ThomBassmonkey

What amp was it? Some amps sound the same whatever bass is out through them, if it was an Ashdown or cheap Marshall or the like you could play any two basses through it and they'd sound the same IME. Stick them through a decent amp, especially something transparent like a GB or an Eden and I'm sure they'll sound very different.

Even if they didn't offer me the extra help that they do, the fact that I get my favourite gear at discounted rates would make me a winner anyway. as you can see in my sig, it's something I've clearly taken advantage of. Most companies probably look at media exposure. Financially it doesn't make sense to invest in acts that aren't known. Investing in well known acts can help boost your reputation. My band gigs a lot so a lot of people get to see my amp in action, I've had enough people ask me about my amp after gigs to know that I'm doing them some good. It all comes down to opinion on what people want. IMO the two sides should support each other as much as possible. If both sides are happy with the minimum effort from the other party, the so be it as long as everyone's happy with it.

[quote name='Jase' post='1303078' date='Jul 14 2011, 12:17 AM']Yes, he's getting some support from SJC.[/quote] I'd feel more confident relying on Polar if there was a problem than SJC. Having our name on the website is one small thing, I'd much rather have the willing support of the company than our name up there. I know that Polar would do their best to sort any problems for me ASAP and he actually personally drove from brighton to derby to meet me and the band, take some photos, listen to a bit of our rehearsal and do an interview over a pint. I'll take that over a picture of me on the website thanks. I don't know what your opinions are based on, but you're welcome to them. Just careful with your assumptions as, while they may apply to some, they certainly don't apply to all.

GK only puts major artists on their artists list and polar don't have an artists list on their website. I don't see the problem with that, both seem fair to me. If you look on the SJC website, you'll see our drummer's picture with a bit of info, does that make his endorsement more valid than mine somehow? Why does an endorsement have to be anything more than discount? I agree that it SHOULD include support for the artist, but if they're happy accepting just discounts, then fine, good on them for achieving an endorsement. The reason that they call it an endorsement and not a trade account is because a trade account is for trading, it's fairly obvious. There are some people that give the impression that they're endorsed by the way their signature's written and they should probably think about their wording if they're not in an agreement with the relevant people, but if they are endorsed, then that's what it is.

Because you're saying that endorsements are a way for distributors to cut out the middle man and flog their gear without making a loss, rather than for the benefit of the artist. That's rubbish, I explained why in my post if you read the whole thing. Maybe there are some agreements out there that fit your idea of an endorsement, but there's plenty that don't.

Jase, that's total rubbish. Speaking for myself, I can't give examples because there's a confidentiality agreement in my endorsement contract, I will say though that I DO get more support from Polar (not just GK, though I am on a GK endorsement) than just cheap GK gear. Disregarding discount, support and promotional stuff, the experience if you work with them is good. I recently worked on the GK stand at the LBGS as a demonstrater, that's something I never could have done without the endorsement. Apart from anything else else, if distributors wanted to shift gear for a cheaper price, they'd save themselves the hassle and buy direct. For the record, I got offered a Warwick amp endorsement and know several people who've had bass endorsements, it's got nothing to do with tv appearances. Clearly what you've been told isn't very accurate, but then the rest of your post makes that pretty clear anyway.

What's your budget? £400 will buy you a used german corvette. Double that and you could easily pick yourself up a thumb or $$. The rock basses are great, but why bother when you could get a german one that's so much better for so little more money?

I stick to fingers, I find when I use a pick I have to re-eq or I lose all the power from my tone and I can't be bothered mid set or song. I also play slap in some songs and it's just not worth the hassle of messing about with one. I also find that I have more feel with my fingers. I'm capable with a pick, I just never liked it. I recently decided to use one for a set, just for a change. It got dropped halfway through the first song when it didn't sound right.

I use a G30 as well, I was thinking about going for the 50, but as people have already said, you get latency from the amp before the signal gives out and since I don't use IEMs, range is never an issue.

What head are you using? As someone already mentioned, the GK RB series heads' controls are aren't as intuitive as you might want. Also if you're using a GK head, they're far louder than the wattage rating would have you believe.

