Musicman20

Id opt for the new GK MB112 or something by Hartke. Id steer clear of Behringer.

Aguilar DB or GS 112. If you want lightweight and small, the Genz cabs are great!

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1307970' date='Jul 18 2011, 03:30 PM']No doubt, isn't the pre-amp the same on the big al? I still want to find out what the bands are set at to give me a better idea of how they work together.[/quote] I think its similar....but the Big Al is a little more subtle when it comes to the tweaks. I really need to try a Bongo, or just go ahead and buy one. Ive found one for a good price....but at the moment im holding back.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1306398' date='Jul 17 2011, 08:32 AM']Indeed, bbut the passive tone lacks the highs for me, the control should have been 500k as the single coils are essentially humbuckers. I agree those miss are great on that bongo but it doesnt really have the same low end and high that the ray has, and for that high-mid and high sound that rays have is enough to cut through, as the lows are still very low and rumbly so they hold down the lows very well. At the same time I like my sterling as the mods are more pronounced so it's easyier to be heard but the lower and higher end trade of is a little too much when doing either higher end melodies or low end heavy riffs. One of the band songs is exactly like that so I also play that song with a bass too see if it matches up with my ray, kinda like a bench Mark song.[/quote] The lows on the Bongo can be HUGE...that bass control is very very powerful.

The smallest 'one cab solution' for gigging (and when I mean gigging I mean with an electric guitarist) would be a 2x10 for me. A 2x12 would be much fuller though. Doesnt matter what brand or speaker it is, I wouldnt really want a huge amount of mid range through a small 1x12 when the guitarist is taking his full amp setup. Now Im with an acoustic guitarist, things change.

Id love to hear that Mesa 1x12!

[quote name='andydye' post='1305245' date='Jul 15 2011, 09:55 PM']Streamliner 9 sounds perfect, I really need to get somewhere and try 'em[/quote] Its got its own niche, ill give it that. Its very clear, especially with the gain down, so it will show your notes and any mistakes haha! But, whack the gain up and you end up with more 'sponge' like a real tube amp....less of a 'digital/modern' response, and more of a clean tube response. Whack it up more, and its distortion central! Ive set it at Bass 11, Mids 1-2, Mid Range lowest (200?!), and Treble is the only one I change (usually toned down to 11, although for a more modern sound, I crank it to 2-3.

Really good Bongo vs Classic Ray video. What a player! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MuWwisQQoE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MuWwisQQoE[/url] We all love the Ray, lets face it. But that Bongo midrange is SMOKING!

I think the '9.0' is meatier came from Genz themselves?! Im sure it did. Whether its just headroom or voicing, the lows on the 9.0 are thicker and fuller, but the 6.0 will get there with tweaks. Then they went all out on the Streamliner and introduced and amp with SO much usable low end, that people are cutting it! The SL900 is a real 'meat and potatoes back to basics' bass amp. Clean tube fatness, but with a sweet high end, (nothing shrill). It sounds massive.

Thats true, the neo pups are VERY clear...but the Big Al can get almost vintagey Fender tones. What I do like is how powerful they are. A single coil and a low B...fat at the neck?! Really? Oh yes.

The current USA prices are crazy, but shop around and you can still get a sunburst MIA P or J (2011) for under a grand. Expensive? Yes, but the case itself warrants £150 of that, and it is an exceptional case. (Im a bit mad on proper hardcases).

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1305090' date='Jul 15 2011, 08:04 PM']If it's the same controls as the sterlings back in the early nineties then the middle position on the 3 way gives you single coil(the bridge coil) as I believe it anyway. If it is indeed the ceramic pup in the series position (3-way pointing at neck) then I will guess 1 as it has a low mid boost, and since you cut the kids back on the sandberg the 2nd definatly has a slight mid cut. A straight forward alnico equipped SR4 with 2 or even 3 band EQ flat against another brands impression would make the exercise a lot easyier. Personally I wouldn't call the SR5 a true ray, not even the newer ones with the alnico pups due to the 3 way. The best SR4's plus another string are the classic SR5s, alnico, same preamp, no other gubbins in the way.[/quote] You are correct re: the switch. The Ray 5 is a Ray though, especially now they are alnico. The 2 band vs 3 band is subjective. I like both.

Well, only the post 2008 HS models, and the pre 2008 single H H/S models have the option for a single coil IIRC. This is the single coil if its a Ray. None of them sound like a MM H.

If this new Classic is MIJ Im guessing its MIJ for the whole lot. I wonder why they chose MIJ instead of MIM like the rest of the Classic series?! Im guessing street price of £700 ish.

The Japanese Fenders are good, but as I always say, their current pricing is crazy (unless its the USA pickup versions). I had a very nice MIJ P for years, but it wasnt up there with a USA P bass. Mainly, it was the pickup/tuners/guard/lack of hardcase that didnt stand up to the USA, so £900 now is mental. I think its too early to tell on quality.

Is it pre-2008 Ray? If so, position three close to neck is different than a post 2008. If its pre 2008 its ceramic, like a Sterling 5. (I think its 2008 btw).

£900 is a bit steep! Is that rrp? Gone are the days when I bought my MIJ P for £440 new!

I doubt they change the magnets. Its probably a very small amount used. The Big Al pups are also neo. I think prices will just rise.

Its MIJ?!

I dont have this problem anymore because we do our own sound, and we all like to be able to hear each part of the band (no overbearing guitarists!). I will admit though, the SR P bass (currently on sale) nailed it live, despite the fact it doesnt have the quality of a USA P or similar.

Great idea, not pretty!

[quote name='henry norton' post='1302145' date='Jul 13 2011, 11:46 AM']That's probably because the classic Stingray pickup position [u]isn't[/u] next to the bridge like your 'Jazz with a MM in the bridge position' was. Look at the position of the pickup on a single Humbucker Stingray and you'll see it's way back from the bridge, possibly far enough to clash with a Precision route (close to anyway). There have certainly been a fair few moans from Stingray HH players about not really nailing 'that' sound as the bridge pickup is too close to the bridge and the neck pickup is too far away. Do you get what I mean......??????[/quote] The HH and HS Stingray 4/5 Sterling 4/5 have exactly the same position for the bridge H. Only the Bongo HH and HS have a different neck position H (closer to the bridge). The H and HH/HS Stingrays sound exactly the same at the bridge pup, the variations will be wood, construction, age, etc.

Ive owned the S 9.0, and the RH450. I currently have the STL900 and the RH750. I can tell you from this experience that the TC RH amps are very very high quality, and the 'tubetone' sounds MUCH more like a real tube amp compared to the S9.0. The 9.0 tube sounded a little fizzy. Weight isnt really a factor when it comes to these amps. However, I found the Shuttle amps to be a bit 'flimsy' because they are SO light, and in fact, I was worried they would fly off the top of my cabinet. Wattage doesnt really come into it as all the manufacturers seem to rate them differently. Markbass 500W amps seem to have almost as much headroom as the Shuttle 9.0 amps...almost. The TC RH amps are VERY loud, and dont sound digital at all. If you want a real tube design in a class D amp, it has to be the Streamliner 900. Higher quality build and slightly high weight compared to the Shuttle series. Very very beefy in the low end, and sweeter highs than the Shuttles. The difference is night and day. The RH750 does everything you could think of...expensive, but a very impressive amp. Loud, light, high quality build, lots of headroom, great tubetone, etc etc.