xroads

[quote name='Matte_black' timestamp='1411664663' post='2561732'] I must admit the amp is very nice but not very good for the "scooped" tone I'm after when I slap. My Warwick amp is better for that. Of course it's just a personal taste thing... it doesn't sound "bad" but the preamp's controls aren't probably made for that kind of stuff. Anyway it's just lovely for everything else and well built... not something easy to find on small amps. [/quote] Well, what I said...the TH has a sound built-in that is not everyone's taste. That's why a lot of people sell theirs after some time. There are small amps out there which give you a more modern sound; the Tecamp Puma 500/900 e.g. is an incredible amp, or the Markbass LM or F500 amps come to mind.

[quote name='eddiehoffmann' timestamp='1410596802' post='2551062'] TH 500 user here. If you can't get the bass sound you want out of the Tone Hammer, then what you have in your head is not a bass sound Plug your TH 350 into good sensitive cabinets and you'll be in tone heaven. [/quote] Coming from an Aguilar endorser, I understand this statement - which doesn't make too much sense. If you don't like the Aguilar baked in tone, you will not like the TH. I know quite a few people who have sold their THs because they could not get their sound out of it.

TH preamp into a good power amp.

Great amps - owned the 500 and now own the 900. They are on the neutral side of the tonal characteristics, with a great eq (like Luke wrote), and a taste knob that lets you scoop or add some mids. They also have a headphone out and CD player in, which is a nice feature for practicing.

[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1408574562' post='2531567'] +1 for the B3. The b1on is also good but I prefer the interface on the b3. But that's just my preference. As previously stated, Zoom effects are very "full on" on their default settings but easily changed to suit your preferences. [/quote] I just got the B3 as well: it's a user-friendly box that has some great sounding effects in there. You basically have 3 pedals in front of you that you can pre-program. For my rock band, I use a compressor, an Ampeg amp model, and a crunch effect from time to time, and it works great.

I sometimes run the TH pedal into the return of my Tecamp Puma head in order to get a more vintage type sound. Indeed, compared to the Puma preamp, the sound has much more push in the low mids, and in some rooms, loses definition. You can partly solve this by playing around with the parametric mids of the TH pedal. I don't think you can mix the signature Aguilar sound with anything else and get a good result, because if you add back the treble spectrum, you will lose the warmth again...

Killer cabs - I run them with a Tecamp and Aguilar amps, and they are powerful and punchy, with nice lows to handle a B-string as well. If you can get them at the quoted price, it's the time to buy....

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1400836408' post='2457344'] What's the situation for exchanging (as opposed to buying) a bass from the USA? I want to do a straight swap with a shop in the States; their used bass for mine, no money changing hands. I'd pay shipping costs to get theirs to me, and they'd pay to get mine to them. I'm trying to work out how much, if any, Custom, Import and VAT duties I'd need to pay, bearing in mind that sales invoice may well show £0. I've trawled through HMRC website and tried to ring them, but neither is easy at all. Can anybody advise, please? [/quote] You will need to pay customs/taxes.

I had a 212MBE (not sure which generation; it had a metallic front cover). Very sturdy/well built cab. Lots of power, but a little boomy. It can be eq'ed out to certain degree. Lack of bracing/damping never bothered me. Of course, you get what you pay for...I moved on to a pair of 112 Neo II by GK, and there is much more sound clarity and punch coming from these...

Just did an amp swap with David - great communication, very reliable, and well packaged shipping. My highest recommendations!

I play right handed instruments (guitar, bass) as a lefty - I agree with the notion that the fretting hand is much easier to control that way. However: do not underestimated the role of the right hand! It basically makes all the timing and dynamics of your playing. I struggle a lot with keeping good timing or plucking complex rhythms on the right hand, which my right-handed fellows do in a natural way.

Check out the slap introduction video by Scott Divine - he is very good in explaining that kind of stuff as if you were sitting next to him. You can find it on y-tube.

Just a note on your comment 'super simple': it doesn't have to be 1 knob/1PU. Even if your bass has many knobs...if everything fully open gives you a good sound, it means simple as well.

Check ebay -> completed auctions