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Bass cave. Been a few additions since this was taken like a Fender P Deluxe, an Orange rig and a TE small rig.

Summary: Wow, what great pickups - totally perfect - buy them now!. Bought from some bass happy chappy on a FarceBook bass group and fitted them to my VanderEnd the other day. My bass usefully has a route for either a P or a J under the scratchplate - it's messy but useful. I've been inquisitive for a while to try it as PJ rather than the JJ jazz it's been since I got it. I had scratch-it make me both a JJ & PJ plate shortly after I received the bass and it was clearly time to try out the PJ pickguard too, cue the new pick up purchase justifications. So now the EMGGB's PJ's coupled up with my Aguilar OB3 preamp (with passive tone), has made one hell of a versatile beast and I'm loving the passive sounds too. So next strap in and prepare for the worst sound description ever...hmmm, less mid honk than the typical Fender pickups, not as dark as SD Quarterpounders on a dark night and they've made me smile more than Lindy Fralin's have ever done (which I also really like lots). It does have a very smooth sound spectrum with a sweet warm and defined low end and slightly rolled off highs...it's more akin to the 'soul/Motown sound' in my opinion but clearly this Geezer chappy is a bit of a rocker so I hear....so it must be good for that music right? It's probably the most balanced pick up I've ever used across all strings. The P on it's own is defined and warm (warm is the key sound description). The bridge J is surprising, very funky and full, not brittle like some bridge pickups...it's funky, it's a fatter Jaco, Old Gregg has blessed this pickup, (funky is the key sound description). Together they're a good compliment too, smooth like chocolate, no power imbalance - they're friends, ...(Chocolate is the key sound description here!). I like em' a lot. Conclusion: Warm Funky Chocolate!

Looks great. Just thought of another popular bass that would fit well, an Ibanez Musician.

Yes. In 30+ years of swapping out pickups these are the best I've tried. The difference is massive. I'm a big fan of these blades and am considering put a set of P and J blades in my Valenti.

(I’ve just set the comment above as the headline to the thread to alert anyone who may come across this link, hope that’s ok!)

Entitled "20 Iconic Bass Guitars", I'm thinking of making this available to BC members as a print in either A3 or A2 sizes providing I get enough interest... This image you're looking at is printed on bog standard A4 and really need to be seen in a bigger format, but you probably get the idea. Any criticism welcome...

Hi I just had to vent my disappointment and frustration at the obvious lack of quality and care that occurred in 2002 when Rotosound produced the batch of RS66 strings that have been on my bass for the last 16 years. The A string broke on new year's eve!!! You can imagine how shocked I was at the obvious lack of longevity of the things these days. Its also meant I've had to clean the fret board eradicating a small but very important ecosystem that showed promising signs of world domination.

I hope the next song wasn't the Lost Prophets......

This sad news brings back a special memory for me too. I had the unexpected pleasure of chatting to JR when me and my son unwittingly ran into a Kinks video shoot early one sunny Sunday morning in the Cambridgeshire flat-lands where we lived . (This was not long after I'd seen their live gig at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge, at which JR had played a blinder - as they all did.) The production crew wouldn't let us continue our journey along the country road they had 'commandeered' and invited us to have breakfast in the chuck wagon until they were done. We'd just demolished our full English when this powder-blue open-top Cadillac rolls up with the band in it. As soon as they piled out, Davies jr. was whisked away by the sycophantic production team leaving the others just hanging around looking lost. So I grabbed my chance and had a good chat with JR. Such a nice guy, sadly missed.

You could do far worse than a One Control HGBM! It does warm valve to mild dirt very well whilst providing a clean drive signal that plays nicely alongside other pedals in your chain. And, as @krispn will also vouch, it doesn't suffer from a loss of low end. I think you'll enjoy

They're expensive- $49.50 USA including delivery. However, Evan declares a tiny value on the delivery envelope, so you don't get any import duty or VAT at this side of the Atlantic.

Living alone in a very small one-bedroom flat, I keep my gear exactly where I want it, which is more or less everywhere. Most of it fills one large corner, with my favourite bass in comfortable arm's reach from my work chair. A couple of basses have escaped to the other side of the room and guitar cases to the foot of the bed. Oh and also two basses at work and one with my son in Nashville.

