Al Krow

Great review, thanks Woody!

Looks like the Swiff WX520 is definitely worth putting on a "buy-list" for anyone thinking of going wireless and presents an even better upgrade over the Xvive U4 than Xvive's own recent U45 update?

Lack of sufficient monitor outputs on my desk is going to prevent us all going stereo and feels a bit cheeky for that to be an option for just a couple of us and not the whole band, haha! I'm guessing without that key benefit the decision to switch over becomes a little more marginal?

53 minutes ago, thisisswanbon said:

As it happens I realised last night a p!$$ed punter at our NYD show slammed a drink down on a nearby table and it's stained the case - so I won't be returning mine regardless now 🤦‍♂️.

 

I'll add that workflow wise it takes the flexibility of the HX stomp routing and the intuitive UI of the Ampero Stomp II (my only modern multi fx experience) and improves again.  Sound wise I'd also say it's a big step up from the Stomp and Ampero (as it should be for the money). I'd say if you've got genuine interest in the unit and you're more open minded to digital than I am I think it's worth a look but I'd buy from somewhere with a good returns policy just in case

Sorry to hear about the drunk punter incident. I guess no chance a good clean is going to eliminate the stain without leaving a "cleaned patch" on it?

"Sound wise it's a big step up from the Stomp and Ampero II" is a key comment though - that's obviously a big reason why folk might be prepared to fork out a hefty premium. Can you elaborate on the sound difference you're hearing between the Anagram and the other two and on what particular fx it's most noticeable on, for us please?

57 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Dare I say it…

 

I need to get better at guitar…

 

I’m actually pretty adept. But I forget things - muscle memory is natural on bass…

 

And an album. By the end of the year.

Hey Andy, have you found a particularly good way to motivate yourself? I dunno, maybe by setting some specific targets like: "I will be able to play these particular songs in six months, and these others by year end" or doing grade X of a guitar course exam?

For me, I always find having a general goal like "being better" ends up in the "must try harder" bucket, which inevitably gets kicked down the line! But I appreciate there's not one right answer or magic bullet here!

10 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Same as every year; hope that the opportunity comes up to purchase my dream bass. The big hurdle is it’s too nice for the owner to sell 😉

Aha! Are you going to let on what your 'dream bass' is? Who knows - if you make an offer the seller can't refuse, he might just not be able to refuse? 😊

43 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Yes to both, absolutely a step up (I still have the XVive U4, but haven't used it for a long time).

Oooh can you go into a bit more detail on why you're liking this better / what the key improvements over the U4 are?

Our drummer recently got one off AliExpress and has been very happy with it.

About time you returned some of GAS I seem to regularly put your way!

1 hour ago, thisisswanbon said:

For me it’s the same problem I have with every modeller in that while I love the work flow (particularly with the anagram, it’s so well thought out it blows my mind) I still hear digital; every time I kick a drive in, there’s a feel thing I just can’t put my finger on. 
 

my band plays through a line array Pa, and I use an amp for a bit of bass support but still wear IEMs, so I’m not sure what it sounds like at volume, but at sound check the drive just didn’t seem to pop to me without losing body and weight… even though my previous signal chain went through an HX One, I spend half the gig through a digital C4 AND it all goes into a digital desk anyways.

 

I’m sure I’m listening with my eyes but it’s just something I struggle to shake - sorry for the wordy overshare, Al! 

Thanks for sharing that. I've recently got a mint used Boss GX10, which I'm really loving in terms of its capability and form factor. Being a multifx fanboi, I've been following this thread with interest and wondering whether the step up in cost (a new GX10 is just a third the price of the Anagram) was going to deliver something "extra".

But I think with the number of experienced folk on this thread who have given this a decent shot and are deciding to return it, I'll head back down to the Boss multifx thread and stay buried down there a while longer.

50 minutes ago, xgsjx said:

My goals for this year is to get my new band gigging & release an album. 
Over the course of the latter half of last year, we’ve almost finished writing 6 songs & have a good number of ideas ready to write some more. 
We’re a 3 piece electronica outfit. I do most of the synths and play bass on some of the tracks (others are synth bass), with an edrummer who does some synth stuff, and a very talented female vocalist brings us all together. 
 

