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"Rick: I know, let's put Neil's speaker in front of the door! Neil: Oh, not that speaker! Jimi Hendrix once pi$$ed on that!" The Young Ones - 1982

Surely that's going to be an MIA Roger Waters P bass.

Man... if that piece of music doesn’t appear to be going anywhere it’s because it’s already arrived. Is there anything better than just being in a groove? I say just like it isn’t a holy thing, an everything... Man... That, right there, is it.

Right where I am now. Edit to expand. I'm a bit surprised at the number of people who seem to think I'm freeloading because I don't drive. Look, I'm not saying no one should drive. I have my reasons for not driving, and I'm sticking with them. I realise that my choices mean I will not be gigging with a 4x10, but I'm happy with that. I started this thread because I'm interested in hearing about how other people cart their gear around by public transport, not to criticise people who do drive.

(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!)

Well I have sold the Godin A4 (slight lip wobble) and on Saturday I put the money from the sale down as a deposit on a Chowny SWB Pro via my local music shop, hopefully they will put that order in with Chowny today. This is the first time I’ve ordered an instrument without trying it first so I’m a bit nervous but I’ve done all the research I can and I think it’s the right bass for me. I just happened to be driving past Bass Direct the previous Saturday so I dropped in because I knew they had an SWB Pro so I managed to see one but I didn’t get a chance to try it, let alone buy it, because the guy in the shop was tied up with other customers, so be it, I didn’t have long anyway but just loooking at it gave me some idea of the quality. So, the guy in the shop told me 6-8 weeks after phoning Chowny, now comes the wait. Hopefully I can sell my Fenders (fretless Modern Player and Aerodyne) so I can get an order in for an SWB-1 fretless and see if having all three types of bass in short scale will actually stop GAS?

Just wanted to (belatedly) show the two beauties that I have recently purchased from fellow BassChatters. They are pretty different animals for me (both through neck, twin pickup) as I’ve mainly been a Precision or Stingray player for a long time. First up, a 1991 (I think) Made in Korea Spector NS-2A. This particular model came highly recommended to me by a fellow BCer and I’ve not been disappointed. With it’s shorter top horn, I was a little concerned that it would take some getting used to playing on a strap, but it’s been fine. It feels and plays like a top quality instrument and my thoughts of swapping out the preamp and pickups have been put to bed as I used it at a gig last weekend and it sounded great, cutting through and sounding punchy. I think I now know what players mean when they describe ‘piano like’ clarity. Next up a gorgeous 1981 Aria Pro II SB-R80. This really is in beautiful condition save for a couple of dings which are pretty well camouflaged (the joy of a natural finish). I once lusted after a ‘standard’ SB and was gutted once I tried one as I couldn’t get on with the string spacing. However, this R version with the more traditional neck dimensions feels great. I’m loving the different sounds available from this bass. Obviously a very different beast to the Spector, but still punchy and able to go from a nasally honk to full fat dub in an instant. All in all, I’m a very happy chappy and many thanks again to Maut and James for the smooth transactions.

Yup, can't disagree with that! Here's mine, beautifully refinished by @Grangur of this estate. Maybe you should let him loose on yours, too, and he'll be able to turn it into something worth nearer £400 rather than £40?

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!

Perhaps they could do a deluxe version of the guitar with a bone nut & saddle

The DBs live in the upstairs study, amps, cabs and stands in the garage.

Where's the elf in the port photo?!

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No, I don't have kids. heh. We have this:

What guitar amp is he using? If you haven't got the stage size and venue size, I'm pretty sure he's got the wrong gear for the gig... or at least being a knob with the volume control.

Dang! Need to get me one of those (a bass playing g/f, that is)!

Until recently I had a TC Electronics BG250 which was - OK. Reasonably light but didn't really blow my socks off for sound quality/ Joining a band recently made me decide to get a decent and modern rig, that was compact and easily portable (I had an Ashdown ABM before, say no more). I found a Trace Elliot Elf on Gumtree, boxed and unused for a great price. Then I needed to find an appropriate cab. I decided 2nd hand was the way to go, BassDirect having a Markbass NY121 (8Ω) and EICH XS112 (4Ω). I went to Warwick Saturday morning with my Elf in the glove box (didn't you know it was that small ?). And A/B'd the 2 cabs with a nice Sandberg that had just come in. The difference was quite significant. The EICH just had more, and was also using full power from the head meaning 200w not 120w. I took the EICH home and used it at rehearsal yesterday with the Bongo. I barely made it past 2 on the volume and it was plenty. EQ flat - just perfect clarity and bottom end. As an extra bonus - the Elf fits into the port at the back, and when I put the cab cover on it holds it in place for transport.

