la bam

Yeh, it's weird how we think we have the one we want then try to make it fit, when unbeknown to us there's a better alternative out there. When I look back with the precisions I've used every amp and cab combination, pedals, fx, strings and it turns out it was the bass all along. To put into context I've never ever ever been able to make a precision sound like they do in any demo video, but spend a fortune trying to! I don't know why, but I just can't make any precision sound like a precision

Yes, its weird how some basses suit some players and others don't. I just had precisions because all of my bass heroes did and thought I'd sound like them if I had one (but without the talent)

Do the wilkinson tuners fit as a direct replacement?

They are great. I've said before I rate my mm84a benton in my top 2 basses ever. And I've had every type of bass going.

I've had a bass since 1992. The usual lads decide to form a band thing. It was a precision (copy). That was soon upgraded for a westone precision type bass. Then when I started properly playing I got a USA precision. Played it for 10 years without playing anything else. Then when that folded I started a function band and it was precisions again. I tried jazzes along the way, but really couldn't gel with them. Then I got into tribute acts. Precisions again. Loads of them. Forever swapping. Tried jazzes again, and (apart from the flea jazz) just couldnt gel. I was also never ever ever really happy with my precision sound. Nothing wrong with it. But never truly impressed. Punchy on the E string, yes, but not rich anywhere else. Then after 30 years of p basses..... I bought a Harley benton double humbucker musicman copy. Absolutely love it. I think it's a fantastic bass. Every sound under the sun. Big, but somehow easy to play and clear sounding everywhere. Then over the last few weeks I got the even cheaper Harley benton single humber stingray copy. And once I'd whacked some better strings on and shielded it, it's gorgeous. Seriously fat and gnarly but controllable and warm. Where my precisions would be too fat and dull to really rip into some songs, this does it with ease. I've tried these with function band, tribute band and party band and it fits lovely and warm and clear across the scale. The precisions and jazzes in my hands where flat and subdued and sounded a bit lazy. I'm sure it's just my style (finger style) and nothing to do with the actual basses, but I can just not get a lively sound out of a precision or jazz. I sound instantly dull, despite fitting in the mix. But now with stingrays (all be it budget ones) everything come to life. So, it turns out after 30 years of playing and telling everyone I'm a died in the wool precision player - I'm not. It should have been stingrays all the way!

You know I remember when they first came out, and I remember reading bass magazine and I'm sure they said the same thing! For years I've remembered that and no one believed me!

What do I value about my local music shop? The Miserable ignoring of customers when they walk in. The useless stock levels of anything bass wise. The lies that they have things in stock, but turns out it's in their warehouse, but wont deal with it because you need to order online. Their sky high prices. The absolute miserable attitude to being helpful to you whilst you are trying to give them your money. The complete arrogant attitude when you walk in and the look an aristocrat gives to a street walker. As you can tell, I don't like mine. And it's a big chain store. And 5 mins walk from my house. I gave it another chance recently and having been greeted with a grunt, and then told by the assistant still eating his dinner that the only bass strings they stock are daddrio xl and they're £40, I walked out, not to return again for another 5 years.

I always try to be positive, but my word, THAT video is everything I don't get about bass playing / players. Each to their own though. It's all good if you like it. Just not for me.

For me, it's always been about the song. Everything is the song. So I really really don't get 4 minutes of just bass, banging, slapping and confusing everything - at the detriment of the song. I don't get people playing full songs just on bass. There's so many more better full range instruments for soloing on.

Hi all, I'm thinking of getting a 'real' US stingray in the future. But with so many variants, and no doubt so many modded ones and indeed fakes, what should I look out for to determine its a genuine US stingray? I'm fine with fenders, precisions, jazzes, but stingrays are new to me and to be honest a bit of a minefield. Cheers

I had one of the V4s. Loved it. Did plenty of gigs with it. Never had an issue.

Best advice I can offer if you're having to Di and you're using the venues sound guy (or someone front outside the band) is to completely trust the sound guy to the point you almost don't care. The sound guy will know his desk and pa better than anyone, and the room if he works there regularly so he'll get the best sound for the band from where the audience are. To do that give him the absolute best, clean non eqd sound you can. You need 100% trust though. There's nothing worse than worrying about how you sound out front when you're playing, and nothing worse for a sound guy than a band member trying to do his job for him from a position where they can't even hear what it sounds like in the mix. If the sound guy is someone in the band, then same rules apply, but you can have some input into how it sounds, but be prepared to sculpt a new sound. In short, if you really need Diing to PA, your on sound stage will not always/ever equate to a good bass sound at the back of the room. Only my opinion though, other people's experience may be different.

Have you seen these listed on thomann now? There's even a mint and burgundy.

Had a (so called) singer turn up once. He had had 2 months to learn 6 songs. Discussions etc on WhatsApp. He turned up an hour and a half late to the audition. Then proceeded to say he hadn't really bothered to learn the songs in case we didn't think his voice would go with the band. So he didn't bother. He then impromptu asked us to (magically know, learn and immediately play) 6 songs from different artists so he could show us what he could do. We gave it a go - and he was then terrible. Then he left after we'd gone through 3 songs and an hour before we were supposed to finish. Said he was busy and had to get home to watch a TV show. Unbelievably he said to give him a ring and he'd be down for next rehearsal next week and walked out like mick jagger....

I had a bf 210 at one stage. Well, I had two. Some people swear by them, but they just weren't for me. Best advice is buy one second hand, if you don't like it, sell it on for the same price. To be fair any modern 210 should keep up with any band if everything eq wise is set up properly.

Only my version, but in sound terms "hi fi" means crystal clear. I used to equate it to..... My old 'hot chocolate greatest hits' album from the 70s, to my Queen A Kind of Magic CD from the 80s. Probably a bit like comparing a fingerstyle 60s bass line through a svt 810 to a guy playing a load of slap bass. I don't know why....

I'm sure I've seen a rare 810 vba cab for sale somewhere recently too, Facebook, Ebay or somewhere like that. Great Amps! Enjoy.

There's SO much good stuff for sale at the moment. Its a shame we can't all get our stuff to someone like Dood to review before selling. It'd be great to see all the reviews, great for the reviewers social media presence etc and great for potential buyers to see and sellers to sell their gear. Just an idea..