Happy Jack

Despite the lack-of-power issue (i.e. 0.5A battery power rather than 2A) the Hotone performed perfectly adequately with both the DB and the Precision. The improved tone from the PJB Briefcase was probably no more than reflection of the power issue. Overall, I definitely prefer the Briefcase for actual outdoor performance ... easier to use, no set-up time, fewer cables, etc. plus the on-board compression on the Briefcase (just a single knob) is surprisingly effective. The Hotone has now found a new home and a new function. It now lives next to my PC in my study/office and has become my home rehearsal amp running (off the mains) into a Crazy 8. For this purpose, it is pretty much unbeatable. The tone is superb and the volume levels very sensible for playing along with mp3s. It's also cute as anything.

OK, time to finish this off with a video of the Hotone when it's functioning.

Quick update on the Eva Pirazzi Slaps ... they're just lovely. Totally stable from Day #1, as in they needed just 24 hours to settle down and hold tune, plus the tone is simply indistinguishable from the nylon-wrapped guts at the D & G so there's excellent consistency across the four strings. From a playing point of view, the smooth finish makes them far less damaging to my fingers. By my last couple of rehearsals with the copper-wound Pyramid E & A I was reduced to taping my plucking fingers to be able to get through. Since changing strings I've had no trouble at all. I do have to say that the EP Slaps were no better to install than the Pyramids, needing two people + considerable effort + lots of faffing about to get them on, and I still wouldn't describe what we've done as a particularly professional job!

Only if you're Lionel Ritchie ...

You need to ask each of us individually.

Let me know when you want to move it on, Clarky.

Must have played a Stealth st some point, but it didn't stick in my memory ... sorry!

I've had my Streamline 5 for years now and I love it to bits. In truth, until I read your post I'd actually forgotten that it has a trussrod. I've just checked and yup, it surely does. I've never yet needed to use it, but it's good to know it's there. Regardless of what it's made of, a Streamline can sound every bit as woody and organic as my 1965 Precision or my 1964 Hofner Violin. It may or may not be a 'slap monster' but I've never played a single note of slap in my life and I have no intention of starting now. @fretmeister is quite correct about the rather squared off neck profile, and I can see how that would put some people off. I'm a right gear tart and I jump around from bass to bass in various different bands and musical side projects, so changes in number of strings or scale length barely bother me. Neck profile is way down the list of things that I'm concerned about.

Paging @Silvia Bluejay

Just imagine if Glenn had put Track #29 up for sale ...

And page now gone.

The new place has been there a few years now, but then again so are ALL the old, original Nissen Hut studios. I've played in several of them in the last three years.

Do you mean one of these?

Mill Hill Complex is basically a bunch of WW2 Nissen Huts which were used as an industrial estate in the 50s and 60s. It's a total throwback to the days when rehearsal rooms stank of teenage sweat, stale cigarettes and rancid lager. And the parking is utterly appalling. I rather like it. In their defence, if I was running that place myself I cannot begin to imagine how I could do any sort of 'deep clean' without gutting every single room and starting over. The dispersed layout would also make further cleaning between sessions even more challenging. Realistically, they shouldn't be open for business during a health crisis.

Has anyone made them a Senator yet?

So how close are we @ped? Give us an updated number!

Shallow of me, perhaps, but I tend to assciate black hardware with the 310. Both my 320s had gold hardware. Lovely looking bass, mind, and clearly priced to sell. Collection from Tonbridge, on t'other hand, is doing the vendor no favours at all.

And that's just about the size of it. You can get a staggering range of totally useable, musical tones from a Wal. I sold my first Wal when I realised that I spent all my time making it sound like a Precision ...

The best-laid plans, eh? Firstly our Thursday rehearsal got moved to Wednesday, then we set up our kit in the woods and the Hotone/BoxKing rig suddenly misbehaved and died again. It had done this previously in my home studio when we were preparing the first bunch of videos, leading to another topic elsewhere: However, switching to just using the 4Ω Embee 1210 cab seemed to cure the problem and a couple of hours testing gave no recurrence. As soon as we set up in the woods, there was a straight repeat along with an interesting selection of squeals and howls. All very dispiriting, so we switched it all off and put it away. Plugged it all together again today at home and ... it all worked perfectly. Ah well, we'll try again with my other band on Sunday. Meanwhile, we were left with just the PJB Briefcase and it was superb. I genuinely couldn't hear any difference between using it when plugged into the mains and using it on battery power. Set to full volume, it was about the right level for a no-PA rehearsal or for busking in a relatively quiet area ... you'd have no trouble with this in a shopping precinct or a public park, for example. Don't be misled by the overly quiet vocals here - Rick is capable of singing very loudly indeed, far far louder than this, but he wasn't there to test my kit, he was just running through stuff we haven't played live for too too long.

We are, aren't we? We're actually going to re-do the entire FRFR topic less than a year after it ran to 97 pages (or whatever).

But on a piano the only keys that are flat are the white ones ...

I may have to try putting my Broughton HPF up front ... it might be an impedance-matching issue.