Your best (and worst!) bass gear purchases of 2024?

[neepheid]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Oooh some great bits of kit coming up on here already...Be even better if you all added some cool pics of your aforementioned kit? 😊

 

Jesus, heard of Google?  I've given you the product names, what more do you want?  Don't be so "insta"

 

[MichaelDean]

Best would be my Laney Digbeth head. Lovely bit of kit. Best class D head I've used.

 

Worst was some Adagio roundwound strings for my Revelation bass. They get the job done for a limited time, but they're just not great. Wouldn't recommend. 3/10. 

[Linus27]

Probably best for me is my Ibanez UB804 EUB. Such a brilliant instrument and a joy to play.

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

Jesus, heard of Google?  I've given you the product names, what more do you want?  Don't be so "insta"

 

 

What's Google?

Tbf totally no need to post any pics of bugs 😅

[Stub Mandrel]

Not bought much this year, all good:

 

Sire P10.

 

Gokka orange-coloured pedal board.

 

Demonfx Pearl White autowah (Snow White clone).

 

So only two pics needed!

 

 

 

 

 

[Bassman68]

The best purchase this year for me has been my Shure GLXD6+ system to replace an ageing Sennheiser system that I’ve had since the 00’s..

 

The worst was probably some BlackSmith coated strings from Amazon, Someone had mentioned them on here so I thought I’d give them a go…Unfortunately they sounded dead, straight out of the packet.

Great it you want that kind of sound, but I was expecting at least some ‘zing’?
 

Notable mentions shouldn’t also go to the s/h pedals I bought to build up my ‘back-up’ pedalboard, purchased from here or e-bay…

EBS Microbass2

EBS Multicomp

TC Polytune2

[cetera]

Best: My Ali-Express Kipenspector (for the price, though it needed some work).......and my HAZard lAMPs pedal which turns all my Spectors, regardless of preamp (Tonepump, Aguilar, Darkglass, EMG) into US HAZ loaded monsters!
 

Worst: Rotosound Stainless Steel Swing Bass strings. Too glassy to start, then die too quickly. 

Edited December 11, 2024 by cetera
Update

[BassTractor]

Bestest: TRBX 174 EW

(and 2600 and Sledge)
Worstest: zilch, as the pic shows the whole year.
 

[mike f]

Best - 1997 Warwick Streamer Pro-M bought from RichTone in Sheffield. Back playing a Warwick after over a decade without. It’s glorious.

 

Special mention goes out to Jon Shuker for refretting my 74 Jazz Bass.  Did a bloody marvellous job of it. Top bloke.

 

Worst - Nux Atlantic. Just poor.

 

@neepheid I’ve got a Digitech Bass Synth Wah if you’re interested. 

Edited October 17, 2024 by mike f

[BlueMoon]

Best : Laney Digbeth Preamp. 
 

Relatively inexpensive and nicely toned for my current needs. A useful addition.

 

Runner up : Lakland Shoreline SL44-94 fretless.
 

Japanese version of the Skyline 44-02. Difficult to find as an original fretless in my limited experience. 

 

Worst: Over-priced stuff with a Fender logo.

[gazhowe]

Best: Boss Waza Air Bass - sounds great and has changed the way I practice.  So much so that I've now got a very nice Berg cabinet at home that is essentially now just a stand for other stuff.

 

Worst: No poor quality items but I bought a Torpedo CAB M+ that I quickly realised I didn't need and moved on at a loss.

 

Edited October 17, 2024 by gazhowe

[KingPrawn]

Best is my Apollo x8 Gen 2. Enough said

 

worst. various bass straps. Really struggling to find the right fit for me

[mike f]

8 minutes ago, KingPrawn said:

Best is my Apollo x8 Gen 2. Enough said

 

worst. various bass straps. Really struggling to find the right fit for me

Another good purchase for me this year was a 4” wide leather strap from The Bass Gallery. Really comfortable. I bought 2 of the same over 10 years ago and they are still going strong. 

