Al Krow

Gav - that's all very sweet mate. But you don't need to be on my case. At all. Ever. As dear hen-pecked-but-otherwise-God's-gift-to-women Cuzzie once said "I'll get around to it in my own sweet time". As a musician I have 3 bands (and various other ventures) vying for my attention. Spending time on bass and learning new material is a massively higher priority for me than getting to grips with bits of bass gear via PC or onboard editors (FI, Stomp, Manta etc) which, for me, are creative home 'fun' use only currently. My priorities are my priorities. Tbf - I've been nagging Q-thingy to get a pedalboard and a decent amp and cab to play his lush collection of pedals and amazing synths through for an aeon. He's nearly got around to it. But his priorities are his priorities. It's all good.

Appreciate that this is a bit of a side track on this thread, but just picking up on our discussion: first impressions of my Squier Bass VI is that's it's "okay" but not going to blow me away. And I kinda get your point already about neck width and string spacing - I'd actually prefer the strings to be a little further apart, in fact, which I appreciate might make playing chords a little more difficult, but just feels more familiar / comfortable as a bass player. My initial 'home made' Bass VI approach was to take my Ibanez SR1206 and restring it E to E (which is actually fine on the top E string despite it being a 34" scale). That gives me the ability to use the lower 4 strings as a 'normal bass' with normal bass string and fret spacing and then add in the additional top two strings for Bass VI effect when I want. The more traditional Squier Bass VI format is obviously different and seems to me to have plusses and minuses, but isn't necessarily going to be 'better' for how I will be using it. Just mentioning this in case the 'home made' Bass VI approach may give you a different angle to explore on your Bass VI journey. Very much looking forward to your debut single.

Ah yes, you still have kids to look after. Which would explain your world view on this point. Fair dos. But there will come a time when they have left home and you have the freedom to do what you like when you like.

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... now where were we after that little interlude?! Well my Sytlophone is arriving later today. Looking forward to having a lot of fun with it and hopefully also spending some decent time on a bass learning some new material. And NOT putting in any time on a PC editor pissing about on FI patches today (or likely until the new PC editing software is released, whenever that may be). It's great being a grown up and being able to do what you like when you like. 😂

No one is asking you to waste time on my case, buddy.

I'll do what I like when I like

I stand corrected. Did you have any intel on the 3 band EQ f-mid-points?

Thanks Q-thingy, but you don't need to worry about me on this one. Remember I'm the person who defended the FI for many months while you were slagging it off having spent 20 mins with it in a shop one afternoon? But it is truly wonderful to see how the zeal of a convert has grabbed you... In the immortal words of @krispn: 😂

I need to do some work on the Stomp filter patch and, in particular, see if I can add in a 50% clean blend. The filter itself works well in terms of delivering that 'quack' but loses low end big time (I suspect what you were hearing in terms of it being 'weedy'?) - very noticeable when compared to the MXR BEF and Fwonkbeta.

...and, in case I'm at risk of misleading, it's not a DG A/O but something a hundred times less sexy! Just thought it an amusing coincidence we both had a Thomann box on the same day 😊

"The Symposium of Synth" (!!!) GREAT phrase 👍 are of the view that the Roland keys synth will make this Korg Volca Bass feel like, well... a Stylophone 😂 But the UI on the Roland JD-Xi is a right royal pain in the ar*se to dive into, which is why our former dep guitarist was keen to move it on to me and replaced it with something perhaps less capable but more intuitive. I'm just about to get a third filter (a 3Leaf GR2)...and having fun with dedicated funk and synth pedals i.e. all the stuff that the Stomp is currently crap at. But tell you what, three filters is nothing compared to the (I'm guessing) 20 or so filters that true believers like @Bo0tsy has - I've barely started to slap the surface! 😁

And just so that your box is not feeling too lonely, here's what arrived on the Krow doorstep this morning too 😀😂

Congrats on the new purchase! And Paul, I love the fact that you're sharing how you're finding it 'warts and all' - makes it sooo much more useful hearing what you have to say - so thanks very much for that.