For now, we’re called Euphon8. I like it, but sometimes think it sounds a bit like Euthanate. 🤣

Sounds like a fab project! What "kit" is the edrummer using? You guys got any live footage / preliminary promo material?

1 hour ago, thisisswanbon said:

Was there anything you didn't like about it, Mark?  I love mine for home use but not totally convinced for gigging so also debating return...

Interested in what your main concern(s) are with it for gigging?

On 02/01/2026 at 07:52, warmnotes said:

My goals this year are the same ones I wanted to achieve last year but never followed through. Learn a bit more music theory so I that I have a better understanding of the fretboard and can improvise over chords with different scales and arpeggios and not just stick to the one mode. 

Would also like to play music with some other humans and not just my computer or looper.

Sounds good! Be great if you can make that happen this year!

What genres of music are you into and what's the live music scene and opportunities for getting involved in that in Chelmsford?

I've also been following the DG Anagram thread, and a little gobsmacked at the price differential between the two products ie circa £875 vs £300 new.

I'm loving the GX10, but is the Anagram really an order of magnitude better to justify the step up in price?! I think a couple of you guys on this thread have owned both, so I'd be very interested in your opinion on this?

Reminds me of a time when I owned a DG M900 v2 and Bugera Veyron 1001M with similar price differential. In the end, I really couldn't justify holding onto the DG amp - there was very little in it between the two products.

On 02/01/2026 at 23:04, Woodinblack said:

 

OK, I got the WX52- and I have been pretty impressed with it, tried it tonight in a practice, really good sound quality and a solid build.

Is that the Swiff WX520 Woody? Did you have the Xvive U4 before and feel these are a step up?

Been setting up a couple of drive patches on the GX10 using the AIRD preamp fx. 

Managed to find the Orange Stack which I had previously been using on my GT-1000 Core, and now (thanks to @MichaelDean) also the Fat Tube fx on the Bass Amp block, which others had mentioned/liked on the Core and I was hoping to audition.

I'm finding that the Boss preset GX Dual Drive (with some added EQ to fill out the low-mids) is my current fav - it's a reach creamy drive! That comprises the OD fx followed by two of their preamps in parallel.

What's particularly neat is being able to assign the expression pedal to two parameters on each of the OD and the two preamps (ie 6 parameters in total): the gain and level so that the gain on all three can be simultaneously increased while at the same time smoothly reducing the output levels on each fx so the overall output volume remains even. Combining that with one of the footswitches to kick off/on the two parallel-path preamps and I've got quite a range of drive available via the expression pedal and one stomp-switch which will be handy for live use.

Have any of you found particular fx that 

- delivers that warm break-up dirt to add a bit of grit to the tone?

- any combination that get's a decent Sansamp VT Bass DI emulation?

Duplicate post.

Duplicate post.

On 01/01/2026 at 19:43, javi_bassist said:

I already shared my goals, but I saw this image and I laughed because it could be me

I think there's a whole 'nother thread specifically with you in mind! The "Gear Absinthe 2026" thread, or something similar...

17 minutes ago, JohnDaBass said:

Having used an Alesis SR16 for over 10 years in a Pub trio band I treated myself to a Beat Buddy 2 for Christmas.

Programming the Alesis was tedious, but the Beat Buddy 2 is much easier to use. The Beat Buddy Manager Online software is intuitive and offers extensive patterns, Song Finder support, and access to a large song community.

A new Pub trio band project starting in the new year ( female vox /guitar: guitar: bass: & Beat Buddy 2) will, hopefully, benefit from the new acquisition.

John - love this! I used to have an Alesis, too, some years back and concur it was a PITA to programme! 

Look forward to following how your pub trio band develops. I think the bass & Beat Buddy combination could be a really neat rhythm section if it can be made to fly! I've not come across much on social media with bands using Beat Buddy, so if you guys are posting anything on YouTube or Instagram please do share! (And if you have anything with your Alesis SR16, to show a drum machine in live band setting that would also be great).

On 06/12/2019 at 00:08, Owen said:

It does slicing. Happy days!

Only 6 years behind you on this, haha! But, as I've just started discovering from a very basic slicing patch on my Boss GX10, it's a very cool fx!

