Bass Culture

[quote name='JTUK' post='545212' date='Jul 20 2009, 12:19 PM']So...what did you think about the diff between DB and GS 12's..??[/quote]

JTUK - I think you'll find Peter (Greene King) replied to that effect on pg 1. It's an interesting comparision.

From what Peter says (and you take this as considered and accurate) I'd love to try the DB's. I sold my MB SA450 and Aggy GS112 (x 2) a few months back and have pretty much regretted ever since.

Mark

"Best amp I've ever owned."

I'm glad you're enjoying it, Rob. Truth be told, I'm regretting downsizing to my combo now. And just to echo the sentiments here, I had one (which I sold to Rob/Rowbee) which was bloody brilliant.

Good luck with the sale.

Mark

[quote name='Linus27' post='537076' date='Jul 10 2009, 10:16 AM']I wonder if its my old one. My one had some bad damage just below the nut. The bass fell over on stage and down a pit. It was in its gig bag but the damage was still done. The crack went all the way through and run down the neck, I think starting from one side moving into the centre. I had it properly repaired by Nova Guitar Centre in Guildford and it was fine ever since. I also think mine had a thumb rest as you suggest. I can't for the life of me remember where or who I sold it to but it would had been around 1996 - 1998 ish.

I would love to see some pictures of it, especially where the repair has been done so i can confirm if its my old bass.[/quote]

Folks,

Thanks for all your input. I'm away for the next week or so but when we get back I'll try and post pics. I appreciate your feedback.

Mark

+ 1 for the Manchester/Wirral/Warrington posse - I'm in Chester.

Hey, Steve (Soar) - does Birkenhead really qualify as 'The Wirral' - ha ha!? Hope all is well with you. The LE plays like a dream since the work you did on it.

Mark

Hi All,

Can anyone out there advise as to the value of a 1981 Ibanez Musician that is being offered for sale by a friend of a friend? Being in my mid-forties I'm quite familiar with these basses and, in their day, they were probably seen as on a par with the better Arias - SB 1000's for example. I seem to recall Sting using one for a while too, so they were good quality and popular. Anyway, one's potentially come my way and I'd appreciate any advice from anyone who's more familiar with their value than I as to whether the asking price is reasonable. Here's the seller's description:

[b]The Ibanez is full scale, 24 frets, abalone inlays, ebony fingerboard, neck thru construction, active 3 band eq, the works for a live or studio bass guitar. The neck has been repaired and inspected by KGB, it plays great, no issues, lots of marks but then again, it is 1981 and a solid bass guitar.[/b]

If I knew how to post a link to the jpeg attachements in the e-mail I've got I could post pictures too. The damage to the neck looks as though it could have been quite bad - possibly as break all the way through just below the nut. That said, if it's been properly repaired (and I guess that's what you'd need to take a chance on) it could end up stronger than it was before the break. Someone's also added a thumb rest just above the neck pickup - I don't recall them having one originally but I could be wrong.

Anyway, the seller's after £275. Is this this too much, reasonable or a steal?

Thanks,

Mark

Hell of a price, BB! Mine was £1,500 brand new and even that didn't seem unreasonable at the time.

If you ever want to sell I'm sure I could cobble together £501 - tidy little profit that!

Mark

Thanks both for your comments. Etienne and Rob - it was a pleasure doing business with you both.

Mark

Both Aguilar cabs are now SOLD (thanks, Etienne!) and I've taken a deposit on the SA 450.

Thanks to everyone who PM'ed me - sorry to those who were beaten to the punch.

Cheers,

Mark

Quick update - I've got sales pending on the amp and both cabs at the moment, so thanks to all of you who PM'd me to express an interest. If anything goes the shape of the pear with either of the sales I'll contact you as necessary.

Thanks also to Warwickhunt for pointing out the Paypal gift facility - I never knew that but I suspect it'll come in bloody handy in the future!

Last but not least, I'm changing my ISP in the next couple of days, which may mean my connection goes down and will certainly mean I have to update my e-mail address (I just hope it's worth the hassle). So, if anyone wishes to contact me please post on BC and I'll pick up at work. To both my buyers - you've got my number(s) so please contact me as and when you wish and shoot me a text if you think you'll need my work e-mail address.

Thanks everyone.

Mark

All PM's replied to folks.

And Peter - thanks for that. Hope all is well with you. Just come back from a trip down South but didn't get over to Mersea this time.

I've been running my Mark bass and Aguilar set up for about 3 years now but I've bitten the bullet and down sized to an SWR combo - we just don't gig often enough for me to have all this kit sitting there and, when we do, a combo's probably more practical because we tend to shove everything through the PA anyway.

