ardi100

Well, first outing for the SX. I really can't believe how good it sounded in the band mix. This is a definite keeper!

Yep, I only got 2 sets and postage for around £13! Pretty happy with them after 24 hours. They're on a new (to me) bass, so I can't evaluate completely.

I just got some 45-135 Warwick red labels very cheap on Bax: Here they are

Everything seems fine so far. It has really come alive with some new strings. There's a bit of fret buzz so the next step is investigating the truss rod. I have very little idea in this department, so I'm treading carefully!

Cheers, I'm very happy with it so far. I'm just about to fit a new set of strings.

Sorry for the multiple photos, I can't work out how to remove them.

I've been gassing for a 5 string for ages and finally decided to bite the bullet. My only other bass is a 97 Jazz Bass Deluxe that I ordered and paid off and cost more thany first car! I love this bass and for 28 years have only bought one other, when I arrived in London and bought a super cheap squire jazz (which was ace, but got stolen!). I was looking for anything with a humbucker and maple fretboard, only as something different to what I already have. I looked at things like scale length and string spacing but thought 'i don't really have any reference points', so I wasn't picky. I was looking for Yamaha or Ibanez 5ers, but my budget was so limited. Anyway, I bought this: SX SW1B. It's a copy of a Warwick, or a Spector, or both (or neither!) and it's pretty decent.

I can get a few usable synth patches from my Boss GT1-B, but it's hampered by the number of effects you can use in any one patch. I imagine it's much easier to build your own synth patches with fewer restrictions on the number of blocks of effects you can use?

I think I had the 3.2 Warwick and I now have an RM 800. I used to really like the tone I got from the Warwick. A sound engineer once told me my lovely recorded tone was due to the boutique kit I had (Korean Squire Jazz, said Warwick through an EBS cab!). That all said, the Ashdown tone is wonderful, the amp is much lighter and you never now when you'll need the watts. Ashdown for me.

I got this just over a day too late, having just splurged £129 (inclluding delivery) on an SX 5 string from Cash Converters (!). I have no idea what mine will be like!

This could very well be a very dumb question, but how do you know if a defiency in the sound of a bass is due to the pickups or the preamp? I've read many discussions of cheap basses where people state with certainty that either the pickups or the preamp (or both) need replacing. What are the tell tale signs of either?

We've had a 2nd guitarist express interest in joining our band. He doesn't drive. He lives 10 - 15 minutes away from me, but in the other direction from rehearsals. It's not far, but I'd be committing to getting and dropping him home for every rehearsal and probable gigs, too. It felt like far too big a commitment to mke before I'd even met him.

I did this and it went down really well, they were apologetic that I'd been committed for so long (same length as you). Do it sooner rather than later and keep searching.

This won't really be news to anyone, but . . . I rehearsed with my RM 800 into my Eden D210MBX in my newish rock band last night. The owner of the basement studio we rehearse in is a bass player and last night he had his Ampeg combos out trying to sort out some gremlins. He asked if I wanted to use one and see if there were any problems, so I plugged into a B600 115. I tried the tube and solid state section, but I didn't have my glasses so didn't spend too much time dialling in a sound. It was nice and warm, but not remarkably interesting at all. After a couple of run througs of our first song, the volume dipped so I plugged back into my rig. Instantly the sound was on a different level. I had to ask the others for confirmation and they agreed without hesitation, the Ashdown sound was just hands down better. I think I need to stop looking for a lightweight replacement for the Eden. It sounded so good.

If you are intimidated by looking at the audience (if you can see them with the lighting), look out over the back row's heads. No one will know you're not looking at them and it looks like you're really confident. That's when your eyes aren't glued to the neck trying to work out where you are!