Ed_S

Although I've not yet used one myself, there seems to be a lot of love for the EBS Classic Session 60 at the moment. Reviews all seem favourable and EBS gear tends to be solid, so I'd give one a listen if I were looking...

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1323796304' post='1467212'] Raising that old chestnut "[b][s]How[/s][/b] Why [b]on earth do you pick a Fender Precision[/b]?" when there are many other [size=5][b]arguably [/b][/size]better offerings available. [/quote] Think you answered your own question...

I tried a few American Specials when they first came out because the red / black / maple one really appealed to me visually. My comment at the time was that they feel like a MIM built on a really good day, but on reflection, perhaps more accurately they feel like a MIM body and hardware with a MIA neck bolted on. If you're willing to pay for the convenience of not having to look for that special MIM that feels 98% as good, then by all means pay the premium and be happy, but I thought they were still a couple of hundred quid too pricey for that convenience alone.

I've had a few, all owned from new, all recent models (2008 MIA Standard, 2009 MIM Standard, 2010 MIA Deluxe, 2011 MIJ Classic 70s) and I can say hand on heart that I believe you get exactly what you pay for, and to my mind the American Standard is the best of the lot for the money it costs. If you can afford one, I'd start there and work down. If you find a cheaper one that feels just as good, buy it (they're out there to be found), but that's where I'd pitch in. I also have a Squier VM, and after a good while of playing it stock, put a quarter-pounder in it a couple of days ago. Nice instrument for the cash, perfect for what I want it for (C,F,Bb,Eb tuning) and if it was all I could afford I'd have no problems with it, but without hesitation it's at the bottom of the list in terms of hardware and general feel.

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1323645629' post='1465473'] I know it`s another lump to carry, but perhaps an Uninterruptable power supply might prevent power problems with valvey ampage. [/quote] Could maybe save a few pounds in weight and money by ditching the battery pack and just getting an APC Line-R or similar line conditioner. I don't know how good the [url="http://www.ebuyer.com/53035-apc-le1200i-line-r-1200va-automatic-voltage-regulator-200-230-240v-4-output-connectors-le1200i"]new ones[/url] are, but the old ones were great.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1323673636' post='1465562'] Fender Precision, simple as that. [/quote] Amen to that. My first was a 1998ish Squier P-bass Special (about which there was so little 'special' that the whole batch got recalled by Fender!), which so put me off that I spent a long time refusing to play them, despite loving the shape. When I finally went back, it was because my collection was a BC Rich Warlock 5, an Ibanez BTB406QM, and a Rockbass Vampyre 5, all of which looked great but weighed more than my ailing neck and back could cope with. Having just worked it out as best I can, it took me 11 basses before I went back to a Precision, and fortunately it was a good one (2009 Standard Mex). Took me a week and a fairly hairy gig to convert everything back from 5 strings to 4, but that's it for me now. My neck doesn't hurt, and I've never been happier with the sound/tone I have. So yeah, that's how I arrived at my 'The One'!

Could try and find yourself a Jackson KB1 / KBX Kelly bass. They're the most uncomfortable, neck-heavy chunks of wood I've ever encountered, but still great ...failing that, a P

Niiiice.. I was tempted to go and have a look at that one myself!

For me, probably the first gig I went wireless. Just to prove that it worked I went and bought a beer in the middle of a song, downed most of it with the bottle in my teeth, played a random slide thing with the empty bottle and then spent the rest of the gig generally arsing around with the audience. I've since toned it down a little, but it was certainly the start of something

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1322788649' post='1456022'] [size=4]If you like Markbass I'd also look out for an MB 410 cab.[/size] [/quote] Completely agree - the Standard 104 HR is quite modestly sized and weighs very little for a 4x10, and it reaches incredible levels of volume with my LMII whilst still managing to sound 'classy'. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

Machine Mart do a decent range of wheels, as well as ready-made dolly boards. Worth a look if you want to actually walk into a shop and handle stuff to get a feel for what's going to work best, rather than ordering online. They do some that whilst small and solid, are a bit more of a rubbery compound and work better when you hit rough and uneven surfaces.

I've always found Gator and SKB very solid, and have just picked up a Swan Flight sleeve that appears to be very well built. Boschma are supposed to be good, though I've never used one.

Had the same with Silverstone myself. The cover did eventually arrive and it was decent for the money, but by that point I'd been fobbed off so many times I really didn't care!

