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Ime it's your option two: better but not worth the cash. They're not better enough to be worth the extra over the lower end models and also they're not commensurate with other basses you can get for that money. Yes, I own a mia Fender P... 😁

People will have different views, but I e gigged with Squiers, Mexican, Japanese and American jazz basses. While all are great instruments (and some can be awful) the American higher end models sound better, are built better and come with a nice case. Whether this is worth the premium, that’s a question of personal choice. But for me, my Professional series jazz basses is the best instrument I’ve used and we’ve done hundreds of gigs together.

Great choice Bernardo!! The red Starstream will certainly make a dramatic statement on stage. I love my black A2S and like the sound of the Aguilar pups so much that I've ordered a 4M-J set to retrofit to my s-s Sandberg. Re strings, I too have fitted and like the T-I Jazz Flats but they're not the brightest and I had to get a new nut made to fit their unusual string gauges.

The massive crowd appeared to enjoy it and that's what counts over a few grumpy bass players.

I'm looking at this plugin now. tbh it shouldn't be necessary to trawl through all the FAQ to find out something like this.

I have a Kingman too and I always use a soundhole plug. I agree with what @JPJ said, get your HPF higher, I start mine at 50hz minimum and increase it if needed. I normally run my Kingman EQ flat and do a 400hz cut on my MS60B, HX Stomp or mixer to get those nasal sounds out of my bass tone. Does your Zoom pedal have a parametric EQ? If so, to tackle feedback, you can do an EQ cut and sweep the frequency control around to find where the feedback stops.

My take on the Rod Stewart set. Agree lots of vocal stuff wasn’t in tune, and he’s certainly showing his age now. He’s been a bit embarrassing in his performances for a few years, and I have no idea why ( with such a wide back catalogue ) he decided to do stuff like ‘Love Train’. Re the girl singers doing a song mid-set, that was probably to facilitate him changing and having a blast of oxygen or whatever he takes to do a 90 min set! Also I certainly don’t agree with his recent political comments in the press, or many of his other views TBH. Plus all the Celtic / Scottish stuff gets a bit tiresome from someone born in London, albeit with a Scottish father. BUT! I’ve seen worse Glastonbury ‘Legend’ sets over the years by other artists who proved to be as disappointing, including one or two who mimed / used backing tracks. Rod’s band were pretty good ( despite all the bass and guitar changes etc ), and more importantly were all playing live. Too many girl singers maybe, to help cover his now limited range, but this is how he works these days - if it seemed a bit Vegas it’s because that’s what he’s been doing recently. Past years have seen others doing this - Dolly, Barry Gibb, Shania etc etc. It’s meant to be cheesy and nostalgic, a gentle piss take maybe but most of all FUN. On that basis, it was okay!

In which case its easy, but for me it was my favourite group, so the change is not something I can put up with. Same reason I didn't go to see the last genesis gig.

For me he never could.

Yesterday It's too Late - Carol King

A good point well made @andytoad Bath 😎

Hi folks Intrigued as to the "consensus" on the forum as to the quality of the "higher end" Fender basses out there. How do things like the American Vintage and/or American Professional II series compare in comparison to, say, a Vintera or Player series model? Where do the Japanese ones fit in in 2025? Noticeably better? Bit better but not worth the cash? Different ballgame altogether? What about custom shop? Whole different conversation? I'm definitely of the opinion that mass produced instruments with bolt on necks definitely have a quality:price ceiling where the diminishing returns get silly but I'm not sure I know at what price point that happens. Obviously the right answer is "go and play a bunch" but I'm interested in your thoughts as well. (FWIW - I'm afraid if its not a Fender I'm not interested, yes there are lots of awesome basses out there that aren't Fender but that's a different thread for a different day).

Bunged a few quid - hope it works out!

My LX-4

After playing a couple of gigs with them they’ve settled nicely, they do feel really buttery now, but it’s just not the sound I thought I’d get from them!

@oldslapper wots local? 🙂

Up this goes again.

That’s it, though the way he wrote it gave the impression of American built. Not that I read it that closely!

Everyone, especially the BBC, keeps going on about how"emotional" Lewis Capaldi's set was. Of course he was emotional! He'd just had his kebab wrestled away, been dragged out of the catering tent and forced to perform.