4 hours ago, Kiwi said:

There is a patch on the Mess called Onestring which is an arpeggiated sequence based on one note. Its pretty much what Ive been looking for.  Just need to deep dive the editing process.

Love the fact that you've finally found what you're looking for after a 16 year search!! Guess when that happens you set aside any concerns about the chunky price of this unit and dive in! Looking forward to hearing more about how you get on with this and how you're managing to use it live / in the studio.

1 hour ago, MichaelDean said:

I got my GX-100 from them but on Reverb and was able to register the warranty on Boss' website with them appearing in the list of suppliers. I'd trust the seller.

 

Very odd pedal though. I wonder if it'll be a NAMM release? Stripped down GX unit to maybe compete with Valeton prices? You wouldn't create retail packaging for a prototype. 

Guess I'm surprised that they've allowed it to go on sale ahead of general release though? Seems unusual in terms of commercial practice?

On 31/12/2025 at 09:53, dmccombe7 said:

Really enjoying this thread. Some interesting insights into how the bass brain works 😂

Dave

 

Thanks Dave - for me part of it is putting something down in writing on a public forum which I can look back at and be reminded of as the year progresses. Will be really interesting and hopefully encouraging to see how we're all getting along over the course of the year with what we've individually decided to prioritise, and see what impact it's having on our individual bass playing lives.

Interesting. Looks like a stripped down version in terms of having purely bass focussed patches, and buttons to directly access these, a smaller screen, but otherwise very similar to the GX10.

Wonder if Boss abandoned this as the GX10 covers everything this does and a fair bit more? Or if it's still planned for release?

Just spotted that same eBay site has a Boss GX-1 for guitar also "ex demo". Makes me wonder if this might be a clone / scam, if neither are on the Boss website?

4 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

#1  More gigs for the Glam band.

#2  Look at getting an Agent, tried them before but they've mostly been poor at their job and no great help. We got more gigs on our own.

#3  Possibly look for another 2nd band to fill in the gaps.

#4  Sell of some of my basses that aren't getting used. I have 3 in mind so far. Fender active PJ Mex, Godin Shifter, Overwater J4 (built by the team at Overwater and not a Tanglewood version)

#5  Have a look at the Maruszczyk Jazzuz basses and have a try with the WAL style pick ups and pre-amp preferably.

 

Dave

Nice set of specific goals there Dave!

For your #1 - how many gigs have you guys done this year and what would be a decent challenge in terms of additional gigs for next year?

Seems like getting a good agent is a recurring theme already! I've no ideas / suggestions where to look for decent agents outside of mainstream covers bands, which my lot fall into. But maybe there's a few folk who can come up with some useful suggestions?

Is an agent someone you can advertise for and "audition" / interview in the same way you might a band member? Or is that a daft idea?

8 minutes ago, Skybone said:

I like the idea of trying to find another band / project, but it's probably just wishful thinking on my part.

 

Could do with playing more and with "constructive" practice.

Being in a band is such a big part of many BC'ers lives! Why do you feel it's wishful thinking for you?

2 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

My band could really do with a decent agent that can access Europe as well as the UK. We do ok but want to get out and about again. 

Are you playing covers or originals Steve? And already currently signed up with an agent or getting gigs mostly off your own bat as a band?

I'd be happy to get the ball rolling!

My main music goal is actually the same both for me personally and the band I'm in: I'd like me and my crew to get "off book" so we can all play our rep without needing to look down at tablets or notes! I'm sure that this will improve our on-stage performance no end in terms of being engaged and communicating with each other, and equally with our audiences?

Main hurdle: we've got about 6 hours of material, which gets rotated to keep things fresh for us and our audiences. Where there's a melodic element to a bass line or many chord pattern variations that actually seems to be quite a challenge, certainly for me! But I'm guessing making this a priority and maybe aiming to get chunks of sets off-pat will be a do-able way of getting there?

The second goal for me, as band leader, is to add another 5 function gigs to the 15 or so we managed to do this year. For this one, the main "hurdle" is getting our 2025 showreel finished - and that's on me to finish up the video edits, and then getting signed up with a couple more agencies.