Amps - Can't gig without them.... Awards !!

[Marcus]

Amps ?

Can't Live with them / Can't gig without them !!!! (who wants IEM's)

I've kinda had most of the usual stuff........

Recent Rigs have included..... In order I think !!

Peavey Mk 6 Head & Peavey 810 Cab

Trace Elliot 410 combo & 115

SWR SM900 Goll III Son of Bertha

Eden WT800 2 x 410XLT

EBS TD650 2 x 212 neo

Ashdown 2xABM500 2xMini 4x8 & 2x mini 115

Ashdown ABM900 ABM410 ABM115

Ampeg SVT Classic 810 Classic

Aguilar DB680 & DB728 with 2x GS410's

Eden Metro Combo & 115XLT

Mark Bass SA450 410 & 115

Gallien Krueger RB700 mkII 210 combo with RBH210

Phil Jones Suitcase & 4x8 cab

Agular DB750 & DB410 (current Rig)


Best Looking Amp - Ampeg SVT set up (Rock & Roll)

Loudest Amp - Aguilar DB680 DB728 (400w all valve - would knock a house down)

Best Live Sound - GK Rig - Sound guy loved it, cut through anything

Best Studio Sound - Phil Jones - Pure sweet HiFi sound

Most Commented Upon (positive) Live Sound from Punters - TD650 - Clean Bass delivered with impact

Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of - Mark Bass - Never got it working well but easy to move !!

OK so what's the best out of them all ?

My Current set up !!! [b]DB750 & DB410 [/b]!!! Why, cos it's such a great plug in and play tone, no fuss no messing on, it just works !! I don't have to worry about my amp any more...... !!

[acidbass]

[u][b]Amps I've Owned[/b][/u]

[list]
[*]Stagg 30w Combo (sold)
[*]Laney 65w Combo (blew up)
[*]Behringer 3000T Head + Laney R410 Cab (sold)
[*]Ampeg SVT-4PRO Head + SVT210 Cab + SVT15 Cab (sold)
[*]Hartke Kickback 12 Combo (currently using)
[*]Ashdown ABM C210T-500 Combo (currently using)
[/list]

[u][b]Awards[/b][/u]

[b]Best Looking Amp[/b] - Definitely the SVT stack, but it was a beast to lug around!

[b]Loudest Amp[/b] - Again probably the SVT, but for it's size the Hartke combo really packs a huge punch

[b]Best Live Sound[/b] - Hartke Combo

[b]Best Studio Sound[/b] - Ashdown Combo

[b]Most Commented Upon Live Sound [/b]- The Behringer/Laney half stack actually, always had a nice loud tone that the punters had no problem hearing. Nice setup for the money.

[b]Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of[/b] - Ampeg SVT stack, which is why I sold it! It was hard to hear myself on stage and when paired with my Warwick, which was my main bass at the time, it didn't really represent a good match for the music I play.

[b]Overall Winner[/b] - Hartke Kickback 12. Not always loud enough for gigs (I used to run it at around 8-9), but it had a lovely tone and was easy to move around. It was a shame I could never get a similar sound out of the Hartke heads and cabs, otherwise I'd currently have a setup by them. The Ashdown has plenty of power and a lovely punchy sound for the music I'm currently playing, and the Hartke has been relegated to a simple practice amp, a job which it does flawlessly!

Great thread, brought back some happy memories!

[Kiwi]

I just make sure my amp and bass compliment each other in terms of colouring. Can play my Smith through a GK and it sounds great, can play it through an SWR head and it sounds too scooped. Can play my Jazz through a GK head and it sounds too brittle and through an SWR head, warm and sweet.

Cabs seem to make a big impact on the quality of monitoring. My EBS Neo 212 is definitely easier to hear than my GK RB700 1x15 combo because it has a prominent mid-bump and doesn't sound too boomy.

[john_the_bass]

i can't tell the difference once the drummer kicks in. best live sound i've had in ages i got on sunday with one of the best sound men i've used in ages.

[wateroftyne]

Hmm... I haven't been too much of an amp whore in the past.

I started with a Barney Kessel Jazz combo (I can't find any info about them online. I wish I still had it). Anyway... I blew it up.

