Glad I started some this thread, some really interesting in-put coming from you all. At the end of the day, I'm a bit of a novice at this. I'm 54 yo, always a regular guitar player, latterly a bassist. I have two claims to fame. [b]1) [/b]I had lunch with HM The Queen in 1992. [b]2)[/b] I once jammed with Mark Knopfler when he was still an English teacher at Loughton College[i] (yes, I'm that old)[/i]. Played since age of 8, first stage performance at 11 yo [i](strumming Edelweiss to 200 kids and parents)[/i]. Always admired Mark King with his percussive style and punchy, trebley sound. So I guess roll that all up and I have trouble with a boomy, shapeless and characterless sound. I think I've found the answer in my new (1996) Fender Jazz with j-retro preamp. My though process is/was 'why do I need this GB monster with 18 knobs and 9 switches[i] (not counting the back or foot switch)[/i] when I'm never likely to use any of them'. Also, my 1982 Pioneer Hi-Fi amp [i](yes I bought it new and still going strong)[/i] has a 'By-pass' selector, to by-pass all the knobs, bells and whistles. But I'm probably missing the point somewhere. Oh, and (BTW) just got in from rehearsal with my 80's covers band. Been using studio bass combo.. an Ashdown something or other, and it too had an EQ bypass. I discovered it when, thinking the sound was a bit boomey, I tried winding down the lows and low mids to no avail. Thought the thing was busted. Then I found this little EQ push button depressed. And this was after I had wound the j-retro bass EQ all the way down to naught. So, perhaps I am barking up the wrong tree here. It's probably true.. I need the amp EQ to set me up for the venue, and my j-retro to set 'my' sound. Keep it coming chaps.