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This video confirms what I've been trying to tell people for ages - those flat patch cables from EBS and Rockboard are very prone to noise in certain environments (skip to 22:46). Not seen those mini Ibanez ones before, they look great!

After much trying out and research, I’ve finally sorted out my small rig. It’s unbelievable that this little lot ( Aguilar AG 700 and a Barefaced One 10) can produce the sounds that it does in such a lightweight package. Rehearsal tomorrow night should be fun!

If you have a back drop and end up supporting super mettallers Testament, don't let them near the stage before you go on. Last night of the Tour. Annihilator about to play the support slot. Back drop mysteriously different...

Well, I took delivery of a brand new in the box Road Word 50s Classic within the last hour. I quickly replaced the round wound strings with a set of used Chromes, and it certainly does play well (only other one of these I have played had the original strings on, which really don't suit it IMO). Sound (though a small home practice amp) is close to impossible to tell apart from the un worn Classic 50s. In terms of feel, the RW neck is better, though the frets feel a little rough.I'll have that sorted when I get the bass properly set up. Out of the box, it's pretty good, apart from the strings. By a quirk of luck, good timing, and an alcohol-induced lack of sense, I paid less for my road worn than I paid for my Classic 50s a few months ago. I'll add a picture of the two of them side by side for comparison. Of course, now it's here and I like it, I'll need to sell something to pay for it and make room in the house. I'm pretty sure that whatever I sell, it won't be a Fender though!

OK - it's all packed up and ready to put Mike out of his very patient misery Here's some finished shots before it went back into its case. First of all - a 'before and after' : Then some standard shots - probably the same ones you've seen before but with a dark background : ...and yes, Mike, it fits! :

Got to agree on them being superb quality for the money. I got this a few weeks back (brand new) for £412

Can only live in hope my brother

Pleasant Stumble whilst researchng versions of the John Martyn song :

@Paul S I love him dearly, but please do not lock me in a room with him, it’s bad enough I realise that as he gets older and more batty I will have to take him to feed the ducks, I don’t want to live with him as well....

Not to engage in some form of hideous 'who had more necks' oneupmaship but... I did own this ridiculous 6 necked beast for a year or so a decade ago! At one point (after many beers) 6 of us did attempt to play Hotel California on it. Ahh those where the days!

Saxophones in Jazz: Yes please. Saxophones in Rock/Pop: No thank you. Also: anything with a synthesized brass section makes my teeth hurt.

New original rock bands? Rock is the music of my generation, the music of 40 years ago. It's a bit like asking why no-one writes original Dixieland Jazz, original Blues music or even original Britpop. Styles just come and go. Don't get me wrong I love all these and more but whilst there will always be people who love this style or that and will write tributes in the style they love most creative people will push the boundaries on from the music they grew up with. We're several generations on from true Rock so why would you expect people to doggedly stay in one place. There are plenty of successful bands and musicians around, music goes on and keeps changing, good luck to the kids there's no reason for them to humour our tastes. At least so far fashion still demands drummers and bassists

And of course no one should should put a Egyptian logo on a tomb MIM or China and try to sell it on here.

That's amazing. They obviously offer fantastic value for money used!

You guys do realise that by posting here you are basically opening yourself up to future "Ha! ha!" comments when you post those NGD, NAD, NCD etc. posts?

I'm guessing that like me you have a busy full time job and if your hobby / passion can bring that smile then hey, it's worth every penny in my books! So here's the thing, I probably would have been tempted to upgrade from a Markbass LM3 to a Mesa D800+, but I wouldn't (even though it costs less) to a D800. Does that make any sense? Btw - I get the same reaction when switching from my Sandberg with Delanos to an Ibby SR with Nord pups - band mates' heads turn and they definitely really like the difference in gritty tone that the Ibby provides

That's actually not a bad idea. I'll discuss that with the Mrs. I've already got a good set of headphones. I want a 1/2 decent set of monitors.

Seems like a long time away now but from experience I can say it'll be along in no time at all... See you there on Saturday...

