Lfalex v1.1

Unless it's utterly spectacular and has custom features that you'll use, then £2k seems too much. Have a search for at any listings in the marketplace here for Thumb NT5s and see what they went for. I reckon you could get one for £1.5k It's a buyer's market, and S/H Warwick values are positively comedic. Sure, NEW ones are ludicrously priced, but there's plenty out there in the second-hand arena, and good supply keeps the prices down. Of you do miss this one, another will probably be along shortly.

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1294670184' post='1084261'] Of all the myriad preamps I've come across over the years, the Tonepump has been one of the better ones. A friend of mine used to have two Spectors, one US made with a Hazlab preamp and one Euro with an Aguilar preamp. The Hazlab was the best sounding of the two, but when I A/B'd my Euro against his basses it sounded a lot better than the Aguilar and not far behind the Hazlab one. The Hazlab preamp sounded amazing, absolutely great. Thats what Fodera used to use, and I believe Victor Wooten's #1 Monarch has this preamp. The Spector in question certainly sounded said fairly "Wooten". [/quote] Interesting, that. My NS CR5 EUB has a Hazlabs EQ in it. And it's very, very good indeed. Sounds like it's been voiced to suit the instrument, not just plonked in the cavity and left to get on with it...

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1380135357' post='2221423'] How is it any different to any of the cheap Fender/Musicman/Gibson/Rickenbacker copies? [/quote] The QC might [i]just[/i] be worse than the design it's um... Er.... "Emulating"

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1380108880' post='2220855'] Inspired by one of Entwistle's Fenderbirds maybe? [/quote] It does seem likely, doesn't it?

Interesting. I live within driving distance. If they're as nice about necks and bodies as they are about strings, perhaps they'd let me choose the nicest body and best fitting neck from stock- and implement my own QC. Then just add hardware, strings and electrics to taste. Not cheap, but satisfying, and you'd get exactly what you wanted within Fender specs.

[quote name='cocco' timestamp='1379975053' post='2219123'] Or a bass for Klingons? I'll get my coat. [/quote] Or Romulans. No coat required.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1380012078' post='2219354'] Why compromise on your instrument just because you’re travelling? Get a good flight case and play a proper bass when you get there. [/quote] So a Steinberger/Hohner/Streamline would constitute a compromise? There are scenarios when it's "small bass" or "no bass". If a "traveler" is too much of a compromise, there's always "no bass", I suppose.

True enough. EUBs cover a broad range of designs, sounds and playability. Some nearer to DB, some nearer to BG. Mine sounds like a very big fretless Bass Guitar with stupid amounts of sustain....

I have fewer basses than when I joined. Fewer "accessories", too. Same number of amps, though, Still a net decrease overall.

If it's half as good as my CR5, you'll be having a whale of a time! Nice one. Enjoy!

Fender Roscoe Beck V (still) BassLab L-bow V That's it.

EUB for when you just can't choose?

Just re-strung my Warwick Streamer LX6 with a set of (the old-style, nickel) Elixirs. I made up a set based around their hybrid medium 4-string set, and ended up with; 0.032 C 0.045 G 0.065 D 0.080 A 0.100 E 0.130 Taperwound B You'd think that'd feel out-of-balance, but it certainly doesn't. Skinny C? It's thicker than some people's G - assuming they're playing 30,50,70,90! Sounds great. Feels great. And spaced at about 16.5mm, not too much of a stretch. For the old plucking hand. Shane it's so heavy!

I'm finding sleeping in 11/13 has caused me to have quite irregular patterns. I prefer even meters, it seems.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1379534886' post='2213962'] I have both, and I like both. Sorry for the boring, non-committal response. [/quote] This. If it sounds good, feels good and plays well, then it is good. I wouldn't let a bass being active or passive determine whether or not I bought it.

^ Nor should you ever need to wind a Trace master volume up beyond about half-way (assuming that the gain is correctly set) The power amp stages are made to be more sensitive so they can be driven by lower-output pre-amps. I've used an Ampeg pre into the fx return to good effect. Think it even says so in the SMX manual... Oh, I have a TE bunch of cabs and a head cut from a combo. Don't get much use...

