Surprisingly good purchases?

[ChunkyMunky]

I went on a spree of trying all sorts of different cabinets and the one I ended up choosing was something I did not expect in the slightest. I tried out a load of Barefaced, Schroeder, EA, EBS etc.. I ended up going for a TC Electronics of some description that I used regularly from a rehearsal studio I go to all the time. A TC Electronics BC2x12, if I recall correctly.

Has anyone else had any surprising buys that turned out absolute trumps for them?

Edited February 15, 2017 by ChunkyMunky

[Conan]

Lovely thread title!

[ChunkyMunky]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1487150744' post='3237455']
Lovely thread title!
[/quote]

I know, great title, right?

[Mudpup]

A Musicman USA Sub bass......
Far too good a bass for around £400
Sold it on and shouldn't have......

[Fisheth]

Ashdown CTM100, it's the only amp I've ever really used that gives me the tone I want and doesn't have to struggle with the rest of my band.

It's a lovely beast and Merton's thread pushed me over the edge with my uncertainty and made it certain I wanted one. I'm glad I did.

[Paul S]

In a search for a lightweight 5 string to use as back up for an expensive 5er I recently bought a Yamaha BB425 for something like £330 new. I don't know how they do it, frankly.

[Merton]

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1487177531' post='3237802']
Ashdown CTM100, it's the only amp I've ever really used that gives me the tone I want and doesn't have to struggle with the rest of my band.

It's a lovely beast and Merton's thread pushed me over the edge with my uncertainty and made it certain I wanted one. I'm glad I did.
[/quote]

That's right, blame me haha

I still rate that amp as the finest thing I've ever used, just wish I hadn't had to sell both of the ones I've owned. I will get another when I can afford it.

As for my answer - Ashdown VS212 cab. Bought 2nd hand from eBay for not a lot of dosh and it is very good, even moreso given the experience I had with the VS112 which just didn't do it for me.

[Painy]

My Squier VM P5 (£270 new at the time).

Had GAS for a P bass (didn't want a P/J though) but needed it to be a five string. Not many options available for 5 String precisions and I didn't want to spend out on a Fender US Standard.
Went to try the Squier out at my local PMT and, whadya know, it's only the most comfortable neck I've ever played!
It's had some upgrades to the electronics to get it sounding right and I'm still considering putting a new pickup in it at some point but it's always the first bass I pick up and it puts a smile on my face every time.

[FinnDave]

Ashdown Touring 330 combo I picked up on Ebay as a practice amp, but sounded so good it immediately became my main gig amp. My ABM500/Barefaced Super Twin cost ten times as much and hasn't been used since I got the combo!

[leroydiamond]

Kustom KXB500. Read some good things about this amp on TB, so decided to get one as a back up for my Tecamp Puma 900.
Well the Puma has been moved on and the Kustom has ticked all the boxes. It kicks every micro amp I have used (markbass, TH500, GK500, Puma) well into touch and all for €299. Sadly no longer in production, so I am shipping a used one from the U.S.

[AdamWoodBass]

In terms of basses my Squier Vintage Modified Jazz. Absolutely incredible bass, if it weren't for the logo on the headstock you probably wouldn't question a price tag of double or even triple the cost. Decent setup and a set of DR Fat Beams and it sounds fantastic. I played a 1972 Fender Jazz a few years ago and my Squier is as close as you can get to that sound and feel but for a fraction of the cost. For £300 you really can't go wrong with this one.

In terms of amps/cabs I'd say the Warwick Neo Pro 411nd I had years ago was amazing. I got a good deal on it from Electromusic in Doncaster when the Behringer cab I bought from them blew up on it's first gig. They recommended the Warwick and knocked the price down for me to make up for the faulty Behringer (great customer service). Great range, very powerful and very light for a 4x10.

[casapete]

Squier Jaguar short scale - PJ pickup arrangement, light and looks cool. Love cheapish stuff that works great.

Also Hartke HA3500 amps - had a couple, and always regret trading/selling them on (I know, duh..)
Seem to be cheaper than ever s/h these days, and all the amp I'll ever need. Loud as hell, great eq and
reliable. Next one will be a keeper.

[VTypeV4]

I've had a few 'better than they ought to be' purchases..

Firstly is my Squier VM Jazz - also mentioned above I see - it's absolute corker! Far better than any number of 'real' ones I've played and even a couple I owned.

