mcnach

I had a CV Precision, and currently own a Matt Freeman one (CV in all but name)... I find the tuners more than adequate too. Are you looking for a 'vintage' look?

so yeah... I think I'm going to get a second BB2 and ditch the 4x S112 thing. Pity they seem so rare in the FS section... I've been using the BB2 a bit more now and I love the sheer power and tight bottom end of those cabs. One or two S112 will be just fine for most of my needs, and when I need more... Two BB2 are an amazingly loud and compact solution, which still fit in the boot of my A3.

[quote name='Cuzzie' timestamp='1457814272' post='3002079'] Fusion gig bags are awesome, singles and doubles, very protective, bass stays still, good pockets, made in UK and great customer service [/quote] +1 Big fan here. The F1 was awesome. I recently found out they are discontinued and replaced with a different one that, on paper, doesn't seem as good... we'll see. Fantastic protection, lots of storage... but what sets these apart are that they're really designed like a rucksack: by far the most comfortable ones to walk with... [url="http://www.fusion-bags.com/products/f1-bass-guitar-gig-bag"]http://www.fusion-bags.com/products/f1-bass-guitar-gig-bag[/url]

[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1457376981' post='2997972'] Have one of these that I bought for a guitar and whilst it seems to give good protection they are very cheaply made and the polystyrene interior is not stuck to the outer casing or the internal fabric well at all. That said I've never had any damage to a guitar that has been inside it and I still use it now but only for my beat up guitar as the exposed dried hard glue looks like it could scratch the finish. Another point to think about is the polystyrene at the bottom end of of the case has become compressed and is breaking up so you could end up damaging a heavy bass if it dropped there. I tried uploading some photo's but for some reason I still can't do that and keep getting an error message that upload has failed. I can send you the photo's if you like. [/quote] That doesn't look great. The rectangular ones I have are better I think. One is by "Casey", another one I can't recall... I think it may even be Stagg? The Casey one is nicer as they thought better of the handle position. Similar to this, but I haven't got one of these so I don't know how they compare: [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kinsman-Standard-Hardfoam-Guitar-Case/dp/B002WCQQKM/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1458844876&sr=1-2&keywords=kinsman+case"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kinsman-Standard-Hardfoam-Guitar-Case/dp/B002WCQQKM/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1458844876&sr=1-2&keywords=kinsman+case[/url] Mine have loops and straps so they can be strapped on the back, but they're not very comfortable that way.

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1457176529' post='2996008'] Why not just buy a secondhand Hiscox for £60? Mine is in great nick and I never worry about my bass being damaged. Sorry, I just don't understand this thing about hardcases being bulky and taking up loads of room. Also, who leaves their bags and bits on stage? Trip hazard much?! [/quote] The issue with many hard cases is that they often don't hold the guitar snugly and it can move inside. If something falls on the case the guitar will be ok... but if the case itself is shaken about, so will the instrument inside. The foam cases I have hold most guitars/basses tight and because of the material they're made of they'll absorb impacts effectively (although that would be it for the case). Hiscox cases are great, but only if they hold your instrument very snugly and doesn't move around. I normally use a Fusion F1 gigbag/case hybrid thing. It's bulky for a gig-bag, but has tons of protection, 3cm thick foam, and hard bits where you need them... The bass is better protected there than in most hard cases (except if a cab falls onto it, but the bass travels with me) and it's a lot easier to carry and it has pockets full of accessories, cables, etc.

[quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1457171642' post='2995933'] I've never been at all taken with the idea of a gig bag. They may stop a bass from scratching, but I reckon that's about all. Mechanical damage is still a distinct possibility and you certainly wouldn't load one into a van anything other than very very carefully. I've always used a hard case, but those annoy me too. The bass isn't always held securely, can rattle about inside, and they take up so much space. I think I'm happy with the compromise I've now settled on. These poly foam cases - or similar. [url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Bass-Guitar-Foam-Case-by-Gear4music/C87?origin=product-ads&campaign=PLA+Shop+-+GENERIC&adgroup=GENERIC&medium=vertical_search&network=google&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=15847d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=144462915199&gclid=CjwKEAiApOq2BRDoo8SVjZHV7TkSJABLe2iDe2YkxrqAeYqQrek4Y0TbIoIEQu-5nema7IDbY291cxoCS_vw_wcB"]http://www.gear4musi...291cxoCS_vw_wcB[/url] The bass can't rattle around, won't get scratched, and if the case takes a whack, the case is highly likely to absorb it. More so than a badly padded hard case which might just pass all of the impact to the bass, undiminished. I won't be stacking bass bins on top, but I reckon these work well. [/quote] I have a couple of similar ones, only rectangular, one for guitar and one for bass. They work pretty well. The guitar one was used to transport an SX Les Paul Junior type of guitar to Canada and back, and survived to tell the tale

Oh! That looks nice!!! (it took me a while, but I found the thread! )

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1458758922' post='3010622'] Re the Musicman FAQ on setting pickup height below: "If you have a single pickup bass set the pickup height to 6/32" from the plastic pickup cover to the bottom of the G string. Adjust the bass side of the pickup to be level with the pickguard." Are they seriously saying to set it as indicated by the red line in the attached pic? Looks a bit extreme to me! [/quote] It's very similar to how I have it in my Stingray... perhaps a tiny bit higher (I don't have the bass in front of me right now) which I set by ear, not measuring. I would not bother with measurements but take that as a visual guideline, and then adjust by ear, until you're happy with the string balance and sound.

