bassist_lewis

It's been interesting reading everyone's experiences. All a little different, but also very similar. Certainly helps me feel more comfortable taking time off, and hopeful about the outcome.

6 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

If I had the spare cash I'd buy a new one from Viv - probably in black with the roasted neck. Re your HPF comment, my Mullarkey came with black nylon-coated flats fitted and that will be a factor. They sounded surprisingly good in rehearsal so I've decided to keep them on for now. What strings are you using?

Mine came with D'Addarios, but I changed them to LaBellas a few months after getting it. 

I have nylons on my JMJ and love the sound. Though being plastic if there's a ground loop, touching the strings doesn't eliminate the hum.

21 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

Friday night was my first chance to gig my recently-acquired Wilcock Mullarkey and it delivered everything I had hoped for. Up there with the best in terms of quality and playability, it sits perfectly in our 4-piece mix running through my Ampeg SVT-7 Pro head and LFSys Monaco FR/FR cab, even managing to cut through the powerful lows that our guitarist's new Strat puts out. Can't believe my luck in finding this mint pre-owned example at Bass Direct in my preferred colour and reasonably priced at £1950 for a retail sale.

 

Just by the bye, I'm finding that another important bit of kit in delivering 'heft with definition' is the Always On HPF I recently got from Broughton Audio in Canada. My amp delivers 600w into my 600w-rated cab and I got the HPF to protect the driver from potentially damaging low frequencies. Much to my surprise, this tiny box of tricks does as much for my tone-shaping as my bass and amp controls. I just set everything up as I always did ands then find the frequency floor that gives me the best sound. Shame they don't sell in Europe but luckily I was able to get mine via a contact living in Canada. I know this may seem a bit off topic but I have a feeling that an HPF is especially effective when applied to the signature tones of short-scale basses.

not surprised at all you're enjoying it! Viv makes some of the best basses in the UK. The real trick is being happy with just one!

Interesting you mention the HPF. I have one on my Noble and I use it with all my basses except my Mullarkey. With the Serek and JMJ it does as you say, takes away the mud and makes it sit nicer in the mix. With my Mullarkey it made it took away too much low end, making it sounds thin. I wonder if the difference is in the basses, the HPFs or our ears?

Please tell me you use this with a wedding band for Mr Brightside etc

3 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I had a similar thing as you did in August and took the whole month off. It didn’t impact my playing at all and I felt loads better.

 

I’ve started listening to different music. I’ve found some incredible new stuff I’d never have ever considered listening to and (guess what?) it’s made me pick up the bass and try and play along. 
 

 

I'm kind of hoping for this: having a sense of what I actually want to do on the instrument. I've been practicing technique pretty hard for the last 18 months. Its been great learning how to learn, but its not quite music is it...

1 hour ago, NJE said:

I took about 2 years out a few years back, my kids were small and I just wanted to be with them and not be thinking about gigs etc.

 

I always used to play to earn some money and that was a bit motivation to keep playing. Since starting up again I don’t worry too much about money (my job is decent and I’m not counting pennies these days), the big thing for me is getting out of the house and seeing people, having a laugh and just doing it because it helps my mental health.

I've met a few dads with the same story!

3 hours ago, Beedster said:

I stopped playing for close to 20 years between 1985 and 2003. I had far more success and status in the former, far more joy and satisfaction in the latter 👍

If this happens for me I'll be happy.... I hope!

I've been playing for almost 25 years now, and gigging regularly for 15 of those, largely in covers bands with a few originals. Five years ago I qualified as a teacher and have been full time for two, all the while doing gigs on the side. This last August I did my last wedding (sort of... I booked one next June because it was 20 minutes from my house and I finish at 9pm!) because its too much working full time, gigging most weekends and being married.

Income was the main reason I played, both gigs and practice, but with a full time and very reliable job (feeling very grateful amongst all these layoffs), I've felt at a bit of a loss as to why I play. So, in discussion with my wife I decided to take a month off playing to reset and see what happens at the other side. I've not burned any bridges. I still have 3 bands on the go (one is gigging at the end of the month), but I want to see what kind of motivation is left with now money isn't one of them.

