Sean

Pretty much like the records. Solid drummer. Good audiences. It gives a good insight into who you're replacing and in this case, who he replaced. Lots of videos going back years. My #1 takeaway was on what bass to use at the audition, or rather, in my case, what not to use.

Well, after yesterday's exploration I think checking the band's social media and any YouTube videos should be towards the top of the list. I also got some trusted 3rd party input. What I saw/heard yesterday: 1. How the band ends some of the songs. 2. How close or not close to the originals they play the songs. 3. How your sound might fit (or need to be tweaked). 4. Areas for improvement and what you could bring to the band.

Those clever product managers, eh? Making them in different colours for different tastes. Cunning.

I've just got half way through re-stringing the 12 and the pair of ee octave strings are missing from the pack. Check your packs. This is the second packing error from D'Addario in a month.

It is said that these are very close in quality, playability, sound to a Stingray. All those MM basses are really off my radar so, what's the verdict with these Z7s? Are they up there with the ATK as a "Stingray Killer"?

It's back to £52. What's going on? Dynamic pricing!

The B12L will be getting gigged on 5th Nov. I'll be singing and playing two cheap trick classics with a couple of friends at The Vic in Swindon. HX patches done, I just have to learn the lyrics properly 🤔

It's showing as £65 again now.

Currently £52 delivered with Amazon Prime.

Lots of measuring and comparisons over the last hour or so, and I can say that the bodies are as close to identical as I can measure and perceive. The differences in bridge positions translates directly to the difference in overall length. The LXs are almost an inch taller than the NS-4CR. Edit: I would like to point out that I've played/practiced 6 hours today. It's not been all forensic analysis measurement fun; I've got an audition to prep for 😉

Geekery Corner - Spector European Edition With the new arrival yesterday (NBD thread to follow when the sun is out in the Shire) I had a penny-drop moment. Now, we’re all familiar with this lovely poster of the history of European-built Spectors and most of us know the differences off by heart but I spotted a significant difference between the models [it is significant if you spend your time wondering about Spector minutiae 🤓] yesterday that I thought was worth noting because it affects what I call the “hanging geometry” of the instruments and although no one has officially confirmed it to my knowledge, I think I’ve deciphered what “LX” really stands for and it’s not “Luxe”, “Luxury” or anything like that. Get your latest prescription goggles on and have a look at this: The 2001-2003 Euro series has a longer neck! The bridge is further North (pickup terminology) on the Euro. The nut is closer to the player on the earlier model. Then we move on to the Euro LX series and that bridge has migrated North again! Here’s some real world examples from the herd this morning... First up are two Euro 4 LX examples Then a Euro Then an NS-4CR I reckon “LX” must be “Long X-tension”, “Xtra Long” or something like that. A Euro LX is not a step up in “luxury” compared to a Euro, it’s mostly different wing construction. The question here is, why?

@woolf thank you, Graeme for a great buy and such an easy transaction. Great to meet you and hopefully see you at a Bash in the not to distant future. Another BassChat win all round. 😀

I've got the soapbar P+Js plus the LHZ in my Euro 5 LX. It's a peach. I liked the DCs but they're bordering on overwhelming and I like a bit more breathing space that the PJ config gives. I had a '01 NS5-XL years ago that I put soapbar P+Js in. The original pre packed up, so I put an ACG/East preamp in it. That was a very good combination and gave me a really versatile Spector. Nothing like any of the ones I have currently. I gigged it a lot. I sold it to raise cash for something. Gone forever now.

That is one of THE classic cabs of all time. These have a following and fan base of their own. It would be helpful if we had some insight and comment from @agedhorse before this goes into the operating theatre for major irreversible surgery. Re-tolexing it and respraying the grill is easy, spares, as far as I'm aware, are available or equivalents easily sourced. I think @Beedsterwill be able to add perspective too.

Lovely figuring. I like that colour combo. I have a Darkglass pre out of a '24 Euro LX if it's of interest but I recommend the LHZ. I've bought 6 of them.