Well, I didn't have any problems hearing myself! It definitely has a bit more 'throw' than the 45. It sounds a bit different to the 45, so my usual 'set and forget' eq had more low end than I normally have onstage. It'll take a few more gigs and a bit of tweaking to get everything just as i like it.

Here you go pal: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1BY09fOPV5nmZ5YgReFlPezbXq-VDahFs

Ha, got it. The second sample sounds slightly more controlled and a bit more balanced throughout the frequencies, so reveals a little more complex harmonics/timbre. However the Cort gets so close you could just get the one that feels better!

Thanks very much. I’m sure it’s obvious in my posts that i dont have a clue what I’m looking for, but will find it one day. In the meantime ill just keep spending money and trying out new things. This time next year i might even be playing so i dont want to spend too much now. I know if i buy good gear I’ll get a good return on it when i do sell it. I also have my Zoom 60D at the end of the chain and that has loads of options in it so i may actualy use that for OD, who knows. Playing bass is a laugh, but GAS is a serious business.

I love my Mywatt 400, mine has 6 KT88’s.

I took Al’s comments in jest, which i know they were meant to be taken. I am weak minded sometimes, but mainly when it comes to things i dont have experience with. Don't get me wrong, your Le bass praise definitely helped me get to the point where i knew i must have it, but it was never just about the tone of the Le bass. In fact it was never about that, it was the ability to have two pedals in one and at a good price that was pushing me to this pedal. Due to the size i felt it would take too much effort getting it working for me, and that i was better off looking for something smaller that would fit the board, at least for now. Coupled with the fat that you have to hit two switches at the same time i felt maybe its not quite the soloution i had hoped at the start of the thread. You have convinced me to keep the Cali, so your efforts weren’t wasted oh Jedi master :-). Ive been on BC long enough to know that it will always cost me something when i ask a question. .

but then if I buy it and ship to you I guess we get the same price

Those aren't worth much. People with lots of Watts come across as a bit desperate and needy, if you ask me.

Please don't take any of this personally, they are just reasoned responses to your grenades and, of course, just an opinion... Is it fair to say that if you can't understand a word that a death metal vocalist utters it's not really singing? The OED defines singing as... To articulate or utter words or sounds in succession with musical inflections or modulations of the voice, so as to produce an effect entirely different from that of ordinary speech; spec. to do this in a skilled manner, as the result of training and practice. ...although the definition neither mentions the need for the words to be understandable nor defines what the definition means by skilled manner I don't really think the definition is tight enough to exclude death metal singers simply because the words are difficult to discern. Was Led Zepplin a better band than Al Krow's two covers bands ever will be? Well on just about every definition going, yes. Hence the unfortunate idea that a set of applied definitions confers quality. IMHO Led Zepplin aren't a better band that The Spice Girls and Tom Waites isn't a better artist than Black Lace. I prefer Led Zepplin to The Spice Girls (admittedly by a surprisingly narrow margin) and I prefer Tom Waites to Black Lace but to just say better and by definition are giving some bands inherent superiority over others and I don't think that's really possible. It can only ever be subjective, surely? There's great rock (and jazz) music and then there's noise. And plenty of stuff in between. It is all just noise, we apply the words, I just applied noise in a broader way that you did, equally the words rock, jazz, great and stuff are applied words and that application is wholly subjective. My Dad would have called System Of A Down noise and never have referred to SOADs vocalist as a singer. We apply the words and when lots of us apply the words great singer they become, by definition, a great singer but I do not think that makes Frank Sinatra inherently any superior to Serj Tankian. I'm only saying this because it's a thing, in society, in groups generally and it is something I find in musical circles particularly, that there is a general consensus that some kind of music or artist is actually better than another and that's fine but then people ridicule others because they may not hold the same orthodoxy and then they belittle those who like (what the others perceive as) inferior (I am not saying you are doing this whatsoever btw) and that isn't a good thing IMHO.

We tried them in a decent sized pub. Drum soundcheck, got the chest thumping. As soon as the loud guitarist started the thump couldn't be heard. He is at least twice as loud as needed. Limiting the sound onstage is a must but unfortunately the guitarist can't see it. The cabs are loud and may well do the job. The situation is a bit vexing to say the least at the moment.. If I had the choice I'd buy a sub.but I really don't think we need it, we need to sabotage the guitarists amp! You are welcome to try mine out. Don't know what the logistics would be like though. ..