Anyone else taken time out from playing? Did it change how you felt about playing or why you played?

9 hours ago, ossyrocks said:

I can't comment on whether it handles a 5 as I' don't use one. But I can't see any scenario where this cab wouldn't work. It's a cab I expect to keep forever (famous last words).

 

However, there have been small gigs where it has not been the most appropriate cab for the job, and I've used my One10 for those so far. Occasionally I have felt the One10 to be not quite enough, so I've ordered another one. Hopefully by Christmas I'll have all the options covered, 1x10, 2x10, and 3x10 depending on the gig. I love the sound of Barefaced 10" cabs.

 

Rob

I bought a One10 WIDE, so I have one for small gigs, Three10 for medium or bigger gigs (if there's good monitoring) and effectively a 4x10 if I really want to blast it. The Three10 has a relatively small footprint, hardly bigger than your average 1x12 cab.

8 hours ago, Chris Horton said:

I’m really interested in the three 10 cab. 
 

I am predominantly a 5 string player. 
 

how do you three 10 cab users find the cab copes with the low B string?

Admirably! Mine never struggles.

4 hours ago, jan4 said:

Here is my pedal board. Any suggestions for a better order?

I'd put the POG2 before the Big Muff, as the Muff will affect the tracking on the octaves. Experiment with chorus before and after the Muff, it makes a big difference!

4 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

YEEE-HAAA!! Just bought a pre-owned Wlcock Mullarkey from Bass Direct 🙂 Same colour as the one recently sold on here by Clarky but with a scratch-plate from the red end of the tort spectrum. Will be delivered Tuesday - can't wait.

 

Watch this space!

knew it wouldn't last long!

I've had this for a few years and not really used it much, and with life about to get more expensive I can't justify keeping it. These are very hard to come by (hence the price), and it doesn't look like Spencer is going to be building them again any time soon.

It's definitely one of the most malleable filters out there, with lots of controls for attack, decay, response etc, plus the FX loop. I don't have the original box, only the Wonderlove box it had when I bought it, but it does have the original instructions.

Price includes insured delivery.

I managed to play one of the Mustangs when I was on holiday in the US last week and it plays very well. Setup wasn't quite to my liking but it felt well made. The neck had a brushed feel I've not encountered before. Not bad necessarily, just new to me. It sounded good through an Ampeg combo, and given I don't like Ampegs that must mean it sounds very very good! Its a slab body, but the there is more controlling round the edge than my JMJ Mustang, much more rounded. I would appreciate 70s contouring on a Mustang, but again its not huge minus.

Overall it felt like a well made instrument. I'm not sure £1500 worth of well made, but you pay a premium for American labour. I recognise the comments about this line rehashing other lines and I think that is a valid criticism, especially for the Ps and Js. However, as far as Mustangs go, this is a nice slightly higher end addition to the current roster i.e. the Squier CV and Broncos (yes, I know its technically a Musicmaster), Vinteras and JMJs. I never liked the American Performer Mustangs with two pickups, so this feels like a good replacement to me.

It'll be the faded Dakota red for me please... when I have money... which probably be never in this economy...

My mum is very generously taking me to New York tomorrow, where we're going to see Ron Carter at Birdland Jazz Club, then off to Minneapolis to see Paul McCartney(!) Ian Allison is doing a clinic at The Guitar Shop NYC, but we have to be at the airport right as it starts 😭

3 hours ago, ezbass said:

https://retrovibe.co.uk/product/retrovibe-p30-slab-precision-bass-30-6-short-scale-black-limited-edition-of-8/
 

or in yellow

 

https://retrovibe.co.uk/product/retrovibe-p30-slab-precision-bass-30-6-short-scale-yellow-limited-edition-of-8/

What's the story on these? They look pretty cool!

Spied this on Reverb:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/92525158-yamaha-broad-bass-bb-vis-short-scale-solid-body-31-5-scale-mij

Short scale (ish) Yamaha form the 80s.

