Your best (and worst!) bass gear purchases of 2018?

[Al Krow]

6 hours ago, dand666 said:

Can anyone recommend something similar to the PJB v1?

Cannot find them 2nd hand anywhere and reluctant to pay 200 quid for one.

Here you go...  

On 16/12/2018 at 23:27, Wylie said:

My best, albeit small, purchase was the Electro-Harmonix headphone amp. I often practice in the a.m. when my wife is still sleeping. This amp does nothing but reproduce the sound of your bass. No hiss, no noise, no bells or whistles. Housed in a metal casing. Instrument cord in one end, headphones in the other. Operates for mucho hours on a 9-volt battery. About $45 on this side of the pond. Made in Brooklyn. 

On 16/12/2018 at 23:44, Al Krow said:

Good that EHX is getting some +ve press to counterbalance the 'meh' comments about its BMS  

This sounds like a very neat alternative to the Vox amPlug, which does suffer a little from hiss / noise unless you dial the treble right off on it.

On 17/12/2018 at 00:06, stewblack said:

The amplug also suffers from being as sturdy as a polystyrene shed in a hurricane. Accidentally trod on my headphone cable and the resultant tension prolapsed the innards of the thing. It literally spewed it's guts. Not terrifically robust. EHX sounds much better.

[dand666]

If the EHX had an AUX input it'll be great!

[Al Krow]

15 minutes ago, dand666 said:

If the EHX had an AUX input it'll be great!

Aha hadn't spotted that key omission! 

In which case, cheap and cheerful is the Vox Amplug, and then your next tier up, price wise is a headphone preamp like the Palmer or a Zoom B3N. 

[stewblack]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Aha hadn't spotted that key omission! 

In which case, cheap and cheerful is the Vox Amplug, and then your next tier up, price wise is a headphone preamp like the Palmer or a Zoom B3N. 

Nope. Cheeper and more cheerful is this ugly little bastard Which I bought to replace the overpriced flimsy Vox. It's excellent.

Edited January 5, 2019 by stewblack
Al Told me to

[stewblack]

Oh and next up from that the Zoom B1on.

[Al Krow]

6 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Nope. Cheeper and more cheerful is this little beauty. Which I bought to replace the overpriced flimsy Vox. It's excellent.

Stew - can you reinsert your link please, it's currently just going in a loop?

[stewblack]

12 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Stew - can you reinsert your link please, it's currently just going in a loop?

Any better?

[dand666]

13 hours ago, stewblack said:

Nope. Cheeper and more cheerful is this ugly little bastard Which I bought to replace the overpriced flimsy Vox. It's excellent.

Unfortunately I can't see an Aux input?

Mainly it's just for me to practice a score along with music/backing tracks 

[timmo]

An Emma Discumbobulator. There is nothing wrong with it, but I bought as an impulse at the LBGS, and have no real need for it

[Al Krow]

17 minutes ago, timmo said:

An Emma Discumbobulator. There is nothing wrong with it, but I bought as an impulse at the LBGS, and have no real need for it

So just to be clear, was that your best purchase for 2018? 😀

[timmo]

12 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

So just to be clear, was that your best purchase for 2018? 😀

Lol yes. My best and worst as it was my only purchase last year. It is good, but superflous for my needs. Should have saved my money for a decent gig bag instead

Edited January 6, 2019 by timmo

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, timmo said:

Lol yes. My best and worst as it was my only purchase last year. It is good, but superflous for my needs. Should have saved my money for a decent gig bag instead

What happens when you turn up to the LGBS and forget to ask your other half to lock your wallet away (other than your train fare and enough for a couple of pints down the Dog and Duck afterwards)...

[Mudpup]

I picked up a Quilter BB800 amp early in 2018 as an experiment and am delighted with it - at last i have a small lightweight amp that delivers some proper heft. I'm happy to gig it in place of my EBS TD amps and thats the first class D i can say that about.