Two of my big valve amps are in The Amp Hospital at the moment so I've had to take then off the list. 1. Rich - Trace Elliot TE-1200 amp, Barefaced Super 12T cab, earplugs , Shuker custom 5, Tanglewood TRB-CE acoustic bass gtr. 2. Woody - Rickenbacker 4004-L5, maybe Sei Flamboyant, Same old basschat 12" with some amp, other stuff TBC 3. Pinball (tbc) - some interesting basses 4. Stubsy - Joyo BadASS, GRBASS AT212 slim - only 50W but that should give 120dB at one metre 😇. (or I bring my TE 1110 combo). Some fun pedals. Perhaps the AVII 1960 precision, the Sire P10 and maybe the Fender Performer and something unexpected... 5. Sean - Laney Nexus Tube 400 [oh jeez], GK MBF500, GK Fusion 550, 2 x LFSys Monaco, 2 x Japanese Market Spector Euros with LHZ-03 preamps, Valenti #005 Super P with Hotrod Nightrain PJ pickups that are coming out immediately after the bash and will be for sale, Yamaha BB1300 (rarity with pickups rewound by Toltec), my small but well-appointed pedal-board (Origin Cali 76, Origin DCX, Aguilar Chorusaurus, etc). Plus whatever I might be selling at the time. 6. Rosie - likely I'll bring my upright, set up for bluegrass/folk/jazz if anyone's not played upright before and fancies a go 7. Phil - BassChat cabs, maybe some sort of shootout? 8. MikeD - Laney Digbeth, Zilla 212, Dingwall Combusion, Revelation PJ, pedals, try to finish home made bass🤞🤞🤞🤞 9. neepheid - G&L CLF L-1000, Yamaha BB1200, Sire D5, Sire Z7, Greco LGB-700, Reverend Triad, Epiphone Les Paul (not so) Standard, Epiphone Thunderbird '64, Squier Jaguar H (with Ibanez CAP double humbucker from ATK200/800 etc), Gear4Music rat bass (with Lace Aluma-P), £150 giggable bass challenge, 1 or 2 amps depending upon space... 10. Jabba_the_gut - Note sure what stuff yet........10. Jabba_the_gut - Status 3000, Status 4000, Stingray 4, USA Sub 5, Markbass Tube, some pedally bits inc Valeton GP5 cheaply thing 11. Wolverinebass - Grainger Hades, HX Stomp, GK Fusion 1200s. 12. Japanaxe - Precision(s) & Dingwall(s), DIY 100W Bassman head if finished by then(!) as people seemed to like my B15 clone, At least 1 other amp (see sig) 13. JohnDaBass - Fender Imp combo, Fender Mike Kerr Jaguar, Fender Stu Hamm Urge 1, HB ThunderStang, Squier Paranormal Rascal, Mark Bass Bronco ( very yellow), Ashdown Capri ( very Pink) 14. Geek99 (tentative) - sire v7 5 string (rapidly becoming my favourite bass ever), vintage est96a (punches above its weight as judged by basschat midlands massive and Stub Mandrel), Tc electronic bh250 and A cab that was dragged out of the sea (Possibly) but only cost £10 15. chienmortbb - Fender Aerodyne AJB65, G4M pretend aerodyne, Sire Narcus M2 (possibly for sale. Ashdown Restoglide 800 and Bugera Veyron 1001M, LFSys Monza cab. Possibley a number of accessories for sale. I might have to rrim the list as I am due an op shortly and am not allowed to lift anything for 6 weeks. You will notice me as the bloke with no trousers. 16. Richard R. - Brawley 4 and 5 string basses, Ashdown ABM C300-100+15"extension, Roland V-Bass COSM system pedalboard plus HB Musicman fitted with hex pickup, headphone amp, raffle prizes. Hopefully my son and his Ibanez. Definitely trousers. V-bass system and bass possibly for sale. 17. Scrumpymike - Gillett Contour ST; Harley Benton MV-4MSB Gotoh BM; Rascal Mervyn-Lyte (Fender Rascal re-bodied a-la P Lyte by Andy Jr); Sandberg California ll SL TM 4 SHORT with recent Aguilar upgrade; Vox Starstream A2S; Ampeg SVT-7 PRO; Fender Rumble 100 combo; BF Super Compact Gen 3; LFSys Monaco. 18. rwillett - Depending on what space @neepheid leaves me in the car, Fender Jazz, 3d printed headless, 3d printed jazz & 3d printed six string (if I finish them both), Jazz Bitsa, Matching Westone 1A Guitar and Bass, Mustang Bass, Gnome Pro V2, some sort of large speaker that was donated. Possibly a Strat and.or Tele to provoke sharp intake of breath, Tonex and Mod Dwarf. If he brings too much, either he's sitting on the roof bars or I am 19. Mottlefeeder - Yamaha RBX765: 5-string '80s solid body. Ibanez EW205: 5-string ABG. Ibanez EHB1265MS: 5-string fanned fret, headless. Hohner B2AV: 5-string active cricket bat. Home-brewed briefcase - battery/mains 175 Watts through twin 5 inch speakers. Eminence Basslite 10 in home-brewed cab *2. Ashdown Mybass Mk I (500w). Warwick Gnome. Vong HPF/LPF pedal. 20. CHYC - BC112mk3, BC110T, GSS 06b400mkd, Ashbory, Warwick fretless, double bass.

