Doddy

I prefer single pedals to multi effects, but you're probably better sticking with the Headrush. I think to put a good quality pedal board together it will cost you more than £350. You could go cheaper by buying used, but I'd say you were still looking at around £50-100 each for good pedals. If you go the individual pedal route, I'd chain them tuner>preamp>octave>distortion>chorus and experiment with the compressor at either end of the chain.

I've thought of another.... I'm not crazy on the mini sized pedals. Sure, they take up less space and you can put loads on a board, but I find that I have to be too careful turning them on and off in a live situation so you don't kick any of the knobs. I've got a few mini pedals, but I don't take them out often because of the size. I think companies like MXR and TC make good sized pedals that are smaller than the big boxes but have enough space between the switch and the knobs that you can give them a solid stomp.

It's not really an annoyance with the pedal itself, but it annoys me when I buy a used pedal that has velcro attached. Especially if it's been advertised as 'home use only' or something.

You'd be surprised. I know a few arrangers who will sometimes put instructions like that, or the odd 'humorous' remark on a chart that they know people are going to sight read.

I've found that the TC polytune works great. I prefer it to the Snark, both in looks and performance. The Peterson Strobe tuner is very good too.

Brilliant band and video. I've watched this a few times. They're all excellent musicians, but I particularly like Nate Wood on drums and Kaveh Rastegar on bass.

I'd go tuner>octave>filter>drive and try the compressor at either end of the chain depending on what you want it for. I like the way that filters react after an octave pedal, but experiment and see what you like the sound of. Pedals react differently in depending on what order they are in, so move them around and have fun.

The only thing that usually lives on top of my amp is my DI box. Everything else goes on the floor, even if they are always on. I want to be able to switch things in and out easily.

I think I've found the perfect bass for me. I was looking to buy a bass for a birthday present for myself. I'd already got a few nice instruments, and I've played a lot more but after I visited F Bass, I knew that I needed to buy one. My BN5 is seriously the best instrument I've played. It plays and sounds amazing.

Drive pedals are basically compressing the signal so you may be able to get away without using one, but the best thing to do is play around and try it. The pedal will probably react differently with a compressor either in front or behind it, so play around and see what sounds best to you.

This is the reason I never use the DI out on any of my preamp pedals. I like preamps at the front of my chain, and I want the DI at the end. I get it if you are only using one pedal like a Sansamp or something, but they don't work for me when I'm using a bunch of pedals.

As nice as the new US Fenders are, for their price I would probably be looking elsewhere- there are a lot of quality basses in that price range. If it has to be a Fender, definitely look at the used market.

As far as I'm concerned, the best beginner book is the Hal Leonard Bass Method, Complete Edition by Ed Friedland. I've used it with loads of students as it goes from absolute basics up to some cool slap and 16th note stuff. There is a section on tab but for the most part it's all notation, and teaches you to read as you go along (which is a very good thing).

They're phrasing and feel is a big thing, but I still think they have a sound. Carol Kaye did play on hundreds of hits but Joe Osborn also did a lot with the Wrecking Crew, and they do sound different to each other. It might not be massively noticable, but it's there.

To a point, but I still think that there are recognisable qualities in their tones. To use possibly two of the busiest players for the last 30-40 years as an example- Nathan East and Will Lee still have their own sounds going on, whatever they doing.

I get you. I think it can look amateurish if you were to turn up with a small, old Carlsboro combo or something but I think most modern small amps look pretty good. I'm sure genre is a thing, especially old school rock bands. I'm currently playing a lot of punk/new wave stuff in decent sized venues, and I'm just using a small Ashdown head with one Schroeder cab. In fact, I'm using the same rig for everything lately. I've also played big theatres and arena shows with a single 12" cab and it's always been cool.

When I'm flying I pretty much always take my bass on as hand luggage, but a couple of times I had to gate check it and have it in the hold. It's always been ok.

I agree that big amps look cool, but in no way do small amps look amateur on big stages. Get a decent 500 watt amp, like an Ashdown RM500 or a MarkBass LM2 (or similar) with a couple of 10" or 12" cabs and you'll be sorted for most gigs.

I'd go tuner>preamp>comp>od. But move everything around and see how the pedals react to each other. Try putting the compressor in front of the preamp and after the drive, and go with what you think sounds the best.

The BTBs have always been really versatile. I used to use a 6 string for electric jazz gigs and things until I bought a 'better' 6. Ibanez are definitely aiming it at the modern metal crowd now though.

Fredric effects are UK based, and make some cool pedals including a reissue of the old Bugbrand Bug Crusher.

The only thing to be aware of is it's not easily tweakable on stage-the only knob is volume. But if you know what sound you're going for, it's cool. The only reason I don't gig it more is because it's a mini pedal, and I prefer bigger enclosures for live work.

I've got one. It's a bit of a gimmick, but it's actually a really cool sounding fuzz. It's really fun experimenting with different liquids to see how they affect the sound. I've found that darker drinks like Coke are bassier than lighter coloured drinks, and fizzy drinks have a higher gain than still ones. You can mix drinks to some degree to control the bass/treble, and the amount of drive. It's a fun pedal.

Most of the players mentioned are recognisable because of their bands too. You're not going to really hear Geddy outside of Rush. What about the guys like Nathan East, Will Lee, Anthony Jackson, and Marcus Miller? All have their own sound that you can hear with a wide variety of artists.

To start.... Break them up and play them in 2nds, 3rds, 4ths etc. Play them in 3/4/5 note groupings. All on 1 string, over 2 strings etc. 1 and 2 octaves with different fingerings. Start on the lowest scale note and work all the way up to the highest over the entire 'board. Harmonise the scale by playing double stop 10ths. If you do all that for all keys, major and minor, ascending and descending, and you've got hours/days of excellent exercises. Then do the same with arpeggios. You might not find that exciting, but it beats running a one octave scale with standard fingering, and the benefits are immense.