Then... I moved onto a Trace 4x10, and a rack with a 300w power amp and a TC Parametric thingy for a pre. It had loads of knobs and I had no idea what they did. I just twiddled them until I got bored. It probably sounded shocking.

Then... I got an Ampeg SVT PRO III, and some Ashdown cabs. It was.. functional.

Then I swapped tha Ashdown out for an Acoustic Image Focus II, with (in order) a Sansamp (awful), an EBS Valvedrive (much better!) then an EBS Microbass II (fab).

Then I sold the Ashdowns and got a marvellous Schroeder 21012L.

Then I sold the AI and Microbass and got a Warwick Tubepath 10.1. I finally got a sound I was totally happy with. Strangers come up to me and say how much they like the tone.

Then, a few weeks ago, I got a Mesa Walkabout Scout 112. OH MY GOD. What a sound. So good, in fact, that I'm about to sell everything again.

[joegarcia]

First amp was a Marshall JCM800 bass series with a butchered 2x15 PA cab.
Then sold them and got a Peavey T-Max and 410TVX (wanted something more modern).
Didn't like the 10's and found it all [i]too[/i] modern so sold them and got a Trace Twin Valve and two butchered 1x15 PA cabs.
Then the Twin Valve with an SWR Triad (still trying to get the modern/retro balance).
Then got my Aguilar GS412 and started using the Twin Valve as a preamp through a 1200w power amp.
Traded the twin Valve for a Sansamp RBI.
Sold the RBI and bought my Sunn 1200s which I'm still using with my (now two) GS412's. Really happy with this.

Best live sound thuogh was a 70's SVT and my GS412.
Best recorded sound was my Sunn 1200s through one GS412 and G-Bitch's V4 through the other.

[Dubs]

Best all rounder for me was my Trace 7210H that I’ve just sold. So loud for a 2x10 combo and I could instantly dial in the tone I was after…not great in the studio though but not terrible.

I’m currently rockin’ an Ampeg rig – SVT-CL with the SVT410-HLF. For me it’s amazing. Everything I want from an amp and more, BUT, you need to be a body builder to shift it about – not the most practical rig and it’s not anywhere near the size/weight of the 8x10. The head weighs about as much as the 4x10 cab.

Oddly enough, the best sound I’ve had in the studio came from a 1x15 Crate combo! Proper budget amp and I didn’t even think it was worth giving it ago when I was struggling with some other gear, but amazingly it sounded incredible when miced up although when mixing I do rely heavily on the DI from my pod.

[mikeh]

Started off with a Carlsbro Viper 100, Sold that and bought
Peavey TKO 80, expremely loud for a 80 watt amp, but I saw an Ashdown EB150 1x15" in a local shop at a good price so bought that. Side by side the peavey Kicked its arse!!!
Sold both the Ashdown and Peavey and bought a Laney RBG500, I thought at the time it would be all Id need 300 watts with a 2x10 extension cab added. But when i played my first gig it was no where near loud enough!! Awful amp. Sold that and bought
A GK700RB 115 combo, which I thought was stunningly good, when paired with a 115 extension cab sounded huge, but then I joined bass world and the GAS set in.
I traded it for a Trace Elliot 200 watt head, 2x10 and 1x15 cab. Loved the cabs hated the head, always sounded wooley and undefined. So I sold the head and bought
a Ashdown Mag 300, which lasted 2 days before disapearing under a cloud of smoke!!! Sent that back and got a Hartke HA4000.
Enter the infamous LOUD!! i sold the trace cabs and bought a LOUD 410.
Sold the hartke and bought an Eden wt500, and ordered and LOUD 2x12 which Im still waiting for !!!!
Next rig was a Warwick ProFet 4 and Marshall VBC 412, probably one of if not the best live sound I've had.
Sold the VBC and bought Tech Soundsystems 412.
Sold the Warwick and ordered a Mark Bass SA450 after a LONG wait changed my order to a GK1001RB II
homer enters followed by GAS and I bought his pair of Aguilar GS112. I later bought his Epifani UL310. Sold the Gk and now my current right is
Aguilar AG500 Sc and Epifani UL310 currently GASless amp wise....

