles about the playing ergonomics, (yep, right inner arm, and that pointless (if lovely) bridge pickup surround) and tone-wise, after I'd A-B'd it with the basses I have, it just didn't compete. The very very bottom line, though, was it simply wasn't good enough for a £1600 (at the time) bass. QC issues aplenty. I very likely got a duff one, but at that price point duff ones shouldn't leave the factory. I was gutted. It did look lovely, though - if was a rich man I'd have kept it and hung it on the wall, but my basses earn their living

Having been through an awful lot (10+) of heads over the last few years, there's been very very few, Class D or not, which haven't cut it in loud bands. It's true that the new generation of Class D power modules (the giveaway's usually '800w') found in newer small heads seem to have more to them than the first generation, but there's dozens of heads which, with a decent cab (or two) will compete with a single guitarist. I use both a small Genzler Magellan and a bigger Mesa Walkabout with loud bands (one of which has TWO guitarists with 100w Marshalls and 412s) and either of them will win... You'll kind of struggle to go wrong with your budget if you buy secondhand, and you can always move it on and try another...worked for me...

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1497093101' post='3315798'] Do you have any links? I'd heard nothing quite fits right on the Gibsons if you go down that route. I'd love to be able to prove that wrong. [/quote] Here's the link for the ones I've used (the rings are on there, too). Obviously, you'll need to make some exact measurements, and yeah, some minor modding might be required. Mine have got Dingwall pickups underneath. I'd looked at some EMG 'buckers which fit, too... Mine are in an Epi TBird body, so I was happy to mod, but if I'd spent the money on a Gibson, I might not be inclined to go cheap... [url="http://www.crazyparts.de/pickup-making-parts/pickupcovers/misc/gibson-thunderbird-pu-cover-chrome.php"]http://www.crazypart...over-chrome.php[/url]

I know (and it's taken me a lot of faffing to get here ), but the OP was after some controversial confessions, and that's mine. While I'm in the confessional...I didn't mind the RH450, either - I thought it was a good amp, with a feature set (presets, compressor, tuner) which no-one else has matched all of yet... I feel better for that

[quote name='Yukimajou' timestamp='1496943608' post='3314921'] Does anyone know if you can successfully get the plastic cover off the Epi T'Bird pickups? I think they really don't do the bass any justice and uncovered pups would look so much better, I can't afford the chrome or nickel replacements as they are more expesive that the guitar was. I will however, get a set of chrome toppe knobs as again the black ones look like crap. [/quote] You can buy the chrome pickup covers and rings on the net. They're not that expensive (£10-15 or so, IIRC)

I didn't like the Aggy Tonehammer. At all. There, I've said it...

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1496911743' post='3314597'] One I've used before with folk who get the hump - 'How would you like it if I come down to your office on Monday and start shouting at you while you're trying to work?' [/quote] Billy Connolly phrased this one rather well, and we've nicked it before now: "Don't tell me how to do my job. Do I come to your work and tell you how to sweep up?"

[quote name='Osiris' timestamp='1496839302' post='3314201'] This might surprise you but..... For good honest and transparent tone, a simple straight forward eq section and the versatility of a foot-switchable warm and usable drive channel, I highly recommend the Genzler Magellan. It'll do everything from clean mid scooped sounds to warm, classic mid rich drive - not full bore distortion but everything from vintage warmth to a subtle overdrive, all perfectly usable for an always on sound. Simple to use and quick and easy to dial great sounds into. And it's at the lower end of the price range compared to many of its peers too. [/quote] Saved me a fairly long-winded post...yup, my favourite, from a list that includes a lot of the usual suspects (Class Ds were MB LMIII, LMTube and F1, TC RH450 and 450 Classic, Aggie Tonehammer 500, Streamliner (honourable 2nd place), GK500 and Fusion, Genz Shuttle 900...bigger ones were Ashdown 550 Spyder and ABM500, Mesa M-Pulse 360, Tech21 Landmark, OTB and...erm...I forget... ) I also have a very soft spot for my Walkabout - it's 'only' 300w (tho through a Super Twin it'll easily keep up with two JCM/412 geetards) and it doesn't quite scrape in at 13lbs, but I love what it does when driven. Two different heads, which I use for different bands and sounds. Both very very good at what they do.

