Your best (and worst!) bass gear purchases of 2019?

[Graham]

Only one musical purchase this year, which was a TC Spectracomp, it's a great piece of kit, have it on permanently

[Leonard Smalls]

2 bass-related purchases this year:

•  a Panda Future Impact pedal - it's now almost permanently on and freaking out my band-mates
• an ACG Recurve bought from BigWan- it's my main bass now, the Wal is just sitting on its stand sulking!

[dave moffat]

All my gear apart from the Ibanez  and a cheap amp, was bought this year. Only really started my GAS in February

Best; one off variant of an Excelsior bass Uke which has really got me into fretless, love playing it, downside was/is finding strings that come anywhere near doing it justice (are you listening Aquila/Worth et al).

Worst; Aquila white and red strings for bass Uke, if I wanted a sound like that I'd just start putting a coarse saw through some cheap Larch 2x4s 🙄

Some will be moved on as I focus down on what I want to play, hoped for addition 2020 Fretlless electric, probably Ibanez SR???, maybe electric fretless baritone Uke if I can find one I like

 

 

[Al Krow]

30 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

2 bass-related purchases this year:

•  a Panda Future Impact pedal - it's now almost permanently on and freaking out my band-mates
• an ACG Recurve bought from BigWan- it's my main bass now, the Wal is just sitting on its stand sulking!

Wow, I'm intrigued as to what it is about the ACG (which looks lush btw!) that has resulted in your Wal being put out to pasture? What's the spec on it in terms of pups and preamp? 

[dmccombe7]

I did buy an EBS Reidmar 750 bass amp from our guitarist (he used to play bass in an Ozzy tribute) It's a back up for my Mesa tube amp. Fair impressed by it but its an extremely loud amp even at low settings its still very loud. Great range from its EQ.

I use that amp with my Berg HT322 and its a sweet sound with the flats on my Sandberg VM4. 

Dave

[Japhet]

Haven't bought much this year but one item stands out. I picked up a Valeton FET Preamp pedal for peanuts off Ebay and it's a tone monster. Works great as a booster too to drive the front end of my amp. Think I paid £19 for it and I've had pedals that cost £119 that couldn't hold a candle to it.

[Al Krow]

On 14/11/2019 at 21:47, dmccombe7 said:

My best in 2019. Sandberg VM4. No worst buys this year that i can think off.

31 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

I did buy an EBS Reidmar 750 bass amp from our guitarist (he used to play bass in an Ozzy tribute) It's a back up for my Mesa tube amp. Fair impressed by it but its an extremely loud amp even at low settings its still very loud. Great range from its EQ.

I use that amp with my Berg HT322 and its a sweet sound with the flats on my Sandberg VM4. 

Dave

Hah! You having a second bite at the apple already Dave?! I guess that first pic completely entitles you to...

[Leonard Smalls]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Wow, I'm intrigued as to what it is about the ACG (which looks lush btw!) that has resulted in your Wal being put out to pasture? What's the spec on it in terms of pups and preamp? 

It just cut through better using the supplied Ampeg 8x10 cab. It's also quite a bit lighter, is the full 2 octaves, and is possibly even easier to play. Mids aren't quite as lush but I was after more of a modern slap sound for the recording... And I will use the Wal again - shan't be leaving it to the woodworm!

and the ACG is:

• Pickups: ACG FB 
• Hardware: ACG/Hipshot bridge, Gotoh GB720 tuners, Dunlop Straplocks, Low Battery Indicator
• Pre-amp: ACG DFM 5K/AP

Edited November 16, 2019 by Leonard Smalls
addition!

[Al Krow]

28 minutes ago, Japhet said:

Haven't bought much this year but one item stands out. I picked up a Valeton FET Preamp pedal for peanuts off Ebay and it's a tone monster. Works great as a booster too to drive the front end of my amp. Think I paid £19 for it and I've had pedals that cost £119 that couldn't hold a candle to it.

These Valeton boys do make some ridiculously good value pedals and, based on our collective experience to date, reliable gear.

I know very little about these guys. I think the only (and large) clue is that the website offers alternatives of English and Simplified Chinese, and China is where I believe their design and production both take place. But, hey, if it's manufactured in the same country that they make Apple iPhones (and my Washburn HB-35) that's good enough for me!