[quote name='highwayman' timestamp='1458770155' post='3010820'] Thanks for the replies, excellent all of them. I've been impressed by the Markbass range and am looking at purchasing the Minimark 801 (best price £299 delivered?) - it's modestly loud but I suspect a decent keeper even after I progress to more power. [/quote] That's actually a very nice amp, good choice!

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1458805276' post='3010957'] I went decades without owning a tuner and in defence of the OP what has perfect pitch got to do with it? If it's just guitars, you tune to each other, you're probably all going to be in the general pitch ballpark anyway, so being slightly off isn't going to be an issue. If you have a fixed tuned instrument (keys), tune to that. Insofar as being in a noisy room, you set aside a few minutes to tune to each other. Band discipline. [/quote] There are always ways to get around a problem. In the absence of electronic tuners the world will not collapse and a band will find the time to get together and tune. But... it's 2016. Electronic tuners are cheap and ubiquitous. No need for 'band discipline' whatever that means. Or, why make life harder than it needs to be? Remove the issue of tuning, and you have more time for all the other issues with a band.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1458812279' post='3011048'] Still happy with the rig Jose? [/quote] Yup! I only ever use 1 or 2 speakers together so far but I like having options. Tomorrow's gig just needs 1 speaker as it'll be strictly my onstage monitor. The only question is 'black or blue?' I still want to experiment with two BB2 as that would be a pretty cool and loud rig... but I do prefer the sound of the S112. It's just that one cannot rest idly and say "ook, I'm done for now"

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1458819552' post='3011160'] I agree but when a venue wants to book a years gigs it doesn't help , sometimes you have to be honest & just can't work with certain musicians just because of their circumstances ,when my Son was born & because of my new job I stopped gigging because I knew I couldn't commit to bookings ,I knew a band wouldn't want to hear " I might be able to do it ". [/quote] it's tough, but that's how it is, yes...

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1458737685' post='3010318'] I should avoid these cheap bass modding threads. I don't have the space, the cash, or the need for another bass, but something in the back of my head is saying "Hmm, what if I picked up the HB 5-string Stingray copy and made a proper 2-band preamp for it?". I must resist! [/quote] Ha! I still have a 5-string Stagg Stingray copy. I liked the string spacing (wide) and that it looked like a SR4 not a SR5 (pickguard...). Got the preamp, a SD pickup... it's still unfinished. Such a procrastinator! It doesn't help that I made some mistake with the preamp and I can't be bothered to figure out where each wire goes now... I just need some space and time... and hopefully the will will show up

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1458734566' post='3010265'] Thank you, sir... my latest plan is to do one more P and then have a go at a HB Jazz/Precision neck swap (where I get to keep the Jazz with a P neck - as you know I don't get on with J necks but like the J sound)... [/quote] sounds like a great plan... I'm thinking of letting my Jazz basses go and just get a Maruszczyk shaped like a P with two J pickups in the right place, as I really don't like J necks... but your plan agrees a lot more with my pocket right now

Ingenious! I think I'd rather play sitting down if that were an option, rather than using a stand. Or move to an Ashbory bass... it's an entirely different instrument but so much fun, and it can sound great... not nearly as versatile as an electric, 'though.

[quote name='neilp' timestamp='1457963665' post='3003394'] Didn't mean to offend anyone! If anything I would think more of someone who wanted to tune the band as a whole, and I'm not suggesting we should do without tuners. I just think maybe we all rely on them too much. Even the very best orchestras often tune up between movements. Regarding the perfect pitch thing, I can transpose in my head, but It takes a LOT of concentration! [/quote] Ah, I see what your point is now. I thought you sounded like one of those proclaming "kids these days with their fancy gizmos know nothing anymore!" Apologies if I sounded a bit off. Dunno. If people depended on them to the point that they could not tune unaided, then I'd say they're ignoring an important skill, but I cannot say I've met anybody who is unable to tune by ear. It's just that tuners are faster, usually, and more accurate, and can be used in any situation, noisy or quiet, without others listening to your tuning process... so I'm a fan.

