lownote

I dislike the usual higher E and Eb and having started jazz I'm having lots of call for it. Using the B string allows me to stay in the same area of the neck more easily. Wouldn't now be without it.

I'd go to see other bands and see what they're using. Good fun, educational and a helpful steer. That's what I did and I learned loads. By looking and listening and talking to the bassist at the interval. I'd avoid 15 inch cabs. For most purposes a 2x10inch or 1x12 inch is fine. Even a top quality 1x10 inch will be fine and weigh next to nothing. To be heard in even small band context you're going to have to crank up a 50-100w amp a lot and in cheaper gear that's where the rot sets in. Far better to have a 300-500w setup where you've power to spare. It's like the difference between touring Europe with a mini and a Bentley... one will make a fuss, the other won't. Probably your other best idea is to go to a seriously knowledgeable shop like Bass Direct or the Camden Gallery and ask their advice.

Prompted by this thread I rejoined JMB, or at least the devil in me did. The first nibble was a guy who wanted me because he was forming a Pink Floyd tribute band. Right. Turned out he had a few CDs, liked their music. I was to be the seed round which the band would form. Pathetically grateful I was kind to him. Take 2 was for a jive group forming locally. "Roger" asked me to meet him where his other, jazz, band was playing last Sunday. Thank god I didn't take my cat. My cat has quite fixed musical tastes. Four people playing pretty much four different numbers would not have been Didi's cup of tea. Roger turned out to be a man with finely chiselled cheek bones, a very serious demeanour, slightly mad looking dark eyes and an extraordinarily soggy handshake. Any road, once we'd unstuck our hands I was approved as the new bassist for Roger's jive band. Yesterday I got the set list of 20 songs. None of which are what I'd call jive: Old devil moon, Lady is a tramp, Come fly with me? "Depends on how you play 'em" apparently. I have yet to see the chord sheets. The first practice is this weekend. I'm now looking forward to meeting my new band mates. Bear in mind I live in rural Norfolk. Just sayin'....

My avatar is my great grand pa in 1919 - I'm in colour

Just my opinion but MB are much more coloured than the BF. I've had both. With a MB head the sound is great for my ears, not so much the BF. YMMV but I would STRONGLY recommend listening in the flesh to both with your head of choice before deciding.

But that can leave you with too little space beneath your wings. After all, if you don't play over the fingerboard you're used to the flat pickups being ground zero and the sticky up humped ramp feels odd. I had a 'fingerboard hump' on my ramp and then took the hump off, sanded it down to flush with the pups. Felt much better because I couldn't feel it.

Ah beg to differ ever so slightly. I have spent 37 basses and 6 amp setups finding my exact tone. Bass+ amp+ EQ, even strings, gives me a lovely tone I've been complemented on. I can't play for toffee. Well, I can a bit - but I'd put it nearer 70/30, even 60/40. In another universe I play sax. To many a sax and its accessories are just a bit of bent tin with a few bits of plastic and a reed. I spent a lot of money on a decent sax and a posh mouthpiece and ligature and reeds. Result: my teacher loves my tone, like with tears in his eyes likes - he'd just like me to put the right notes in the right places. 70/30, even 60/40

me neither. where's the blue ink?

It might just have been a duff bass but whatever I twiddled I could not get a sound I liked.

Um... I had an ash and sold it straight on. Could not get on with the sound compared to my alder ones.

Massive discussions on here back when they came out, with every last aspect picked apart. Sound and electronics: fantastic Finish and fit: great Bits n bobs (bridge, machines): cheap but fit for purpose Cool wall: not really because almost everyone has had at least one Value for money: very good indeed.

Well, that's like the vague BS they all have. But I love em on my sixer. It used to love Overwater strings until they stopped being available. I asked Bass Direct what approximated to an Overwater string and they said the RX, what I'd wot not until then.

La Bella RX Nickel series

Esteemed blues man Dave Thomas is as lefty as they come but since childhood has played a right handed guitar simply turned upside down, including strings. I assume he just likes making things tricky for himself, but I suppose 50+ years of practice acquire a sort of momentum of their own.

Surely it's totally personal preference. I love the steel and loathe the cloth front but other than a slight nod to protectivity I can't justify that except by saying that's what I like.

Me also. After 37 basses and at least five amp setups I seem to have settled down. Hohner VI (my 3rd!) with a Markbass LM2 + Traveller 1x12. Trouble is the GAS has simply shifted to my sax... sigh

One of my mates spent 20 years in a marriage that was effectively a prison sentence. Then she left him and believe it or not he was devastated. Go figure.

Coo, I get the cold shoulder if I DON'T spend quality time with the boys / gig.

This obv only IMHO and IMHE, but I wouldn't touch the TC BH250. Cheap, not far off nasty, too much money wasted on gimmicks and if it breaks down out of warranty (which they do) it'll cost you as much as the amp did to replace. But now there are TC fans who will flame me. I can only speak the truth as I see it. YMMV, etc.

Of course, just in my own time. Like Woodinblack above I just found it went either easy or so painfully detailed, picky (anal?) I couldn't bear it. But it won't go away so I'll revisit it sometime because as I said in my original post, it's surprisingly useful. I'll go further - it has transformed my playing.

I haven't bothered to keep up with Scott's course since before Christmas. Yesterday I played my local blues jam after a similar layoff and I played the best I've ever done - surprised even me and I'm my own worst critic. Not saying achievement is inversely proportional to practice but clearly a good deal of good stuff went in and stayed in.