Edited November 16, 2019 by Al Krow

[Merton]

Mark at Bass Direct has just been in touch to tell me that LaBella have sent out a replacement out of E strings for me. Superb service

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Hah! You having a second bite at the apple already Dave?! I guess that first pic completely entitles you to...

Nah my Sandberg is def the best buy this year by far. So chuffed with it.

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, Leonard Smalls said:

It just cut through better using the supplied Ampeg 8x10 cab. It's also quite a bit lighter, is the full 2 octaves, and is possibly even easier to play. Mids aren't quite as lush but I was after more of a modern slap sound for the recording... And I will use the Wal again - shan't be leaving it to the woodworm!

and the ACG is:

• Pickups: ACG FB 
• Hardware: ACG/Hipshot bridge, Gotoh GB720 tuners, Dunlop Straplocks, Low Battery Indicator
• Pre-amp: ACG DFM 5K/AP

Those ACG basses are rather nice i have to admit. So many great basses showing up on this thread now. I hate GAS.

 

[itu]

I did an investment to my playing. I bought my dream neck, that has 5 strings and that magical 19 mm string spacing. It takes time to master the fretboard but the feel is at home. At last.

I can publicly thank this gentleman, @graham1945 , who passed this black beauty to me.

Her official name is Modulus Graphite Genesis 5, born 1999.

[Al Krow]

But without a pic she is only words... 😁 (and I haven't forgotten about you either @Merton 😂) 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Al Krow

[Merton]

13 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

But without a pic she is only words... 😁 (and I haven't forgotten about you either @Merton 😂) 

Here you go; guess the bass 😂

[Al Krow]

It's not this one by Squier with a new balck bridge and a black painted fretboard but with inlays, by any chance?

I've been reliably informed by (many many) BC'ers that you can do anything with a Squier 😁

Edited November 16, 2019 by Al Krow

[LukeFRC]

8 minutes ago, Merton said:

Here you go; guess the bass 😂

A Mike Walsh special! 

[LukeFRC]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

I've been reliably informed by (many many) that you can do anything with a Squier

You’ll still be the bass player, so it’s not going to get you laid

[Al Krow]

21 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

You’ll still be the bass player, so it’s not going to get you laid

In your case, are you sure you're in the right band?

In my case, believe me, it's not being the bass player that stops me getting laid...

...oh and @Merton that bass of yours (or at least the bit you've so far revealed)  is a real looker. Is this the BC equivalent of strip-tease?

 

 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Al Krow
...how much did you say a divorce costs these days? Wow, that's more than a Wal.

[Reggaebass]

38 minutes ago, Merton said:

Here you go; guess the bass 😂

It’s your zoot funkmeister , probably one of the nicest basses I’ve seen 🙂

[Merton]

55 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

In your case, are you sure you're in the right band?

In my case, believe me, it's not being the bass player that stops me getting laid...

...oh and @Merton that bass of yours (or at least the bit you've so far revealed)  is a real looker. Is this the BC equivalent of strip-tease?

 

 

I’ve only ever got laid for being the bass player once. Coz none of the rest of the band stayed for the after party 🤣

As for the striptease of the Zoot... maybe... 😃

[dmccombe7]

2 minutes ago, Merton said:

I’ve only ever got laid for being the bass player once. Coz none of the rest of the band stayed for the after party 🤣

As for the striptease of the Zoot... maybe... 😃

Ach you've never lived. Not so much these days but ooooohhhh those heady days back in late 70's / 80's before i met my better half of course.  

[Al Krow]

Of course 😉

PS is that what your disguise is for, so that no one works out it's you? Smart move. 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Al Krow

[dmccombe7]

15 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Of course 😉

PS is that what your disguise is for, so that no one works out it's you? Smart move. 

Spot on. If the band have a bad night no-one knows me 

[Al Krow]

Appreciate that this is a bit of thread derail, although it's hopefully in the spirit of what we're sharing, but if any of you also posted on last year's thread, it would be really interesting to hear whether you kept your nominations from 12 month's ago?

Given the churn in kit I've had over the past couple of years, I must admit I was really chuffed to read my OP from last year and see that my fav purchase then and the two runners up (all basses) have sailed through 2019 and look set to remain for a while yet. I guess there's hope for me yet  

Now if I had to decide whether my fav from this year matches my fav from last year, that's gonna be a really tricky one and I'll probably need to "do a @Merton" and sleep on it. Probably for about six months in my case 😁