jrixn1

I now have a good quality (CTS pots) loom and so can reconnect the bridge pickup, returning the bass to a regular PJ (controls: volume, volume, tone).

Some good suggestions here.  I'll add into the mix the new Markbass MB58R Mini CMD 121 combos - there are two versions, the "P" and the "Pure", and they're around 10kg which is about 1.5kg heavier than the GR Bass combos mentioned - but about half the price.

If your Markbass 801 is almost loud enough, it can take an extension cab.  I don't think Markbass make a matching 8" cab so I'm not sure what the best options is - perhaps a Barefaced One10 (7kg) although it's hard to predict what the results will be when you mix and match cabs like this.

Or you can get a second 801 and run them next to each other (you'll need some sort of pedal to split the signal from your bass).  As you know they are only 6.5kg so that's the lightest option and possibly the cheapest too.

Finally when you say you are struggling against the horns, is that for your own monitoring or do you mean the audience/band needs the bass to be louder?  If it's just your own monitoring, one thing I've done with a big band is to keep using my smaller amplification on stage and in additional use earphone monitoring to give myself a boost. 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/751171026805897/

Harley Benton PJ-75

£120 including UK postage.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pj_75ow_vintage.htm

Nice 5-string PJ bass - this was my backup when I had a Maruszczyk Jake 5, but I've made a commitment to 4-string basses so no longer needed.

Good demo here from Bass Bonedo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcvnnWGAL0o

It's wired with a KiOgon loom but just as a P bass (i.e. controls are volume and tone) - an upgrade on the stock electronics but note that the bridge pickup is currently disconnected.  Original PJ loom will be included.

The current roundwounds are starting to get tired.  I can include a set of Ernie Ball Slinky flats for £40 if that is of interest.

Good weight for a 5-string at 4.190kg (9lb 4oz).

Sweetwater's website lists the internal length.  So you could trawl through https://www.sweetwater.com/c587--Bass_Guitar_Gig_Bags.

I once bought a Fender FB1225 gig bag but returned it because it was too long - I see that its sibling Fender FB610 is apparently 48.04" (1220mm).

Peach Guitars show the weight of most of their basses; e.g. there is one here at £394 which is 8lb 4oz.  Or how about this used one at £259 and 8.4lb (that's 8lb 6oz, I think) and has a 14-day returns period.  I've owned two Classic Vibe 60s and one Classic Vibe 70s - really good basses and they were all 8lb 9oz or under.  I would say your standard/average P bass comes in around 9 lbs.

Immaculate Markbass MB58R MINI CMD 121 PURE.

https://www.markbass.it/product/mb58r-mini-cmd-121-pure/

£790 including UK postage, original box, and UK power lead.

This is from the new MB58R range.  There are two 12" combos in the 'mini' range: the cheaper "P" with the piezo tweeter and a 300W head; and this one, the "PURE" with the hi-fi tweeter and a 500W head.

The weight is only 10.3kg, which is insane - load-in is an absolute joy!  The EQ points are well-chosen and intuitive, although personally I ended up using the amp just about flat, with a small amount of the "old school" knob dialled in.

With the gain and master down quite low (both at 9 o'clock), this was enough to match our drummer in an eight-piece function band.  The power-to-weight ratio of the combo is astounding.  However, for me, my heart remains with powered speakers, so moving this Markbass on.

Speaker: 1 x 12” Neodimium Custom
Tweeter: Markbass hi-fi tweeter
Speaker Power Handling: 400W RMS (AES Standard)
Output Power: 500W RMS @ 4 ohm, 300W RMS @ 8 ohm
Dimensions (WxHxD): 15.35” x 18.50” x 14.17” / 39 cm x 47 cm x 36 cm
Weight: 22.7 lbs / 10.3kg

I can also add a barely-used Markbass stand for £25, and a brand new Hotcovers custom-fit cover (black 600D polyester) for £35. 
 

I wouldn't move from the 912 to the 915 - I'd go to the 732.  I no longer own one but I played bass guitar through mine and a little bit of synth. It is very good sound quality, and loud - will definitely do small-medium gigs. 

The 9 series looks nice, is newer but heavier than the 7 series.
The middle number is key though - compression driver voice coil... (3 is better than 1).

What was your previous rig?
 

55 minutes ago, Paolo85 said:

Thanks! They both would do the job! The Yamaha admittedly well above my budget and I was hoping something even cheaper than the mixer although that could be ok in absence of alternatives. The audio comes from my phone so I was also hoping something with 3.5mm jack

 

...I am open to odd ideas (eg buying another Zoom just for the aux in, echept a cheaper smaller pedal!)

What about an interface to your phone?
E.g.
https://zoomcorp.com/en/gb/audio-interface/audio-interfaces/u-22/

So now your bass is on your phone, you use GarageBand app etc on your phone to play the backing track + record yourself.

