Musicman20

Hi I'm taking a trip from the North East to Liverpool soon, (possibly via Manchester). Can anyone recommend any good bass-related shops I can take a look in on the way? Thanks

I went to see one of my favourite bands play a small fairly imtimate venue this past Sunday. The bassist had the traditional SVT/8x10/P Bass. It sounded amazing. I was right near the front on the bassists side so I wasn't just hearing PA.

I think as its limited, that is a good price...eg the normal Ric price...nothing more. I have my eye on one elsewhere but I'm still not 100% sure I can bond with the ergonomics.

I agree, they are beautiful. I would have preferred the normal rosewood board, and for the wood to have gloss on it (or something) as apparently its very much a dry matt type finish. Otherwise...love it.

String spacing and neck profile makes a huge difference. That is all down to taste. BigRedX hit the nail on the head - don't be put off by cheaper 5 string basses. Some are fine. Most, IMO, aren't.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1394389250' post='2390921'] I bought a brand new 400+ in the late 90's so I know all about Mesa Boogie; the prices, the company and their products. They're handmade. Mine didn't come off a shelf, it was made to order. They are very good and they sell at their price point. Anything imported from the US is going to have an addition cost comprising transport, tax and currency exchange. They are what they are. Deal with it. [/quote] Great for you. No need to have that attitude towards another person's opinion. The fact that you think those that share my opinion don't realise how importing products work is just bizarre. I must have hit a nerve.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1394373155' post='2390751'] Yeah, let's pretend the 6000 miles and different tax regimes don't exist. [/quote] Have you carefully looked at how much more Mesa gear is over here? I'm not alone in thinking this, and I've always spent a fortune on USA made gear (or gear from US companies that may be made elsewhere). It isn't all USA products (or any overseas product), its that [b]certain[/b] products have a dramatic difference in price compared to the US, and some don't. I for one do not splash out £1500-£2000 without thinking about it.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1394367598' post='2390674'] Based on personal experience I think if there wasn't a distributor for Mesa then their cabs wouldn't be available in the UK at all [/quote] More than likely! I'd be interested in a Walkabout or Prodigy if they were a little more 'usually' priced (e.g. how a USA price would normally be reflected over here).

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1394365582' post='2390643'] I must admit that, as someone who sees the retail side of the business, I'm seeing the reverse of your suggested trend Gareth. More manufacturing brands are realising that they can be much more effective by concentrating on R&D, quality control and production rather than the monster hassles of distribution and handling retailers or, even more problematical, direct customers. The cost of managing internal customer services and distribution can be huge and the time drain on senior people can cause all sorts of problems. One of the biggest areas a distributor makes a difference is in storage of large stocks of cabs. The size and weight of most cab ranges mean they have to be land or sea transported to make any kind of financial sense. Buying one or two cabs direct from an overseas manufacturer means the relative cost of shipping compared to product value is huge. This means a retailer who's buying direct has to make large bulk orders. From initial order to delivery can take 12 weeks - I've tested this more than once and this is a fairly average schedule if the products are built to order (remembering that most specialist bass equipment manufacturers do not hold large stocks and make most things from scratch as they are ordered). For a retailer this means laying out large sums in advance of delivery, long wait times for products and then problems trying to find storage space. The net effect often means that product range availability is cut right back or even discontinued completely. My personal example would be Carvin - they make some really nice bass cabs but do not operate a European distributor model. Because shipping costs are so high compared to product value they are virtually unobtainable at a price even remotely close to their US equivalents. Our store doesn't even take orders on them because we can't justify the UK prices A quality distributor can make a massive difference in terms of product availability and after sales service. My current favourite example is MSL who handle MarkBass. Their customer service is exemplary, product knowledge is great and delivery times are very fast. Warranty claims are handled without question and with total efficiency. Synergy, who handle Phil Jones and Sandberg, are right up there as well and the new arrangement from Barnes & Mullins with Aguilar is proving to be top notch as well. Without these guys in the chain you'd see massive issues with product availability and delivery times and warranty claims would be both delayed and patchier in service and quality. Unsurprisingly they need to earn some money in order to offer this kind of service but in many cases their outlay is huge in order to hold decent stocks (this is much more of an issue with US made products because many Euro brands have a central storage hub with land delivery access). Without distributors I'd see a lot of products disappearing completely from many UK retailers and, bizarrely, prices for some might rise due to scarcity and costs of individual shipping. Of course, not all distributors are as good as others. Rather than getting rid of them I'd much prefer to see the better ones taking over more stock lines [/quote] I realise there are specialists out there who manage a brand in the UK, but some distributors are basically just another bill to pay and a middleman. The store has to make profit, the distributor has to make profit, and the manufacturer has to obviously make profit. Some distributors will be brilliant, some will just store and sell.