4 hours ago, EmmettC said:

Sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but seems better than starting again - I have a 3 Leaf You're Doom, and I have the option to trade it for a Doom 2, but it'll cost me around £150 to swap. Is it worth it, I'm really happy with the You're Doom, it is really simple to dial in between songs for live use and it never sounds bad. I do like the eq option on the Doom 2 though, seems like it will be even more versatile, but will it be as usable live? 
Anyone who has tried both, is it worth £150 to "upgrade", or should I just be happy with what I have?

I've never used the original but I've been using the Doom 2 for about a year now and it's super musical, very easy to dial in on the fly. I'd also say it struggles to sound bad.

I've had issues with underpowered pedals causing noise over the last few months, the most recent being the CMC Audio Protoype V2, so I bit the bullet and bought a Gen X 8 from Gigrig. It has six 500mA outputs and two 1A outputs so I figured it would solve all those issues. And I was right! Its more compact than if I added a third high current adapter while still providing all the current my board needs.

I just took delivery of a CMC Prototype V2. It's a great tube/amp sounding low to mid gain drive, with some great tone shaping controls. Similar to the OG Jive in some ways (though a less fuzzy character), but with more control over the drive sound.

I apologise for not providing pictures.

Selling this as I hardly use it, and have stepped away from weddings, so don't need to recreate those sounds anymore. Only gigged a few times, so in near new condition. Comes with original box, power supply, USB cable and user guide.

Would consider partial trade for a Way Huge Pork Loin.

Postage will be £10 to mainland UK

This is from the first batch(ish) of this version back in 2020. Never used live and in near new condition. Comes with box and papers, and velcro on the back.

Would consider trading (full or partial) for a Way Huge Pork Loin, or a Sushi Box tube DI pedal.

Postage will be £15 to mainland UK

Selling as I swapped them out for Zen Blades. They're a couple of years old but are working fine.

They are the Bartolini P2 size.

Reduced as they've seen some use: £150

I'll include postage to mainland UK.

1 hour ago, KristianTheDane said:

@bassist_lewis
I wonder if this thread is dead? Could you please say a couple of words about the new Jive?

Best regards

Kristian 

This version feels like it is aimed at guitarists and/or bass players who want to augment an already overdriven sound. My sound has more in common with Pino Paladino, Mike League, James Jameson et al, so I didn't find it to be very useable.

I still have it just to have it, but I may end up selling, or keeping it in the hopes it becomes a sought after curiosity in the future.

4 hours ago, Jazzlover said:

What are good custom options to consider for the Mullarkey? Looking to get a pink one.

 Copy cat 😜 I got a shell pink one delivered in March last year, it'll be on his Insta if you want to see what that looks like. Viv doesn't go in for a crazy amount of options, but you could get a matching headstock, I think he still does ash and alder bodies, and binding.

https://www.wilcocklondon.com/order-form

9 hours ago, manol said:

I would have put this in the short scale appreciation society, but it's 32" so I'd be run out of town. 

Just picked up my Mullarkey the other week -

 

Couldn't be happier. It was a bit over a year from initial order to delivery.

I've taken it to a rehearsal, and I've found all pickup combinations are very usable depending on the song.

 

The clip I've attached is the bass straight into an Audient iD4 into Cubase, no EQ, no plugins, nothing.

• 32" Mid Scale
• Nitro Finish
• 12" Larger body than a regular Mullarkey.
• Roundwounds rather than the stock, everyone seems to have them flats on it.

 

Love the look of this one! What kind of music do you use the front pickup for? I only use it solo'd very very occasionally.

Rounds are sacrilege on a Wilcock but it does sound great so.... we'll let it slide this time 😉

1 hour ago, Bagman said:

yes only made 1996-98 

might be  50-100 made 

 

FTT Bass Blaster is a great overdrive , I would like a try on their Black Vehicle 

I have a Black Vehicle overdrive. It's got the driven amp sound down, plus a really flexible boost circuit that allows you to control how much pre and post gain it adds. Lots of sounds on tap. My only criticism would be that it is a single mix knob, rather than a dedicated dry signal control.