[johnnylager]

Peavey Mark IV & Sunn 2x15 - brutal, wish I'd never sold it. I sold it for food / rent GAS though, so I can't complain too much

[Merton]

Merton's bass amps, a potted history:

First amp: Vox Bass Escort. Sounded nice now I look back on those early days of playing, but very underpowered. Left to rust outside my parents house for a year or two back in about 1996.
Second amp: Laney somethingy. Very punchy, very underpowered.
Third amp (still got): Trace Elliot Commando 15 100W. Underpowered for rock gigs but a bloody good sound for jazz.
First real rig: Trace AH300-12 into an Ashdown MAG410T. Loved that rig, it sounded really really good. Trouble is, then I discovered bassworld and GAS kicked in. Have since sold the MAG, bought a TE 1x15 and 2x10 and got the "real" TE sound. Bought a V-Type combo and found tonal nirvana. Then sold the 12-band head as I was getitng fed up with the EQ section, bought an Eden Nemesis which was fantastic but way too underpowered for my rock band. Sold the Nemesis and 2x10 cab and bought a 2nd V-Type combo and 4x8 extension cab.

I have also used the following:
Ampeg SVT somethingy through an 8x10
Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II through my old MAG410T
Hartke HA3500 through Hartke 4x10 cabs
Hartke HA3500 through Ashdown ABM 8x10 cab

Onto the winnners:

[b]Best live sound:[/b] Trace V-Type 1x15 combo and 1x15 cab (haven't used the 8x8 rig in anger yet so can't really compare)

[b]Best looking rig:[/b] Trace V-Type 4x8 combo and 4x8 cab

[b]Best for small gigs:[/b] Trace Commando 15 combo

[b]Loudest:[/b] Trace AH300-12 into MAG410T, very closely followed by the 2x15 V-Type thing I have going at the mo.

And the losers:
Everyhting i've used that isn't mine...:
Ampeg SVT somethingy through 8x10 - I found it ill defined, muddy and I hated it
Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II - tied with the Ampeg for the same reason
Hartke HA3500 through Ashdown ABM 8x10 cab - er, also tied with the Ampeg and EVO II, the ABM cab sucked all life and brightness from the Hartke.

This may win loudest rig when i eventually get to use it all tho:

[warwickhunt]

I've had dozens of rigs over the last 30 years and there are few I'd not revisit now and again. However... Even though I've owned the MB LMK & SA450 and didn't get on with them, I still went back again and tried the Little Mark II (this time with an MB 4x10 cab to see if compatibility helped my evaluation of the tone)... still didn't get it! Short lived revisit to the world of MB and then the pair were sold on for what I paid. When will I learn

[s_u_y_*]

Amps owned

Trace Elliot AH250 --> Mesa Boogie Diesel 115
Mark Bass LMII --> Epifani UL-110 & EBS NEO112

Played loads of different amps. Oh... if only I had the space to indulge in amp GAS.

[b]Best Looking Amp[/b] - Ampeg Fliptop

[b]Loudest Amp[/b] - Mesa Boogie 400+

[b]Best Live Sound[/b] - Mesa Boogie 400+

[b]Best Studio Sound[/b] - Ampeg Fliptop

[b]Most Commented Upon (positive) Live Sound from Punters[/b] - Using my old Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live modelling an Acoustic 360 amp.

[b]Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of[/b] - A crap Laney I once used.

[artisan]

i've had a few over the years but-

by far the best sounding rig is my current one SVT3PRO & B410 HLF

prettiest amp was a Hughes & Kettner Bassbass 600 & Ashdown ABM500 1X15 (sounded ace for about 6 years then went tits up)

worsts rig (prepares to duck) Trace Elliot head (GP7SM graphic,can't remember the model-250 ish watts) & T.E. 4X10 & T.E.1X15
i just could not get a usable sound out of it try as i did.

rig i trusted the least GK1001RB-11 & GK115SBX-11 sounded great but the speaker sh*t its pants quite easily.

Edited May 8, 2008 by artisan

[geilerbass]

My best live sound (that I've been able to hear) has been my current, and pretty much only live set-up: Trace Elliott AH350SMX into a David Eden D210T. Tight, fat and with plenty of mid and top to keep the bass audible amongst the terrible racket that the guitarists and drummer make.

Looks like we may be playing some bigger gigs in the not too distant future and I'm concerned that my poor Eden won't be able to take the pounding, so I'm thinking (regretably) about maybe trading it in for something more potent.

