Lozz196

I think I’d look at a used Mexican Jazz, the Player range is very good but the quality of Mex basses really upped from 2012 onwards imo. You should be able to source one for around budget. I’m a bit traditional, figuring if looking at a Jazz or Precision go Fender first then if you feel anything lacking try other brands that address those points if possible.

Yup, as well as that (to stop thievery) whatever gigs I do the only time my bass is out of the case is when I’m playing it, stop drunken fools trying their idiocy.

I look at pre/post like this. If you’ve spent a long time rehearsing with your band and fine-tuning your eq so that all the instruments fit in the mix in a way that you are all happy with going pre simply ignores all that work.

Lot of cab for £250!

I`ll book a ticket as well..............

I used a Barefaced Big Baby 2 for both bass and guitar, worked very well. Ashdown RM500 for bass, BluGuitar Amp 1 for guitar.

Nice one Tim, and nice Ampeg that you’re selling too

If I recommended someone as a dep and then found out that they were to not be paid but the permanent band members were I wouldn’t do the gig.

I had a Mex Strat from 95 to about 2015/6. In hindsight I wish I’d not sold it. My current longest owned instrument is my Fender US Precision, owned new since 2015.

I find a Precision width neck easier to play, I suppose it’s due to me having played them for years, when I play a Jazz width neck I find my fingers fall over each other in fast complicated parts. But I’ve had to swap to the J-width as I’ve arthritis in my left thumb and playing these is less painful. So the thing for me to do is play only the J-width to get more proficient on it.

Hipshot Ultralites are good. Not cheap at about £130 a set but def an improvement over pretty much any stock tuners. Hipshot are great at customer service so e-Mail them with a photo of front & rear of the headstock of the bass and they advise which of their products will fit.

In 2015 I bought a Fender US Standard Precision for about £850 new when they were retailing at around £1200. It’s been my fave bass ever since.

Yep, on my thru-body stringing Mustangs I just use regular scale strings

My trio of Fender JMJ Mustangs.

This is a very good point. In 2020 as I left my last band I would have described myself as fairly competent too, after all doing punk/Oi I never had too much to do. But I then started jamming with some mates doing 70s classic rock and found that I was much more capable than I had previously given myself credit for. I suspect that may well be the same for many of us.

Well it wasn’t that but I’ll keep hold of this one in anticipation of failure next year 🤣

I’m way out of this. But in my defence I’ve only bought gear that I need due to health issues.

They are lightweight, they are loud, but be prepared to make a change in your eq. Being uncoloured they really change the sound of an existing set-up and it takes a while to get it back (unless the uncoloured version is preferred of course). For me I moved away from BF as I found that I preferred the coloured sounding cabs but I’d never knock them, they’re great products and will handle pretty much anything.

Yep, something will turn up, keep your playing up to scratch and socialise where local bands are and seize the opportunity when it comes along.

Well I had a chat with a Basschatter earlier who suggested that as I love the JMJs why not get the necks slimmed down. So tentative enquiries made to The Bass Gallery, have to take one in to get a quote but fingers crossed I’ll be able to keep the basses I love.

Justin Meldal-Johnsen, it’s his signature bass

I love the JMJs, as a Precision player for many years the neck on them was so familiar it made the changeover to short scale so easy, however due to developing arthritis in my left thumb I’ve had to switch allegiance to the MIJs which I find less painful to play. In all honesty if I could have stuck with the JMJs I would have, but needs must and the MIJs aren’t a compromise, they’re great basses too.

The difference between the RM500 EVO I & II is that the I has a shiny front panel rather than matt and is double the weight (tho still only about 4kg). Volume, EQ and soundwise they’re the same, I’ve had both, still have the EVO II.