gjones

I bought a Markbass CMD121P during the initial lockdown period in 2020. I usually go for separate head and cab combinations (Barefaced and GK) but I liked the compactness of the CMD121P and had heard great things about it over the years. When I saw a great deal on Ebay, for an almost new one, I pounced. I've only managed to play one gig with it and it kept up with a loud drummer. Luckily the gig also got recorded professionally to allow the Festival organisers to stream the gig and the sound in the video was excellent (P bass recorded with a mic in front of the speaker). As mentioned before, a separate head and cab set up allows you to chop and change, if you want to experiment but the CMD121P is such a good little combo, it might be the only amp you'll ever need.

That headstock looks more 'roadworn' than my roadworn Jazz. It almost looks like it has been nibbled by a small dog.

I used to play with a drummer who accused me of being too loud. He kept on complaining until I had turned my volume to zero. Which he said sounded just about right. By the time of the next gig, we'd got a new drummer.

I played through one at a gig and my Precision sounded fantastic through it. I would have bought one myself, long ago, but they are pretty heavy.

I have to say, I don't listen to music where the bass is almost inaudible. If a musician is playing, why make him/her almost inaudible. They just shouldn't be on the stage, as they serve no purpose.

The punchiest amp/cab setup I ever played through, was an Ampeg SVT through an Ampeg 810. The two combined, weighed about the same as a small car. Barefaced make a 6x10 and 8x10 which are reasonably light.

Probably quite a few. I bought my ABM 500 III for £134 off Ebay. I'm sure there's many more for sale, at a similarly criminally low price.

I'm still trying to get to that Zen like state, of not too much and not too little. As a bass player, I think the audience and the band you play with, in most genres, appreciate groove and feel above speed and the number of notes you play.

I remember I was playing at hastily set up bar, at the Edinburgh fringe with some friends, for a laugh. There was no money in it but I was playing it for the craic. As I came off stage with my bass, which was a red Squier Precision, a fellow bass player ( I assume) approached me and accused me of taking a £4,000 Pino Paladino Precision to play in a shitty bar full of drunks. He seemed to think it was sacrilege. If somebody had a £4000 bass and wanted to play it at a shitty pop up bar, I think they should should be allowed to. it's nobody's business but theirs.

If your hearing isn't great, dare I say that it might be a good idea to look into hearing aids. A friend of mine, who is a drummer, recently bought a pair. They are so small as to be almost invisible while being worn and he's very pleased with them. My high frequency hearing is pretty dodgy, at 10khz maximum. If my hearing got significantly worse, I wouldn't have a problem getting myself a set.

You'd have to be trusting type of person to buy that for £10,000.

Jazzes are pretty versatile on their own. You can get many different sounds by using the tone controls and switching pickups. Of course you can also add more bass via the EQ on your amp, if need be. My solution was to buy a John East Retro pre amp, which turns your Jazz into an incredibly versatile instrument. I bought mine for about £100 from Basschat and recently I bought Fender style knobs for it from John East's website, so it looks just like a passive Jazz. It has a parametric mid control, which offers a pretty deep low mid frequency. I tend to pick that and turn it to maximum. The bass is boost only so it's best to use it sparingly, unless you want to get into reggae territory. If you DI straight to the desk, the pre amp also allows you to tailor your sound, before it gets to the sound engineer.

My experience of playing in a room with Db meters is, always bring a very, very, very long extension lead. If you know what I mean.

My band was recorded live, for The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, last June. I'd just bought a Markbass CMD 121 which I took along and I played my MIJ Precision through it. The Sound Engineer didn't use the DI, he just whacked a mic in front of it and got a great sound.

Yes, but If you're playing reggae with the tone turned down, I doubt anyone would hear it.

The original pickups would have been noiseless. Which means you could play the neck or bridge pickup on their own, without any single coil hum. I have an Elite P bass and the best thing about these Elite basses is the Musicman style, truss rod adjuster at the body end of the neck. It makes it very easy to tweak the truss rod to get your preferred action.

I was down in London yesterday and walked right past The Bass Gallery. I'm very proud of myself.

No Jazz Basses.......you'll have to do something about that. Edit: Ooops I see one hiding far right. But it has no frets.......you'll have to do something about that.

I recommend buying secondhand, as you can sell it for what you bought it for, if you latest endeavour is a damp squib. You can get more bang for your buck. Although my advice is never sell your gear, as you never know what's around the corner.

What about Nigel and the Sex Nazis? I think I'll call my next band that. By the way, nobody in the band will be allowed to be called Nigel.

My Jazz is a close as it gets to my perfect bass. I wanted a MIJ Jazz but couldn't find exactly what I wanted, at the right price. So I bought the body, neck, pickups and bridge separately and put it together myself. I also added a John East J-Retro pre amp, which makes it incredibly versatile. I've got more expensive basses, which have pro setups and are easier to play but the sound, action (I sometimes have to play with a pick so the action is not stupidly low) and versatility of this Jazz means when I leave the house for a gig or rehearsal, this is the bass I usually take with me.

It's only a problem if all the bands are gigging regularly. If you're a professional, then most bands you play with will be used to using deps.

He was a professional bass player who was a very articulate and interesting guy who wrote some excellent gear reviews. If I remember there was some issue about a sale. I was sad to see him go. He's still on Talkbass.

Look on the bright side, it could be worse, you could be the bassist in Metallica. I'm playing it on my hi-fi and the sound of the bass is indistinct but the overall mix is not too bad. I tend to record with a P bass, as it does tend to sit well in the mix.

An English band with a Motown vibe. Cameron the bassist channels James Jameson. This is them streaming a live gig and they're amazing.