Sound-wise the Markbass amp and Aguilar cabs are perfect partners - I think there's a few other BC regulars who have more or less the same set up and there's a lot of love out there for this particular combination. Both the amp and cabs are such popular bits of kit that there's not huge amounts I can say about them that hasn't already been said. I suppose the SA 450 is s little less well known than the Little Mark but I plumped for it because I liked the variable gain on the DI out and the the fact that the two bands of mid are semi-parametric, which I think gives you more options in terms of tailoring your sound than the Little Mark.

Everything's in excellent condition - they're probably only been gigged about a dozen times in total over the last 3 years. I can sell the rig as a whole or split according to interest. I can post the amp but not the cabs. The amp includes the rack mount brackets and (if I can find it!) the manual etc. I'll chuck in a good quality speakon lead with each of the cabs too.

Prices: SA 450 - £425 (inc post); GS 112's - £215 each.

Amp and 1 cab - £625; Whole rig - £825. I'm in Chester and you're welcome to pop to try any and all of the set up. I'll get some photos up at the weekend but shoot me a PM if you're interested beforehand.

Cheers,

Mark

P.S. I can do Paypal too but buyer will have to pay fees - sorry.

I've used a MB SA450 paired with two Aguilar GS112's for the last three years now. I went for thr SA450 over the LM because of the variable DI out gain and the semi-parametric mids. As others have mentioned, a decent stomp box tuner is pretty useful - I've got the Korg one with the brushed metal case; can't remember the model. Anyway, for me this set up is brilliant. It's plenty loud enough for rehearsals with just one cab and at gigs I tend to use both and tilt the whole lot back. I don't use the VPF filter at all as I don't tend to do any slapping but I've always found the VLE filter pretty useful. I may change my cabs soon, not because there's any problems tone-wise but simply because I'm lusting after one of Alex's Barefaced Bass Big Baby's that he's presently got on the drawing board. If it wasn't for these I think my GAS would be pretty much sated by the MB/Aggy combination!

I think these are really strong songs. What's really nice to hear is that's there's no over playing (or singing) too and everything that's being played makes a real contribution to the strength of the song. I can't really comment on the quality of the recording/mix as I'm only listening to it on tinny little speakers at work. Suffice it to say it sounds fine to me though! I think I'd be pretty happy with myself if I'd recorded those!

Mark

My wife bought me one for Christmas. I'm a newbie to multi-effects but the guy in the shop recommended the Boss unit over the Zoom B2.1 as he said he thought it was more suitable to use live. I do think it pays dividends to spend some time with the manual before you start tinkering. And then spend more time setting up your own patches. Of the factory presets there's an awful lot that I personally wouldn't use. I don't think the Synth effects are up to much but I've got no personal experience of others to relate that to, just the fact that they are a bit too unsubtle to fit comfortably in anything I'm presently playing.

I'm starting to get my head around the use of the unit now and in memory mode - the mode they suggest you put it in for live use - one of the pedals is 'active' at all times, so you can't have it without a patch being in use, a dry signal in other words. Unless I'm missing something, which is a distinct possibility as, as I mentioned, I am very much a newbie with multi-effects. A patch can consist of no more tham EQ settings though so it seems to me that, during the same song, unless you engage in some VERY nifty footwork, you can swap between no more than three patches - one per pedal. This is fine for me as I wouldn't expect to need any more than that and swapping banks between songs only seems to take a few seconds and a patch itself can obviously be made up of more than one 'effect'. There may be others though who might find this not enough.

For me I'm really enjoying using the pedal a lot but I can see me setting up no more than about two or three banks of patches which I'll use live with my covers band. If I start playing more original stuff I think Imay end using a few more than that though. In short, I think it's great!

Mark

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='359647' date='Dec 20 2008, 03:43 PM']Got it for £710 inc. Warwick flightcase. It was on sale here for under £600 i think (found the original owner on here). Was gigging with it last night and will be again tonight, it's lovely!

My two "must own" basses were a Zoot and an original Tobias. I still find it amazing you can get a second hand luthier-built british bass for fender money.
The bad news is i'm never selling it!

Anyways, here's some porn!:[/quote]

Mmm, lovely - I feel like Homer looking at a bag of doughnuts! Incidentally, I wonder what's happened to Mike Walsh and Zoot? His profile is practically non-existent since he sold The Bass Merchant.

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='358089' date='Dec 18 2008, 05:00 PM']I've got a laney RBW300 combo with tiltback. 165w and can carry it's own at practices and small pub type gigs. Nice chunky sound too.[/quote]

Ah, Laney. Now there's something I'd not considered. British too, aren't they?

