geoham

I'm about 1 hour north of Moffat - shall try to drag my bum down to it!

[quote name='andytoad' timestamp='1446982115' post='2903862'] Damn they were good, not a weak link amongst them. Well thought out gig, tight as the tightest thingy you could imagine! As for bass, sat in the mix beautifully, tasteful licks and nailed a great sound out of a series of p basses. Only one without a solo spot mind. Any others there? thoughts? [/quote] I wasn't there, though did consider it. 800 mile round trip was the main obstacle! I wish they'd play in Glasgow - really one of my favourite bands at the moment. I take it Tim Lefebrve was on bass for them? He's a really great bassist, as was their last bassist, Otiel Burbridge. Not sure who I prefer, though Otiel did get the odd solo which he'd scat-sing along with.

I've had a Mex Jazz since 2002 and the neck is holding up great. You could get a Lakland Skyline Jazz for the top end of your budget - very well built basses. My 5501 (not a jazz!) has graphite support rods in the neck... Helps to keep it straight. (Disclaimer - don't know if thier Jazzes have this!) Something like this? http://m.guitarguitar.co.uk/Product/10040811371129 Realise it misses a few of your requirments, but Lakland in general do a good Fender clone!

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1446718230' post='2901642'] I find Simple Minds to be similar because of Jim Kerr. [/quote] He didn't bother me too much until he performed on TFI Friday (I think!) wearing a Celtic scarf. Football is Glasgow is such a divisive thing - people have quite literally been killed for wearing the wrong colours. Rod Stewart is similar, kick drum skin is a massive Celtic badge and his gigs in Glasgow are a sea of green and white. I don't mind some his stuff, but you'd never catch me dead at a gig! No objections to anyone supporting a football team, but keep it out of your stage show - especially when a large chunk of said team's fans are idiots. (Before I get a virtual knife in my back, both sides of Glasgow are as bad!)

History according to my oldest... [list] [*]Dinosaurs [*]Romans [*]Victorians [*]Adults [*]Kids [/list]

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1446411933' post='2899233'] 7.5 octaves puts her about 3rd in the world rankings for vocal range Guess you can cover anything from Johnny Cash to Minnie Ripperton then [/quote] I guess she's probably got it wrong! She's an all singing - all dancing type with very versatile voice, but not the most technical. She does Jessie J, Bruno Mars, Debbie Harry, Michael Jackson and all our pop stuff just fine. I'm Leonard Cohen would be a different story. Anyway.... Tangent!

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1445808175' post='2894438'] Hmmm. Think I might have to see if I can push my budget a bit, or maybe just go for used, for some better quality 112 cabs - any impartial thoughts on the pair of Purple Chili PCB112T Neo cabs in the market place at the moment? [/quote] They're not neo, but Thomann are doing TC Electronic RS112 cabs for about £180 just now. I previously had two TC BC210 and sold one to buy an RS112. Fantastic sounding cab and very light. Holds its own against two guitars, drums and a violin well enough at rehearsals. My 2nd BC210 will soon be going to be replaced by another 112s. Like you, I am drawn to the modular aspect.

What about Caravan Palace? Not my usual thing at all, but I found them quite entertaining, if not slightly crazy!

I'm trying to learn to competently read again - I've not really done it since I left school 16 years ago. Anyway, I thought I was doing ever so well with this until bar 94 came along! Particularly since I was playing along with the track using a standard tuned four string! Anyway - spot on transcription and a lot of fun!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1445932348' post='2895414'] Eventually you will want to upgrade to a better bass. IME you need to spend at least £1000 new to get a bass with a decent low B. [/quote] My own experience has been that a more expensive bass delivers a better B, though I managed it for £700 (a five string, not a sixer!). My first five string was a perspex Wesley - looked cool, but wasn't great! Several years later, I picked up an Ibanez SR405 - much better, but couldn't get on with the tight string spacing. The B was also quite floppy. I've now purchased a Lakland 5501 - and it's really great. At £700, I suppose many on here will consider it a budget bass, but it's the most expensive I've ever owned!

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1445770399' post='2893947'] 7.5 octave range?! [/quote] So she says! From my perspective though, she just sings everything in the recorded keys...makes for an easier life all round!

I bought a decent five string this year after two failed attempts on cheaper instuments. I originally intended it in my covers band for ease of transposing, but our current vocalist has a 7.5 octave range and she can sing anything we throw at her in the original key. I can switch between four and five strings here no problem. In my originals band however, I now use the extended range pretty often. I play octaves quite a lot, and the fifth string really helps. A few basslines go down to low D, and I also like being able to approach the lower fourth string notes from below. I took my four string P bass along to a rehearsal after playing the fiver for a few months, and I was frankly all over the place! In hindsight, I'd probably have got on much better with a BEAD tuned four string. Perhaps this could be an option?

