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Personal preference for me is the East J Deluxe, has a passive option and the tone works in both active and passive modes. I've had an Audere or two and, whilst it was a little while back, I don't recall them having those features. Happy to stand corrected on this of course

Paging @prowla, can you help?

I never got on with my 4003, however having acquired a 4004 Cheyenne (as I prefer the unfinished 'board) I find it so much nicer. There is a 4004 Laredo on Reverb at the moment for a reasonable price and they have the lacquered fingerboard.

I feel very unimaginative now. All my basses are called Bob

BassBros is also setting up a shop (Coventry I think). Either way no great distance from Bass DIrect.

Much prefer a satin finish myself

I agree, not a fan of EMG knobs but plenty of nicer options are available

Looking at a spec sheet I guess this is what you need: Pickups & Hardware: Tone Circuit: Spector TonePump™ Circuit Type: 9-Volt Active - Bass and Treble (TonePump™ SPECS) Bridge Pickup: EMG 35CS-TW™ Neck Pickups: EMG 35CS-TW™ Pickup Type: Active - Single/dual coil switchable pickups Hardware Colour: Black I'm guessing that this will be the TonePump with the trim pot (very useful).

I used to own this one. Lovely bass with plenty of tonal options with all the coil switching options.

Just acquired a lovely bass from Andy. Nice to catch up a bit after what must have been a number of years now. As always a cracking item, excellent comms and a real pleasure to deal with. Thanks again.

Not just me then, that's a relief. Maybe the question should be re-phrased to something like.... ...."Apart from @chris_b, has anyone not bought a bass on a whim.....etc. etc."

What about something like this (no association), should be pretty punchy without the compromises you sometimes need to make with something like a Quarter Pounder (YMMV, IMHO etc.).

Wow, never saw that coming

I enjoyed Quo's count in to Rocking All Over The World at Live Aid: 4 and off they went.

Like the new p/guard. Definitely the way to go! Where did you get it from?

I've only seen the 4-string fretless basses in the sparkly black finish but never went looking for a 5er due to a general talent deficit

Interesting questions. There are certainly plenty of options in that price range both new and pre-loved. My criteria were broadly sub £1k, jazz bass style, and something I could gig happily (ish) without taking along my treasured ACG fretless bass. I looked at few Fendery things but they were all boat anchors, a bitsa nice enough but ultimately not quite right and a few things like Ray 34s - but I have a mixed relationship with Stingray style basses. I took the plunge despite the lack of love on the interweb as for the price the spec looked good with quality hardware etc., and I knew it would be a good modding platform. When the bass turned up I was delighted it with every aspect with the exception of the ultra hot preamp. In went the J East Jazz Deluxe preamp I had in the drawer and that was transformational. It's a cracker now and I not touched anything else on it at all. It is a bass that is always on the stand in the practice room and that gets taken to rehearsals and will be gigged. I suspect a passive Kiogon loom would be another option as it sounds good with the preamp by-passed. The neck is outstanding, very like my Sandberg bass. Tuners, bridge and p/ups are of good quality too. The pickguard tort is a bit red and at some point there's a possibility it may become BWB but that's not near the top of the wish lit atm. @mr zed of this parish came around to try it out and we were able to AB it with his MIJ Will Lee Sadowsky; it faired very well. Mr zed has subsequently bought one himself I believe. It's a pity you are so far from here otherwise you'd be most welcome to try it out. Is there anything else you like to know.

There's one just like Julia's for sale here: https://www.musik-produktiv.com/gb/sandberg-california-tt4-hardcore-aged-rw-rq.html I bought my Darkhawk from these folks and they are very good to deal with. The bass arrived in 6 days not a cent to pay above the listed price.