[bassboy115]

Amps:
Kustom practice amp
Peavey Microbass practice amp
Ashdown Five fifteen
Ashdown MAG 115 combo (broke)
Ashdown MAG 210 Combo (sold)
Ashdown MAG 115 cab
Hartke 3500
Hartke 4.5XL
Hartke 4x10TP
MAG 300 Head

Best Looking Amp - Hartke 3500 & 4.5XL

Loudest Amp - Hartke 3500 & 4.5XL

Best Live Sound - Ashdown MAG 300 head & hartke 4.5XL

Best Studio Sound - MAG 300 2x10 Combo and 115 cab (only ever been in the studio once)

Most Commented Upon (positive) Live Sound from Punters - Ashdown 300 head & hartke 4.5XL

Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of - Hartke 3500 and & 4.5XL

My opinion after just over a 1 years worth of Gigging!

[thumperbob 2002]

Amps:
Fender Bassman 100
Ampeg V4B
Peavey horrible something amp- all into Peavey 2 X 15
Ampeg Pre-amp with Marshall 500W power amp into 4 X10 and 1X 15 Fender Cabs
Trace Elliot 2 X 10 Combo expensive one
Trace Elliot 1 X 15 combo- cheap one - couldnt tell the difference
Crate 50W pracetice amp- still got it
Marshall VBA400 and Marshall 4 X 12 cab- still got this rig

More rigs than these but I forgot them all.


Best Looking Amp - Ampeg V4B

Loudest Amp - Marshall VBA400- unbelievable

Best Live Sound - ABCs rig I used in 1985- first time I used a 4 X 10- I didnt know speakers this small existed!!

Best Studio Sound - Through and Ampeg pre-amp straight into the desk
Most Commented Upon (positive) Live Sound from Punters -Trace Elliot rigs- probably because I was doing 28 gigs per month for three years - never again!

Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of - Ampeg Pre + power amp + two cabs- too much EQ- keep it simple is better


My opinion after just over 30 years worth of Gigging!

[Basszilla]

Amps:
Fender BXL 15 combo thingy (rattled like nobodies business, still, it did the job at the time)
Trace Elliott GP7 (blew this one up and had it repaired many a time before I retired it - nice sound)
Fender bassman 135 (sold on, regretted!)
Boogie 400+ (sold on to CK, regretted!)
Markbass 450 slim (still my current head)
Trace 1x15 (moved on to Nash I think)
Fender 4x10 (pawned it off to a shop for a compressor and some cash)
Markbass 1x15 (sold to Higgie)
Markbass 4x10 (sold to Higgie)
Berg NV610 (current cab)

Best looking amp - Definitely not the MB. It's gonna have to be the stealthy look of the boogie..
Loudest Amp - Boogie 400+ without as doubt. This amp can demolish anything at a 1000 paces. I could never get above 2 on the master.
Best Live Sound - Bassman 135 I guess. I liked the twang on this one. Bought it from a mate after many years of twisting his arm.
Best Studio Sound - Markbass/NV610 Just recorded my debut with this setup
Most Commented Upon (positive) Live Sound from Punters - Bassman 135. Well the guys in the band dug the tone.
Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of - They all sounded cool imo.

Edited May 10, 2008 by Basszilla

[rodl2005]

Had too many to remember & list in this amount of time.............

Best live sound- Rig I use now:- Ampeg SVT2 (non pro) / Bergantino NV610

best studio...- Ampeg B15N mic'd

Looking --- toss up between the V4BH/NV610 OR SVT2/NV610

best modern sound rig- (one I got now) LMII/ Aguilar GS115,GS112

[Merton]

[quote name='Basszilla' post='196204' date='May 10 2008, 07:55 PM']Trace 1x15 (moved on to Nash I think)[/quote]
Not the V-Type that I currently own was it?

[Thornybank]

Live - Hiwatt 400 through Trace 1810 cab

Studio - silver face 100w Fender Twin Reverb

Both sounded FANTASTIC outdoors, too!

[molan]

Ummm, interesting thread!

I think my gear in some sort of vague order would go:

Laney G300 with a big old Fender silver face 1x15 & a dinky Laney 2x10 extension cab - surprisingly "OK" combination although the Laney 2x10 wasn't up to much!