I probably wouldn't listen to the material but I'd have to say 'Rock and Roll (Parts 1 & 2)' would feel more acceptable than 'Do You Want to Touch Me'.

Going for a single 4 ohm Cab is a bit limiting. Go for two 8 ohm cabs in parallel.

Yup. I had a Compact and a Midget. Compact was deep but lacked a tightness at the top end. Midget was tight at the top but lacked bottom. Together they sound brilliant. I replaced these two with a Supercompact, which sounds like the two together in one cab.

It depends what you define as a pro, as there are differing levels of pro out there too. Top pros for example usually have technicians at hand if anything goes tits up, so they can carry pretty much sod all. Pros down the pole a bit (such as myself), we make a comfortable living out of playing as our sole income, however I don't have a bass tech on the tour, so I have to be prepared for all eventualities. I still travel as light as I can, but I also have a spare bass that I can be confident will get me comfortably through the rest of the gig. Fortunately, I've only had to rely on that bass once on the tour and that was down to my own stupidity!

Welcome Rodd...the decease is rife here...As Ped says, you'll feel right at home....

Welcome Rodd. 'Gearitis' is mostly called GAS (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) by folks of this parish. You'll feel right at home.

Favourite review so far. Nicely done.

Hershey? Galaxy? Belvas?

2 cables will not get you 4 ohms. Only 2 8 ohm cabs will get you 4 ohms.

That was the first version of the song that I heard. I usually find that I prefer the original versions of most songs but have to admit WASP really nailed it.

Pyramid tapewounds are very different than d'Addarios. I have cut them on the silk area, but I wouldn't cut them on the regular zone of the string. Maybe you could bend the string, cut carefully and apply a drop of cyanoacrylate glue to keep the tapewound from leaving the core of the string. On the silk zone you can cut it without any problem, though.

Ever since I missed out on a Fiesta Red Limelight P, with J width neck - I've been kicking myself However, I recently became a convert to the P/J arrangement of pickups.... So I decided to order my very own Fiesta Red P/J from Mark, having reached a milestone in work This bass is absolutely amazing in every way. I've not played a pre-cbs Fender, but I imagine this is how they would feel and sound Very very pleased with my present to myself. Pics courtesy of Mark at Limelight EDIT: PS. Hutton... they are worth the wait

Nudge nudge - If you go to a second poster featuring basses, I hope you will remember the first ten of us by way of a loyalty discount on ordering a second poster. - Wink wink.

Apart from some classical musicians, that are in a different league imo. Prince for me is probably the most profound musician that ive ever listened to. This is one of my favourite Prince funkers. Maceo Parker's sax playing is just.. wow.... Absolute killer funk from the man.

Clearly advertised as a Deko - but I'm not convinced the seller's at all clear what a Deko actually is...

The original Clapton version of After Midnight had Carl Radle on bass. Clapton nicked Carl and the rest of the Delaney and Bonnie band when he formed Derek and the Dominos. PS Carl Radle was also in the Mad Dogs and Englishmen band with Joe Cocker and Leon Russell.

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.

Love this. Thanks for posting

I prefer D'Addario EXPs to Elixirs.

so if you live in London you can just about get away with it (but you must be severely restricting your options) provided the venue has PA and drum shells but I suspect it's a no no anywhere else, I've had a go at busking a couple of times in Nottingham, caught the bus with my acoustic guitar small Roland amp and mic and stand, not a very pleasant experience tbh (the busking or the bus ride)

The only good thing is that a new set should sound just as dead and lifeless as a 16 year old set within two gigs

Most people would not have a problem picking up a band member, equipment etc. I have done it many times, and others did it for me when I needed it. However, it gets tiring pretty fast if it's frequent. Picture yourself driving back home from a gig. It's late. You're tired. Band mate(s) have had a few beers and maybe are snoozing in the car. You then arrive in town, and proceed to drop your band mates at their places, and finally drive home. Your trip can easily be an extra hour longer, late at night. If it's a frequent occurrence, it can get old pretty soon, despite your best intentions.

So I did a largish pub gig last week used the 112c for the top end and the 115c on the bottom - used the splitter box etc. it sounded amazing tbh - took a little while to set up of course but the control with both pick up volume at 8 and plenty volume on the amps was very useful - especially when as ever others started turning up as the set progressed ive bought a 500w amp and think I’m gonna experiment with that with a separate high power 1x15 for the bottom end ( still using the 112c for top) benefit is I can just use the 112 for rehearsals and use the full rig for gigs im a bit fussy about sound so it has to be just right collect the amp Sunday will let you know how I get on 👍

You won't want to play any other basses once you get that Wal.

Not the best photo but here is a quick family snap: [url="https://postimages.org/"][/url]