They are now officially working together on new Musicman amps.

[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1394219194' post='2389326'] Cannot comment on the CN212 but got the NX2- 212T at the bargain price of £375 from GAK, just when I was about to pull the trigger on a CN212. Well happy with the NX2-212T. [/quote] Same here! Had the money ready for a CN as well but caught the GAK sale.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1394199798' post='2389079'] But surely what you are recognising is the player within the familiar context of their own band and the music you know. Would you recognise a Geddy Lee bass line from a Rush song you'd never heard before if it was in isolation and not as part of the overall music? If someone was to re-record Flea's bass lines note perfect on BSSM with the rest of the Chilli Peppers on the tracks would you notice that it wasn't Flea playing? I think the answer to both questions is a resounding "no". [/quote] Ay I agree. There are certain characteristics that we all have as individuals, whatever we play. We might like octaves, we might like to play high up the neck, etc etc. Certain players have a classic style that we can recognise. It does help with tone. However, it isn't all about that.

I hate camping and being dirty. I do love the music, but the more I go to, the more festivals don't appeal to me. I much prefer spending £20-30 to see a band I really like play a professional venue with a decent support and have the sound tailored for them. The beer will overpriced but nothing like a festivals.

[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1394194887' post='2388988'] I am considering sneaking a second obc115 into my setup at some point I love the sound of one but 2 would be more, well, more! [/quote] It is a beautiful sounding 15...I'm always impressed.

Two OBC115 Mix the OBC410 with the OBC115 - shock horror! (PS it sounds great!) OBC810... If I had the need i'd opt for an Aguilar DB412 or an Orange OBC810.

The CN212 may have a LITTLE more output, but it comes down to tone. Whether you prefer the Genz or the Berg CN voicing. If you picked up the Genz in the GAK sale, then I would suggest that the Berg is not worth twice or three times the Genz. If you find you are needed more volume, then you'll need more cab.

I used to just play a MIJ P Bass reissue into a good old Trace GP12400SMX, with fairly standard cabs. I used these for years. I had Stingrays back home which I still love, but as they cost me a lot, and I was playing dives, I tended to use the P Bass as it was quite well used, (although looking back it was still pretty damn clean). Now, I have barely any time back home to play bass, and all the bands I've tried out for have been a waste of time, or full of dream chasers who can't play. I have zero interest in playing the local pub doing Kings Of Leon covers. I'm not amazing, but my 'thing' lies in being good with tone, good with an overall band sound, and knowing when a band is onto something. I can play pretty well but I need to play a lot more to more difficult songs to get better. I just don't have time to practice, because keeping fit and staying trim is taking the top spot, as well as the career. Shame really. I think eventually I'll find the right band again.

Berg CN212 or Genz Benz NX2 212T.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1394184362' post='2388749'] Thanks for this - hmm I like mids, too. I notice you have a GK MB500 in your sig - what's that like, then? [/quote] GK amps have a GK flavour, and the MB amps are huge in the low end and very spikey/modern up top. You will again find a mid scoop, which can again be adjusted out, just like the Streamliner. I actually like low mids...the thick upper bass/low mid area of a bass tone is where I find that 'kick', which doesn't pound your speakers but makes bass audible. The Streamliner, combined with say a Musicman Stingray, has more than enough mids, and still has room to dial more in.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1394185736' post='2388784'] Don't get me started on MESA's UK pricing. *hyperventilates* [/quote] If Mesa had normal prices over here, I'd try a Walkabout. It's not that I won't spend that cash, its that I see the distributor taking A MASSIVE chunk for no apparent reason. I think over the next 10 years or so, as the international market continues to grow, and the web continues to dominate sales, then we will see an end to the middleman distribution. I don't actually think having a 'distributor' makes it easier. There should just have an approved service for faults, but one that doesn't need to distribute. Basically, everyone takes a bite of the cherry and we foot the bill. Annoying.

I don't think I've once considered selling it. Beautiful warm, rich tone with the ability to be VERY clean and modern (and LOUD) or gritty, dirty and more raw.

Is it brand new? Sorry I should have read more carefully. If so, just a minor truss rod tweak will sort out buzz. Musicman/S&T setups are the best in the business IMO, so keep it all as it is apart from the truss rod.

Probably one of the best sounding basses on the planet. I have really grown to love the style of them.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1393855379' post='2385038'] I just can't be a55ed with shows anymore. Looks like I didn't miss much... and I don't feel the need to blitz people on facebook with me with various name players, which seems to be this year's trend. Yup, I'm a grumpy b4stard this year. [/quote] Haha.