And on Christmas Eve I nipped down the guitar shop to grab a skinnier lighter gig bag and came away with said gig bag full of new bass! I don't normally take much notice of the basses in there as i'm happy with what i have but i went upstairs for a look as i hadn't visited for ages. Fatal mistake...they had a Zon Sonus Standard in the secondhand section, absolutely mint (I don't buy new basses anymore). I had played one years ago and really liked it but never pushed the button on one. And i'm pretty sure i wont see another used one for a long time. Had a play on it, loved it, the sales guy spotted an opportunity and tempted me with a great price. I buy basses to gig with so i rarely know whether they will stick until i've gigged them. Last night was D Day. And I love it! The guys in the band all said they liked it in the mix, its easy to play and sounded fabulous to me. I just listened back to some video of the night and it really works in the band. Pretty sure its a keeper for me. Problem is that i have a one in,one out policy so i need to move another one on and i love them all 😞

And there haven't been any duffers  - i haven't bought anything other than strings.....

Edited January 6, 2019 by Mudpup

[Al Krow]

That is one handsome bass! 

[stewblack]

6 hours ago, dand666 said:

Unfortunately I can't see an Aux input?

Mainly it's just for me to practice a score along with music/backing tracks 

Yes there is such input

[rogerstodge]

2 bests for me, 2012 Ric 4003 and Fender player series p bass, if any of you are toying with getting a player series I can highly recommend them, mine plays as good as the USA I used to own.

worse buy of 2018 was a 50s fender telecaster bass copy.. bloody orrible thing, sold it on immediately 

[PatrickJ]

2 hours ago, Mudpup said:

And on Christmas Eve I nipped down the guitar shop to grab a skinnier lighter gig bag and came away with said gig bag full of new bass! I don't normally take much notice of the basses in there as i'm happy with what i have but i went upstairs for a look as i hadn't visited for ages. Fatal mistake...they had a Zon Sonus Standard in the secondhand section, absolutely mint (I don't buy new basses anymore). I had played one years ago and really liked it but never pushed the button on one. And i'm pretty sure i wont see another used one for a long time. Had a play on it, loved it, the sales guy spotted an opportunity and tempted me with a great price. I buy basses to gig with so i rarely know whether they will stick until i've gigged them. Last night was D Day. And I love it! The guys in the band all said they liked it in the mix, its easy to play and sounded fabulous to me. I just listened back to some video of the night and it really works in the band. Pretty sure its a keeper for me. Problem is that i have a one in,one out policy so i need to move another one on and i love them all 

😞

That's a fabulous looking bass .. 

[Lozz196]

Thinking about this, my best purchase was Warwick Red Label steel roundwound strings - they sound pretty much like my previous faves, Rotosounds, but last 2 to 3 times as long. And they’re about half the price as well. 

[Mudpup]

3 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Thinking about this, my best purchase was Warwick Red Label steel roundwound strings - they sound pretty much like my previous faves, Rotosounds, but last 2 to 3 times as long. And they’re about half the price as well. 

Agreed, i tried them after your recommendation and they're great value. I'll stick with them when my job lot of DR's runs out....

[AndyTravis]

6 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Thinking about this, my best purchase was Warwick Red Label steel roundwound strings - they sound pretty much like my previous faves, Rotosounds, but last 2 to 3 times as long. And they’re about half the price as well. 

Are they rough as a bears derrière like Rotosound?

[Lozz196]

Just now, AndyTravis said:

Are they rough as a bears derrière like Rotosound?

Pretty much, yes. 

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Pretty much, yes. 

Bah humbug. I suppose 1 set is worth a shot - not used them for years.

[Bob Lord]

2 hours ago, rogerstodge said:

2 bests for me, 2012 Ric 4003 and Fender player series p bass, if any of you are toying with getting a player series I can highly recommend them, mine plays as good as the USA I used to own.

I can vouch for the 2018 fender player P basses. Superb quality. Came from the factory set up perfectly. Stays in tune like a mofo. Sounds great

[mcnach]

6 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Are they rough as a bears derrière like Rotosound?

 

Or more!

[GBH]

Worst was definitely the US fender jazz deluxe 5 string, most disappointing bass I've owned which I regretfully traded a nice warwick streamer 5 for.

Best was the last purchase of the year, an MTD kingston 5 string,  passive single mm style pickup, really great sound and playability, great price too.