Secondly is probably the old Ashton rig I owned. Heavy, yes but it was a solid performer and had my old Trace not re-surfaced, I'd still have it. The valve head and 410 have long gone but I kept the 15 and housed a JBL K140 in it.

[planer]

I've got a BC212, mine is surprisingly good too!

My other 'better than it should be' is my BB424X - how do Yamaha squeeze in all that quality for so little money?

[Bolo]

Peavey 410 tvx? Cab! I got it as an in between cab when I sold the awful and mushy ampeg 410, needed cash to order the 412 basstown I still use today. That peavey is massive and sounds tenfold it's price! I may not have switched to 12inchers had I played the peavey before.

Having said that, the basstown 412. That's not going anywhere soon.

Musicman SR5. Got a good deal secondhand when they were still cheaper. Nails the sound I was looking for.

[scrumpymike]

My trusty TE AH300SMC GP7. Bought it used - and in haste (untried) - for £300 from The Bass Centre to fill in while my AH500X (2 x 250W amps in one box) was having a noisy volume pot replaced. As soon as I hit that pre-shape button - that was it! The 300 became the 'keeper' and I sold the 500 when it came back from repair. 25 years on, it's still my main gig amp and hasn't let me down once.

[Kevin Dean]

I was using BF super compacts at £560 each , I got a Ashdown RM12" for £270 to use at Home & I now use 2 of them & some times a Neo 4 x8 cab that I got for a silly price on here .

Edited February 18, 2017 by Kevin Dean

[Lozz196]

I`d say pretty much all of my Ashdown gear. I`ve been using much higher-priced gear for a while now, but at many gigs the provided rigs have been Ashdowns and I`ve always preferred the sound from them than from my own gear. So I`ve bought a fair bit of it, at not much cost at all - and could have been cheaper if I`d gone 2nd hand on the amps rather than new. I`m well chuffed with it all.

[gjones]

[quote name='ChunkyMunky' timestamp='1487149234' post='3237438']
I went on a spree of trying all sorts of different cabinets and the one I ended up choosing was something I did not expect in the slightest. I tried out a load of Barefaced, Schroeder, EA, EBS etc.. I ended up going for a TC Electronics of some description that I used regularly from a rehearsal studio I go to all the time. A TC Electronics BC2x12, if I recall correctly.

Has anyone else had any surprising buys that turned out absolute trumps for them?
[/quote]

I used to have one of those. It sounded very nice and it was light too.

[SamPlaysBass]

I bought a TC RS112 cab from Thomann a few years back when they were going for £170. I couldn't believe something so cheap sounded so good, although the prices nowadays are closer to £400 brand new. Does anyone know why they were so cheap a few years back?

Bought another a few weeks back (second hand) for £200 - completely worth it!

[krismpos]

[quote name='ChunkyMunky' timestamp='1487149234' post='3237438']
I went on a spree of trying all sorts of different cabinets and the one I ended up choosing was something I did not expect in the slightest. I tried out a load of Barefaced, Schroeder, EA, EBS etc.. I ended up going for a TC Electronics of some description that I used regularly from a rehearsal studio I go to all the time. A TC Electronics BC2x12, if I recall correctly.

Has anyone else had any surprising buys that turned out absolute trumps for them?
[/quote]

I was planning to save money for a Barefaced to replace my TC E BC212

[Freddie75]

TC RS212 for me. After owning Barefaced, Bergs, Aguilar, Genz Neox etc etc, I've found my tonal heaven with a Genz Streamliner 900 and an RS212. Half the price of some of the other cabs I've owned.

[Muzz]

As far as amps and cabs go, secondhand bargains aside, I've always found you get what you pay for. Cheap stuff has never worked for me.

I have a Thomann deco HB 55-P thing which cost all of £35 brand new, including shipping. It's no Shuker, but for the money, it's very good. I've used it at gigs where the punter's ticket price was five times what I paid for it, just on principle...

Oooh, that reminds me - the Behringer BDI21 pedal: 99% Sansamp (for what I use it for), 10% cost...

Edited March 21, 2017 by Muzz

[GreeneKing]

I've owned a Yamaha BB2024. My present BB425 is much closer than the huge price difference would suggest.

[Fisheth]

Also my Sansamp VT has been invaluable.

Can't imagine going to a gig without it.