fretmeister

[quote name='rmcki' timestamp='1447364793' post='2907172'] Have you tried the J-Retro, just for a comparison? [/quote] A friend has a Retro (could be J or U not sure) in a self build bass - he's a luthier- id say the Retro had more range in the EQ. As for basic sound though the basses and the pickups were very different so not great for a bass v bass comparison. The retro had a higher output, if that is important to you. (it's not to me)

The Sadowsky preamp is supposed to be very good. Might be worth looking at. I've got Glockenklang in my Marleaux and it's very nice.

Tecamp Puma 300 (or the combo) Lovely and clean sound (adjustable with the TASTE control). Such a brilliant amp!

I've never played an ESP bass - but I did own a Jap Custom Shop Kerry King flying V guitar. It was brilliantly built and very very easy to play. Lovely instrument, even if it was far pointier than anything I had before or since!

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1447239627' post='2905959'] I can't believe just how many people play with only one hand; are you not limiting yourself a bit by just playing E,A,D & G? [/quote] But if you use 2 hands you can't point at the audience!

[quote name='No. 8 Wire' timestamp='1447172861' post='2905522'] This may be a stupid question. What happens to the other 3 strings when you drop to D? I haven't used a hipshot but when just tuning to drop D manually I often find one or more of A to G go out enough to hear it. Have I just got a sensitive neck or am I caring too much about the slight change? [/quote] Sounds like your neck is shifting a bit. Might be bending a tiny bit, but I reckon it's more likely that the neck pocket screws need tightening up. Never had a tuning shift like that on my wooden neck basses.

I like them loads, I have them on a couple of basses.

I used to have a Warwick Fortress 5 that had an amazingly huge neck. It was bonkers. I think it was from about 2000 ish - certainly not like the earlier slim ones.

I play with woodwind players. 200Wwould let me have plenty of headroom for that task and still be enough for the whole orchestra.

[quote name='colgraff' timestamp='1446835411' post='2902823'] I use earplugs when singing because it blots out some of the noise but boosts my own voice in my head. [/quote] Me too. It's a poor man's vocal monitor! I used the cheap foam ones for so long - the ones that make it sound like I'm underwater - and when I got some flat attenuation plugs I hated them! I missed the dullness of the foam ones!! On the plus side - the foam ones are really cheap!

Couple of books I've found very useful http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simplified-Sight-Reading-Bass-Josquin-Pres/dp/0793565189 https://www.basslinepublishing.com/bass-essentials/the-bass-guitarist-s-guide-to-reading-music-beginner-level.html (first of 3 in a series) Both very good. Take 1 page at a time and get stuck in. Never do hours at a time - you'll absorb far more if you do 10 minutes per day instead.

I gigged with the rack version for a while, into a power amp and cabs. Worked very well indeed. Usual rule applies to all things like that though - bin all the presets and start from scratch

As if by magic... http://basschat.co.uk/topic/272847-fs-mxr-10-band-eq-kfk-version-l50/

Having something custom built is likely to be too expensive and will probably take a few months to build too. I'm looking for something that will keep me going until I have surgery. Then I'll go back to my regular basses. So a custom build won't meet either of those criteria.

I've got a couple of guitars - an ancient Argos nylon string acoustic that sounds way better than it should, an Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul and a USA Strat. I also borrow my daughter's sax every now and again. I had lessons on the alto for years when I was a kid so it's great having a go. The more instruments the better!

I have a Tecamp 300 and it is astonishingly loud - it is also quite a clean sounding amp and I believe (not played one) the Aggie is a bit more dirty. The Puma does have the very useful TASTE control that makes it sound more vintage, but it's always clean - so more like an old Dan Armstrong rather than an Ampeg. I think the main problem is we don't know how accurate the 8ohm output levels are, whether they've been measured properly or whether there is marketing speak going on. I've never heard a bad thing said about either amp - so I would suggest the OP picks the one that he likes the sound of the most. Then if he needs more welly - get a 2nd cab.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1447030831' post='2904323'] Aria Sinsonido. Weighs maybe 4.5lb, 34" scale, "piezo" pup only. About £400 new, IIRC. [url="http://www.playawayguitars.com/play_away_guitars_shop.php?itemID=609"]http://www.playawayg....php?itemID=609[/url] Get well soon Edit: Completely by chance, [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARIA-SINSINIDO-4-STRING-BASS-GUITAR-/301793642835?hash=item46444d8953:g:iE8AAOSw~bFWPz87"]http://www.ebay.co.u...E8AAOSw~bFWPz87[/url] No relation to me, treat with usual eBay caution. £225. [/quote] That's interesting indeed! Found a vid that sounds good too (even if I don't speak the language) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpfYHlLBl2k

Much to my annoyance I have 2 hernias and I'm not supposed to be lifting anything heavier than a kettle. My lightest proper bass is 8.8lb and I can't afford a Rob Allen Mouse 30 ( about 5.5 lb apparently) So what about a Ubass or similar? I'm not expecting bass guitar tones as such but I'm going mad without playing and surgery won't happen to February at the earliest. Anyone playing a Ubass? Is it worth going for the spruce top? All thoughts welcome.

Sandberg California TT4 passive. Awesome bass.

[quote name='moonbass' timestamp='1446765514' post='2902274'] MXR 10 band graphic works brilliantly for me. I'd put it before the fuzz. [/quote] +1 Great pedal. Amusingly the Kerry King model tends to go for a bit less because of the silly graphic. Sound the same though. I had a similar issue with muffs - now I've got a ThorpyFX Muffroom Cloud and it's got an active 2 band EQ in it already. Loads of bottom end!

Lessons make a huge difference even if you only have 2 or 3 lessons to learn how to breathe properly. Well worth it.

Get it sanded. It can happen irrespective of price of the bass. Wood changes over time it can shrink as it dries but excessively dried wood can expand in a home environment too.

Jaco.

Why refuse a sweet fruit from an ugly tree?