[quote name='neilp' timestamp='1457957481' post='3003283'] Do you not tune to the other musicians in your band then? As a matter of fact I do have perfect pitch, but I still always check tuning with guitar, keyboard etc. If you can't get the rest of your band to shut up and tune up, not much of a band IMHO [/quote] I see a lot of advantages in the ability to everybody tune by themselves anywhere at anytime... so I own a couple of tuners and I nearly always have one with me if I'm playing. I'm pretty sure you manage just fine, but it really strikes me as odd being surprised that many other people use electronic tuners.

[quote name='neilp' timestamp='1457914832' post='3003051'] Can you guys really not tune a bass? [/quote] is that really a serious question?

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1457705452' post='3001152'] Whenever I've bought a bass that has came with a case I've always sold it on (usually with another bass right enough). I don't see a point in having a case lying around doing nothing when I'm always just going to take the Mono with me. [/quote] That's me too. I keep a MusicMan case and another lightweight one whose brand now I can't recall, and that's it. I nearly always use a Fusion F1 and accumulating hard cases is just not practical for me. Same with gigbags... I tend to give them away or include them when I sell another bass if it didn't have its own hard case etc...

I hate to be the guy who ask this, but it has to be asked: the battery is ok, right? If in doubt, replace it. I'm not trying to insult you, but the number of times that I have overlooked something as simple as that is enormous and I wouldn't have minded someone pointing out the very simple things first, before I go crazy

[quote name='bakerster135' timestamp='1458128201' post='3004906'] Thanks mrn1989! I do that too, top to bottom, but here I'm specifically asking about whether anyone angles their pickup towards the fretboard (front to back) so it follows the line of the strings when you're looking down at it (i.e. when you're looking at the pickup from the top, it leans towards the fretboard and away from the bridge). Do you do this with your pickup, or keep it straight? [/quote] I keep it straight. I doubt it makes much difference to the sound... but ultimately it is a matter of: do you like the result? the it IS correct The only angling I do is to make it closer to the G string and farther on the E string.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1456854488' post='2992925'] Lighter fluid might be more "Rock n Roll", but the effect is no different from White Spirit. [b]Better still would be a slightly damp soapy cloth[/b], then dry it off with a towel, but where's the fun in that? [/quote] That's what MusicMan recommend on their instruments, I believe. They have a section on cleaning necks/fingerboards and various products... worth a visit

The Xotic BB is nice for very low gain sounds, but I didn't like it so much once the grit really kicks in. The EHX Bass Sould Food is pretty good sounding, to me, and does great with low gain sounds as well as higher gain, it just doesn't go very high gain. The YouTube videos on this pedal are all terrible, by the way... do not judge it based on them. The VT-Bass is very very versatile. It covers a very wide range of types of overdrive as well as low to high gain... if you don't have much experience on overdrives I'd probably suggest this one first. It's easy to find used, and if you hate it you'll sell it fast too. Regardless, it would probably allowe you ot experiment with different sounds and figure out what kind of overdriven bass you like best. From there, if you feel the VT-Bass is not exactly it, you can get much more focused suggestions later on if you tell us what you liked... The DarkGlass Microtubes Vintage is also nice, but I found it a bit too dark and I sold mine quickly, we didn't get along.

If you *need* a true bypass switch, then return it... but chances are you don't, and other than that it's just the same great compressor. I like the Multicomp a lot, I have two in fact! (not used at the same time!). I use it as an -always on- pedal, so the type of bypass really means nothing to me.

Those Kickback amps are pretty good. The Roland is ok, but it's not very loud at all. It sounds like that is not an issue for you and the ability to run on batteries may be cool, although I feel for that price you can get something better... yet a bit heavier. Sometimes there are surprises, like Behringer's BXL45A. I doubt it's in production anymore but they may have something similar. I bought one back in 2007 for around £100. It's a 'kickback' design as well, with aux input so you can plug in your mp3 player/laptop etc... I just wanted a cheap small amp at the time. It is surprisingly good! Over the years I've had a bunch of better amps, some small too, but I kept using the Behringer at home. It just sounds like a bass, whilst many practice amps just sound boxy. It gets used every day, pretty much. Moral of the story: don't ignore brands that may not look great, just try as many amps as you can and see. I'd go second hand if I were you, so you can get a pretty good amp with £200. As for headphones... if you want that, many practice amps offer that option, but many don't sound great. If headphones is something you want, then an amp with "amp simulation" and effects etc would be your best bet, like Line6 or the Roland you talked about. Headphones themselves are very important too, of course. I had the PJB ones and sounded alright. Good but not amazing. I hated their fit on my head 'though... way too loose. Mine malfunctioned after 2 years or so... I thought it was the cable and Phil Jones sent me a cable free of charge,, awesome! ONly it wasn't the cable. I was careful with them but... oh well, I have a pair of Audio Technica M50-X that are a bit more expensive but much better sounding and fitting, in my opinion.