Trace Elliot Twin Valve 1x15 combo - fell for the valve sound for a while but a bit of a beast to lug around

Gallien Kreuger MB150 combo - my antidote to the weight of the Trace but only used for rehearsals & it even struggled at those (and blew a power section without too much provocation!)

Trace V-Type pre-amp with a Trace 2x150 power amp and a Trace 4x12 cab - none more rock but a bit limited in sound (the V-Type was a trade for the Laney 2x10 so that was a most excellent deal).

Didn't get on with the 4x12 so tried a standard Trace 1x15 with a matching 2x10, much nicer and more usable rig with the V-Type, which I still have but never use it.

Trace GP12SMX 1x15 combo which I generally used with the 2x10 extension cab - at last, the "true" Trace sound!

Succumbed to GAS and sold the lot for an SWR SM500 & a Triad cab, definitely one of my faves.

Then did my back in and went for a much smaller Euphonic i-Amp 350 combo with a CXL 1x12 extension cab



Best looking rig was probably the SWR with the Triad - always looked so classy compared to the green carpet of my Trace gear

Best live sound is definitely the Euphonic - almost every time I use it someone appears and asks me what it is and how it's both so loud and punchy from such a small setup. Played with a couple of dep drummers who took one look at the size of the combo and openly laughed - they both came over at the break of each gig and said what a great sounding set-up it was (both times partnered with Modulus basses)

Worst sounding/most difficult rig I've had to work with was at a recent gig with an Ashdown Evo 500 head paired with Ashdown 1x15 & 4x8 cabs. Absolutely horrible boomy sound with little individual note definition. Really struggled to get a decent sound out of it!

[gcordez]

best sound- my '68 P-Bass going through my '61 Ampeg B15N...definately. great sound, not good for the back.

best touring kit- P-Bass and Avalon U5 Preamp, just DI and get the monitor to do the job of the cab. filthy.

Double Bass setup- still experimenting....a lot.

Was really impressed by a mates Mark Bass and Bergantino Ht112 setup too, those bergs are ridiculous.

Really want to try a Fender Bassman (silver or blackface) though, whats the verdict on those?



[quote name='molan' post='198130' date='May 13 2008, 05:23 PM']Ummm, interesting thread!

I think my gear in some sort of vague order would go:

Laney G300 with a big old Fender silver face 1x15 & a dinky Laney 2x10 extension cab - surprisingly "OK" combination although the Laney 2x10 wasn't up to much!

Trace Elliot Twin Valve 1x15 combo - fell for the valve sound for a while but a bit of a beast to lug around

Gallien Kreuger MB150 combo - my antidote to the weight of the Trace but only used for rehearsals & it even struggled at those (and blew a power section without too much provocation!)

Trace V-Type pre-amp with a Trace 2x150 power amp and a Trace 4x12 cab - none more rock but a bit limited in sound (the V-Type was a trade for the Laney 2x10 so that was a most excellent deal).

Didn't get on with the 4x12 so tried a standard Trace 1x15 with a matching 2x10, much nicer and more usable rig with the V-Type, which I still have but never use it.

Trace GP12SMX 1x15 combo which I generally used with the 2x10 extension cab - at last, the "true" Trace sound!

Succumbed to GAS and sold the lot for an SWR SM500 & a Triad cab, definitely one of my faves.

Then did my back in and went for a much smaller Euphonic i-Amp 350 combo with a CXL 1x12 extension cab



Best looking rig was probably the SWR with the Triad - always looked so classy compared to the green carpet of my Trace gear

Best live sound is definitely the Euphonic - almost every time I use it someone appears and asks me what it is and how it's both so loud and punchy from such a small setup. Played with a couple of dep drummers who took one look at the size of the combo and openly laughed - they both came over at the break of each gig and said what a great sounding set-up it was (both times partnered with Modulus basses)

Worst sounding/most difficult rig I've had to work with was at a recent gig with an Ashdown Evo 500 head paired with Ashdown 1x15 & 4x8 cabs. Absolutely horrible boomy sound with little individual note definition. Really struggled to get a decent sound out of it![/quote]

[Born 2B Mild]

Recently, I've come to a bit of an epiphany on amplification.