[DF Shortscale]

Best for me was probably a Genzler 350 head. Worst was a supposedly reputable guitar repair guy who wrecked one of my basses when I took it in for some mods. I won’t mention any names but if you’re thinking of having any repair work done in the Greenwich / Woolwich area, I recommend looking elsewhere.. All fixed now but lesson learnt - use only people you really trust for mods and repairs!

[OliverBlackman]

10 minutes ago, DF Shortscale said:

Best for me was probably a Genzler 350 head. Worst was a supposedly reputable guitar repair guy who wrecked one of my basses when I took it in for some mods. I won’t mention any names but if you’re thinking of having any repair work done in the Greenwich / Woolwich area, I recommend looking elsewhere.. All fixed now but lesson learnt - use only people you really trust for mods and repairs!

Shame you had to go through that. Even living the other end of the country I will only go to the bass gallery

[SH73]

Best - wireless G10 and tech21 SansAmp Steve Harris signature (best thing ever).

 

Worst- the title says bass, right? Practise bass drum pad with a pedal..it was cheap as chips almost new. The pedal is ok but the pad bit as bouncy as real bass drum skin.

[DF Shortscale]

14 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Shame you had to go through that. Even living the other end of the country I will only go to the bass gallery

Yeah, me too usually! Or Feline down in Croydon, those guys do brilliant work and they’re very quick. I’d happily trust them with any bass. 

[KingPrawn]

22 hours ago, mike f said:

Another good purchase for me this year was a 4” wide leather strap from The Bass Gallery. Really comfortable. I bought 2 of the same over 10 years ago and they are still going strong. 

Have you a link, please

[KingPrawn]

On 17/10/2024 at 10:41, Bassman68 said:

The best purchase this year for me has been my Shure GLXD6+ system to replace an ageing Sennheiser system that I’ve had since the 00’s..

 

Military Grade Construction. Ive had mine for years. incredible piece of kit

 

[mike f]

1 minute ago, KingPrawn said:

Have you a link, please

Great minds! I was sending you a screen shot as you posted your message!

[LITTLEWING]

Got to be the Fender Custom Shop ‘62 pups to replace the farty junk in my MIM Player Precision. Absolutely sublime.

Worst has to be the (usually very good) Legacy (Rotosound without silks) 45-105s. E string had some very bizarre overtones and warble going on. Got them replaced but still the same. Put my old Ernie’s back on, no problems.

[Al Krow]

On 17/10/2024 at 21:59, KingPrawn said:

Best is my Apollo x8 Gen 2. Enough said

 

worst. various bass straps. Really struggling to find the right fit for me

 

If you like a broad strap - these 4" Minotaur bass straps were recommended to me by Mark at Talking Bass and I'd happily recommend them. 

[Ed_S]

Unless something stunning sneaks in before the end of the year, I think the best is going to be my Fazley Piranha 5. I’ve replaced all the hardware and electronics so it’s not quite as cheap as it started out, but it’s really light for a 5 string P-bass, the neck is remarkably comfortable and it sounds great with its new Delano pickup. Very pleased with how it’s turned out.

 

 

I’m genuinely struggling to pick a worst as I’ve not bought all that much this year. Maybe the Ibanez miKro strings that were as harsh as tile saw blades and went in the bin as soon as replacements could be found.

[nilorius]

The best is Boss BC-1XBass Comp pedal, the worst is Boss SYB-5 Bass Synthesizer pedal.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2024 by nilorius

[thodrik]

Not bought any bass gear specific gear, but plenty of studio gear. 

Best would be a tie between my 16 inch Macbook Pro and Universal Audio Apollo 8xp. Possibly the best musical purchase I have ever made, albeit the most expensive, even with the Apollo being a bought second hand.

It was my first Mac and first 'proper' interface. When I first got them my first thought was 'why didn't I buy a Mac and a really good interface 15 years ago when I was really busy playing music?' which the obvious answer was 'because I was totally broke and couldn't afford a decent Mac or interface.'

Worst 'bass' purchase would probably be a Brainworx Ampeg SVT 3 plugin which didn't really hit the mark.