molan

I've had a few Alembics and I have to say that they really are stunning instruments and nothing feels quite like the high end models. They are very idiosyncratic and there are elements about them that a lot of people find hard to live with. Meanwhile other people love them for these little touches and will never part with theirs. The last one I owned was fabulous and it made me feel a bit 'special' when I grabbed it off the rack in a way that few other basses ever have. In the end I realised I was unlikely to gig with it (those idiosyncrasies at play again!) and I sold it to someone who loves it. They are a lot of money (although nowhere near as much as they list in their web site if you buy through a US dealer) but if they make you feel a way something else doesn't then who's to say they aren't 'value for money'?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1357164385' post='1918610'] Really? Oh dear. Three on that list really get on my tits! [/quote] Me too - I wonder if its the same three

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1357072363' post='1917229'] It's a tricky one this... There are so many factors to bass playing. Compared to another player, you can be 'better' at timing, but 'worse' at keeping up with chord changes. 'Better' at slap bass, but 'worse' at knowing when slap bass is not appropriate. And so on! [/quote] In pretty much any actual gigging band (apart from an 80's covers band) slap bass is never appropriate

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1357070341' post='1917175'] All very true, but since when did practicality = cool? ;-) [/quote] I have to agree - after all, I used to own one of these;

[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1357058511' post='1916928'] Never new Markbass made a 2x12 cab . Could well be the best solution. Just wondering will I miss the extra low end I get from the traveler 15? (2x12 goes to 45 Hz whweras the 15 goes to 4o hz) [/quote] It's a while since I've tried the Traveller 1x15 but the NY212 felt like it had more low end punch to me from what I remember. It's also a 4ohm cab so it'll be a good unit as a standalone to get the most out of an amp.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1357050009' post='1916738'] Why? , I have been in similar situations where the rest of the band preffered my simpler style over people who were both more technical and up on their theory etc. [/quote] That's exactly the point I wa trying to make In an 'exam' type situation the other guy would have achieved far, far higher grades. However, in this particular band situation I was the 'better' player for what was required. Goes back to the 'better' can be entirely subjective and technique, for the sale of technique, can, at times, be quite un-musical. For me, a player like Jeff Berlin, kinda sums this up. I can appreciate that he is a technically gifted individual but I find him nearly unlistenable

Not exactly a classic, and to some an abomination, but a quality Fender PJ would allow you to get a decent approximation of both classic P and J sounds from a single bass

If you like your current setup then I think the most obvious solution would be a MarkBass 2x12. I recently tried the NY version at BassGear and was impressed. The 12's had the depth of a 15 (to my ears) and I put this partly down to the physical cab size as the 212 is appreciably bigger than a Traveller 1x15. Didn't seem to lack any punch that get from 10's either. I was quite tempted to replace my 210 with it but the 210 fits perfectly in the tiny boot of my everyday car so I decided to hang to it and maybe look out for a 2nd one to go with it

I injured myself and wasn't able to play in my band for a while. They recruited someone to cover who was a 'better' player than me. More technical, busier, added a slap solo in one song etc. When I recovered the band welcomed me back with open arms and a couple of them said it was good to have me back because I was a 'better' player for them and my ability, timing, technique etc suited them more. The drummer (who is quite technical) in particular said how pleased he was to have me back. In this case 'better', from a technical perspective, meant 'worse'

In one covers band I was in I encountered a singer who couldn't hit a lot of the high notes so we agreed to knock a swathe of songs down by a fair bit. I found a lot of songs 'dropping off the end of the board' so I took a five string to the next rehearsal. It wasn't anything flamboyant, simple overwater J bass in faded Oly white with a tort guard. I was amazed at the negativity I encountered! Started with a comment from a guitarist about the last bass player he worked with that had a 5 string was a complete w***er. Then I was asked, repeatedly, why I couldn't learn to play elsewhere on the fretboard on my 4 string and whether anyone in an audience would actually be able to hear the difference on the low notes if I played on a 4 rather than the 5. Moved on to a claim that they'd be listening carefully to see if I started making mistakes on the 5. Most of this came from a guitarist with an array of guitars and a bank or rack effects that regularly robbed his guitar of any quality tone! Anyway, I ignored it all and just played the 5 from then on. Still got some negative comments now & then but I let it go over my head. Eventually the singer left and we moved a lot of songs back to their original keys, where they sounded better, and I moved back to my favourite old 4.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356899035' post='1914973'] Ah I see! I quite like the idea of seeing someone playing a Bootsy star bass in a pit [/quote] I had one of those for a while - from a practical point of view you can't play them sitting down, lol