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1379422977' post='2212468'] ... but sometimes completely OTT, and not even a bit Green. [/quote] But in fairness, more energy/resources are tied up in the instrument that is being protected than in the excessive packaging. Add in return transport costs for broken items and then sending new ones out, and it pays, even in environmental terms to pack the goods well. Most plastic/bubble wrap/tape is recyclable. All cardboard should be. It's only the dastardly expanded polystyrene that's a problem now...

No worries. If the one you tried was a [i]really[/i] odd shape, it's likely to have been an EDA. Body like a distorted teardrop, pointy little headstock. Brave design for a mainstream manufacturer.

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1379406015' post='2212168'] Slightly off topic, but what's the general consensus on the Ibanez Ergodyne basses? I only ever had a quick go on one It was a really odd shape, but it played beautifully and felt very comfortable Access to the notes at the very top of the neck was easy, due to the shape and design of the body of the bass EDIT: and the neck was quite slim & fast I've since seen a few different designs of Ergodynes, And the guy who owned the one I played said there were very big differences in certain models... I never seem to see them come up for sale in shops near me, so I don't get chance to try any out Any thoughts on them folks? [/quote] I know of 3. The EDA, EDB and EDC. They had numbers, but can only recall the one I owned, an EDB600. The five strings were EDB605, just like the current Ibanez numbering system. Do be aware that the newer ones- with different designations again- are [b]Wooden[/b], not Luthite like the old ones. Luthite is a resin, not dissimilar to that used in the manufacture of Tenpin Bowling balls. The bodies are injection moulded, giving (theoretically) great consistency of manufacture, and the ability to make weird and wonderful shapes- like the EDA. Any two bases of the same model were likely to weigh almost exactly the same. The necks were maple with rosewood fretboards. 24 frets IIRC. I've never seen a fretless. I owned an EDB600. It was excellent for the £80 I paid for it. Until... It fell off the sofa when my back was turned. Our floors are solid concrete, and whatever underlay the previous incumbent had used was rubbish. Result, the entire lower bout around the control cavity cracked right through and fell off. A write-off. From an impact that would barely have marked a wooden bass. Luthite can be [i]very brittle[/i]. It sounded great with DR FatBeams on. Very neutral. Only my Vigier and Status Streamline are more neutral. The 3 band Eq was good, as were pick-ups, and I could coax some nice sounds out of it. The next one I tried was similar, but lacked something... So I didn't buy it. Probably the set-up or the strings made the difference. If you get the chance, try one. You might just like it. DO get Straplocks, and DON'T drop it!

I knew what you meant! Just pulling your leg! Not sure about outdoor amps, though. I've been caught out by the weather when playing outdoors before. It's not nice. Think lightning storm whilst on raised scaffolding stage... In an open field. We just ran for it, instruments, amps, the lot! Straight back to the cars.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1379320598' post='2211110'] Ply is fine although my outdoor bass has got a walking stick rubber tip on its spike. That always works. [/quote] "Outdoor bass". Excellent concept, leading to all instruments in any given collection being duplicated. One for indoors, one for outdoors. GAS ahoy!

The NS EUBs have small dots under the strings at every position from 1 to 24- the double octave mark. And yes, it is accessible that far up! You might pick up a second-hand NXT for about £650.. Maybe less.

Not an Orange owner, but... I'm convinced from my experiences with my Ampeg SVP-Pro that some amps are voiced to suit certain basses or types of bass. If not that, then at some point during development, the amp is used with "bass X" to fine-tune it, and ends up favouring that kind of instrument. The Ampeg was great with P,J and the Stingray. OK with the Vigier, but hated the Status and Warwicks.

Leo didn't just get it right the once, did he? Horses for courses, but at VERY least the Precision, Jazz and Stingray are truly iconic designs- in bass terms. The models that came later from G&L are every bit as good, just not as instantly recognisable to those non-aficionados.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1378972514' post='2207097'] In my old flat my bass used to buzz loudly when I turned the lights on... Rob [/quote] That's not so unusual. Dimmer switches and poorly suppressed fluorescent lights are common culprits, as were CRT TVs.