Gareth Hughes

They are leather, but Maruszczyk’s straps are so damn comfy. And very pliable. By comparison I have some similarly wide straps by Italia that make the bass seem heavier because the straps feel so stiff. Great straps, just stiff.

I played through an Acoustic Image head for years - on acoustic and electric bass - and loved it. My one reservation is similar to your EA experience, it could sound a little sterile with electric bass - but that’s what overdrive pedals are for 😜

I had a good experience with a Markbass LMK head. It's a two channel head, with a footswitch to turn each channel on/off, not just A or B. I found that really helpful for muting. Sadly discontinued but they do pop up from time to time. Failing that, Acoustic Image make the wonderful Clarus head.

Steve Harris for me - because his entire signal chain from bass to strings to preamp/poweramp to cabs shouldn’t sound as dominating as it does, but it does. The sum is much greater than the parts - like every great band.

Bought a GenzBenz Shuttle 3.0T Combo from Donovan last week. Arrived safe and sound from Belgium. Great communication throughout - quality Basschatter.

Only just found this - thanks for sharing these. Much appreciated.

Don’t be alarmed BUT - I’ve always understood this to be a sign of too much pressure and/or a weak top plate. It’s not something that is going to collapse overnight but it will continue over the next number of years. Maybe take it to a repair shop and have them evaluate it - might not be anything to be concerned about at all.

How important?!?!?!?!? As the song said - 'If you have to ask, you'll never know'. Yes, I am that bass player that stands BEFORE the bride at the buffet.

I get plenty of mileage out of a Hotone Bass Press, and it's an AWESOME wah pedal too.

Oooo Oooo - Ballymena Bass Bash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very interested. I know it’s not in the same ball park, but of all the bass wah’s I’ve tried, I love my Hotone Bass Press. So much that I genuinely wish they made a bigger version.

Acoustic Image have a user-friendly, defeatable and not-at-all hidden hpf on all of their heads. From a double-bass point of view this feature was indispensable. On recordings and onstage it could be set quite high, so cutting more out of the lows, and the result was a clear sound without the dull roar. I can see how that sounds like the opposite of what folks might think they want in an amp though.

Pictures!! Glad to hear it's working out.

For what it’s worth, I had a bass refinished from natural wood to Olympic White. Not knowing any better I bought a white undercoat paint. Top coat paint was definitely Olympic White - I looked quite the plonker standing with my Fender in the middle of Halfords to get the right colour. After spraying, the bass came close to pearl white. I asked the guy doing it what the story was, he said I would have needed grey or possibly an orange undercoat. Wish I’d had that conversation before I bought the paint.

The Pumperknickel is more than worth it. If you like the dbx family of compressors, then you’ll love this. It is so faithful in tone and response to a 163a that I have but way more flexible with the blend, and it’s a pedal. Eternal thanks to Bigwan for telling me about these.

Did he ride like a dipsh!t?

Absolutely, and I totally get why Fender don't make them.

They absolutely are Fender's, not arguing that. My point is that I'd want one without the modern angles - ie, the preamp, the fancy wood top. I'd just want an old fashioned Fender, with my tort guard, and my VVT plate, in Olympic White, with 24 frets. No objections to the 24 fret one they've made at all.