Zon VB is, in my opionion, a far better all round bass than the XL2, especially from an ergonomic perspective (both seated and standing). The XL2 is one of the few rare high end bases I've never fancied owning - and I like headless basses as well! As Kiwi has mentioned, Kubickis are great value at the moment and the ergonomics of these are great

I've played that bass a few times - it's not a photoshop job, in fact the photos don't really do the color justice. It's even nicer in the flesh! Jimmy Coppolo makes amazing basses based on classic vintage Fenders but without the foibles of an old Fender. Big money but used by lots of top US session pros - he sells everything he can make and has a long waiting list for anything new

Having tried just about every light weight head out there I decided on Tone Hammer 500 - has the right combination of clean power with the potential to warm up really quickly with some judicious use of the drive control One of the biggest differentiators in terms of cab is going to be whether you want a more traditional ceramic magnet loaded one or a lighter weight neodymium. I really like the Aguilar 4x10's but both the GS and DB are fairly weighty. They did make a light weight SL for a while but it's been discontinued. Guitar Guitar still have a couple though. My personal favourite pairing with the TH500 is a pair of Aggie's SL 112's. having 2 matching cabs gives options for smaller / larger venues but its beginning to get expensive for this set up.

I can't paste the pics from my phone but this black cherry metallic Alleva Coppolo has a nice purple hue to it in the right light: http://www.bassgear.co.uk/products-page/alleva-coppolo1/alleva-coppolo-kbp4-custom-black-cherry-metallic-burst-pre-owned/

Let's not forget that this song is 16 years old so not that 'modern'

I seem to remember US soul/R&B guys always playing Eden or SWR and always through a matching 4x10. Could just be that this is what they specified in their tour rider when they came to the UK as it would have been fairly easy to find and been a 'known quantity' for them. Definitely super-jazz territory as well. First time I saw Sadowsky's live on stage was around this era with some of the great US session guys on tour with 'big name' artists.

I've tried just about everything out there in the small/lightweight market. I settled on an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 (the 350 is even smaller, lighter and cheaper but sounds the same if you don't need the 500w head). After trying lots of cabs I settled on a Markbass 2x10 Traveller. One of the main, and very simple, reasons for this cab is that it stands vertically and is just nicely wide enough for a head to sit on top. Having the extra height brings the 2nd speaker up a little and I find it really helps me to hear myself without excessive volume. I keep thinking of getting a 2nd matching cab and stacking them both vertically but I haven't needed one yet. With a gig bag for the head I can easily manage cab in one hand, bass over my shoulder and head either on the other shoulder or other hand. The cab really is a simple one handed lift For combos I liked the Markbass 1x12 but found it needed to come up off the floor to be heard really well. The Carvin 1x15 or 2x10 combos are a very good low cost (£450) idea if you want the most bang for your buck.

Whoever that bloke in Muse is.

Should have popped into Bassgear - I was minding the fort today Dealt with one happy customer by telling him his custom ordered Carvin was ready 2 weeks early and then spent a cheerful half an hour discussing the merits of Chris Squire and Mike Rutherford, The joys of trying to get a good sound out of a classic Ricky, how to play Moog Taurus pedals etc etc. I love just chatting all things bass with customers when they come in or call the shop - I can never understand these people who work in guitar shops and can't be bothered to spend time with potential customers or give them help and advice on potential purchases.