Minininjarob

I think basses and electric guitars are generally pretty cheap nowadays and you can get great quality for not much money. I’ve seen a lot of videos where famous players talk about never even thinking they could afford a fender or even a decent copy, having to play on poor quality copies as younger musicians. Nowadays all a teen needs to do is have a summer job for a few weeks and he/she can get a Fender P and an amp.

Exactly what I wanted for my first bass. I wanted a Fender P and I realised after trying a few cheaper options that were probably as good that I just wanted the Fender name on the headstock. Was it better quality than the £400 squire? Not really, but it was better than the £200 stuff. Is it as good as the made in the USA models? Dunno really but my £700 PB isn’t £300 better than the Squire, no way. From a build quality perspective I couldn’t see the difference between my Player series and the next models up which were pretty much twice the price.

The GK extension cabs for my amp are powered so I don’t think this will work.

I really can’t use it, it’s too heavy for me where I need to use it. I have to store mine in a bedroom and move it between rooms in the house when I use it. I did borrow it for a few weeks but it just wasn’t practical. It’s a shame really. If I had a room downstairs to store/use it and only move it for a gig or something I’d have it.

I have a friend who has a similar amp with the extension cab who may want to sell. Not sure if it’s the same model but man alive is it loud. EDIT - found a pic - if anyone is interested I’ll ask about it. He’s not an internet regular I don’t think. He really looks after stuff and it’s pretty much in brand new condition.

A good friend of mine lent me his TE combo and I think he wanted to sell it (he might have given it to me tbh as he is really generous) but the weight of it was unbelievable. I need to be able to move it round often up and down stairs - I’m strong having worked in manual jobs and sports and I nearly caused myself permanent damage moving it! It also came with an extension cab…… if it wasn’t for the weight and lack of a headphone socket I would have it in my house now.

Yeah I’ve seen those but they are very expensive, and rare to find 2nd hand. I’d also like a separate drive and master volume on an amp which mine doesn’t have for some weird reason.

Yeah we all know that’s the answer. I know that’s the answer.

I’ve been looking at them but they aren’t cheap. Something to save up for I think. They don’t seem to be easily available though.

My first amp is a GK Mb112 combo. 200w, 1x12” driver. It’s pretty loud at home but I’m thinking in the future I’d want something more. Looking at the TE Elf for sale in the ads I can see it’s 200w - if I combined that, for example, with a 2x10” cab would the volume be any different - I know the sound would be - being as the wattage would be the same? Would I be best going for 500w plus? I do like the sound of my GK amp (sounds better when driven hard!) but I don’t have any experience playing through anything else. I’d probably keep what I have now for practice and would need something easily transportable so older second hand stuff is probably not the best for me. I don’t think a heavy head would be a problem, I don’t have any issues with my back, but I reckon a lighter cab would help me in the future.

Oh and if anyone had an SVT I can play a few notes through in Hudds area I’d be grateful! I’m a relative beginner but I’m kinda obsessed with big amps but never experienced one. Can’t afford one or even need one for a while but it doesn’t stop me wanting one. 😂😂

Fans - I recently upgraded a friends amp (not an Ampeg) with a high end computer fan. You can get really quiet ones for PCs which make a big difference in a computer so might work just as well in an amp. Lots of different sizes available. The only issue with venting is that some times where the fan is can add to the noise with turbulence - don’t just stick a fan anywhere as even an expensive PC can be noisy if pushing air past sharp objects.

Good point, I probably have some already. They aren’t very nice looking things with the exposed threads etc.

I am just starting the bass and I want to use both techniques. Some songs I have been trying I can see an advantage in both techniques in the same song depending on what feel you need to achieve.

As an amateur car derailed myself I wouldn’t use T-cut, it’s a pretty old fashioned product that works ok but it isn’t the best. Polishing only really dulls the sharp edges of scratches, then wax on top fills the scratches. It doesn’t get rid of them, it just removes the edges that reflect in the light so you can’t see them. You need to figure out whether the mark has gone through the colour layers - if it has you will need to add coloured paint touch up before a top coat then sanding/polishing. If it has gone through the paint and you don’t add paint back you’ll always have a mark there no matter how much you sand or polish it. If it’s only in a clear top coat you could touch it in with some clear paint and sand/polish back. That would fix it properly.

Hi all. My P bass jack socket keeps coming loose - the nut keeps unwinding. I’m happy to fix it myself as although this is my first guitar I am very handy. I was thinking - are there better jack sockets I could replace it with if I take the pick guard off to tighten it properly? I have read the standard ones aren’t the best so may as well do it at the same time. I’m ok with soldering etc.

I tried the Ampeg combos and thought they had quite a flat sound compared to the Rumble amps, was about to buy a Rumbke but then went with a second hand GK which beat them both. 😳

Bought a Boss Ds3 tuner pedal from Shepster8316, great comms, item in great condition. Wonderful to deal with. Great first purchase on here - thanks!!

I’ve always found eBay to be very helpful even in complex cases. Just make sure you are following the rules, all comms through their messaging system, lots of pics, evidence, etc. Be aware of time frames and what processes you need to follow. The couple of times I’ve had to ring them they’ve been incredibly helpful and sorted things out quickly. One thing I would always recommend is that you open the purchase the moment you receive it, and if you can video the opening and inspection, take pics too. I’ve never had major hassles but I do tend to travel to get expensive items now, I’d rather do a 6 hour round trip and not end up buying the item then have to deal with returning something to a pain in the butt seller. Especially if the item is something like a guitar which really benefits from a pre purchase inspection.

love it, demonstrates my point exactly!

I watched a YouTube video recently and the guy presenting said that older people don’t understand that “pop” music isn’t meant for them. They aren’t supposed to like it, it’s capturing the feeling and experience of the youth - maybe 15-25yo. It isn’t about technical prowess and they couldn’t give a rats donkey about the music their parents listen to. It’s about their experiences and feeling, not 30+ people. I thought recently - my parents hated Nirvana when they became popular in the 1990s. And people my age tend not to like current music and think the kids should listen to “our” music as it’s better. But do the math - when I was 19 in 1995 the music from 1965 was 30 years old. And I thought it was, with very few exceptions, rubbish. It sounded old fashioned, basic, cheesy etc. So the kids nowadays might be thinking the same about music from 1993 right now - and the 1965 music is SIXTY years old!!! You have to remember that we only tend to remember the best older music, but at all music eras there was a lot of dross, you only have to watch an old TOTP episode and see the chart rundown and 90% you either won’t remember or think it was awful. What I have done is made a conscious effort to get into some modern music. I don’t think “it hasn’t got a guitar bass and drums” in it I just think - “is it making me feel something?” - and try not to prejudge. I’ve not found loads of stuff yet but properly addicted to some newer artists now. And it’s been refreshing to do it, it’s great to listen to new music and it’s never been easier to find it!