Why not just get a rack power amp? It'd let you use your BDDI as a pre-amp and give you exactly the tone you already know you like.

I've noticed that the browser back button behaves strangely when viewing on my iPad - sometimes it's fine, but more often than not I have to press it exactly three times to get back to the previous page. Not that I'm complaining - the navigation links are there for a reason and they work just fine.

I like the sound of Sennheisers, but sadly I've never found any that are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time - the ear pads seem to be quite small and rest [i]on[/i] my ears rather than going [i]over[/i] them, which means that in half an hour I'm in pain. Maybe I'm just a big-head I do, however, swear by a pair of cheap AKG K-55s that I bought just to bulk up an order from Thomann and get free shipping a few years ago. They're big and old-school, and comfortable to the point where you forget that you're wearing them. They also handle some serious volume and bass frequency, even though they're marketed as HiFi, not studio. So yeah, AKG would be my vote!

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1322220933' post='1448074'] Isopropyl is indeed a better general solvent, as is acetone! Not entirely straightforward to get in quantity unless you happen to work in a lab though.[/quote] Have a look at a place called "Shiny Hardware" [url="http://www.shinyhardware.co.uk"]www.shinyhardware.co.uk[/url] - they specialise in PC cooling products, but will sell you industrial grade IPA, acetone and butanone in anything up to 25 litre bottles. Really aint that expensive, either.

Personally I'd always use a dedicated DI box rather than anything built-in, no matter how good it is. That way, if your amp develops a problem / gets its plug pulled etc. you don't lose the DI signal to FoH, just your rig on stage.

...or, if you wanna buy new and have a warranty etc. then pushing the budget another few quid would score you something like the [url="http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Gallien-Krueger_Backline_115_Bass_Combo_Amplifier/GK-BL115"]GK Backline 115[/url] which would probably do you quite nicely. I borrowed one on a gig a while back and was rather pleasantly surprised.

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1321696377' post='1441984'] Why not just swap the pre out for an Aguilar / East / Sadowsky etc? Then no need to get work done as the pick-guard, battery compartment and cavity are all there and presumably you wanted an active pre-amp when you first bought it? [/quote] Good question.. and sadly I must admit the answer lies mostly in vanity! I wanted the colour (trans wine red), wanted it to be a US Fender P-bass (not a copy or custom build), and wanted it to be new in original colour (not a refin). The active pre-amp and the J pickup at the bridge were bits I thought long and hard about and eventually decided I could either get rid of or ignore. So, because I'm strange, stripping out the active bits and fitting a simpler pick-guard would be cheaper, and actually get it closer to what I originally wanted

My only gripe is with the pre-amp. I affectionately know the pre in my 2010 Deluxe P as the 'Fender DFA', because it Does F*** All. The pan isn't a pan (as already covered) and one of the dual stacked pots should have come labeled 'high pitched electrical noise', which you can elect to dial in or out of your overall tone as you see fit. Unless, that is, you're near fluorescent lights, and then it's there irrespective ...so I leave it on passive all the time! Don't get me wrong, the bass itself is absolutely great and the pickups in passive mode are as good as any big name equivalent replacement that I've tried. But eventually it'll be this deluxe's destiny to have a new pickguard made with only holes for volume, tone and either a proper pan or a three-way toggle, and all the active stupidity stripped out and stuck in a box.

Personally, given that you already have a small, powerful amp head that you know how to get a decent sound out of, I'd go for the small cab option. Maybe have a look at the Eden EX110 or EX112 (about £200 and £250 respectively). I've got the EX112 and find it perfect for exactly what you describe.

Bass solos are great when it just so happens that the bassist is playing the solo in a song instead of the lead guitarist - I've done that a lot, becuase everybody I play with knows I'm also a lead guitarist and can just treat bass as a bigger, badder version What I don't much care for is the thing where everybody drops out and leaves you to noodle aimlessly; something I prefer to be reserved for a 'line check'.

Nicely done! Might give that a go with my 5500 if it's not stupidly expensive.. like the one I've just ordered for my Peavey Classic 60, which should be a big improvement at 24dBA, but is costing me the best part of £40 just because it's a 230V model..

"Arch Enemy - Tyrants of the Rising Sun" is an absolute masterclass on being a tight metal band, and "Ozzy - Live at Budokan" is likewise for lone guitarists.