Musicman20

I highly recommend just playing and enjoying it. I have barely ever had any guitar based lessons; I just learn myself and see what 'sounds' good and what bands I like use for chord progressions and riffs. I don't take my guitar playing as serious but I love it. I barely practice bass at home now because I know there is more time required for guitar. I tend to prefer guitar anti-heroes like Cobain and Coxon. Both great on guitar and very individual but not flashy. The best 'technical' but still melodic player will always be Frusciante for me; his leads just WORK. No faff, no shred, just a cranked amp, cool pedals and a Strat (in most of the RHCP anyway). I'd opt for a Tele/Strat copy (even try save for a decent Squier Classic Vibe or get one second hand). A Tele is much more 'simple'...no faff. Other options include a MIM Tele 'Baja' model. You would basically never need to upgrade it or sell it...just use it for years. Custom shops pickups, amazing aesthetics, very well made. I picked up an Epiphone 'Inspired by J Lennon' Casino in sunburst when they had a load on sale due to the model being discontinued. It is stunning to play. Very light, very easy to play chords, can play without an amp, and it has proper Gibson P90s in it. I've gone way over your budget but I think it's easier and more fun to learn on a better quality instrument.

Nice. I highly recommend all bass players get a guitar to just play on and learn new tricks. I've been on 6 string for a few years now and I'm slowly getting more and more confident. It's also very very satisfying to create riffs/parts of songs, and to be able to tell band members you can play TWO instruments. Anyway giving bass a hard time? Just say you can play both, but find bass is more your thing!

I'd love to be able to even just rehearse with a 1x10! Jealous.

A few posts have already discussed, but to be fairly simple about it, try not to buy a cabinet with a fairly scooped out low mid range as part of the voicing of the cabinet. I haven't personally ever played a 2x12 with that low mid/hi bass scooped out, so it might be quite a common goal to make sure that area is defined well. I have a Genz NX212T and an Aguilar DB212 (my favourite bass cabinet I've ever heard/used) and they are both low mid kickers. Plus the fact I tend to goose the low mids anyway, and have some basses that are quite low mid orientated, I get a huge kick of that volume where it really counts, instead of it being huge flabby bass. Even with a 5 string, I get a tight, defined and punchy B. I let the PA do the more bass/low bass orientated work.

Nice! Not sure I want a Jazz neck...but I still like it.

They are stunning to look at. I'd say they are one of the coolest guitar shapes I've ever seen, but I really can't gel with Rics....YET.

If it was a 18 months or so back I would have 100% recommended the Genz Benz NX2 212T (the latest version they did before the company essential move on and Mr Genzler started Genzler amplification). Why? Because a few retailers sold the last of these lightweight, punchy well regarded cabs for about £450 brand new, sealed. Almost half price. I'd still look at Genz, Genzler, Berg or the other suggestions above.

I'm sure this has come up before. In comparison, there is an award winning restaurant near me, (a few miles away, stunning part of Cheshire) and they clearly don't have it easy with rates/rent, but it doesn't stop their prices being extremely reasonable. I know a few people who work there, and they say the cost of running it is what it is...they chose to start there. It's an odd bit of info to slip in....

I'd like to try one, perhaps even own one. MM's passive tone control is wonderful...it really nails what I want from a tone control. The Big Al was a good example of how they approach passive basses and they do sound wonderful. Unfortunately I feel they may struggle in the UK due to a Fender P being about £300-400 less. I imagine the MM quality will be far superior though.

There may be a link above but didn't a metal/djent guitarist demo a guitar with barely any strings (bass strings) just to be absolutely ridiculous.

Very nicely made....

I like the innovation, and I like how they have tried to incorporate everything into a small bass. I don't personally 'get' travel instruments. Such a niche. I'd rather just rent any old bass rather than invent serious money into something like that. That headstock. Seriously? It looks like they just chopped off 2/3 of it and thought 'yeah that'll do'. It's a Fodera, it is bound to be super high money, but it really doesn't scream $12,000.....

Thanks - no I'm happy to receive ANY recommendations. I hope I don't end up buying one but I might....it's been nice to have zero interest in bass gear after finally getting everything I wanted. Focus is on cabs as the amps are sorted, but again feel free to recommend amps.

