Al Krow Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) Following on from the same topic we've successfully run since 2018 - a chance for some useful hints and tips with Black Friday and Xmas goodies still ahead, and, of course, nothing to stop us changing our minds between now and year end! As with previous years, the only "house rules" are that it's bass gear and something you bought (or at least arrived) in 2021. Here's last year's thread as a reminder of some of the goodies we bought then. And definitely post your GAS inducing pics please! Edited November 2, 2021 by Al Krow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) Happy to get the ball rolling... My best purchase, for yet another year running, is a bass. A lovely Yamaha BB2005 which I was able to buy off a fellow BC'er a few months back. It almost instantly won me over as an incredibly good bass and a lovely "budget" replacement for my BB NE2 which I had moved on as it wasn't getting much use. I posted a fairly detailed review of it on the Yamaha thread if you want to delve further. In truth, my choice was a complete toss up between the BB 2005 and a fantastic Elrick Evo 5 which I was fortunate to be able to buy off @Sibob in the summer. But given how much less the BB 2005 was in price terms, that edged for me - it's always a treat when a relatively modestly priced piece of kit holds its own with gear costing several times more. Edited November 2, 2021 by Al Krow 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsim Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I bought one of these from eBay - as a basic DI box and a bit of a preamp it's amazing!! And only £40!! I'm not big on effects but for a basic preamp, got to be a bargain. I put together a 9v battery box as well to run it from batteries.... shame it can't run from batteries internally... Still... a great buy for me! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaosanator Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 My best purchase: I finally managed to get my hands on a Steve Harris blue sparkly sig bass after about a year of GAS. Many thanks to the people on basschat that helped me get there! 💙 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I guess it kinda has to be my G&L CLF L-1000. The Epiphone Embassy is nice, but the G&L is very nice. Honourable mention for the TC Electronic MojoMojo overdrive pedal I bought to replace my Electro Harmonix Bass Soul Food after it went on the blink. I was very sceptical that an overdrive pedal intended for guitar could work as well for bass but I saw enough people online singing its praises and I'm amazed. It's a dark, thick overdrive and I think it sounds great - gives a meaty boost which can be really felt and heard, especially in a trio when the guitar needs a helping hand in a chorus or something. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) @Chaosanator (& @neepheid!) - spectacular finishes! Edited November 2, 2021 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 At the risk of seemingly repeating last year's answer, it's this. Not the bass but, rather, the Sadowsky onboard preamp I installed. After a little bit of woodwork, it's never fun putting new holes into old basses, it has turned a great playing instrument with quirky and complicated electronics into an absolute savage which plays and sounds as good as anything I've ever had. Rather than have a small hole or non-functioning switch, I set the switch up to run the pickups as serial/parallel which has added another nice option to a great, great bass. After Before 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) My most used pieces of gear that I bought this year are a Schroeder 1210r cab, and a Warm Audio active DI. The Schroeder sounds great and is a great one cab solution for most gigs. The DI box just makes the bass sound right through front of house, and is far nicer sounding than most boxes that are supplied at most gigs. Special mention has to go to my Moog Subsequent 25, which is just awesome. Edited November 2, 2021 by Doddy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Undoubtedly my best recent purchases is the new Ampeg V-4B and a Big Baby ll , massive clean deep lows and that valve sound, just what I was looking for 🙂 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Best, JMJ Mustang. Not perfect, but it’s rekindled my joy of playing and particularly playing fretted. I did some comparison recording yesterday and it’s fantastic in a mix with little or no EQ required. As for the scale, colour me converted. Honourable mention for the Beat Buddy. Worst, a set of nylon wrapped, LaBellas. The ones on my Rob Allen sound great, but they don’t work as well as cobalt flatwounds on my other fretless. Not the product’s fault, just a mismatch. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Many many purchases, all good & none bad, don’t think I could rate a “best” to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 The only thing I've bought since my BB2 2019 has been a lead, and that was only because I lost mine at a rehearsal studio, a couple of months ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfan Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Not many purchases for me this year. Certainly none bad. My Shure Glxd16 is a great bit of kit abd the Future Impact is cs on the pedal board 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 11 minutes ago, chris_b said: The only thing I've bought since my BB2 2019 has been a lead, and that was only because I lost mine at a rehearsal studio, a couple of months ago. One day, me, @Sibob and @bassfan will put some proper elbow grease into the various gear abstinence threads we've half-heartedly started over the past couple of years and then collectively miserably failed - I mean what sort of mod starts one of those threads, buys a stunning Elrick and then sells it onto another member of that same abstinence thread? 