molan

OK - very quick test MB Tube 800 vs MB MoMark Sd 800 vs ToneHammer 500. All into a single Aguilar SL112 (tweeter turned half way) and using a Steed Herbie Flowers rep J bass with flat wounds. I started with the TH500 as it's what I have at home - nice warm muscular sound, definitely 'voiced' to sound vintage but a decent top end even with flats. Clarky - you know what these sound like so i won't dwell on this one Then the MB Tube 800 - on Solid state only this was much cleaner & sharper. If anything a little too clean for me & seemed to lack a bit of 'depth' after the TH. N.B. I didn't touch any tone controls on any amp, everything left completely flat. Then I wound the tube control all the way round and the overall tone warmed up a lot, still not as vintagey sounding as the TH and no hint of break-up with the passive J bass. For me, the killer setting on the MB800 was pretty much bang in the middle of SS & Tube - this now had all the depth of the TH500 but with more bite & presence. Clarky - in terms of size the Tube 800 is pretty much bang on the same as the TH500. Slightly deeper but that's about it. The MoMark was a whole different experience - ultra clean & hi-fi sounding. Really picked up finger noise, even from the flats, and sounded a bit too harsh for me. I've played this before through a 4x10 though & it sounded awesome as a growly rock head

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1326979287' post='1504590'] Thanks Gareth, I did think about that - thats a great deal! Also the Markbass LMTube 800 which has a ton of power and the option to dial in or out the tube preamp [/quote] I was trying the MB Tube 800 yesterday through a Bag End 1x15 - sounded great to me. Easy to get a crystal clear sound or add warmth from the tube if desired. I've got the Herbie with me today - will give it a blast & let you know how it sounds

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1326905800' post='1503559'] Please do let us know the price of the Contrabass when you've decided on it/got word on it, Barrie. [/quote] So here's some camera phone pictures of the Anthony JAckson from the previous owner: Obviously it looks much nicer in real life Haven't spoken to Phil yet but I'm guessing it's going to sit just below the £5K mark N.B. Mods - apologies if I'm breaking any protocol(s) here, just trying to help a friend and answer questions as they come up. I'm only helping out in the shop so not actually offering stuff for sale

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1326906181' post='1503568'] I would have tried the Musicman Reflex 5 over everything...if its there. I want it!!! [/quote] Yep, it's hanging on the wall - I was too frightened by all those knobs! It looks absolutely unplayed - I'll give it a whirl tomorrow If you're at all interested then zap me a PM and I can check anything specifically or take a camera in if you need more pics etc. I can also contact Phil on pricing or any PX deals etc. It's a 'shop-owned' bass that came in PX for a Fodera recently

Of course - while I'm minding the store I get to set prices (as the saying goes - whilst the boss is away. . .) Make me some offers people (by PM if you're serous, lol). PS - I'm not on commission, or even any payment except free tea & three days of 'candy shop' heaven

[quote name='blind pilot' timestamp='1326902525' post='1503474'] If it were me - I would be all over that Wal! Kleenex would most likely be required! [/quote] The Wal is a commission sale & not actually in the shop at the moment

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1326898411' post='1503394'] The Killer B there looks amazing! They are fantastic looking and sounding basses. Were I in the area I'd go out of my way to pop in and say hello. When will photographs of this Anthony Jackson Fodera be coming on the site? Can you tell us a little more about it, like how much it will be selling for? [/quote] The Killer B is pretty cool - had a quick blast on it, nice neck As today was officially 'rig day' I brought my 'reference' old Fodera Monarch along and have been playing it through: Aguilar TH500 & a pair of SL 112's - my reference rig at home to get my ears tuned to the location. Next up was a gorgeous chocolate brown AG500 plus 2 x DB112's. Much cleaner & buckets of mid range punch. Then switched the TH into a pair of Bag Ends, a 1x15 & a 1x10 together, this is a really nice combination, plenty of heft from the 15" but the 10" with tweeter adds more high end than the SL pairing. Next up was a MarkBass Tube 800 head into a very funky looking Bag End oiled birch 1x15". So long as I left the speaker emulator things alone I managed to get a great sound from this with loads of volume. Could easily gig with this at a pub / small club venue I reckon. Plenty of clarity & really didn't need a tweeter. Then it was over to a new MarkBass Randy Jackson signature head & cab - I've played this rig before & it's another favourite. It really can pull off a surprising mixture of both older tubey tones and clean precise modern sounds. My Aggie rig edges it for the kind of sound I'm after at the moment though. After all these 'baby' rigs it was time for some serious noise! Genz Benz GBE 750 head into a Bag End 4x10 with tweeter. Awesome volume (and tHis is an 8ohm cab not 4). Way too many switches for me to fiddle with here but the footswitch lets you toggle between tube / FET, both combined plus a low & high end boost & a mid cut. Loads of great tones available here, Cool overdriven tube right through to ultra clean modern hifi sound. My favourite was setting an approx tone I liked for each channel then using the footswitch to toggle between them on the same riff. Both channels combined adds some real volume - had the roof panels rattling and discovered the sweet resonant spot that makes one particular pnal vibrate ike crazy Great fun all round & still more options to try. The one thing I should say is that I've not come across a single combination I haven't liked yet, lol. I'm back here again tomorrow - not sure what to play with then, lol. N.B. I have attempted to 'pay my way' a little today by re-arranging a whole stack of equipment, clearing out the store cupboard & setting up more cabs & amps than usual so people can switch between them a lot quicker The Anthony Jackson doesn't have a price yet - should know tomorrow. It's a 2005 double cut model, figured walnut top, mahogany body, ebony board & mother of pearl dots. Here's a vid of it action [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R53w7KDbZYA&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R53w7KDbZYA&feature=related[/url] If you jump to about 6:50 you can see/hear it. Maybe sounds a bit brighter than this (certainly with me playing it through the TH500 + SL112 rig anyway).