https://origineffects.com/product/bassrig-super-vintage/

The Chequers in Marlow tonight and a complete change. Mesa Walkabout. This'll be the first time I've gigged it in a few years and the first time running without a GK in a while too. It's just come back from The Amp Hospital in Guildford and it's all working beautifully again. It's a very different beast to any of the GKs and it gives the Spectors a slightly different voice. I dialled out the low end from about 50hz on the parametric EQ and we were happy with that. You can see it's right in a corner and it's elevated on a pew. It's a very cramped venue, so much so I kept bashing my right elbow on the crash cymbal. Crystal clear sparkly grit/clank all night long and the LFSys Monaco was fab. I'll be bringing this head to the SW Bash a week Sunday if anyone would like to try it. They're amazing and so classic the Mesa based the WD-800 on them. This is one of those amps where it's best to ignore the numbers. It does 165w through 8 ohm and for this gig the Master was between 3-4 out of 10 with the gain at 12 O'clock. Through the Monaco this was plenty for a large pub with PA support. Lots of very fuelled-up posh punters in this venue, who'd obviously been "playing in the snow (hey ho)" before coming out! Next gig is in two weeks and we're going for something completely different. If I've got the strength to lift a near-40kg box of bottles💪 😉

I get asked occasionally, do you play with a pick or your fingers? Yes. I can't really imagine not doing both based on what the song requirements are. There are a few songs in the current cover band set that I switch between pick and fingers from gig to gig. Crazy Train, Panama, Summer of 69, it depends on how I feel in the moment. Picks are so versatile, available in all kinds of materials and thicknesses and can give different tones, feels based on how you use them I'm learning 4 songs for an audition, they are: Saturday Night's Alright - Fingers. No brainer. I Bet You Good on the Dancefoor - Pick held straight/flat Mr Blue Sky - either but pick held flat (Carol Kaye style) makes sense to get the feel of the original. Moving to New York - 100% pick held at an angle so it slides on the wraps and gets that scraping sound. The EMGs + Haz and a DCX Bass make so much sense of using the pick in that way.

I've never had a speaker fail on me. I had two amps fail in the same gig in 2017 with different issues and a third amp fail the following week. I always carry two amps and GK Plex (DI, Tuner, Comp). Having a DI as backup only only works if there's a PA/monitors/channel available. If I had to chose just one, it would be an amp.