jcater

The tension is definitely low. Now that i'm used to it that way not sure how i would cope with higher tension. It only took a couple of gigs for me to feel at home with the lower tension. Maybe one day i'll try the La Bella's

No doubt from my perspective that Thomastic Jazz flats are the best strings around. I use them on my Precission, Jazz, Fretless Jazz & Stingray. I simply cannot imagine that there is a string out there that would convince me to change. PS They may be a bit more expensive but they last forever & start to sound better as they get older.

My vote goes to the aluminium cases from B&Q, Maplins etc etc. I use these for all my amps - Hartke, EBS & mark bass. Works out far cheaper & the leads go in the same box Jeff

I have chaged the bridge on all of my fenders, (78 Precision, CIJ jazz & MIJ jazz fretless), to Badass. The first one was done many years ago & when i bought the next 2 it was an automatic decision to change the bridge. In all cases it just feels more solid & increased the sustain. The other change on the Japan ones was to replace the pick ups with Seymour Duncans. The pick up change is just me being a bit fussy but the bridge is what made the most difference. I can only say go for it jeff

Just a quick question whilst on the subject of the EBS micro bass. Does anyone also use EBS compressor, chorus or reverb in conjunction with the micro bass. If so do you use them before or after? jeff

Still experimenting with the micro bass but could offer the following comments. I have only been using channelA with the boost set very low. bass & treble to taste depending on the bass being used, (78 Precission, CIJ Jazz, MM stingray or Aria Lite 1 EUB), and the amp / cab, (hartke or EBS). I have been using the Tube sim & enh filter switches selected as on. The volume has been set at no more than 12 o'clock apart from when using the Aria. It seems to me the art with this is to adjust the controls very slightly until the desired sound is reached. Some venues have required different settings even when using the same bass / amp set up. I cannot say that i have encountered problems with the levels so far. The bass the pedal has made the most significant difference to is undoubtably the Aria, but it has also made extra tone available on the precission & jazz. Less difference on the stingray where there was already a wide variety of tone. I will keep experimenting - surely that's the fun of it all

Finished the first set with a country & western band in a pub a few years ago. Young guy walks up & asks if there's any chance we could play part or all of Dark side of the moon!! I suppose it makes a change from being asked for mustang sally

Still no gigs on that day so mark me down as coming - i'll bring my EUB Aria SWB lite 1 & EBS micro bass + EBS effects, compressor, reverb & chorus. jeff Ebs micro bass broke down last night so might be the sansamp instead. jeff

Never been to anything like this but maybe time to try. What exactly goes on? I guess if i want to know i'll have to come. No gigs on that day so mark me down - i'll bring my EUB Aria SWB lite 1 & EBS micro bass + EBS effects, compressor, reverb & chorus jeff

Hello all Anyone tried the hybrid cabs or hybid kickback combos. If so how do they compare to the XL & previous kickbacks. Is their any more info on weight price etc out there? I have used the XL's for the past 5 years but always conscious of the weight would quite fancy the hybrids. jeff

Just thought i would throw in my thoughts. I have used the Hartke 3500 with the 115 Xl & 210XL cabs with no problems. I know some other players have said that they find the cabs are too bright but used with a precission or jazz with flat strings i have never experienced this. i think the mixture of flat strings & aluminium cones is the answer for me. I have tried using EBS neo 110 & 112 with the Hartke 3500 & the tone is definitely deeper. Shame that there isn't a serious lightweight cab with aluminium cones. Maybe one day Hartke will produce one. PS Strings are Thomastik Infield Jazz - Wasn't happy with the overall tone from other flat strings jeff

[quote name='bassbloke' post='14781' date='Jun 9 2007, 08:13 PM']I'd to add that the main contributing factor to a good slap sound is a nice low action. Witht hat in mind, and your desire to play fingerstyle 12 bvar blues, I'd avoid strings that are too light. Also, IMHO, if you have been playing for 18 months, the extra effort required by 45-105 guage strings will give you a good workout. If I were you, I'd go and get myself a decent set of 45-105 strings. If you can bring yourself to shell out £30, try a set of Warwick EMP 45- 105. They're coated strings with a really nice sound. Also, get one of those micro fibre cloths or a pack of j cloths and make a point of wiping down the strings after you finish playing. I get 6 months + out of mine, which is pretty good.[/quote] Over the last 30 years I have tried many types of strings & eventually decided that I prefer flats. Without doubt the best strings I have ever had are the Tomastik Infield jazz flats, I have used nothing else for the last 5 years. They last forever & get to sound better the older they get. I know they are not the cheapest to buy but one set will last you so long that in the end it will work out cheaper. The set is JF344 gauge 43 - 100 & they can be ordered from [url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk[/url].

Yes i'm still using the stock strings but probably going to order Thomastik Infield Spirocore medium tension. I've had such good experience with their strings on my fender jazz, using the jazz flat set, that i'm thinking of giving them a go. Any thoughts?

The EBS microbass 11 is just great - a little pricy maybe but the best i've ever found