Back in the store today - might take some of my own basses to try through the various rigs

check this thread: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/108400-doing-a-shuker-course-now-finished/page__p__1004761__fromsearch__1#entry1004761 Probably a few others too - sounds like a great thing to have a go at

oh my word - where do I start! I've just the day surrounded by these: and then I came home to find this next to my desk: don't even get me started on other Ritters - my current fave raves. . .

Yay - I sold a Fodera! Fabulous player from Poland, played some jaw dropping stuff & exchanged a lovely older Anthony Jackson Fodera 5 string double cutaway for the 2010 Fodera Emperor 5. So nice just to meet new people with great bass playing skills - a couple of his friends came along as well, a guitarist & a drummer, also both great guys & not bad on bass either! Happy days

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1326805983' post='1502125'] Try the lot! You should also do a free give away where I'm the winner. They'd like the initiative you took [/quote] I like your style - unfortunately Phil knows where I live & is likely to track me down if I start giving his stock away

I've recently converted from Aguilar DB112's to the, much lighter, SL112's. Very few of these around on the used market but I really like their sound and my back just loves the weight saving!

Phil from [url="http://www.bassgear.co.uk"]BassGear[/url] is over in LA at Winter NAMM and a friend & I are 'minding the store' for him for the week If anyone fancies popping over I should be hear until Thursday between 11:00 & 17:00 As I'm on duty for the next couple of days it means I have an entire showroom full of Fodera, Alleva Coppolo, Ritter, Zon, Boulder Creek, Zoot, Aguilar, Bag End, MarkBass plus a stack of various pre-owned lovelies to play with! There's also some new Aphex Exciter pedals to try out. So far my 'early shift' has consisted of trying a lovely Fodera Emperor 5 through my 'reference' Aguilar TH500 & a pair of SL112's vs a powered Bag End 2x12. Sounds fantastic - especially the B & I'm really no 5 string player these days. Someone's coming over this afternoon to try the Emperor so thought I'd give it whirl just in case it sells later Now, what next to try. . .

Wow - look amazing! I might prefer it to be a bit of a darker blue but I'm a sucker for his kind of finish

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1326531077' post='1498391'] Even some proper musicians will probably ask why you can't afford a proper instrument like a Squier or a Fender [/quote] Exactly this happened to me once - I was playing a posh wedding using my new, and pretty expensive, MTD535. In the interval a bass player in the audience (who'd been watching me intently in the first half) told he'd just bought a new fender USA and that it was great. He then said that if I couldn't afford one that the Mexican or Japanese Fenders were pretty good as well. I sai thanks for his advice and said he should try an MTD some day but they were sometimes quite expensive. I pointed out that a new one was probably £3K but if he kept his eyes open he might find a used one for around the £2K mark. His jaw promptly hit the floor and he wandered off - I didn't see him again for the rest of the gig

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1326493537' post='1498144'] Works of art, but nothing I'd want to own or play. [/quote] I thought that until I played one - I am now several thousand pounds poorer, but a much happier bassist

Bugger me - he's sold three of the four in a day! These were only posted up yesterday and all four were for sale then. My favourite is still up for grabs though

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1326374084' post='1496200'] sparkly finish of the last one is gorgeous! [/quote] That's my favourite - would love to see this one in the flesh

I posted some pics of the new single cuts earlier if anyone wants a quick link to them [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/164864-new-jens-ritter-singlecut-design/page__pid__1496200#entry1496200"]http://basschat.co.u...00#entry1496200[/url] Three of the four sold in a single day!