Musicman20

Oh... https://www.thomann.de/gb/darkglass_microtubes_900_bag.htm

Strange how guys like these: http://www.magneticeffects.net/ ...can make amazing fuzz pedals (and I do mean amazing - more so guitar related) for about £110-120. I've recently bought from him and he even knocked money off for buying two. Very pro fit and finish, really cool sound. They have been getting rave reviews in the guitar mags and Tone Report. I do think some pedals warrant a higher price tag, but £300+ for a bass fuzz or drive is crazy. I am primarily a bass player and I really do think it is much simpler to get a half decent bass drive tone than seeking the guitar tones that seem much more obviously different and dare I say it, sometimes more exciting. A good solid bass drive and fuzz from say EHX, then maybe an Ampeg flavour from Tech 21 and I think you've got a huge array to play with. Good bass overdrive/fuzz/distortion is easier to dial in IMO. Source Audio seem to hit the market right with things like their Nemesis delay....the sheer options and capability of that pedeal is crazy. You could just buy the SA Aftershock, use the App, and have loads of bass overdrive etc available.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1485292968' post='3222912'] They'll still sell though, just like there are plenty of people willing to spend over £800 on an iPhone. [/quote] I've no doubt they will, but iPhones and pedals like the Chase Bliss pedals offer a lot more. No doubt this pedal is stunning quality, but the range of drives and pre-amps are expensive from DG.

Very reasonable price, IMO.

Yeah, if it is hitting those high prices, it is going to put people off.

Just another dreary release. NAMM demos are never a good judge, but they do not sound great.

[quote name='Passinwind' timestamp='1485196907' post='3222028'] Just curious: what would it take to get you excited? I barely even noticed that there were guitars there beyond the ones in the next booth to me and the Ibanez and Heritage jazz boxes. [/quote] I had a look at the bass releases, obviously not all of them as I didn't go, but it was the usual boutique P and J, a few more daring designs like Ibanez, then Fenders latest Professional series which I won't be bothering with. Lot's of mini Class D amps, the only one of which I currently find interesting is Genzler. Whereas guitar had interesting designs like the Musicman St Vincent, Valentine, etc...lot's of guitar effects that are clearly more fun to use on guitar (latest delay and reverb by Source Audio), recently released Boss pedals, and so on.

I've took delivery of the Boss Katana 100 and it is SUPERB. The best value amp product I've ever experienced.

Really not keen on the Fodera guitar (6 string) designs...no doubt well made though.

I don't think the bass side of things had anything super exciting, for my tastes anyway. Loads of awesome guitar stuff though.

Gotta say that seriously is incredibly small.

Is there a link to the new version of the old Thunderbird?

A key comparison for a modern TE head should be the Genz Shuttlemax line. That size, weight around the same or a little more, decent footswitch, and a totally stunning clean channel....I don't even need any tubes in it. The Max 9.2 is the closest I've ever got to a powerhouse with great definition, like the 400SMX from Trace.

The Origin is only 300W....I'm not sure why they went that route for? Where does it sit with their current lineup? Nice to see them offering limited versions of their amps and a few other new bits. If I had to start again I think I'd get some Ashdown kit.

New version (20th anniversary) is out this year....

Re: Battery - I go through my basses once every 9 months or so and tune them, clean them down, play them for a while and if they are active, check the battery situation. If the bass isn't going to be played for some time then I take the battery out.

Gotta hand it to them though, that has to be the smallest lightest bass amp on the planet. I don't need anything like that, but it's impressively small. I wish they had just shrunk the 400SMX into a Class D amp...even if the chassis was fairly large. Nothing I'd want to invest in...hopefully there is more?!

Probably one of the fastest punk bassists out there...great player and knows when to chill it out a little. Rancid are still one of my favourite bands.

Reverend make a nice guitar - quite 'punk' in their approach and only cheap as they are as they don't have a middleman dealer (more companies should opt for this).

Anything Genz Benz/Genzler related is also excellent. Very clean and precise....the Streamliner is a little warmer.

Nice in white...!

FYI - still Peavey it seems but they are at NAMM. Peavey now have their Mini Class D amps so MAYBE this is the approach they will take. https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2017/directory/trace-elliot

Just had a look. Something is definitely happening.

[quote name='Bass Culture' timestamp='1484730227' post='3217778'] It's been said before but a lighter weight version of the SMX would have the potential to put a smile on a lot of us older players faces... [/quote] Agreed. Smaller, lighter, same power, reasonable price....they would do quite well. I'd probably get one!

I think I'd agree that I've preferred my Stingrays through solid state amps....I've no idea why. I used to own an Orange AD200b Mk3 and I think overall my Musicman basses sounded better (or clearer) through a Class D Genz Benz amp. Maybe my ears are just used to the Ray/Trace combination I used for a long time.