Folks,

Thanks for all your replies. I suspect you're probably right in advising to try and work with what I've got rather than change a set up I am otherwise really happy with. That said, just asking the question has got me thinking wbout what I'd change to if I were going to. I'm not that familiar with GK stuff but I think I might pop into The Bass Merchant when I'm down in Colchester for Christmas. I think they've probably got the GK, SWR and Hartke Hydrive combos in stock so I might give them a blast anyway.

I think might also try one of those X-section keyboard stands, and just raise my whole set up off the floor to nearer ear level - I'm 5'4" so it shouldn't too much!

Thanks for all your suggestions - keep 'em coming!

Cheers,

Mark

P.S. Lemmywinks - I think your avatar contains my dream bass...

All good advice - thanks. I may still want to go down the combo path so please pipe up with any suggestions of you have them. I'm quite impressed with the spec on the SWR Workingpro 12 from what I've seen. Does anyone have one? Would it be loud enough for (small) gigs?

Thanks,

Mark

Hi All,


I'm thinking of changing my Markbass / Aguilar GS112 (x2) set up because I always end up being right on top of it and have to turn up too loud for the rest of the band to hear myself properly over the drums. I love the sound but I just can't get the set up angled up enough to fire more towards my ears. So, a reasonably powered combo which tilts back seems the way to go. Ideally it shouldn't be too heavy either. I'd like to stick to 12" speakers - or speaker - too. Anyone got any suggestions? I see the new Hartke Hydrive combos look pretty well spec-ed and are pretty reasonably priced too, ny the looks of things. Anyone care to wave a flag for any others?

Thanks,

Mark

[quote name='Oscar South' post='334849' date='Nov 23 2008, 01:13 PM']I also bought my TRB from Back Alley Music in Chester, good shop. Great line of basses too.

Don't forget to come see my gigs at The Frog and Nightingale on the 1st, Alexander's on the 8th (headlining woo) and the SU on the 11th if you live in Cherster eh? [/quote]

OS,

I presume these dates are in in December? Might well be just the sort of thing to get me in the Yuletide mood. Might save myself for the gig at the S.U. I graduated from Chester College (as it was then) in 1990 and spent many a happy hour in the S.U. bar; it'd be fascinating to go to a gig there again.

Thanks for the 'head's up'.

Mark

Sale provisionally agreed. If anyone else was interested do PM though and I'll happily contact you if the sale goes pants up.

Thanks,

Mark

Dear All,

I'm putting my Yamaha TRB 1004 up for sale after giving into the overwhelming temptation to purchase the Overwater Perception I tried when I was in The Bass Merchant the other weekend.

This is a lovely bass. I've only had it about two months and bought it brand new from Back Alley Music in Chester, to replace one I sold at the beginning of the year (even by my standards my bass transactions have been a bit rash this year!). It's got a 35" scale so the bottom E really punches through. Really nice, muscial 3 band EQ and it's in shop condition - it's been played at home and at one rehearsal only. The finish is lovely and, being a Yamaha, it's really well put together.

The sound is big and these are still amongst the loudest basses I've played. The EQ is very versatile and you can get a really nice punchy sound - very Jaco-ish as my drummer commented the other week (the sound not the playing...). Anyway, I'm looking for £360 or £375 delivered. I can take Paypal but I'd ask the buyer to cover the fees please. I'm happy to deliver up to a reasonable distance from Chester (say 50-60 miles) for petrol money and anyone who wishes to is very welcome to try it out.

Thanks,

Mark






Please note - the case is NOT included in the sale.

Thanks.

What's the neck like on these, folks? I've read references to them being more Precision-like than Jazz-like and the nut width seems to indicate that. But what does the neck feel like front to back? I've got pretty small hands but I had a Yamaha TRB 1004 which I loved and sold on after I talked myself into deciding that the 35" scale was 1" too long for me! I'd only played custom basses for a few years before that (sorry - that wasn't a brag, just an explanation as to why I lack a reference point!) and that never felt anything other than comfortable. How might the G&L compare?

Cheers,

Mark

Fred,

Sorry about that - it was I who snuckered in just before you. Mind you, Clarky tells me that Parcelforce don't seem to know where Wrexham is so it might end up towards Manchester for all I know. Apologies for pipping you the post. And Clarky's a top bloke to deal with - I think I'm right in saying he'd taken it to the Post Office before he'd even received my Paypal payment! Some bass players are just different class...

Mark

[quote name='deaver' post='256942' date='Aug 7 2008, 09:32 AM']PM on its way[/quote]

PM replied to.

Mark