I very much doubt I will in any way be buying any more bass amps of cabs in the next 5 years or more as I am at the point of being content, and have been for quite some time. I also wanted space for more guitar related gear, mainly pedals, so I actually SOLD my Orange OBC 4x10. I am also now in the process of selling my Orange OBC 1x15. Both cabs sounded excellent, more so the 1x15, but the days of lugging super heavy weight cabs are something I do not want to dwell on. I have a few much lighter options, or just cabs that I prefer to use (TC RS210s, Aguilar DB212, Genz NX2 212T). So, although I don't envisage replacing the Orange cabs (but I'm keeping the amazing AD200b), what would the modern bass community advise would be a suitable replacement cab-wise for a big old 200W tube amp or small lightweight 900W Class D to sit on to generate a big sound but still be fairly light weight. Feel free to recommend anything, but as it would be replacing a fairly big rig, it would be interesting to know what people think I could get away with to generate just as much volume for if/when I need it. Discuss!

Pick since I was about 13, then learnt to use my fingers a lot more about 5 years back (or more). Now I can use both. I suggest that everyone tries both and gets to a good level. Plectrums really do have a good place in music...you cannot match the exact attack of a pick with fingers.

What a great song/album. No doubt this is some sort of real tube overdrive, but one that can be emulated by a VT Bass pedal. Sounds like some sort of neck humbucker to me with flats and/or the treble knocked down.

I really Trace amps. I've not played one that I dislike and my old one that I (unfortunately) sold on here never missed a beat once they sent me some different fuses. Never ONCE cut out or played up in about 10-12 years of use. Solid state amps have a place in my playing history and always will. The one reason I really like my Genz SMax 9.2 is that it is basically a smaller/lighter version of my old Trace amp when it comes to tone in the FET channel. Cool topic.

stevie - Good post. Makes a lot of sense. We should all be allowed to post our honest thoughts on a forum, as long as it does not offend. No one should feel they cannot state they like/dislike something, and it is absolutely fine to change your mind. I have eaten my own words with Boss pedals. Once looked upon with a little bit of a frown, I've realised that actually 85%+ of the pedals they manufacture are absolutely brilliant, especially when tested in a variety of settings (this applies mainly to guitar for me). I have told many a guitarist that my views on Boss have changed now I've used them without much outside influence.

Oh I hope not...well, whichever way it's still a loss.

Absolutely killer musician and song writer. Oh, performer, artist, etc. The list goes on. Very rare do we see someone who literally nails everything about music so well and so cool. My uncle, who is now in his 40s, absolutely loved Prince and still does. I can see him being absolutely gutted about this. I know very little about Prince and his music, which is a shame. Bowie is much more my type of music and songwriter, but both oozed talent and cool. I think losing these musicians so closely seems so odd because it literally is legends all passing on in short spaces of time. We aren't talking men or women in their final years when we might expect it or might feel they have led a long life. Bowie and Prince were both taken way way way too young. I am still getting to grips with the fact Bowie is gone. The way he just bowed out with that final album of pure genius...wow. The other strange part of this is that I don't feel we have any talent to that level now. If it is there, it has been unfortunately ignored a little because music is saturated with average people (and there is nothing wrong with average people!) and we don't seem to have any truly stand out performers who the world respects. In fact, I'm still trying to think of some. The Stones? McCartney? Iggy Pop? Perhaps the next generation of legends might be led by someone like Dave Grohl who again seems to be able to turn most rock music into pure gold, especially when drumming.

[s]People may be shocked to learn I am considered ordering one... I no longer used my Orange OBC 410 due to it being a dead weight and barely ever moving from my house, so that was sold about 6 months back. It sounded excellent, no issue there. Anyone experienced in what the high detail is like in this series of cabs? I do like to go from warm low mid thump to all out aggressive treble grind...[/s] EDIT - Absolutely no more room for any more large pieces of gear so can't try one! Also cannot stop going for more guitar effects so....there we go.

I like the simplicity. Nice looking gear.

Quite the stunner that! I've always been a fan of owning a bass or guitar that might be a little more 'woah' in terms of standing out. I love a good sunburst, but when I get the Bongo out in Tangerine Pearl, that is when people seem to be more interested.

I think you will get a variation of answers. The cabinet is more visible, due to the size. The Genz SMax I have does look a little 80's, but it also looks solid, and sounds brilliant. I haven't wanted to try any more amps/cabs for a good 18 months now but I do luckily have a few to choose from. I think two of the most visually pleasing rigs I have seen on a stage have been either Aguilar DB or Orange stacks. Now, I think my Aguilar DB212 still is the most aesthetically pleasing cab I've owned. It is still my favourite for tone as well.

Fulltone have one in their range....