Interesting you say that, as @Al Krow says my experience is very much the opposite. I think it does the low gain warmth/touch of hair/grit thing brilliantly and is especially good for more vintage style tones - I can get an almost early Geezer Butler style tone from mine - which is exactly what I was aiming for What works for me is the gain below noon, the bass boost on but with the bass eq backed off a touch (around 11 o'clock ish) and the treble up to about 2 o'clock. That's using a passive P/J with fairly dead roundwounds. The inherent mid rich tone also helps stop things from getting muddy or tinny and adds that retro vibe to the sound. But the abundant mids also pretty much polarise it from the more familiar Tech 21 and Darkglass style drive sounds. No better or worse, just different. If that's what you're after then you'll need to look elsewhere as the Mojo won't give you that scooped sound. My experience isn't that it doesn't do distortion (at least what I'd call distortion) that well but it does a great fuzz tone if you rag the gain. Just a thought, try it without the SpectraComp in front of it as that may possibly be boosting your signal going into the Mojo and giving you a higher gain sound. My bass has a pretty high output for a passive but I can still get almost clean sounds and control the amount of drive through right hand dynamics. And for the record, I'm a massive SpectraComp fan boy, it's my secret weapon when gigging

That's beautiful Andy. I wish Mike much joy with that.

I did that years ago and didn't stick with it. On medium light strings (can't remember exactly what - this was the best part of 30 years ago) they get very loose. Also, if you are producing notes that low you need a system that can cope with it and I seem to recall the amp I was using at the time got a bit farty even down at a regular low E. However, it is worth noting that strings might be sold as, say, an E string, but it is really all about the tension they reach when tuned to different pitches and that is principally based on the gauge. A medium light 'E' tuned down to B is floppy but a heavy 'E' will probably cope with it even if it feels more like a light gauge string by the time it gets there. By the time you get that low, there are other physical factors that come into play, like scale length, tapering and how the string is anchored at the bridge so you might not get such a good result as a quality bass designed for that range but, with suitable strings it is feasible. Mind you, you have to decide if it is worth it for one song. Either decide learn a lot more songs that want extra low notes or perhaps just concentrate on other tunes before putting time and money into either the 'new strings' or 'new bass' solution. Wulf

Why not just get a really good pair of headphones?

My old band went with a 3x2m banner from PrintLit. It was about £120.00. I think we should have gone wider to be honest, 4x2m...something else I was shouted down about. C*nts.

Mesa are redefining their business. People have opinions but Mesa will know which amps sell and which are and are not worth keeping in the catalogue. The Subway is their big seller and has moved them into markets that were previously closed to them. I imagine the Subway range will be extended to more models. The guy who designed the D800's posts on Talkbass and is very knowledgeable and open. Expect more great amps from Mesa in the future.

They only look like black boxes when they're being used. These are small boxes. Why can't they be put in a cupboard, or sideboard, or wherever until you're wanting to listen to them, then taken out, plugged in, enjoyed at their best, then tidied away when finished..? At worst, make a cardboard, or ceramic, or sculptured 'something' to slide over them, thus hiding them from view, then expose 'em for listening. Scope for 'out of the box' thinking here, I would suggest, so as not to too compromise the acoustic qualities that are the 'raison d'être' of such an investment. Doubtless there'll be some reason why such an approach doesn't meet criteria , but that's how I'd go about resolving the issue. Hope this helps.

Wowzer, lovely looking bass and a great job

...but not in headstock design. If I owned that, I’d need to put a brown paper bag on it.

That looks great

That's very very brave (I did the same thing a while ago with a US SUB MM4, and I was cacking myself even with that) and it looks fantastic....

Oooo, I might give one of those a go...thanks for that

I have a Walkabout and I use it in the Rawk band (and sometimes with the function band, when I'm in the mood). I've had an M-Pulse, too, and a previous Walkabout that WoT and I kinda pinged backwards and forwards until we both made up our minds It's a fantastic amp, close enough for me to full-on valve warmth whilst being a practical size/weight. And with a Barefaced Super Twin, it goes really, really loud...the Rawk band has two half-stack Marshall guitards who live in the Spinal Tap 'mine goes up to eleven' kinda territory, and it's more than enough. 300w my derrière, as Jim Royle might say... I've never fancied the weight of the Mesa cabs, and their new prices are astronomical, so that rules them out. I've got a Magellan, too, which has a verrry similar Class D power section as the Subway, and that's very good, too. Much more versatile for the function band stuff. And smaller and lighter. I have to say I'd try a Handbox if they sold them anywhere I could, because they sound very interesting, but they'd have to be very, very good to prise the Walkabout from me these days... EDIT: Oh, and on the 2 ohm thing, I ran the Walkabout with three 8 ohm Berg 112s quite a lot (possibly the best sound I've ever had), and it never even warmed up...