I'm always in awe of the amount of comments pointing fingers at endorsees and claiming they're mindlessly biased towards the product simple because of the discount. Put simply, if you're happy to put your name behind a brand that you don't like enough to recommend anyway, then your opinion probably isn't worth listening to in the first place. I don't think a lot of people understand exactly what an endorsement entails, most people seem to think that there's a clause in the contract that outlines exactly how far up the manufacturer's arse the endorsee's tongue needs to be and that's just not how it works. If you found your ideal piece of gear and you got offered a discount on it (or even free), you'd be stupid not to take it. It doesn't suddenly make your opinion unreliable or biased. Having said that, it doesn't make much sense to have an endorsee reviewing gear they endorse as obviousy they like it or they wouldn't be an endorsee. As for the original question of who is endorsing who, IMO it's a mutual endorsement. The manufacturer is endorsing the band by saying "we're proud that this band is using out gear" and the band is endorsing the manufacturer by saying "we're proud to be using this gear". All IMO, IME, YMMV etc etc, but my band has various endorsements, I know a far bit about GK amps and really do like them so I often suggest them and it winds me up to think that people think I'm biased because of my endorsement. A ) I turned down another endorsement to keep using my paid for GK amp before the endorsement and B ) there's other products I talk about that I'm not endorsed by (Sandberg being the prime example). If I'm biased towards GK gear (which I am) it's a because they're a damned fine product that I would (and did) use regardless of endorsement.

Rotos aren't in sealed packets, they're in paper envelopes in a cardboard box. Unless you live somewhere extremely humid, I wouldn't think it would cause a problem though, some sets do live on shop shelves for months before even being bought, after all.

Is there a specific reason that it's sentimental or is it just the time? If you're not getting on with it and it doesn't remind you of anything specific, you should sell it IMO. Sandbergs are great basses, I've had two and both are stunning instruments, the jazz is the only bass I've ever sold that I miss. There's a Sandberg or two hanging about in the for sale forum at the moment, maybe if you like the look of them you could ask the seller(s) if they're interested in a trade and maybe end up with a bass you prefer.

IMO a sentimental attachment to an instrument isn't so much about the instrument it's self but what it reminds you of. I have two i'd never sell, neither are worth much anyway. One's my first bass, a Washburn XB100, the other is the bass I did my first gig with, I played it for 8 years or so, including all through college and my first proper bands, my Ibanez BTB406QM.

I got put off hotrox (despite them being my local shop for valves) after they flogged some crap valves to a mate. He went to them with his precious Mesa and they gave him the gubbins about some cheaper valves being made in the same factory so being identical. Of course they were made in the same factory, but far from identical.

I'm nit gonna read through the whole thread because as Dood said early on, it'll inevitably just be a list of 6ers. My tuppence though is EBMM Bongos, never played one myself but I've heard nothing but good things about them.

The food point's a good one. It really can make or break a tour, mores than you think. Take food with you and you have more control over it, it's cheaper and more relaxing. If you don't, you can end up spending a fortune on takeaways or service station food and it's unlikely you'll be eating at all healthily. I find all the waiting around very stressful too, so a good book or mobile console can be. Godsend.

[quote name='Danimal' post='1296569' date='Jul 7 2011, 10:32 PM']Not an issue if you have a tuner out jack on your amp though.[/quote] True of course but if you don't have a foot switchable mute on your amp (or you're being DI'd before your amp), a mute from the pedal is pretty handy so the audience doesn't have to hear you tuning.

[quote name='retrohelix' post='1292492' date='Jul 4 2011, 05:57 PM']There is no reason I should respect the fact that some people have taken a lot of time out of their days to hone a technique on their instrument.[/quote] That surprises me. I always have respect for people that have a goal and work hard to achieve it (even if they don't achieve it, it's the effort that counts). Respect doesn't mean I have to like what it is they do though and fast slap falls under that category. However people quickly lose my respect if they put in the work for the sake of showing off, being able to do some flashy playing is great in it's place but you do it to make yourself look good, then I can't be bothered.

If he's gonna send a mate to pick up the amp, he could easily give them the cash.

I have a Stingray 5 and if you like the tone, you'll never get anything close. I used to have a Sandberg jazz 5 and that was anything but thin, very fat sounding. I still have a MM5 and it's great, fat tone, coil taps on the buckers.

I think of 5s as ERBs even though I've spent most of my bass playing time on a 6 string. I need the B string for what I do so I play 5 strings, it doesn't matter to me if it's considered an ERB or not. I don't think I'd ever properly go back to a 4 string now, I do fancy having one tuned in 5ths, but that would technically be ERB anyway as the range would be extended via tuning.