I've had flats and rounds on both my Jazz and Precision, and change my opinion quite a lot! If I had the money and space, I'd own two of each to have all options available - it's four very different sounds. As it stands, I'm using flats on my Jazz and rounds on my Precision. My current reasoning is that flats give the Jazz a smoother, less harsh tone - particularly on the bridge pickup. I find the mellowness a good match to the brightness of the pickup and makes it more useable when solo'd, and makes the Jazz more versatile all round. On the other hand, I find rounds gives a P a great rock sound. I'm using very bright steel rounds on my Lakland 5501, though I will try flats on that next! My advice - try flats on all your basses over a reasonable period of time (one at a time!) and make sure you try in a band situation. In my opinion, you won't appreciate flats properly until you've at least had a band rehearsal with them. George

I have one of those stands - It's not great for a Jazz, but still better than leaning your bass against your amp at a gig! Works perfectly for my other basses though.

Fair point, I am a bit of a cheapskate!

Does anyone know anywhere I can purchase a scratchplate for my Lakland 5501. The guys at Lakland have been pretty helpful - they'll sell me one directly. The price isn't exactly cheap though at $50 + around $9 postage, not to mention the risk I'll get charged VAT or duty when I import it. I'd like to see whats available locally before splashing out directly with Lakland. Thanks George

Thanks so much for this...I'm not a big Madness fan, however this song is genuinely one of my earliest memories - when I saw it being 'performed' on The Young Ones! It was originally broadcast in 1984 when I was three...my dad was a 25 year year old ex-punk - he used to let me watch it when my mum was working back-shifts. Suppose that would get classed as irresponsible parenting these days! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjvlkErrw_M

[quote name='Philly' timestamp='1437576946' post='2827228'] Thanks for your opinion I was thinking the same. Been thinking of the 2 X 12 option for a while and thomann are selling these ridiculously cheap at the moment if you can wait 6 weeks for delivery. [/quote] I waited six weeks for mine, but they were showing as 'Out of Stock' they dispatched it as soon as they came back in though. I reckon you'd have it in a few days if it's in stock - which appears to be the case now. Thinking of selling my BC210 and going with two of these, great wee cabs!

Lot of interesting information here, thanks gentlemen! Presumably the 2.8 feet is measured from the back of the cab? I ask because the the RS112 has strange dimensions - it's longer than you'd expect, almost 20 inches from front to back.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1443043878' post='2871854'] The best thing I found for my 112 cab was to sit it on top of another 112 cab. The whole lot sat on a Gramma pad. [/quote] This isn't helping my GAS for a second RS112... Only £180 on Thomann. I managed to get £165 when I sold a BC210... A possible no brainer to sell the other?

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1442781348' post='2869482'] Interesting read, thanks! It still doesn't answer all the questions, too many vague details... so to me it looks like it could be, but I would not bet money on it. It would not make sense to use "the same pickups" yet use different cabling on them... I have had a couple of Tonerider humbuckers on a guitar a while ago and they were pretty sweet. My CV60 P pickup does not have a code name corresponding to a Tonerider pickup, and it does not look the same because of the cables... and I really can't think why they could not state the pickups use... Fender has used DiMarzio and the pickups were clearly labelled, several brands use Wilkinson and they're clearly labelled: it makes sense, it is generally a positive attribute to point out. It looks to me like some might actually be Toneriders, like the strat set labelled TRS3... but it's not clear to me at all that Tonerider got a contract for the whole range. Having said that... the CV Squier pickups are not bad at all, in any of their instruments. [/quote] I don't think they are Tonerider pickups as such in the Squier CV series, I think the suggestion is that they are made by OEM manufacturer to the same spec- similar to the way that both Harley Benton and Beta Aivin pedals are pretty much identical and made by the same factory. Regarding the cable difference, I read about this elsewhere and apparently the Squier pickups all have standard plastic covered cables, and the Toneriders have cloth covered cables - probably to sell the 'vintage' angle. In any case, both pickups sound great for not much cash. George

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1443034535' post='2871740'] Yes if you put it on a chair you will ruin the mutual coupling effect that the floor gives and loose a lot of the bottom end. THe stagg stand works but oumight need some velcro on the head. [/quote] Didn't think of velcro to keep the head on! The RS112 is a bit of a strange shape though (quite long from front to back), so this one may not work, though could be alternatives out there.

My TC Electronic RS112 finally arrived this week! It's a great sounding little cab. Far clearer than my BC210 cab, and possibly just as loud! I already got rid of one BC210 to fund this. Given Thomann's crazy price, I may even get rid of my other one and do it again. A BH550 in to two of those should handle pretty much any gigs I'll do. Though I reckon one will be fine for gigs with decent PA support, quiet weddings, acoustic shows etc. The one concern I have with gigging with one is that it's really close to the ground. Any suggestions for raising it up that are better than a beer crate or chair? I know plenty of you play gigs with 1x12 cabs - do you raise them or just deal with them being on the floor?

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1441756178' post='2861584'] how do you know that? [/quote] I don't think anyone knows for sure that this is the case, but plenty of chat about it online. Take this page (relating to guitar pickups) for example: https://tidywords.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/tonerider-pickups-vs-squier-classic-vibe-pickups/ It states: They are made in the same factory They are made by the same OEM producer They look the same They sound the same They have the same product numbers The measured output is the same. In any case, I have a Tonerider in my Mexican P bass and it sounds excellent, far better than the stock pickup. Quite a vintage tone, strong low-mids and not too bright. (I found the stock Mex pickup very harsh sounding). George

Mine has just shipped and they are showing in-stock on their website now. Be quick!