Just a quick update, I have been playing this bass a lot the last few weeks and yes it really is good! I used the bass on a few gigs and in the studio and it's just an amazing versatile bass with a really big sound. I gave the body a really slight oil finish (well actually dr. Ducks axe wax) which brings out the grain in the wood even more, beautifull! I did have to get the edges of some of the frets dressed though, they were a bit sharp, but that's what you can get when a bass has been made in a nice warm climate and then is transferd to the cold Netherlands. That being said I can truly say that these basses are really really well made and are definately worth the money! Love it!

1. What makes owners of Mesa gear like it so much. (general question about Mesa gear ie build quality, support and availability) - for me it is extremely well designed and built. I have called upon customer service twice (not related to problems) and they have been very good. 2. What is it that made you pick that particular amp over others. (in respect to other Mesa amps or cabs and maybe in respect to other manufacturers gear) - my first amp (Bass 400 in 1988) was bought solely on a review that called it the Rolls Royce of bass amplification. I have used Mesa stuff entirely since then (save for a short period with an Ampeg PF500 and 1x15 cab). I have had a 400+ and also have a Walkabout and an M-Pulse 600. In side by side comparisons with other Mesa amps I have noticed some commonality in eq and sound. 3. Is there a favoured set up that majority of owners prefer or would prefer. - I'm a 15's kind of guy and started off with a pair of Diesel 2x15' but now use two Subway 1x15s. 4. Can you describe briefly your preferred tone (ie, warm, mellow, mid-punch, heavy bottom end, high top end are just some things i can think off) - think Bohemian Rhapsody. 5. what bass do you generally use with it. (just to give me an idea of whether your bass is passive, active or has a deciding influence on how your tone might sound) - Precision with flats although I started with rounds. 6. Finally what Mesa gear would you recommend for a Mesa Virgin like myself playing mostly classic rock with a Jazz bass but occassionally depping for other music genres doing pup / club material. Depends on what you want but I would be looking at a D-800 and the Subway cabs (whichever suits you best). The thing to remember with Mesa stuff is the eq is not straightforward. It took me 6 months to figure out how it all worked together (on the Bass 400 when I first got it). The eq is very sensitive and little tweaks can make a big difference. I have not had a single problem in the 30 years I have been using their gear and still have my original Bass 400. Wonderful kit and worth every penny. Toured with me all over.

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I'd get them looked at, if I were you... On another note, our daughter is a paediatric nurse at the equivalent Paris hospital (Port Royal...), specialising in neonatal extensive care. It's absolutely amazing the stuff they can (and do...) do, these days, with, unfortunately, the occasional heart-rending story of impossible odds, too. Their work (and the St Mary's staff, of course...) is beyond value; the progress that has been made, in many fields, is remarkable. Best wishes for a positive outcome for the mite; be sure to post coordinates and links when you get your charity single out (a current link to the charity concerned wouldn't go amiss, either...). Well..? Don't just sit there..! Get writing..! ...

I think I`m going to have to check out the Laquer ones then. Drat, just as I was being sensible and selling gear I no longer needed.

You can just order a Limelight.

I wonder how many of these items will still turn up on the end of 2018 thread, 'stuff I shouldn't have bought, but still did'!

Ukeleles, can't stand the bloody things. Particularly when played by waif-like indie girls, performing fey covers of 80s hits for mobile phone ads.

I lose most of my money through magic. I get paid one day, and when I look at my bank balance 48 hours later, hey presto! it's all buggered off.

This. Playing with an ill drummer is a bit like playing with a crap drummer. To be avoided if possible.

Treat yourselves!

Interesting comment... I got my first acoustic bass exactly because I thought it would be quieter than an electric, and less likely to be overheard by housemates. But I found (and it's also true of the two much better ones I have now) that to get a decent tone they have to be played hard, and are actually louder than an electric on lowest volume (let alone with headphones, which personally I can't get on with). I do quite often take one round to play with people who don't have a spare amp. I also love the physical feeling of those big light thin resonant bodies - I would play mine just because it feels good, if for no other reason.

Such a shame, I'm only playing 6-necks these days.

'No, no, No, no, no, no , No, no, no, no. No there's no limit'. Words to live by.

Hi man. Adam from D'Addario UK here. The difference is in the coating method. The way we do it is to coat the wrap wire before wrapping it on the string. This helps retains the natural feel of the string whilst still protecting it. http://www.daddario.com/DADExpLanding.Page Hope this helps.

For instruments, Hiscox cases. For (small) amp heads/pedals etc I use Boschma cases from Flightcase Warehouse. Not much is going to wreck any item stored in either of these. Edit - should also mention neither will break the bank either