uk_lefty

A good pickup. I have it on my Japanese P Bass (could be basswood body) 1970 reissue. Getting the best out of that pickup for me involves using rotosounds Steve Harris strings. There is just a presence, power and clarity that fits perfectly live. I've got thomastik flats on now and they don't get the best from the pickup, sadly, though I think they'd sound great on my jazz or with a more vintage voiced p pickup.

I did think it odd to put that logo on if making a fake... But couldn't search the serial number anywhere. Puzzling. Price seems a bit strong for a squier, even though it is "fender" logo'd

You can do some clever stuff with a boss Ls-2 (??) I think splitting the low and high signal and sending them through different effects. Something like that may help you, but you would be best asking in the effects topic area for specific advice like that and getting a more knowledgeable response than I can give. I can recommend the Hartke VXL DI pedal for some drive (not dirty), can be found cheap second hand.

I can't find the serial number anywhere either... Shame, looked like a good start price.

Oops. Senior moment

Hofner and the copies of the Hofner bass can be had around that cost and they're short scale. Have a look at your favourite second hand sites if nothing in the forum. Or import an Ibanez Talman from the US.

Lana Del Ray is just awful, I don't understand how that rubbish exists. Not a legal viewpoint. The melody of the song, the inflection in the vocals, the misery, it's a "tribute" to Creep undoubtedly. I would rather Radiohead issued a complete cease and desist against her career.

I had seen that. Was aware of the link with Mayones but have never seen a Fame in the flesh so no idea how good they are. Was a bit out off by the note saying a pickup screw had gone all the way through the bass!

I can't stress enough how important strings are to the overall sound but the feel too! As a beginner I had the cheapest rubbishest steep strings and they just shred your fingers. I'm still experimenting 19years in to bass playing by buying my first tapewounds set last week. For me, my jazz bass is best with Ernie Ball slinky's if I want it to zing and they last far longer than I was expecting but it's great with fender flats when you want that kind of tone from the J. My fretless 5 loves Ernie Ball flats but currently has cobalt rounds just for a change and they sound magnificent. My p bass loves Steve Harris signature rotosounds, isn't keen on thomastik flats, sadly though these could go over to.my jazz soon. I used GHS boomers on my hohner headless and it sounded great, got a set for my jazz bass and not so great...

They look just at home on the bass

Looks good to me....

I like the chrome top knobs with black plastic round the sides. Reminds me of the hifi we had when I was a kid.

So this is becoming more of a blog/ review as I discover what this little amp can do, but people are reading it so I hope you find it useful. Last night was headphone practice time. I needed to sharpen up some sections of songs for an upcoming gig. That quickly dealt with I dug out an old mini USB cable and connected the amp to my laptop. Downloading the fender fuse software was quick and easy for Windows. Now, I am the kind of person without the patience to learn how to reprogramme a multi effect pedal so this is the test... Using the amp while hooked up to the pc was very easy and intuitive to bring in new effects and change cabs and so on, far more functionality than the amp controls alone. The only thing I couldn't find was how to record using my pc but that will come later... Still impressed with the amp. The effect sounds are not at all artificial but the real test will be playing this at band night next week. It has an XLR line out so hoping I can run this in to the PA. one worry is that, like the older zoom pedals, the great sound at home is rubbish with a band. So we will see!

So it arrived yesterday. I have it a twenty minute noodle, nothing comprehensive but enough to get a good first impression. I bought second hand so some of my gripes may be due to mistreatment by the previous owner... Low end rattle. The thing buzzes and rattles when playing the lowest notes. Could be speaker or cab, or could have been something else in the room so will try elsewhere. The SWR simulation is my favourite! Really nice clean bass sound. The other amp Sims aren't very distinguishable from each other to me, just different amounts of drive to the sound. None of them sound "artificial" though which was an initial fear. The amp is heavier, bigger and far louder than I was expecting! 40watts is more than you expect. Easily capable as a monitor or for acoustic type lower volume gigs. The onboard effects... They're ok. I haven't yet spent time with the software to tweak or completely swap out these. Nice to have them there to save getting out the effects board. Overall I'm quite pleased with it. I wanted a practice amp for playing at home and through headphones, it does that and can do more. I need to play with the software and recording capability but that's a bonus and not the prime reason to have it, though it is an advantage. I wouldn't pay £250 for a new one, but second hand they seem to go for around a hundred quid and at that price I think you'd be hard pressed to find more features.

We do the same. We've not yet failed to tie it up to something and it causes the absolute minimum of disruption.

I had a text like that when I was selling a pedal recently. I don't trust people enough with things like that.

Thanks. There's no way I could justify the full cost of a new one but it sounds like of you can spend the time with the software you can get a lot out of it. I'm keen to see what the recording feature is like too...

Well the only reviews I could find were all positive and I ordered a second hand one at a decent price yesterday. I'll put up a full review when I get chance to really get under the skin of it and use the different modelling effects and fender software

My band has had these for a while. The drummer uses them on his bass drum, I think the guitarist has given up on them though.

It's funny because it cost him more on the long run.

Unlikely.. he would have wiped out the discount and any currency advantage with all the fees he will have to pay, such as VAT (there goes the 20% discount), international shipping, import duties, and handling fees.

Spent an hour mulling over various things and just bought two sets of strings, including the tapewounds I've always wanted to try but couldn't justify the cost. Not too exciting. My guitarist got over excited, bought a pedal from the US and saved his 20%. He then has to pay VAT at 20% when it gets here, plus import duty, plus handling fee. Hard not to laugh.

Has anyone got or used a fender bronco modelling amp? I'm looking for something to use so I can practice at home without shaking the walls, but want a good quality sound. I could go for any second hand amp in the 15-60 watt range from a good manufacturer but I was drawn off on various tangents until I saw the fender bronco. I can't find any reviews on here and I was always skeptical of inbuilt effects in the old Line6 amps - they just sounded awful. But is this new fender amp a good home practice and home recording companion? Ive not had chance to try one and am looking second hand. Any and all opinions gratefully received. Also seen the fender Mustang guitar amp has a Bassman amp model... Wondering if that is also viable, would give me a guitar amp in the same package?

At seventeen years old I bought a Peavey bass amp with infinite power for a tenner. It was at my guitarists house and the previous bass player and owner of the amp had fallen out with him and wouldn't go round to get it. I went to college with the brother of the amps owner and he did a deal with me for a tenner because it needed a repair... That cost me fifteen quid. So twenty five quid for a beast of a gigging bass amp! I also played a Tanglewood p bass that was £150 new but got a Kramer five string fretless for £240ish new shortly after. That was over fifteen years ago now though.

I know the pound has dropped but for the price to go from 550 to 750 in a few months is a bit unrealistic. Being a buyer at a retailer I do understand currency movement. Just seemed like a big hike on just one product, whereas others move by much smaller amounts.