Musicman20

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1398503156' post='2434693'] Not a sales plug as I'm not hugely bothered about selling it, but, regards GK. In my ad you will see the condition of my GK MB 500 after about 50 Dog and Duck and a couple of festival gigs. Mind you, it has always been protected in transit, in a laptop bag . The thought of the 800 version scares me silly, and that's against kick drum, toms, snare, two loud guitarists, ALL through PA at every gig. Me through the PA at two festivals . [/quote] The GK amps are incredibly loud, and the Fusion 500/800 might get close to the GB Streamliner as they are both a little (I mean a little) mid shy when the amps are set to 12 on the dials of the EQ, but for both amps, bump it up, and you have more 'flat' mids, or bump a lot for a more middy tone.

[quote name='cliffyspliff' timestamp='1398511765' post='2434820'] I use this setup too .... But I add a DI box in the mix too .... As I thought if you were putting the sonic port into the fx return on your amp ... Anything coming out of the DI of that amp to the PA would be just clean guitar signal .... Totally unaffected ... Is this correct? My set up is Guitar > sonic port > DI box > fx return > the DI in the middle of the chain also goes into the PA ... I use a aguilar tonehammer for the DI and a TC Classic 450 for the power amp [/quote] Not sure....never tested that. I know most amps have pre/post EQ settings you can send to the PA, but Im guessing this isn't available if you use the power section only...

Tecamp! Yes, another option. I have the Tonehammer pre, and that is more low mid orientated, with less ability to have a very very sweet or modern high end. The TH is great but it does subdue the highs a little....like the RH450.

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1398491922' post='2434601'] Once you get to the quality of the NX2 and the Berg cabs you don't really get "better" just "different". So the rather un-useful advice is to play both and see which you like best. [/quote] This. It's all flavours of 'excellent'.

Until some bright spark realises Genz were really onto a brilliant product....nothing. The GK amps are very loud but I don't personally think they are as well made. Carvin amps are an option but not the same size/tone.

It probably needs more input from those who specialise in bass. It's great that Chapman are branching out, and I realise these are at a set pricepoint, but it needs some work.

I doubt there would be as much attention if it was another guitar/drum band. Then again, that is the point of the forum. His sound is decent, but the tone isn't for me. They are doing more than me as a band, so thats great, but I can't match those vocals up to the sound of the band. He can sing, no doubt, it just doesn't work for me.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1398378324' post='2433618'] Ummm, clever. But would any of you have given them much thought if you hadn't realised that was only a bassist? Would you have simply thought it was a mediocre song from a four piece band, switched your ears off and finished your New Scientist Sudoku Challenge? [/quote] Boom. Spot on.

Hahha! I'll probably bide my time and pick up one loaded with the blue back eventually We shall see.

I really want to try a PB 5, SB5000 and a few of their new amps.

The other thing I've been told to consider is that the latest Blues loaded in the C2X are made in China, to the specs of the British versions, and aren't quite as good. Who knows...they are probably just as good!

They are excellent value for money. Do they have a service centre in the UK? The BX1600 (correct model?) looks fantastic.

The CN212 is probably, from what I hear, one of the best overall designs Bergantino have come out with, in terms of output/tone/size/weight etc. It will however cost you more than twice what you paid for the NX2 212T, which has high quality Faital Neo's in it. The overall design for its size/weight has often been praised over on Talkbass. Completely up to you! You won't lose money on the NX2 (someone might want one so much that they will pay more). The NX2 wasn't cheap originally, (£750 approx). I was considering a lightweight 2x12 and as soon as the Genz offer was on, I struck. I will be leaving things as they are...it was a total bargain and I'm very happy with it.

I've spent some time around a few combos and realised the Vox AC30 tone is brilliant. It appears that there move to overseas production has actually been very positive, (reports that they have decreased failure rate from UK production massively!). Speaker specialists seem to promote the AC30 with the Alnico Blues, which is a more expensive setup. (AC30C2X). The standard model is the AC30C2, with Greebacks. Can anyone comment? I've noticed a few AC30C2's going for a good price but wasn't sure if I should wait for a C2X. Cheers

Just an active PA cab? They are quite cheap if I'm not mistaken.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1398255851' post='2432090'] ... and Jesse F Keeler from Death From Above 1979 [/quote] Aye it's been done before and I think initially I much prefer DFA 1979.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1398266365' post='2432255'] Then it's slowly moved back in a shipping container. Funny how economies work, isn't it? [/quote] Definitely. Having just read how Vox changed the AC30's, it seems bizarre thar its cheaper to get an overseas company to make an amp then buy it in the UK, rather than make it in the UK then buy it!

