Musicman20

If you crave the very modern and quite bright Trace tone, I would opt for a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.2/9.2 or Max 9.2 I have a Max 9.2 and it can get that Trace tone and many more. It can do a very tight, bright, aggressive tone, to a more subdued, fat, warm but clear tone with grit. I used to own a Trace GP12400SMX and the Shuttlemax is incredibly light, well designed, fairly small, and very very flexible.

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1374417507' post='2148477'] Well to my ears the compact has the same "clarity and bite" as my epifany UL310 with tweeter disabled. IMO if you need more top than a compac provides then you need a horn/tweeter of some sort. [/quote] It will have upper mids...and bite. I doubt Alex would engineer it and use a speaker that doesn't do that, but if you want the snap...trebly string winding type, then you need more.

Really good. Not listened to Zep for a while but I have HUGE respect for them...brilliant band.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1374336995' post='2147784'] Don't know why people go for this... Who would want a sound that didn't sound good out on its own..? If there is a quiet passage in the song that is where you want the bass sounding great, IMO.. [/quote] I agree. It's not hard to have a good tone that you like whilst setting up at home which can then be tweaked a little for each gig. The LM2/3 with a P Bass is pretty good for just slotting in to anything anyway. If you want more ping and treble it'll be the lack of tweeter (although a good midrange speaker will get you there as well eg the Baer cabs).

I agree that a Compact with a quality tweeter would probably sell quite well.

If you are buying new, just choose a store that allows you to return it (as they all no doubt will) should you buy it and not like it.

Have a good un!

You need a cab that allows more treble sparkle through eg a tweeter.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1374243202' post='2146830'] The Big Bang is a cracking little head. Vaguely sits in between the LM3 and F500 but I prefer it to both. Even has better options for MP3 input and headphone listening than the RH450 [/quote] I think its a good idea, but Markbass just need to make a new improved LM4...with the same tone, a better limiter, slightly more power, semi para mids, and an mp3/headphone input. Oh, and a better DI.

I would personally opt for a Precision, Jazz or Stingray. Custom build at this point is probably a bit mind boggling. Plus they lose a lot of value unfortunately.

Depends on your tastes. The RH450 has a tone that is similar to a 'tube amp through a sealed 8x10'...eg not huge thundering lows, more of a kick in the low mids. It won't have the really sparkly highs, but if you want that, the RH750 will give you that. To this day, I've tried all sorts of micro's, and I still like the RH450/750. The DI is absolutely superb. The tube tone is good, but very good at low levels. Depends what grind you like. The presets work well, the tuner is fantastic, and despite them limiting the watttage on the power module, (remember that there is no proof that its a low powered power module in there...more than meets the eye) you can crank it all the way and it won't flinch....at all. I compared the 450 to a few 500W amps at the time and it WAS a louder amp. However they achieve that, it works. Markbass amps tend to clip quite horribly when they hit their limits. They sound good, but they've lost their way since the LM3 and F500....no idea why they have so many different amps that aren't really as good as the LM3/F500.

Are you possibly pushing it too hard? As with a lot of amps, the master at 12-2 o'clock might be the amp hitting its limit. It's a cool little amp but will only push so much.

[quote name='shippo' timestamp='1373885685' post='2142558'] Just to reitterate here, the question is whether this is the norm, not if I can/cannot live without alcohol. [/quote] Exactly. I'd say there is an expectation not to be drunk or drinkig heavily during the gig, (and perhaps watching behviour when onboard) but that is pretty common sense which most of us would adhere to anyway. Total ban? No need.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1373876410' post='2142398'] If not drinking will spoil your night, you have a problem. [/quote] I understand exactly where you are coming from, and perhaps my view on this is because music to me is about enjoying myself and stress relief, not a job, (even when we play weddings). But, even when I do play larger well paid gigs, the organisers usually say 'round of drinks for the band' as soon as we are set up and waiting to play. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean alcohol, and I've enjoyed myself without it countless times, but just having one alcoholic drink can make it a little less tense. It's all about knowing limits; I wouldn't get drunk. I am just a musician for the fun of it, not for a career in it, so my viewpoint may be different.

I must admit out of all the modern shaped high end builders, I like the Roscoe's the most. Very tasteful.

Ay, I'd have a Musicman type custom. If they built them I'd buy one...but they don't.

I'd go for a high end UK builder or a USA builder direct like Sadowsky and cut out the £1000 or so you'd lose to the middleman.

NOFX are the (IMO) definitive modern punk band, despite going since the early 80s. They just do exactly what they want, when they want.

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1373708013' post='2140742'] Can an employer tell you what to do outside of work hours? [/quote] Depends on the job/career I guess. Not 'tell' but they can expect a level of responsibility. A musician is not one of those that I would expect to be 100% straight laced. It's only music.

Sounds ridiculous. A few wouldn't hurt.

I'd recommend: Aguilar Tonehammer Tech 21 BDDI Tech 21 VT Bass DI (when it comes out)

I think it does take some skill to relic a bass. I don't own one, but if the right one came up, I would. Most DIY jobs look terrible. I remember when everyone saif pre-washed jeans wouldn't last...and they are still on sale. In fact, I barely see jeans that aren't 'worn' artificially, (usually just the colour).

I've seen this on Talkbass....I'm staying schtum....but I know what I would do with it.

To be fair, I've managed to get upright tones with my Stingray H and flatwounds/no treble, and my Ray 5 HS on the S pickups with dead roundwounds.

Fat Mike/NOFX basslines, anything by Matt Freeman including Op Ivy and Rancid, and the unsung hero, Brian from A Wilhelm Scream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXNjH4tzzrg Live version of The Horse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8pNReUeq0w Skid Rock without video. A Wilhelm Scream might not SEEM like what a lot of the original punks would deem as punk, but it is. It's punk played with incredibly fast chops and technical ability.