machinehead

The live music scene in Belfast is great. Lots of venues putting on originals bands, plenty of covers gigs for the likes of me and all sorts of jams and open mics. Plenty of traditional music gigs too. All the pubs close to me have live music and fortunately, my band play in most of them. Quite a few pubs put on a singer/guitarist at around 6.00pm on Fridays and Saturdays and Sunday afternoons are well covered too. Overall, it's pretty decent. But then, we're just catching up, as the years from 1969 to 1994 ish were a complete desert musically. (And almost every other way.) Very few gigs and no big bands were willing to come to Belfast. Rory Gallagher and a few others excepted. Frank.

I play Mustang Sally quite happily. I wonder how many of us play it as per the original recording? I know I wasn't. This is interesting: https://www.bassplayer.com/lessons/rb-gold-mistake-sally Frank.

Sorry to hear this. I hope your health returns. Frank.

Since nobody has responded, I'll chip in.. I have a pair of one10s and a BB2 which is like a Super Compact, but with a horn. I'd say the pair of one10s have similar volume to the BB2 or Super Compact. The BB2 has more "bite" even with the horn turned right off. Not exactly what you asked but I hope it helps a little. Frank.

I have a BB2 and a Super Midget. Both are excellent cabs. The BB2 has a naturally deeper low end and is my favourite between the two cabs. The Super Midget can take EQ easily though if you want to add more low end and it seems to be as loud as a BB2 if that matters to you. I often gig with the Super Midget alone. It's amazingly capable for such a lightweight and small cab. You can't really go wrong. Frank.

One pub/party/wedding covers band and a blues/R&B band plus a variety of dep gigs. I can use the jazz with TI flats in every situation successfully. (I think so anyway 😉) It's a Mesa Walkabout and a pair of Barefaced Midgets in that pic. Frank.

I have no real explanation for this, but with TI flats on my USA Jazz bass at home, practicing at low volume, it sounds a bit lifeless. Live with the band, they seem to come alive, even seeming to have more pronounced highs but punchy as hell over the full range. I'm sure there's a technical reason for this but I don't know it. Maybe the amp and cab sound better when pushed a little volume-wise? Frank.

Very interesting. I wonder what the thinking behind this is? I would have thought that the rear speaker would have been best mounted near the top of the cab to be closer to your ears? (That is if the design intends that the bass player stands behind the cab.) I'd certainly be interested in hearing/playing one. Frank.

Hi George, When you say "We are based in different towns in the south." which south do you mean? Frank.

I'm going to add a second post. When my back up amp, a GK MB200, gave up the ghost, I bought a Peavey miniMax 500 as a cheap replacement back up amp. It cost me £285. I actually really like it and I've gigged it often enough. It's things like this and my post above about my Ibanez Talman bass that makes me question why I spend so much money on bass gear. There are definately loads of cheap gear available that just work well. Frank.

That would be my Ibanez Talman TMB100 bass. These can be had for about £150 brand new and if you didn't know that you'd think you were playing a bass costing wto or three times that. The PJ pickups are excellent, the preamp is powerful and very useful and it weighs 8lbs! I now gig mine regularly even though I have several far, far more expensive basses. Frank.

I'd say it's TI Jazz flats for you. Frank.

This is looking rather splendid. I wish I had your skills and patience. The Talman body is lovely. Frank.

I agree Chris. I also prefer my BB2 and SM to the one10s but they are just so useful on tight, small venue stages. I've been thinking of moving them on but I'm afraid I might regret it and it's not like I need the money. I always take a single one10 to rehearsals, it's just so handy and easily copes for volume. Like yourself, the other one10 is permanently set up at home. Frank.

I still have a pair of one10s. Great cabs for light weight and small size with massive sound. I also have a BB2 and Super Midget and I think I prefer these cabs. I like the BB2 for the solid bass and great highs from the horn. The SM is great for small venues and the BB2 together with the SM will easily cover every gig I'm likely to do. Frank.

No tatoos for me. I'm a non-conformist. Frank.

TI Jazz flats sound great on my USA Jazz and Precision basses, and on my USA Fender Jaguar and on my Fender Vintage Hotrod 70s Jazz USA... I think you get the picture. Flats sound good on almost any bass. (My opinion, of course. ) Frank.

I remember reading that they are not interchangeable. I've never owned a Lakland or tried to swop control plates but since there are no other replies I thought that might help. They even look different though. Frank.

For me it's just how ballsy it sounds. It is lacking in treble but, in a gigging situation, that doesn't really matter. And you can actually get more highs when you work out how. It's just a workhorse, no nonsense gigging amp, and at a sensible price. All you need and nothing you don't. Frank.

Would you have given me £200 for a perfect Wal Mk1 in 1990? I forgot about that and now the pain is back. Frank.

The tiny one10 sounds good with every amp I've tried it with but I particularly enjoy the Quilter BB800. It's a bit dark sounding though so maybe not to everyones liking but great for smaller gigs. Frank.

Haha. I've experienced something similar. But it's better over-packaged than under-packaged and then damaged. Frank.

All the Squier basses are good instruments and well priced. An even cheaper and (subjectively) as good as the Squiers is the Ibanez Talman range at around £150 new, even cheaper used. I bought one recently and have been gigging it quite a bit. They are a little known bargain. The little Fender Rumble amps are perfect for home practice too. I bought a used for for £20 a few years ago so maybe £50 would get you a used V2 one now? Taking advice from an experienced player is good advice too. Frank.