stingrayPete1977

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1405006877' post='2497870'] They're great guys in the Bristol PMT. The prices on display are usually competitive with Internet prices and there's room for haggling. That's a good deal you got there though, quite the bargain! With regards portability of gear and combos vs. separate head and cab then I'd say it's more about the size and weight than whether it's a combo or not. I've got a MarkBass CMD 121P that weighs 12.5KG and isn't much larger than my Laney 15w RB1 practice amp. I know someone with an Ashdown 300w head and 1x15 cab and each of them weighs more than my combo. It depends on the combo or head/cab. Saying that, as someone above mentioned, I'm stuck with the cab that's in my combo but it's the one I'd use anyway so it's good for me. PMT say they're getting some MarkBass gear in soon but their supplier hasn't followed up on it so last time I was in (a few weeks ago) they didn't have any. However as you're local to Bristol you're more than welcome to have a look and a play on mine. I'm down in Southville if that's close to you. I've also got an Ashdown Touring 220 rig (1x12 combo with an extra 1x12 cab) that you can try too. They're discontinued now though but I'm thinking of selling mine if you ever did like it It's big and heavy though, 27KG for the combo and around 17-18KG for the cab. [/quote] I like the option of taking just my head to practice if its a hired room with gear, a small class D will go in the gig bag hook up to the cab in the room, job done and you know there will be an OK amp if the cabs are half decent even if the heads are rubbish/trashed. [quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1405008602' post='2497893'] Maybe an amp isn't the best solution for practising, and there are other options worthy of consideration. IMHO the humble PC is probably the most valuable practising asset for todays musicians, but it only really comes into its own when you can effectively use your instrument with it - I would suggest that the Zoom B3 might be a better option than a practice amp, as it combines tuner, effects, usb audio interface, built in drum patterns etc, and can be hooked up to a hifi amp if you want with an appropriate lead, also it will not become redundant at the point you step up to using a proper amp and playing in a band if that's what you want to do. [/quote] Again a little class D head can sit on the table with headphones out, Di out, you can loop into a PC if you want, hook up a small speaker for home use, hook up into a 2x10 for a jam session with a few mates, pop it into a 4x10 or 2x12 for a pub gig, Di into a PA system and use the 4x10 as your monitor along with the stage monitors for a massive gig, Di into an in ear monitoring system and leave the cab at home to play Knebworth....you cant lose

There was a full on USA Stingray on ebay that did not sell for £600, it is back on for £550 start price, it is one of the ones they did with no case, 2 EQ, limited choice of finish etc for £1000 a while ago but even still no bids at £600! Crazy times

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1404999809' post='2497731'] I know what you mean but for me versatility is having a neck and a bridge pickup with a blend control and work it together with the right hand positioning and attack. I know that a lot of people won't get it because they're happy with that one sweet spot sound they've found but i'm known for not using the same sound from theme to theme [/quote] I dont think it sounds the same though, fingers near the neck does not sound like a pick near the bridge on any bass, I see players trying to get the Jazz bridge sound to do the work while they pluck away over the pickup then muddy it up for the next song by blending/selecting the neck pup yet keep their fingers over the same spot, same technique etc. "It is all in the fingers"

I knew someone would have a comeback for that! Seriously though trying to grip a pick for a long time gives me similar symptoms to the OP, If you are predominantly fingers a pick will probably cause a few aches and vica versa, the muscles in that area are not up to the job same as when I get my motorbike out in the spring, I get neck ache until my neck muscles get used to it again which is usually about September when the winter returns for another 9 months!