😁 And we will then follow in your impressive footsteps. That day is not quite today, I suspect... 17 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: Many many purchases, all good & none bad, don’t think I could rate a “best” to be honest. Oh yes you can - haha! Go on (as an exception) give us your top 2... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodwind Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Pretty much my only purchase in 2021. A Mantic Hulk. I bought it for a new composition I was working on and got to road test it on an excerpt of this piece at my show on the 1st of October. Superb! I can't wait to use it again. (apologies for the stock image photo') 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 4 minutes ago, bassfan said: Not many purchases for me this year. Certainly none bad. My Shure Glxd16 is a great bit of kit and the Future Impact is cs on the pedal board 😃 I'm not so sure about the Shure as you know (although one thing I will say, is that they certainly seem to hold their value), and, fess up, have you actually used your FI in anger yet? Damn! I knew this thread was going to be a distraction from work... 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 23 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: Many many purchases, all good & none bad, don’t think I could rate a “best” to be honest. Boo! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 The two best purchases of 2021: The Status necked fretless: So easy to play and sounds great. and the recently purchased Nux MLD pre+DI: For just over £100 it's a fantastic bit of kit. I mainly bought it so I could tame the mids of my Aria SB B&G (the EQ on the CTM-300 is rather limited), hence the mid cut in the image. But also great to plug an iPod into, switch the IR in, and noodle along to stuff via headphones. Whilst the drive is very basic and a little heavy handed, blended out a bit it's quite useable. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman68 Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 My recent addition to my bass family, a Squier affinity Precision.. I needed another inexpensive bass to take out on the road with me, that would suit the music I’m currently performing? It scratches so many itches I’ve had regards to a wanting a P.bass, something with a maple neck for a change, & white in colour.. The build quality is quite surprising & it sounds like a ‘raspy ol 70’s Precision’ thanks to the ceramic pickup somehow? I’ve taken it all around the country since I got it & it’s now part of my main armoury, I love it although it’s now created GAS for a Maple necked Jazz bass with a PJ configuration? Not a ‘worst’ purchase but I bought a Smoothhound transmitter system, which although great, has let me down on a few stages with interference issues…This has mostly been down to multiple in-ear systems & our string section using wireless systems ( I play with an ELO tribute band & we tend to move about on stage?) so I’ve had to return to my old faithful Sennheiser ew100 system, running on non wifi bands… The Smoothhound is great with my other bands doing pub/club work, So I’ll keep it for now.. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfan Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 19 minutes ago, Al Krow said: I'm not so sure about the Shure as you know (although one thing I will say, is that they certainly seem to hold their value), and, fess up, have you actually used your FI in anger yet? Damn! I knew this thread was going to be a distraction from work... 😁 The Shure is definitely one of my best purchases this year, used at every gig this year. No. I’ve used the FI live yet, I’ve not had the need but it’s fun at home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Pfff tough question. I've bought some seriously cool stuff this year, if I may say so. This was the luckiest catch: a 1976 Bassman 100, retolexed in red. Haven't used it yet but it will come. I put it in my head that I wanted a double bass so I bought this amazingly beautiful Dutch built 3/4 bass from 1992. Don't play it often, but when I do...lovely. But I think my favorite purchase of the year are these two boys: I got the five string in for a review in De Bassist and liked it so much I wanted to keep it, but actually wanted a four string so I bought that as well😁 Also bought some nice pedals this year (Cali76, Trickfish Minnow) but the basses are more...my thing. I like pedals, I love basses. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Got it as a B-stock bargain from Thomann. Love it.........! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 41 minutes ago, Al Krow said: . . . . And we will then follow in your impressive footsteps. But, I'm always looking. I could have bought a couple of amps and half a dozen basses in the last 2 years, but my "Must be better than what I already have" rule has kicked in and stopped me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 6 minutes ago, chris_b said: But, I'm always looking. I could have bought a couple of amps and half a dozen basses in the last 2 years, but my "Must be better than what I already have" rule has kicked in and stopped me. A VERY good rule! My equivalent seems to be: "oh I really like the look of that and what can I flog to get it?" 😁 But at least, for the first time in 7 years (!!) my £gear sales + £gig money = £gear purchases 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 These two pedals. The Two Notes Le Bass preamp and Origin Effects Cali76 compressor. The preamp is a two channel valve preamp with clean and dirty channels. The clean channel really is very clean, with a nice eq. The dirty channel sounds a bit thin but combining the two channels gives some monster tones. The compressor just does exactly what you want it to and high pass filter is really useful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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