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I pretty much solely play Fender basses and have had high end American Vintage, Standard US, Japanese and Mexican Fender basses over the last 40 years. As already said, it can be a hit or miss across the board but personal choice is that the Japanese Fender basses are the very best at playability and quality. However, you need to pick the right ones. Japanese basses made in the 80's are consistently incredible, certainly with Ash and Alder bodies, US hardware including pickups. They feel and play like a really good original vintage American Fender bass and are sublime to play. I have two and they are amazing with so much mojo. Saying that, some of the more modern Japanese Fender's made with basswood and non US hardware are not so good and seem thin and lacking to me. I personally would not touch them. I also had a Mexican 70's Classic Jazz that came out around 2008 I think and that was one of the nicest Jazz basses I ever played and I really wished I'd kept it. I also have just picked up a Mexican Player II Modified Active PJ and that is really nice. Superb quality and plays very nice but I do have a few doubts on the pickups sounding a bit thin. I've also played and toyed with the idea of getting the Mexican Telecaster bass as the ones I have played have all been excellent for the money. I would happily say, the Mexican Fender basses are superb these days, especially the more high end, signature and re-issue models. I've also had many US made Fender basses and I found the standard US basses to be ok but nothing special. Clinical and a bit lifeless but good quality and functional. I've also had two 75 AVRI basses and one was out of this world and the other was dull and lifeless with no personality. I also recently played the AVRI II 54 P-Bass and that was really special. Sounded fabulous and the quality was on another level. It is on my list of basses to buy at some point.

It's been some time since last I posted in this thread, I think I posted pictures of these basses before though, but these are the latest shots, and there are a couple of minor mod changes too. First my main: My 5 string Ibanez GSRM25 Mikro Bass, that I named "Mr. Growly - The Noodlemancer" : It features a Poplar body, and a Maple neck with a Jatoba fretboard, the stock neck J pickup have been disconnected, as it was faulty, and the stock bridge J pickup has been wired directly to the jack output socket, and it is strung with Elixir Nanoweb coated nickel-plated roundwound hex steel core guitar strings, gauge .080 - .062 - .046 - .036 - .026, tuned in tenor bass, G# standard, tuning, that is like one half step below the upper 4 strings of a 6 string bass in regular B standard tuning, plus a high E. And then my 4 string Ibanez GSRM20B Mikro Bass, that I named "Dud Bottomfeeder II" : It features an Okoume body, and a Maple neck with a Purpleheart fretboard, the stock pickups has been pulled out and replaced for just a single EMG Geezer Butler J pickup, form the P/J set, wired directly to the jack output socket, and it is strung with Elixir Nanoweb coated nickel-plated roundwound hex steel core guitar strings, gauge .068 - .052 - .038 - .028, and tuned in B standard, tenor bass, tuning, as in one octave above the lower 4 strings of a 5 or 6 string bass in regular B standard tuning. Both just 28.6" scale length.

Their bass sounded pretty decent to me.

I've had a look through some of the iPlayer videos and I'm definitely feeling my 55 years. Very few bands/acts I've ever heard of and lasted a max of five minutes with any of the videos. I am officially old. Did notice that the bass player in Wet Leg was using a JMJ Mustang 😎, sadly with a pick and a terrible sound though. 😢 Feel free to lambast me for being old, gittish and utterly out of touch, LOL!

The Winners are those that participate; the Losers are those that decide not to listen to their works.

Royston Vasey

No worries. They pop up now and again although seems to be more sought after now. The best finishes are honey burst (what I have) and tobacco burst I think. They only came in 4 colours for that model (LPB3). The cherry burst doesn't don't for me.

The only one I watched which didn't sound good was Nova Twins. No bass at all

They're trying to mix it onsite where they've got enormous PA systems interfering. Even with a closed back headphone mix I can see why they might mix the bass too low.

I only listened to a couple of bands and the bass wasn't there. The band I watched first was Chic and I couldn't hear any bass whatsoever. I mean a sound engineer that mixes Chic with no bass, should hang their head in shame. And I was playing it through hi fi speakers.

I wonder whether the X32 rack is overkill for your needs. As has been suggested, there will be a steep learning curve and many features that you do not need. Why not go for a CQ20. You already know the basic CQ philosophy. The only limitation as far as I can see it 6 six outs. That is only a problem if everyone wants a separate stereo mix.

Never sounds too bad for me. I just put the AV receiver into pure audio mode and turn the volume up.

This. Exactly. It may be seen by some as badge snobbery, but who cares?

Ah pants towards for moi. 🙂

Speedblocks Spondz, not Speedos.

Just bought an OC5 from Chris, very smooth purchase. Cheers Chris