30 minutes ago, prowla said:

The seller would not budge on F&F, even when I said I'd cover the fees for G&S, so I didn't go through with it.

Just don't pay for goods using F&F.

Perhaps the seller is concerned that if they accept PayPal goods and services, they become open to payment reversal scams or disputes that the item was not as described.  Ultimately when making an online transaction with strangers, there is no way for both buyer and seller to be 100% protected.  Like you I too would not proceed if for any reason I wasn't feeling comfortable.

40 minutes ago, greavesbass said:

Hands down some pot bellied Euro guy in a dads cardigan 10-15yrs ago on YT. In a studio with a rack of 60's P's and laying it down like crazy..Minimal notes,, minimal movement but incredible feel and groove. Anyone remember?

Thomas Risell (MarloweDK)?

14 minutes ago, tauzero said:

If you're trying to access an account from outside, by logging in, you'll never do it.

I agree.  I thought people were talking about recovering passwords from data i.e. when the hashed password file has been leaked.
If you don't have that file, then like you say, you can't brute force directly on the live site as it would take billions of years - and the site locks you out after three attempts anyway.
Perhaps a less worse method would be the other way round: pick a common password and then try it in combination with known usernames.
 

14 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

On the basis of taking a second for each try,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_cracking
"the number of possible passwords per second which can be checked can be in the billions or trillions per second"
 

7 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

not if there is an internet round trip time of many 100 of ms, and you get locked out after 3!

The scenario is that the password file has been leaked. In that case, the passwords will be cracked locally, not against the live site.

Roqsolid are good.  The other one to consider is https://www.hotcovers.co.uk/

Can't go wrong with either of them.

4 hours ago, Gasman said:

the engineer could not compress the output enough to get a clean PA signal, kept asking me to turn amp volume down

Perhaps the line out signal was too hot - but did the engineer also have a separate issue of the stage volume being too loud?  It depends how you interpret "kept asking me to turn amp volume down" - did he mean "turn the line out level down" or did he mean "turn the stage volume down".

For the line out signal being too hot -
How were your gain and master set?  You probably know this, but just to clarify: adjusting the master volume doesn't affect the level of the line out going to the desk.  To reduce the line out level but maintain the same stage volume, you'd need to reduce the gain (either by turning down the gain knob, or by pressing in the input pad) and then re-establish your stage volume by turning the master volume up; that might affect your tone though - but perhaps a compromise would have to be made there.

Separately, if there was an issue that the bass was too loud on stage, to the point where the volume of bass coming through the PA was set to zero but it's still too loud for FOH, then you would need to reduce the stage volume, by turning down the master on your amp.  When I've been in this situation, I 100% trust our sound engineer and so have to deal with being quieter on stage.  Sometimes though I can tweak the EQ - perhaps lower my overall volume but boost some upper mids - so I am quieter but attempt can find a frequency which cuts through (to my ears) better.

13 minutes ago, alittlebitrobot said:

Great stuff. I love those tuners and I've been wondering if they could accept, and hold, a bass string for my next build.

I've looked into these in the past - isn't there a max string gauge?

https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/steinberger-gearless-tuners/

"Maximum string gauge: 0.060" (1.52mm)."

Try https://www.facebook.com/groups/depsuk/

UK postage now included in the price.

SONICAKE Sonic IR
Impulse response loader

£30 posted

"SONIC IR is a simple and efficient cabinet simulator delivering 11 selected classic guitar/bass cabinet models. You can load your own IR files. Two outputs jacks are suitable for different usage scenarios."

Full details at https://www.sonicake.com/products/sonic-ir

Power: standard 9V DC (not included)

Outputs: 1/4" and XLR

Very easy to drag and drop your own IR files using a USB C cable (not included).  You can buy/download IRs from various places; e.g. https://shift-line.com/irpackbass ; https://www.3sigmaaudio.com/shop/

No box, but will be packaged well.

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

Of course, I`d completely forgotten about GR Bass Aero - good call, thanks very much.

The newish Markbass MB58R Mini CMD 121 Pure also looks interesting, at 10.3kg.

I mean use only the effects send, without plugging anything back into the effects return (i.e. don't complete the loop).
This results in the signal being split: the original path remains, through the power section and real cab; and an additional path now, through the cab sim and external DI box.

This is how I would expect most amps to route in general, but check your specific manual/schematic.

Are you also using a real cab at the same time?

If so, use the amp's effects send -> cab sim -> external DI box.

If not, put the cab sim in the amp's effects loop and continue to use the amp's DI.

If you put a mic'ed instrument through backline, it will feedback.

Go through the same PA that your singer etc (i.e. anyone/anything with a mic) is going through.

Or if there is no PA... I'm curious what the band line-up is and why/how it is so loud that you need to mic a sax.

I've a couple of times recently sent bass bodies, parts, and a hard case to N Ireland (although not a complete instrument) via ParcelForce and it was just the same as sending it anywhere else in the UK.  No paperwork etc.