It's a great way to keep the creative juices going. Respect.

Who built your house, M C Esher..?

Here’s my Schecter. It has Nordstrand Big Blades in it. Amazing upgrade over the passive EMGs that are stock. I don't think I'd ever played a Korean-made Schecter before this but would highly recommend, it's a very good instrument. I should have some tracks that I can post for you to listen to.

RIP. I have the OGWT DVD with Argent doing God Gave Rock And Roll To You. With Jim playing a P bass with a modified pickguard

Just phoned and there’s an answer machine message from someone saying the site is a scam and advising you not to purchase. Apparently it’s been reported to the police and fraud squad. I presume whoever made the site just made up a phone number and some poor sod has been getting loads of calls.

The images seem to be of a Sweetwater store in Indiana.

Hiho I've had this with my 99 4003 but only in the E string. So I use a 40-100 set.If I remember rightly Rick original strings have a 102 E string. Solution -file your nut or drop down a gauge. I use Dunlop super bright steels in 40-100 .These strings last if you like new string sound.I have them on all my basses now.

Hello, I live in Barcelona and there is only one bass focused shop. It is Tanne Bass Corner http://tannebasscorner.com. They have some second hand stuff too. Cheers, CM

I'd say so, put labella flats on my P bass a few months ago & the Jazz & Stingray which are both still strung with rounds haven't been out of their cases!

They are indeed very smart

Had a good long mess around in rehearsal and having tried two amps, different eqs and in my Ls2 I actually prefer it though the Ls2.... Not to say that's representative of anything live of course, just felt best. I'll probably try a separate di foh once we're back out gigging as well though. Got a nice little di killswitch which would work well. Thanks for the replies

You're all going to get me into trouble with my girlfriend.

The Four10 is a sensitive cab and like all BF designs, it is very efficient but if you are too loud it's the controls on your amp and bass that are causing the problem. Your amp is running something like 250-300 watts into this cab (shame Orange don't provide the 8 ohm number). The compression could be boosting the signal, but if the amp is loud on 1 and too loud on 2 try using the pad and turning the bass volume down. Do you like the sound of this amp through your cab? If you do then dial the volume back. The cab is good, you proved that with your Ashdown. Sounds to me like the problem is in your "new" amp. If I was dealing with this issue I'd be checking out other amps. Ones with more effective controls.

I have to say that I didn't watch the Muon clip because I can't stand Jason Bradbury's face. That's killed this conversation for me. I hope you're happy with yourself! Heeheehee

Thanks for all the great suggestions so far! Any further inspired thoughts on this topic from y'all before I have go at collating our BCer's favourites?

Keen starting price for this Stingray: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Musicman-Stingray-3EQ-Left-Handed-Active-Bass/263445003575

He was only a young lad....i only had the one lesson....i personally worked hard on feel and technique and received some positive feedback about my sound...i remember an instance i was playing a gig with a Squier Jazz and tatty old Carlsbro Viper 90w Combo and a fellow Bassist said how do you get such a great sound from cheapo gear.....he told me he was going home to burn his thousand pound Musicman and grands worth of Ampeg stack lol....i said it was in my fingers...i'll be the first to admit I'm no great shakes but i keep it smooth and simple

Let's not leave out the lefties.

Nice ! ..... here’s my slightly modded Excess

I don’t do jazz but rock would be Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast RHCP - blood sugar sex magik RATM - Rage against the Machine

Nice to see Moonmadness get a mention! Means I still have 3 Albums from my life, that even now get regular Airplay Tubular Bells...natch Fields of the Nephilim....The Nephilim, and... Curved Air, Air Cut, can't find whole album on Youtube, so here is a taster. Its the rockiest album they ever did, mainly because Darryl Way had bailed by this point, and its a Cracker, thanks to Eddie Jobson and Kirby Gregory's input, probably my favouritsist album...evah!!!

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1373817873' post='2141902'] [...] Also "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Its just sounds so.....Nazi to me." I think you need to re-examine German history 1935-45.[/font][/color] [/quote] Did you not see The Young Ones in the 80s?!