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After many years of tube rolling in high end hifi amps and bass amps I believe valves do not have a given sound. It all comes down to the circuit that the valves go into. For example yesterday I was playing around with valves in my ABM head. A JJ and EH 12ax7 buzzed and hummed like crazy but in a hifi amp they were silent. The JJ was very bright and the EH warm. Next went in a vintage 1980s Marshall that was silent but sounded very thin and bright. I settled on a 1990s smooth silver plate Sovtek 7025 that sounded perfect to my ears. All of the above valves sound very different in my other amps. I firmly believe that it all is down to the circuit that the amp uses.

Having been a user of the Cali76 compact bass pedal i always fancied a try of the bigger TX version but prices are astronomical! This popped up on Richtones secondhand section the other day and a bit of research suggests it may be in the same ballpark. Look forward to giving it a blast, particularly with the Drive setting!

Thank you so much!

For me it started when I joined the UK Subs fanclub at a tender age under the name of Marton Geerblorn...

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Murder on the Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis Bextor

Calling @Bill Fitzmaurice

Thank you for the information, it's very much appreciated. When I get time this week I'm going to take time to check it out, including taking the back off and attempting to identify the drivers. I get a sense that I shouldn't mess with the cabinet, which leaves me wondering what to do with it. I liked the idea of using it to try to raise some money for a charity, but would have no idea of it's value which I guess will vary depending on what is or isn't working. I'm in the UK if that helps.

For me it's about what i have now. Not always a goal for each bass but I enjoy them all. It feels like too many but it's a result of 22 years of playing bass. Fender Geddy Lee Japan - Main bass/using it in the band. First 'real' bass Rickenbacker 4003S '91 - Bought with my dad about 18 years ago. Use it sometimes in the band, has emotional value Rickenbacker 4003 '87 - From my birth year and like the sound better than the S. Don't need it, but it was a good investment and love playing. Play's more difficult than the S. Tokai Jazz Sound '22 - Great 60 style Jazz Bass. Love the feeling and sound Squier Precision - Flatwound strings Squier Mustang - Shortscale fun, flatwound strings

Shoot You In The Back - Motorhead

(NB. Watts are "W".)

Try Tiny Tone next time, they took eleven days to do two for me.

My favourite band member name would Big John Thomas who was in Budgie. Probably his real name i would gather, being Welsh and all. But who wants to be a Slash or an Edge when you can be called that.

My third foray into the Cort Space Bass world was guaranteed to happen. These compact basses punch well above their diminutive weight and I never sold one because I didn't like it - more because pupils always seem to want to buy them from me! So to get this nearly new model for a bargain price was too good to turn down. Back to the 5-string this time, I've added my usual Elixir 40-125 set and it plays really slickly. Perfect for teaching duties, or as that spare bass that you keep in the car boot, it can always hold it's own with it's clean, hifi sound. What's not to like..?

Shoot High, Aim Low - Yes

The art of bass player suggestion 😂 Dave

Indeed @Stub Mandrel, that's what our previous drummer had. He's says they are expensive, but the price will give him peace of mind. The conundrum is how come the kick drum was fine the first time out. We have some time before our next gig to sort this out.

I can’t think of anyone else making tortoiseshell vintage style except spitfire - and they cost more

Congrats Pow - I remember talking to you in the status updates a few days ago re this bass. It really is lovely. Hope you're settling in well with it. You mentioned one thing that really is important when getting a new instrument. Always swap it to your usual favourite strings asap, as that always gives you a proper impression of how it plays and sounds. As I told you, I've been hanging my nose over Rickenbackers for a while now...

I usually go in with a passive Jazz and something active, usually either my Jazz Elite or a Status. It really depends on who is engineering. Some want to bury the bass in the mix, and others want it prominent, equal with the other instruments. I always ask the producer & artist(s) what kind of sound they're aiming for beforehand and I've never been asked to 'bring a Precision'. I've often found that the best way forwards is to keep your playing relatively on-point and simple, and to add tasteful fills at key points. But saying that, some producers don't even want any fills - just the bare baseline. It really depends on the tastes of who you're working for at the time.

Bullet the Blue Sky - U2

Dum Dum Girl - Talk Talk

I guess this may never have happened of course, but it was a funny story.