I do. And I now have this Stylophone arriving tomorrow as well too Had a debate with the filter and synth boys as to whether it made any sense to get this bit of kit and the conclusion was pretty much "yes" in the same way it makes sense for me to get a TC Spectracomp before ever considering graduating to a Becos CompIQ Stella. Next gen software upgrade for the FI is due out shortly, will hook it up to the PC at the point for sure. You defo should get an FI, you'll have some fun. And you know you want to 😉 Roland keys synth will likely be in hibernation for wee while.

Haha. You obviously had much better Stylophones round your parts then, than I had as a kid!

+1 ^^

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I really liked Sandbergs before we met. In fact a TM4 was my goto bass, but have abandoned them since getting to know you. In terms of 'brand Cuzzie' love of Bergs is the thing (to me anyway) you are most famous for. I note you lurking with intent quite a lot on the Yammy thread these days. Wise move, I might add. I've not bothered with the half-cocked approach of drop D tuning, you're a fan of, but gone straight to 5 strings. I note you have finally come around to getting a 5er. I view 12 string basses and dUg Pinnic, in particular, as a touch bloated in reputation. So no, not always, my friend... 😂

Well I would suggest getting the best piece of kit that your budget allows https://www.thomann.de/gb/solid_state_bass_combos.html?sid=e98cb9023f3a4f81f116535bcb64b3f1 My suggestions would be as follows: Ampeg BA-210 V2 Tech 21 VT Bass 200 Fender Rumble 200 (not 100) And one budget one, which is very good value: TC BG250 2x10 The Eich BC112 (Tecamp no longer being made) is Euros 985, so would not fit your budget.

Well actually it's more straight forward than you might think! I hope this doesn't bore you and anyone else reading it too much, but here goes... The 'other' are all specific and currently just for home use, as are two of the three Ibbys. The BB 425 is out on loan (and as a fyi, I'm more than happy to make this available to any London bassists who fancy a 'proper' try-out of a Yammy BB and are happy to collect / return in person). So the BB1025 is my only purely passive mainstream bass and appeals to the lazy person in me as I don't need to remember to unplug to avoid finding that the battery for the active EQ has been drained! So my main workhorse basses are just two. It was previously the BB 1025, but this has just been usurped by the BB 735A which is also P/J configured. If I fancy a change of tone and something more throaty / 'aggressive' (and a bit lighter to boot!) I'll reach for my Ibby SR 1825. Being able to go for a different sound actually keeps both the Yammy and the Ibby 'fresh' for me and not feeling stale. And finally my BB NE2. Well that's a bit of 'dream bass' for me and gets more admiring compliments (and offers to buy!) from fellow BC'ers than the rest of my herd put together! I'm sure it will get an outing or two to a wedding gig later this year

Just bought a bass from Nicco. Very smooth easy transaction and Nicco was very helpful / v good comms throughout. Nice to met him in person down in London to take delivery of the bass and he had a lot of useful tips regarding the instrument, which were all gratefully received!

Hi Philippe, To help us in giving you sensible recommendations could you let us know: Are you using the combo for home use only or with a band? Do you have a particular budget cap in mind e.g. the Tecamp 112 (now replaced by the Eich 112) is a lot more expensive than the Fender Rumble 100? Are you happy to buy used? If so, your budget will stretch a lot further (although you will likely need to persuade the seller to courier overseas, if you are buying from the UK)?

In my case definitely a conscious decision. Playing bass is my passion as I'm guessing it is for everyone on this forum. Basses are lovely instruments to own and to play. In terms of where my money is spent I can think of far worse things than spending on my main hobby / passion. I largely buy used and in vgc these days (only two / 10 of my current herd were bought new) and I find that, provided I look after them, they hold their value. Each one of mine brings something a little different to the party. Oh and I've got 10 (one addition to the herd, as of yesterday ) 4 Yamahas (BB425, BB1025, BB735A, BBNE2) 3 Ibanez (SR1825, SRF705, SR1206) 3 'Other' (Stagg EUB, Schecter Stiletto 8, Squier Bass VI)