Al Krow

Mate - if your Stomp is hitting the mark, can't see any reason for you to change it. I've highlighted the extra features on the Core - the additional processor power in particular, which is going to be the key incremental benefit over the Stomp IMO, as well smaller enhancements such as the twin loops not taking up precious blocks 'cos there are plenty blocks going spare on the Core (and doubling up as an aux in to provide a neat headphone / looper combo); and I like what I already know about the form (e.g. larger screen) and function of the Core a lot. Agreed. If they are at all, which is Woody's point. I think quite a few are watching out for this. Another TB comment: "Funny someone asked what this Boss Core thing will be replacing. If it has a decent phaser, and by decent I mean as good as my little Phase 95, then I am in. Been trying to cop a sound from my big board with a HX Stomp and the phaser, even though it’s a Phase 90 copy doesn’t even cut through at all. So, yes, I may be selling a HX Stomp and getting a Core for 1 effect because for some reason it's just not right on the Stomp."

I'm missing a trick here Dave with what you're after. But that's probably 'cos I would be using it either as a headphone amp or as a pedal to feed an actual amp, and not both at the same time. So one master vol control (top right dial) would be completely fine in that case. As I said, it seems to be a perfectly good headphone amp for the way most folk would be using a headphone amp.

The main volume would be the obvious starting point, given it's an output? Sounds like a perfectly good headphone amp to me. In terms of you doing your head-in-with a headphone monitor AND main out...well I can't help you there.

One of the loops doubles up an aux in (and you still have a spare loop for other pedals) and there's a headphones out. BIG issue sorted? 😉

Totally agree with the last bit and that Line 6 have first mover advantage! I suspect Boss may be able to get a little closer emulating their own effects, particularly the more recent digital ones, than someone else though?

Cam - I think you're overplaying the competition to date in terms of Fractal, Headrush, Kemper and Boss. From what I've seen there have only been two players in town over the past 3 years in terms of units shifted: Helix in the mid-market and Zoom at the budget end. And as for amp & cab models - they are potentially much less of an interest to those of us who are happy with our amp and cabs (e.g. Helix HX Effects owners). I agree the display graphics are better on the Stomp , but the Core has a screen that is almost double the size of the Stomp and the pic below is a better indication of what we'll be seeing at a gig. That would work just fine for me on a gig - I just need to know which patch I'm on and be able tweak basic parameters if absolutely necessary. No intention of doing any heavy duty patch editing live - nothing better to kill song flow IME! The Core's twin loops and bigger screen are both really "nice to haves". Having angled stomp switches is just one of those little touches added by a brand that understands live musicians very well. But whether the Core catches on, I think it's going to boil down to two things: 1) will it deliver a noticeable improvement in processing power? This from a Stomp user on TB: "about 4 blocks in total can easily exhaust the DSP when using one amp sim block. Amp+cabs are VERY costly on Helix, some models can hog 50% of the available processor. I have several "compressor + dirt + amp" presets, 3 blocks, and everything else is already grayed out." 2) how much store will folk attach to being able to access Boss' own highly regarded suite of effects, many of which they have grown up with. But it's good to see the Stomp owners defending their product in a way we've not really had to in the compact mid-market space since that excellent little product was launched a couple of years back (in fact announced almost 2 years to the day). Suggests to me that there might finally be some proper competition, which can only be a good thing for us end consumers.

Quickly gets dictionary out to understand what "fettled" means...can't be the same as (fine) "fettle" at least not in this context 😁 fettle in British English VERB 1. to remove ( excess moulding material and casting irregularities) from a cast component 2. to line or repair (the walls of a furnace) 3. British dialect: a. to prepare or arrange (a thing, oneself, etc), esp to put a finishing touch to b. to repair or mend (something) NOUN 4. state of health, spirits, etc (esp in the phrase in fine fettle) 5. another name for fettling Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Has this thread now become Yesterday's news?

I continue to refer you honourable (albeit age inappropriate - this is no longer the '50s/'60s even if the band is a '50s/'60s combo) gentlemen to my earlier post on the matter...😁

My Yamahas have typically all had laminate wood necks - and Yammy states that these are stiffer and by implication less prone to twisting and warping, but plenty of other makes and models use single wood pieces for their necks. Do you have a preference for single piece or laminate e.g. in terms of the sound or sustain (which I appreciate can be a dirty word these days)? Have you had any issues with bass necks twisting / warping? And, if so, did you manage to get the neck fixed? Interested to get your thoughts / wisdom / experience on this - not least from any luthiers.

Wow - I hadn't spotted they'd been discontinued. Together with all the positive comments above, none of which I disagree with even though I've not played mine nearly as much as I had planned to yet, tells me I should absolutely look to hold onto mine!

Nah don't worry - I'm sure everyone realised you were trying to be funny.

Or even a plectrum wielding octopus? But given the bass playing talent of some of the canines on this thread, and the over-arching belief in the power of a decent haircut to win the hand of a maiden, nothing should really surprise us.

Aha - gotcha, thanks. Yeah - if I was getting the Boss I would use its own built in drums and not get the BB. That's a very neat feature of the Ditto Jam.

Bugger! I really should have put money on that! Anyway, in celebration of Woody causing me to drain my wallet of funds (yet again - I'm still blaming my entire Ibby collection on him too and my Zoom B1-4), here's a few settings I'm finding decently usable:

Cheers for that - that's very helpful. Couldn't quite work out whether you are saying that syncing drums and looper will be harder or easier on the Boss than with Jam + BB?

I think that's what I like about the RC-500 is the combination of looper + drums Ditto Jam £130 + Beat Buddy mini £150 = cost of the RC 500 I reckon RC 500 will win on looper capability and the Beat Buddy mini have the better drums. Hmmm...

"the release of the OC-5 is the bass event of the year!" You heard it here first, folks 😁

I agree - there's a separate thread on it and quite a few BCers have already said they are getting. It's supposed to be pretty good too! I did spend £199 on a new Boss RC-30 back at the start of 2015, so I'm not sure why I'm feeling quite so daunted by the price of the RC-500 which looks like a very worthy successor! Maybe I've been spoiled by being able to buy quality used gear on this forum over the past few years?

Boss seem to be on a roll with their new product launches such as the OC-5, and GT1000 Core and now these two (pretty spendy!) loopers the RC-5 (£175) and RC-500 (£263) https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/news/141208/

If only that's all it took - we would all be dating super models, right? 😂

Boys calm down - she's got a steady boyfriend now (it's not the guitarist) 😂

Me too, certainly when I started out. I really only managed to get into either of my bands by being the founder member and also having the gumption to actually meet and speak to folk in person to get some gigs in - for some reason a lot of the younger gen only seem to be able to WhatsApp 😁...but the gap has definitely been closing over the past 7 years and I don't feel out of my depth with either of my bands any more. Heck they're going to have a bunch of new pedals launched on them soon and won't know what's hit them - lol! But I think it's also true that, whilst there is a huge gap between a highly proficient bass player and an average Joe, you can more easily get away with being "just adequate" on bass and holding down a steady bass line in a way you can't in similar fashion as a lead guitarist or vocalist.

It was just your post implied you had heard the originals band playing live and the guitarist was doing both the bass and guitar parts...but I guess you must have meant a recording, right?

Pigtronix Octavia arrived last week. Aimed at guitarists, but I like it a lot on bass (not least its compact form factor). It has a brighter, crisper fuzz than my Red Ripper which I suspect could cut through the mix very well, and sports a capable LPF for dialling back treble / producing a more vintage tone. It's definitely not an octave-up pedal in the way we normally think of one, though!