paulbuzz

Just another thought to throw into the murky pool... If you're getting all the top end you need via your "dirty" channel + Schroeder cab, then perhaps the other channel might be better served with one of Alex's Big Sub cabinets. This is, like the Compact, a single 15" cab, but (afaik) uses a different driver more dedicated to low frequencies. Essentially it's the Big One without the midrange driver. For your purposes, I would guess that the differences from the Compact might be the following: CONs: - Marginally more expensive (£450 rather than £400, according to the website) - I don't think he's actually made any of them yet! PROs: - Deeper bottom end - May also possibly solve your aesthetic issue with stacking the deeper Schroeder (16") on top of the shallower Compact (13.5") Not certain on this as there's no dimensions for the Big Sub on the website, but I'm guessing that, as part of the "Big" series, it may share the 16" depth of the Big One...? Don't know about its height, but possibly, without the midrange section of the Big One, it might be a similar height to the Compact (25.5")...? So, stacked on its side with the Schroeder (23.5"). this might work ok...? Disclaimer: this stuff about dimensions is really just guesswork; I'll have to rely on Alex correcting anything that's wildly wrong! cheers

Thanks everyone for your well-informed and comprehensive replies - I feel a bit guilty (Guild-y?) now, as it was only an 'idly-wondering' sort of question. I'm pretty sure Ali was using this when I also saw SLF on the Nobody's Heroes tour (1980?) in Aberystwyth. He's back in the band again now, (after spending time tour-managing and bass-playing for Sinead O'Connor and Moby, amongst others) but I haven't seen any recent pictures of him using this bass. I wonder if he's still got it... I can't decide whether I think the bass is pleasingly unusual, or just quite ugly...!

Oh my word; instant answers! Aren't teh internets marvellous! Prizes? Hmmm - sticky buns all round!

Anyone able to identify this bass? It was used by Ali McMordie of Stiff Little Fingers throughout the early part of their career. Sorry the pics aren't very good; couldn't find any better ones. Nothing vital hangs on the answer to the question; I was just interested, and then irritated when I couldn't find the answer! [attachment=16849:alibass1.jpg] [attachment=16850:alibass2.jpg]

So... it's fairly clear that his characteristic grindy sound would come out of a cranked valve amp, whether Hiwatt, Marshall or whatever; but when he switched to more hifi-ish gear later (eg Trace Elliots from early 80's on, through to Ashdown Lab Series stuff today ), what did/does he use to get the dirt for his early classic sound? Personally, I've never found a really convincing way of getting that sound [i]except[/i] via the cranked-up-valve-amp route. ( Oh no, perhaps I shouldn't have said that - let's not have the thread degenerate into a valves-versus-trannies argument... )

In about 1986, I humped gear for a Level 42 gig. At the end of the night, as we were packing and loading PA, Mark King's guitar tech was restringing EVERY ONE of the dozen or so basses that he had on the tour. Apparently he did this EVERY NIGHT, whether the basses had been played or not. The "old" strings were simply discarded on the floor of the hall. Me and the other bass players on the humping crew gathered them up and split them between us. I got about four sets that were essentially brand new. Since I had no money to buy new strings, these ones kept me going for a good couple of years... Nobody ever said that his strings made me sound like him though. (Just as well, since they were one of my least favourite bands ever...) The strings budget for their tours must have been unbelievable...