Al Krow

Oh don't worry the 2020 gear wish list thread will be appearing on here sooner or later as we all individually fall like flies! And just 'cos you're the OP doesn't give you any immunity as @Sibob will testify, despite getting a few purchases in before the 31 Dec 2018 deadline last year...

Yeah me too. Just thinking about whether I should accelerate a possible purchase of the newly released Boss RC-10R before the 31/12/19 deadline. I've got a horrible suspicion this thread is going to mean I end up buying more gear, at higher prices ('cos I'm not waiting for sales or for them to come up used) to get them in before the deadline and then I fail in 2020 on about Jan 3rd anyway... 😁

@mcnach @Phil Starr you are both of course absolutely right in terms of the difference that 300W to 500W at 8 ohms might make and that 2 cabs are going to better than one etc. No debate from me on that score. But we also need to factor in the age and efficiency of the OP's LM2 head which is going to be (I'm guessing) a decade old now and the fact that he can't push it to full without it getting 'cranky'. So I'm guessing we're more likely talking about 150W / 200W of his current head --> 400W / 500W at 8 ohm here as the better comparison. There is also a "practical experience" flip side to this which is that there are plenty of folk on here (me included) using a one cab solution with decent power output amp which is very adequately meeting our needs with a full rock band. I have never found my BF SC and DG M900 amp lacking in volume on any of our gigs, even without PA support.

Nah, you're all good. Sibob provided us with very detailed rules at the start of his 2019 thread. So provided you've ordered in 2019 you're safe!

Haha - go on then, having very sensibly avoided it this year I'll see how far I get into Jan, before I succumb. Lol! Actually, I guess the key measure (for me anyway) is not lasting throughout 2020, just lasting longer than @bassfan. Now how hard can that be? And on the plus side there's a whole 30 days of shopping left in 2019... 😁 POST #6 Posted February 3 (edited) Clearly have too much time on my hands first thing this morning...I thought it might be useful to put what's ok / not in one place, after our recent debates on the matter. Here's how I've been approaching it (before I crash and burn in Feb 😁) (BASS) GEAR ABSTINENCE CHALLENGE 2020 – RULES OF THE GAME Why? To focus on making the most of the existing gear we have rather than get distracted by the next ‘shiny new thing’. What’s a fail? Any purchase or trade of new or used bass gear. 'Bass gear' = anything in your signal chain that you use to make or augment your bass sound /tone. basses, amps, cabs, pedals, PA gear (if your bass is DI’d into this) What’s ok? Anything to look after or organise your existing gear or wear & tear related. Any non-bass gear. strings, gig bags, leads, pedal boards, PSUs for pedal boards, repairs or identical replacement of existing kit, lessons, software related to existing kit non-bass musical gear (this came under a stricter Tier 2 for the completely hair shirted last year) e.g. music software not related to existing kit, keyboards, guitars, drum machines etc. By concession: unsolicited gifts of gear where you had no say in the matter! When? Any purchases between 1 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2020

Entirely fair about 2 cabs. But the OP mentioned he was keen to stick to a lightweight 1 cab solution. For portability he's going to be hard pressed to improve on his BF SC. His LM2 puts out 300W at 8 ohms (which the BF SC is rated at) and the LM2 is more likely only putting out nearer 150W to 200W if it's not being 'pushed' which can mean "the amp ...gets a bit snarky and unpleasant". Given that the BF SC can handle up to 600W at 8 ohms, IMO he and the audience will hear a volume difference with a punchier amp which provides him with greater headroom, and there have been some great suggestions on the amp front above.

Oh and Paul, while you're in chirpy mood, my invoice is in the post...😂

Fixed. Not gonna say "I told you so" just 'cos I did 😁

For £600 you could pick up an used DG M900 v1 (there are a couple in the FS right now). I only moved mine on because I've replaced it with a mk2 model (the AO900). 450W+ on tap at 8ohms (900W+ at 4ohms) and nice touch of tonal richness can be added by engaging the DG Microtubes preamp. Hopefully @dave_bass5 will be along shortly: he's owned two of the three models you mentioned in your OP you're thinking about getting and has another of the MB range in his stable. Oh and I should perhaps have mentioned that I play a PJ bass also through a BF SC, so not a million miles from your own set up.

Really instructive / helpful - cheers Jack!

Very very useful, post. Thanks Jack!

Out of interest, was it the body shape or tone (or both) of the 414 that you prefer over the Attitudes?

Aha, you were responding to Mojo's comments on this. The cobwebs are clearing and it's all starting to make sense now! 😀

Haha Andy - they say that reprise is a dish best served cold, but that must be a record for a slow motion conversation if you've just commented on a bit of banter from 5 months back! 😁 There are a couple of cracking Yammy deals in the FS. I'm really tempted by that red TRB 1005 in the FS. £450 with a bridge upgrade looks like great value as an active counterpart to my BB 1025 and Mick's BBN4 for an unlocked phone or £120 really does put the black back into Friday!

I trust this ain't going to be a spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen their video'd MOTD, but we did just beat a top 3 club yesterday away from home. If you've got a drummer who can't keep time goalie who can't save it's gonna screw the backline. The darkest moment is always before the dawn. At least that's what @dave_bass5 tells his missus, I believe.

Cheers Dave, not something I've personally heard mentioned before so a very useful tip!

£6k for a monitor that matches a quality bass rig!!

That's a good point. At least with your own kit you know it's going to be there! What stage monitors have you found that match up to a quality bass cab (BF, VK, Berg, Fearless etc)?

^^ This. I've not thus far heard an on stage monitor come close to the sound of a quality bass cab. But IMO it doesn't need to be a big cab for decent on-stage monitoring. A quality 1x12 or 2x10 works just fine for this and will also cover smaller (e.g. pub) gigs, too, without PA support provided you've got sufficient headroom with your amp, which for me is 300W+. A high-end 112 that will handle up to 600W and weighs just 23 lbs or less? No problems sir / madam, it probably won't make you look as good as @Ted Theodore Logan, III assisted by his very capable salesman, but @Paul S has one in the FS going for a very reasonable price, right now, which I suspect won't be hanging about too long!

That's the explanation provided to me ie super sensitive circuit. But was noisy on clean by pass not just when engaged,which was more frustrating. I do agree that Central London seems to accentuate noise on pedals and basses.

Lol! Well that thread I linked to was started in 2012. And a bit tricky to explain exactly the same comments on TB in the US about the MXR BOD.

Appreciate your experience has been much more positive. It's a relatively widely known issue and you're correct, some units are noisier than others, but it's certainly not isolated. The newer MXR VBD was designed to be less noisy, implicitly acknowledging the issue with the BOD. Here you go from a quick Google search and from our very own archives!

+1 ^^ Getting the HX (in my case in place of my Stomp) has transformed my enthusiasm for getting stuck in with Helix. I appreciate it's probably just me, but it feels like a much more user friendly interface probably mainly driven by having sight and access to a bank of 4 patches in one go, which just makes life soooo much easier. Obviously doesn't have the amp and cab sims of the Stomp (I guess no biggie if you're happy with your amp and cab) but 3 extra blocks may well come in handy.

More seriously - congrats Patrick. Interesting that the HX Effects seems to be making a bit of a come back - several BC'ers seem to have gone for this option recently either substituting other HX pedals or going for this one as their first HX multi. I blame Dave (always easiest IMO) for starting this trend. So you can sue him. Did I just start this post with 'more seriously'?