[quote name='Jonesy64' timestamp='1398202332' post='2431714'] I owned both a little while ago and first thing I will say is I am still pissed off with myself for spending the best part of £400 on two pedals. I didn't think they really overlapped that much and for a brief moment sat happily next to each other on my board until I realised how much money was tied up in them! For me only the B3K has something going on that I haven't heard in another pedal...very modern, clanky metallic and scooped sounding.....you have to want that tone though, it doesn't do much else. I don't think the vintage does anything that can't be found in cheaper options such as the VT Bass and the Solidgold Beta. Come to think of it I bet the VT bass would do a decent B3K sound. Everything is there to get close to it..mid, treble, bass, character, drive controls. [/quote] Aye, I'm not keen on the demo's I've heard. Much prefer the Tech 21 sounds from the BDDI/VT Bass.

[quote name='sk8' timestamp='1398236430' post='2431835'] That and SOOOOOOO much more! [/quote] Sounds interesting! I may give it a shot...plus I guess it also applies to guitars as well as bass. When DI'ing, are you guys just going into a DI box from the Sonic Port? Another option I suppose is to use it as 'options' for a live rig and use a small Class D amp and change whatever you like on the input or use it in the effects return.

I think the pre/etc would probably not drop the price that much, and its good to have a real amp (so to speak!) ready if you need it. I think the best bet is just to get the smallest/most reliable Class D amp, such as the Shuttle 9.2/Streamliner 900/GK MB500 or 800. Carvin is another option, and very very good value. Its definitely a route I'd like to test out as all I'd need is the Sonic Port.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1398239657' post='2431867'] Have you tried the Big Bang? It's my personal favourite MB head. Seems to sit somewhere between the F500 and LMIII tonally and has a few more features than the LMIII as well. Edit - here's a review of the Big Bang that directly compares it to both heads : [url="http://btpub.boyd-printing.com/iphone/article.php?id=1397751&id_issue=158781&src=&ref="]http://btpub.boyd-pr...58781&src=&ref=[/url] [/quote] Just out of interest, are the Big Bang heads made in Indonesia as of now, or still Italy for the time being?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1398168950' post='2431067'] Completely and utterly this. I too am having the most fun and musical satisfaction playing live right now than I have ever had in 35 years of gigging. It seems to me that those who aren't happy about playing live are playing the wrong music in the wrong bands at the wrong venues to the wrong audience. Also at the risk of sounding like a broken record I'm really not seeing a reduction in gigging opportunities. From my PoV it's never been easier to get decent paying gigs and TBH some of our best ones are in the north of England. I can't help but think that this is a problem mostly affecting those who play covers. Maybe it's time to start playing your own music? [/quote] Out of all the gigging bassists on Basschat, I envy both your gig position and Nigel's position. Both of you have tons of passion for live music and both seem to be having the most 'fun' (which is surely the idea of it!), plus I like the fact you are gigging your own music and have created an image to go along with it. I mean this in a respectful way as well, as it seems you've got to this stage at a more 'mature' point in your bass playing, which is even cooler. I'm no spring chicken at 33 but it is a glimmer of hope. I take a lot of advice from your posts on here, especially with regards to just getting down to writing, get in a band, and play what sounds great. It has, in a way, along with the rubbish time I've had with other songwriters, pushed me to write my own songs like I did when I was 13/14 and I had a lot more imagination.

Really interesting thread. I had no idea technology had advanced so quickly. So basically, I have an iPhone 5S, and I can just buy the Line 6 hardware and a few apps and away we go? Is it basically like DI'ing from a Sansamp?

I would like to add that Markbass really did change the marketplace, and I have a lot of respect for them! Just because I don't use them and rate other manufacturers, does not mean I am against what they do. I would still like to try the TTE500. If they ever want input from previous customers, bring back the F500 at a slightly lower price and design an F800, to compete with the likes of Tercamp. The F500 was great. Oh, and a LM4 with a new limiter and perhaps semi para mids. They do sound awesome with a Stingray.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1398153952' post='2430876'] Possibly. I've rarely used my head through anything other than a single 8 ohm cab. But then I did read that Markbass were planning to improve the inbuilt limiter for the LM3. [/quote] The idea behind the LM3 was meant to be an improved limiter and a DI volume. The DI volume does feature, but the limiter improvment never came about.