Musicman20

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405427314' post='2501777'] Wait til you play guitar in a band. Then all that same sh*t you go through with bass will happen. You'll notice one string doesn't cut through and you'll be dicking about for ages trying to solve that problem. You'll notice your gorgeous cleans don't have the right mids to cut through the band and crap like that. I'm doing guitar gigs at the moment and there's a whole bunch of issues as I'm playing with keys, strings, horns, sitar - all of which eat mid range for breakfast. Bass is so simple by comparison for me. [/quote] Haha, I anticipate this will happen!

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1405417417' post='2501662'] Every song I've wrote for the band has started on guitar, I find it almost impossible to start from the bass guitar. [/quote] I agree, although I do often 'hum' a bassline then put guitar chords over it. Sometimes, the bass 'hook' can lead a song. E.g. earlier Kasabian, and The Pixies.

After spending months/year or more messing around with some guitarists who are fairly talented but have the curse of not being able to write, I decided to do it myself. One thing is clear....playing guitar isn't as difficult as I thought. It's weird not having that feel of big strings and created that bond with the sound of the drums like a bass does, but guitar is actually so much easier to write a simple line that works with just a few vocal melodies over the top. The main reason I'm bringing this up is because after I basically revamped my bass gear starting 5 years back and slowly stopping, I realised it is much cheaper and easier to buy guitar gear. I was going round in circles and although I have bass gear I'm very happy with, I want to take up guitar duties and write more. When I say 'cheaper', I realise this doesn't apply to all brands/models, but it just seems so much simpler to get a low wattage tube amp with decent cleans, not faff around discussing the pro's/con's of different lightweight cabs, and get on with it. It seems a lot of the emphasis in guitar amp/cab side of things is very much placed in the earlier technology. Sure, there are great new ideas like the Kempler profilling amps, but a decent 1x12 or 2x12 amp/cab/combo by a decent manufacturer, and that's it. Much more choice with pedals, types of guitar, easier to get a nice acoustic, the list goes on. No doubt because guitarists are everywhere and bassists are a little more 'rare', their gear is much easier to get hold of and there seems to be more online deals. It's actually quite fun to get away from the bass side of things and try something I've always wanted to spend more time with.

[quote name='doctorbass' timestamp='1405280058' post='2500443'] We'll never see or hear a band like that again [/quote] Plus one. A pioneering group. For a modern day take on the Ramones catchy pop-punk, I can recommend Teenage Bottlerocket and Screeching Weasel. A sad loss. This year seems to have been full of deaths of great people.

Certainly not, you have to enjoy yourself! I'm probably just as bad!

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1405344594' post='2500995'] This works in theory but not in practice unfortunately. Some items are being sold by the big euro guys at virtually zero profit (there's actually some available at below trade price). [/quote] I fear the problem may also be that big stores like Thomann can buy 30-40 TH500's no sweat, and this will decrease their trade price. I very much doubt we will know as this is of course a private agreement. I've seen many examples of 'different stores get different discounts'. If UK stores are buying from a supplier, and Thomann aren't, then indeed Thomann won't have to pay the middleman. Who knows! It's very cheap. On the subject of Genz, I suspect from having a look at their history that they peaked, and they moved on. It seems the ex-GB employees are hinting at new products, but again, who knows!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405343264' post='2500973'] It's not just one basschatter buying an Aguilar from Europe though, is it? It's many, many people buying an unimaginable amount of stuff in ever-increasing amounts, faster and faster, all over the planet, hand over fist, quicker than they can earn the money for it. And the joke is, most of it is stuff they don't actually need. A false niche in the market has been created through advertising. [/quote] No doubt forums don't help...we all buy far too much.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1405342941' post='2500961'] It is sad and it does affect the shops but hey, we consumers only have so much money don`t we? The strings I use are £5 more in my local shop than if I buy them on-line, and that`s including the postage. £21.99 as oppose to £16.99 delivered. Doesn`t seem much but over a year, with a new set each month that`s the equivalent of nearly 4 sets free I`m getting if I buy on-line. I`d like to support my local shop but then I also like to support myself just that little bit more. Capatilism, possibly, harsh, certainly, reality, definitely. [/quote] It is reality, and the rising costs of daily living and the high cost of fuel/transport means we have to save where we can. I think most UK consumers are much more prudent nowadays. There is NOTHING we can do...this will just become the 'norm' and something else more major will happen.

[quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1405342743' post='2500958'] Problem is... as stated here, as long as the consumer gets what they want at the cheapest cost..... the environment can do one... [/quote] Well, yes, and no, because ultimately, one basschatter buying an Aguilar TH350 from Europe (which we are supposed to be proudly part of) makes zero difference to the environment. In fact, it probably means less shipping in trucks/etc! Just my thoughts.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405342438' post='2500952'] I'm sure you don't. Nor do I. But the endless growth which capitalism demands cannot be sustained on a planet with finite resources. That's not a political statement, it's just a fact. If profit continues to be made at the cost of the environment - you know, where we live - then we're in deep do-do. [/quote] True, but there is very little we can do about it.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1405324354' post='2500656'] Not sure why. Unless Thomann are selling at a loss, they must be buying these from Aguilar at less than £335 each. Assuming that a mark-up of 20% for overhead & profit is reasonable, then they should sell at about £400. If 20% is too tight, then a 30% mark-up would give you £440-ish. That would imply that the eBay price (£529) is a rip-off, that Woodbrass & BassGear are looking for a relatively high profit margin on a piece of high-end (and slow-moving) stock), and Bass Direct for a rather lower one. Sounds like a market to me. If Tesco decide to (temporarily) sell baked beans at 10p per can less than Sainsburys and Aldi, no one suggests that this will be bad for the industry. [/quote] Good post. If it's such a 'small world' then in my eyes it shouldn't matter if we as UK consumers buy from Europe. If it is cheaper, then we get from Europe, and we save money. We aren't here to assist UK stores make a profit, although I will happily prefer to buy from a specialist in the UK if they match the price. Money is money at the end of the day. From what I understand, Aguilar now have a UK middleman setup who essentially store the items and deal with warranties. Another person making a profit for a person in the UK to pay. Whether that is good or bad is upto the consumer. The TH500 is also cheap at £484.00.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1405336879' post='2500861'] I understand that you want to stick to 4's, but the string spacing on the Lakland 5 ers is 19mm. The "buy new" restriction is a strange one. You can get a much better deal in the BC Classifieds. [/quote] Not saying a Lakland wouldn't cover it, but I think if he currently wants to stay on a 4...then probably wise to stick with it. When I tried a 5 string a few years into playing I hated it. I didn't really get into 5ers until it felt right...which was about 4 years ago. It took a long time for it to feel right to move to it, and I still play 4s all the time as they do have a different tonality, string feel/tension, and sound. From the influences, a decent P bass or Ray is going to be spot on.

Exciting! When does it arrive??!?!

I'm sure in the near future we will see tiny power amps that can be used on your pedal board with a pedal as a pre amp. The GK MB200 is the closest at the moment! Or the TC BH250.

I would opt for a Classic 50s Fender P bass / second hand MIA P Bass, or save that cash and get a nice new American Standard P bass/Musicman Stingray. Waiting and spending a little bit extra will save you money in the long run. Running up until then, will you current bass last? If not, try and salvage what you can from it and try and pickup a Squier CV bass...which will then serve as a great backup.

I doubt many people buy it. The PF amps are smaller, lighter, sound better and are very loud. I'd avoid it....I've toured with one (I didn't own it) and it was one of the worst amps I've used. Sorry...that was very negative!

Think its now storewide....seen this with Andertons and GuitarGuitar as well.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1404997375' post='2497691'] Agree, but there's no need to call them 'knobs'. [/quote] Haha !!!

I still think they are well in front of Royal Blood. I think Royal Blood have peaked in the media/festivals too quick and the hype has ruined it.

I've flipped between 5s and 4s for a while now, and I'm faced with more 5 sting basses in my collection. I'm getting very used to the 5 string ergonomics of a Musicman bass now. The B is tight and isn't 'louder' or boomier than the other strings. It just blends well.

+1 to the new Fender Rumble combos. If I were you I would make a list of decent giggable small combos and go from there. I agree if you are new, buying new with a warranty/free delivery/7 day trial is much safer...IMO. Ashdown would also be a good place to look.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1404860550' post='2496551'] Yep, the cab is definitely coloured in the mid range. Changing it is an option but I'd rather try and tame it if I can. I also think I would miss it too much if I got rid of it. Something like the Carvin BX700 seems to have all I need built in, and that's very tempting. [/quote] I'd stick with the cab...you are definitely used to it and know that the mid hump is there. Certain drive pedals can bring out high mids and harmonics/clangyness that some users might not like... Actually, I'd go against the grain and say most cabs with a normal 2 way speaker and tweeter can sound pretty similar...the bass/strings/pedals and amp make the biggest difference. No tweeter then makes a huge difference (for me).

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1404892940' post='2496665'] No offence, and I'm sure it is not the reason for your lower pickup output - but many would argue that Orange and Markbass cabs are far from being "the best you can get"... [/quote] Best is definitely subjective....I've tried some Markbass cabs and played through pleny of Orange cabs and found them fantastic.

TC BH combos or the giggable sized Peaveys would be your best bet.