Some people love a combo, I've had a big Peavey TNT, Ashdown abm300 1x10 with an extra 1x15 Ashdown cab beneath, Laney something or other etc. Micro head and a cab job done, you can take your head to practice in a practice room and just use the supplied cab so as you get a feel for the controls on your own amp too. Years ago combos were cheap and a rig was not, this isn't the case anymore. A Mark bass combo is great but it's still stuck to that cab (some will separate, see my Genz 1x12T shuttle combo for example) you could add a cab to one later but that's going to cost loads new. If all goes well get a big head at a later date if you prefer the sound, that's another topic! You can use the same cabs and keep the little class D as a spare or practice amp for home, recording, head phone amp etc etc

A combo is fine for £100 or less but for the prices in your links there's no way I'd buy a combo! Look at the thomann site you can get either a GK mb200 or a tc bh250 for £236 those are amps people on this site will be gigging with tonight! A brand new hartke 2x10 speaker can be had for £102 pounds, if you buy them together postage is free! For £340 inc postage they do a hartke 2500 amp, a hartke 4x10 cab and a speaker lead, that's gig ready for bedroom combo money IMO

They do other small class D heads, GK do a 200 watt one for example, it will fit in your gig bag! There are lots of other makes to look at, all you need is a speaker cab to use with it, easier to move around and the delicate bits can be stored in your sock drawer while the speaker gets thrown in the garage for example, you can then expand either/both parts to suit. Think of it like a train set,a combo is like a kids one that is ok to play with at first but you can't buy extra track or a spare train if it breaks, plus only that train works on that track, an amp head and speaker is like a hornby set where you can buy some second hand track in good condition (a used 1x12) or maybe a slightly more budget bundle of track new (GK do a nice range of cheaper cabs), then spend as much as you like on a train to run on it, or lots of trains and loads of tracks as any you buy from any toy shop will run just fine

I've never found any bass more or less versatile to be honest,I get the tone that pleases me most from what it offers and adjust my playing to suit, I did that before going to a single pickup bass so I must have been destined for a stingray!

[quote name='thebassman' timestamp='1404944883' post='2497302'] That's very true, I can't recommend this amp higly enough. Maybe a bit overkill for the op though :-) Cheers Thebassman [/quote] Haha yes probably, more the concept of a class D and a cab than the actual one I said , I also have a shuttle 3.0 and a 1x12 cab as a better example, it will demolish a Roland bass cube and weights about the same as the card board box a Roland bass cube comes in!

I find playing with a pick gives me more trouble than fingers.

I still dont think they sound as good as a real pre eb, if Leo had made a handful of prototype 5 string versions id have to own one! This is as close as it gets and im a total convert to fives now although I switch to db for a quarter of my gigs so after struggling with 4 and fives I can switch my db brain on when playing a 4 string, I use a Warwick thumb bo at practice sometimes, that said I grab a Ray5 as soon as there is a key change or drop tuning (sometimes both!) The classics are very nice basses in 4 or 5 string, top quality fit and finish.

That is criminal!

Yes and no, I actually played a jazz bass just as much as my stingrays for many years, when I went to five strings nothing with the F logo played nicely IMO, I would have been happy with a lakland I tried in guitar guitar but home is where the heart is

As you know thebassman I have the same amp, we could literally use it in the spare room as a headphone amp one night and as the main rig at Glastonbury the one after!

Five string goodness... [URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140709_182953_zpszlaakcd8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140709_182953_zpszlaakcd8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Thats awesome, basically my Classic5 was as close to that as I could get but with a B string! [URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140709_182953_zpszlaakcd8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140709_182953_zpszlaakcd8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

It's funny how a stingray five compares to a P bass five when their construction is so similar, I'm not knocking fender but I've yet to try a good fender five.

The stingray 5 has been classed as the industry standard mass produced fiver for years, well worth trying one as there are a few bargains about at the moment

I see its sorted now so that's good but it had that ring of "its not a payer but you will get lots of gigs off it, oh yes can we use your pa for the tombola prize draw announcements, can you be here at 11am to set up and stay until 3am because we are not allowed vehicle movement until the punters have gone"

Major festival, no pa, no band booked yet? Did anyone read my "have a laugh at my expense thread"

I'd get a class D head and a really good used cab either a 2x10 or a 1x12, the class D heads can be used as a head phone amp and you can always add another matching cab to give you a rig similar to what most of us will be using. Ie 4x10 or 2x12, without wasting any money along the way

Nice mojo!

I like! all with the correct number of strings too!

If we are talking standard p bases then I agree a grand tops then but as other bases are mentioned I stand by it that some players require a better bass. what's the saying " fender Mexico, made in Mexico by Mexicans, fender USA made by Mexicans in the USA"

Lol