For years, I've thought the job of an amp was to add/bend/compensate for tone and then pump it out to a sufficiently loud level. Now, since getting a new rig and bass I have altered my view considerably.

Basically, I'm now seeing that it is the job of all that wood, strings, electronics, and (vitally) one’s hands that shape the sound. All the amp & cab have to do is to deliver it. So my new Spector, with its pre-amp, is producing a great tone ...then the Shuttle gives it a tiny bit of help with the valve pre-amp and some optional overdrive, but otherwise it acts like a power amp, as I have all EQ controls on neutral; then the two seperate12" Bergantinos just effortlessly allow it all to come through.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but after 35 years of twiddling amp knobs and changing cabs and amps, I’m still in a state of shock that the solution is so simple. Hi-Fidelity gear just allows a quality sound to be heard. No artificial colouring!

[MythSte]

[u][b]Amps I've Owned[/b][/u]

[list]
[*]BB Blaster, 10 watts of PAAAIIIN!
[*]Roland Cube 30
[*]Warwick Pro Fet 3.2/410Pro
[*]Eden Nemesis NC810
[*]DHA VT-5 Valve Pre/Ashdown Mag300/Hartke 2200pro
[*]Ashdown Mag300/Warwick ND12/Warwick ND15
[*]Gallien Krueger 1001RBII/Warwick ND12/Warwick ND15
[*]Gallien Krueger 1001RBII/Schroeder 1212R
[*]Markbass LM2/Schroeder 1212R
[*]Trace Elliot V4 1x15 combo
[/list]

[u][b]Awards[/b][/u]

[b]Best Looking Amp[/b] Tough one! The Warwick Neos looked cracking with the black and grey, especially with the GK sat on top, however the plethora of knobs on the VT5 was quite visually impressive too!

[b]Loudest Amp[/b] probably the Eden Nemesis NC810, Although i havnt had much time with the trace, and it had PLENTY of juice left even at an outdoor festival the other day.

[b]Best Live Sound[/b] The V4. Although the Markbass and schroeder has to come a close second.

[b]Best Studio Sound[/b] I'll be using the V4 today, so ill get back to you on that!!

[b]Most Commented Upon Live Sound [/b] Lots of compliments with regards to the schroeder and markbass again, but the V4 still has time

[b]Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of[/b] That DHA pre. Had no end of problems with it, then even when i did get one of the channels working it sounded like e Bee stuck behind a speaker! not good.

[b]Overall Winner[/b] So far the Trace Elliot, purely because the tone and features are out of this world. And we've started getting people moving our gear for us, so the weight isnt an issue! Score!!

Great thread

[NeonMig]

Amps I've owned:
Rebel 20w 1x8 combo
Hartke HA4000
Ashdown Electric Blue 180
Gallien Krueger 400RB
Ashdown ABM 575 2x10 combo
Warwick Blue Cab 15
Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0

Important note: I only got the Genz Benz last week, so not much I can say about it quite yet in most of these areas.

[b]Best Looking Amp[/b] - Gallien Krueger, sleek sexy and stylish.

[b]Loudest Amp[/b] - Genz Benz, tiny but holy crap is it loud

[b]Best Live Sound[/b] - Gallien Krueger, but it just wasn't loud enough.

[b]Best Studio Sound[/b] - haven't ever used any of them for studio stuff

[b]Most Commented Upon (positive) Live Sound from Punters[/b] - Gallien Krueger

[b]Most Frustrating Set Up to get a sound out of[/b] - Ashdown ABM, it was a very nice amp but way too fiddly for me, it felt like an aircraft cockpit. I'm a simple soul, the fewer controls the better. I usually leave my EQ almost flat and just tune it to the room/cabinet/style of music.

[b]Worst amp (sound)[/b] - Rebel. My first ever bass amp, I covered it in white paint and graffiti and some idiot nicked it. I'm sure it was a good punishment for the thief.

[b]Most reliable[/b] - Rebel. In my attemt to 'accidentally' break it so I could convince my parents to help me get another one, it fell down a flight of stairs, fell out of the back of a car, was kicked across practise rooms, dismantled, reassembled, and had beer spilt on in. IT JUST WOULD NOT DIE.

[b]Most dull[/b] - Hartke. I mean, it wasn't bad. It wasn't especially good either.