I use Elixirs and D'Addario NYXLs: the Elixirs are coated, but the new version of the coating is much less noticeable than the earlier versions, doesn't shed (and I play 85% with a pick) and they stay bright for a very very long time. Well worth it. The NYXLs aren't coated, but again, they last a long long time compared to most other strings. I used to use DRs, but since I tried the newer Elixirs and NYXLs, I haven't gone back.

I thought the girl sang very well - Somewhere Over The Rainbow is an iconic song, she sang it in a style which I personally don't like, but is nevertheless a modern and popular style, and in those terms performed it very very well. She's certainly got a voice. To compare a girl singing live under those circumstances, at the climax of a very emotion day for her, with canonical versions is churlish in the extreme. There are many great versions of the song recorded but none, I'd suggest, in those circumstances.

Bought a Smooth Hound wireless from Jack - not only a simple, straightforward transaction, he also went the extra mile (and beyond!) to resolve a small issue, when he could easily have not done. Definitely one of the good guys on here! Cheers fella

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1496644732' post='3312830'] This, pointing out your plugs/in-ears. Usually works. [/quote] This has been an unexpected bonus of moving to in-ears - it saved me from pissed punters three times last weekend... Although the best one was the hammered girl at a Rugby Club do, who did the clicky-finger thing in front of me during a Foo Fighters song, got annoyed when I didn't instantly devote all my attention to her, then demanded Abba. I politely declined with a "Sorry, we don't do any Abba" to have her point at the Mac on the mixer (we run Mainstage) and insist "No, play Abba." This we repeated this exchange three times until it was clear she wasn't going to understand we weren't some sort of iPod, so I said "Fine, yeah", and she went away. I told our singer, and he introduced the next song with "Not a lot of people know this, but the next one was originally recorded by Abba. This is Rosanna, as covered by Toto..."

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1496424205' post='3311368'] Be interested in which of the MB 121 combos you were using? The only one I'd be a little hesitant in using in a gig situation (without an extension cab) would be the CMD 121p, but the 121 H or 121 AC (especially the latter with its 500W stand alone capacity) should easily deliver the goods in a pub / club venue. [/quote] Woefully late on this one, but yeah, it was the 121p - it sounded uncomfortably farty pretty soon. But then, as I mentioned, I had 3 x Berg 112s, and never gigged with just one...

If you're after a 2ohm small head, give the Genzler Magellan a look, too - they have the same switch (and I'm guessing much of the power amp section will be the same, too), and they're a versatile amp. I used mine with 2 x and 3 x 8 ohm Berg 112s (tho I don't have the cabs any more - in fact I don't use it much now we've gone in-ears/PA/modelling) and a couple of times I forgot to flip the switch. I emailed Genzler the first time in a bit of a panic, and Jeff replied to the effect that it wasn't a great idea, but would probably not do a lot of harm. I'd done whole loud gigs with it in the wrong position, so it can't the end of the world...

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1496420752' post='3311328'] I hope a 112 is up to the job, i've recently ordered a Super Compact to use as an alternative to my Super Twin at smaller gigs. [/quote] Given that in my other band I run a Super Twin up against two JCM100/4x12 guitards, and it easily holds its own (without PA), if there was one 12 (other than the BB2) I'd have confidence in to deliver in a lot of circumstances, it'd be a Super Compact...

[quote name='Trueno' timestamp='1496420704' post='3311327'] I was fine with my MB 121 combo. I even sold a 15" extension cab as I never used it. But I was usually DI'd through a chuffing big PA. [/quote] Yup, that's the key - I didn't have much PA support - it's a question of how much of what...the function band I'm in have dispensed with backline altogether, so I'm 100% through the PA/in-ears...

I tried a MB 121 combo on its own for a gig, and found it wasn't up to the job. On the other hand, I've played an RAF hangar with a BF BB2 and a Streamliner and it was fine power-wise...YMMV, IMHO, etc, etc. I think you'll find it's a very relative question...

Just remembered (which is more than I did at the time) the joys of flicking a D-tuner down for a song...and then forgetting to flick it back up again for the next one...