Samfordia

Question: I'm still researching and taking in to account advice I have received. I have been looking at a few tonight and there is something I do not quite understand. There's an amp combo with a few different versions that are identical other than a difference in speakers. If they're all 250w then what is the difference between one having a 15" speaker and the other two having a 12" and then two 10" speakers? I assume that I don't quite understand what wattage means if I am confused by this. I've been reading wattage as a rating for how loud it will be. But if the wattage can be equal from a 15" speaker vs two 10", yet the latter costing more, then there's obviously something I am not quite getting. Educate me, please? (Edit: Also, what is a tweeter?)

I need to learn how best to upload pics onto this forum. But in the meantime, here's some I took before anything was touched on it. https://imageshack.com/a/2Bhz/1

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1412896000' post='2573202'] I now have the B1Xon, and I think it's certainly a very good tool for headphone practice. Sometime soon I'll plug it into some speakers to see what it sounds like through them. But, there are a very wide range of sounds possible through this device. And, the drum patterns are useful. I haven't yet really tried the aux in or the looper, but will give those a go soon. [/quote] I have one of these. Do share any settings for sounds that you particularly like. Would be fun to see what else people get out of them.

I clearly need to wait until I have a decent amp before trying some of these ideas.

Ha! Let me clean this dirty hound first.

I've dated it and it's a 1983.

So, I purchased it.. ..needs a bit of work and a darn good clean, not to mention new strings, so I'm not fully sure how it will sound once everything is in place. Would it be something of a sin to stick flats on this thing?

[quote name='goblin' timestamp='1412550065' post='2569940'] As you're in Salford, if you've got any way of getting to Rochdale, feel free to give me a shout and I can take you through a couple of amp and cab combinations. I'll even pop the kettle on! [/quote] Well what a lovely chap. The warmness of this forum never ceases to amaze me. ..and thanks for giving me something to start from.

Recently, I have started to experiment with different sounds to try and get somewhere near to the sound I would like once I have finally bought all of the basic gear. I thought it could be interesting for me if I posted a link to the nearest thing I could find to the sound I am after. Hopefully I could then further learn about how one goes about manipulating what comes out of the amp and what gear or technique is needed. I am new to pedals so feel free to use layman's terms. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD0c233hyYM

Sorry to bring up an obvious thread like this but I find myself a bit stuck. I am ready to buy my first amp but there are a few things I am unsure about and finding good examples of sounds etc seems a little more difficult than it would be if buying an actual bass. Forgive me a couple of very beginner level questions: - A combo is a head and cab in one? Is a head and cab more desirable because it has more functionality and control? - What is a preamp? Is it merely the knob controls on an amp? My budget would be 200-300 but it's possible to save if there is something I desire. I am looking for an aggressive sound, something more post-punk, punk, alternative and fairly direct. When I have tried to search for an amp with that sound I always seem to end up with tube amps but I don't have much knowledge of these. - Do tube amps need a part replacing after a time? Are tube amps now more old fashioned and being phased out at all? - What are the pros and cons of a tube or valve amp? Working out whether to buy an amp just for home or purchasing with a little more foresight has been on my mind. I wouldn't want to buy an amp that ended up being of little use to me this time next year but I also wouldn't want to end up with an amp that was overkill if I was only jamming in a garage, for example. Perhaps there is a level of amps that are good for practice and playing with others but also small room gigs? The bass I will be using is a Yamaha BB.

Anybody know much about these? I found a battered BB300 in a random shop that has nothing to do with musical instruments. Apparently it's an 80's made in Japan P-bass, although I didn't ask to take a look at any serial numbers. I became curious about it when I got home so thought I'd ask here. I'm not sure what would be a fair price for one of these. I'm guessing not much at all.

Yeah that's right, PMT. I'm no expert but the E string sounded like it was on a separate instrument.

In a place now and there's a Yamaha labelled as the following: Yamaha U90 BB424 Black PROTO TYPE - EX ARTIST Is this different from the usual 424 found?

Without going too much into it I have trouble with some direct communication such as phones and Skype, but I do take those points on board. I do require a certain way of teaching, thinking about it. A lot of the time it needs to be visual. Being told something quickly often won't work for me. So I think that finding the right tutor would be a godsend. I'm in Salford/Manchester, by the way. I shall be sitting down with the sites mentioned and having a good look whilst also reading back over the advice given here. Listening to Ambient's Soundcloud page whilst I do this makes for a rather chilled out time.

Could it be a bad idea buying a bass without a pickguard if the player predominantly uses a pick? I suppose it may be relative depending on how one plays but generally speaking could the guitar become badly marked?

Some marvellous replies, thank you. I have bookmarked the links provided and will work through the advice given when I get a chance later. I'm thinking you may be right about getting some lessons in, at least at first. I wouldn't want to mess myself up by wrongly learning something and never realising. From what I have seen one hour lessons range from £15 - £30. Usually with the first lesson free. Perhaps I should visit every single tutor just the once! But really, finding the right one would be great.

I've been playing for a couple of months now and I enjoy it so very much that it actually makes me happy. All I can do at the moment is successfully read tabs for songs that I already know and have fun playing them. I learnt one blues scale that I found somewhere and from that I came up with quite a few of my own basslines, I tend to be content for most of the time with making my own stuff up. I realise that I need to further my understanding of theory and how to go about reading music. One day I hope to play with others in a band setting but won't be able to do that until I properly get down to furthering myself and understanding what it is I am doing. In a perfect world I would find a teacher somewhere and have a lesson a week at the least but realistically this would be way too expensive. I have a lot of spare time and would ideally like to be taught in person as this would probably keep me on track and give me confidence knowing that I was doing things right. If any kind of tuition fee is out of my reach then what are the alternatives? Is there a site that can assist me or a place where I could learn all of these things? I am aware of Scott's Bass Lessons but for some reason I found him to be something of a turn off. I think it may have been his many over-familiar emails and overuse of smilies :$ I recently bought a book that seems to be pretty good. It starts of with reading music and technique but I haven't totally gotten into it yet as I've only had it for a short time. I'm not entirely sure what I expect in reply. Perhaps just a point in the right direction. Perhaps advice on exactly what it is I should be starting with.

Yeah they do seem to look a lot cooler. Although the red one may look better without. Is there any real need for a pickguard on a bass? Is there any real reason for having them?

What on earth is this? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111433360043&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111433360043&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123[/url]

What are the differences with the Yamaha BB424X and the 424? Is it merely that the 424X has a scratch plate?

So much great advice on here. It is all such a huge help when I have nobody else to ask. I am taking everything in I thank you all. Jellyfish - Thanks for going to the effort of searching for basses for sale and supplying the links, I appreciate it.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1405239802' post='2499902'] so instead of a small practice amp for home use you could use a multi-effects pedal where you'll have various amp/cab models, various bass effects and a simple drum machine all built in and you can listen on headphones and use the same pedal to plug into an amp for when you play at your class or for when you can afford an amp if you join a band... something like the Zoom B1on pedal would be a good place to start (it's also got an input jack so you can play along with your favourite music) [url="http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/b1on"]http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/b1on[/url] [/quote] Headphones could be plugged into this and no amp will be needed?

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1405259942' post='2500151'] Have you not bought your latex stuff, and informed next of kin..? Do you have personal injury insurance..? Perhaps I've said too much... [/quote] Okay so now I regret not joining talkbass.com instead

Thank you all for your replies. I have so much to go on. Everything that has been suggested I have either taken notes of or looked it up directly online. And, of course, I hope to take up the hugely generous offer of the p-bass copy from Horizontalste and have conversed with him via PM. This really does seem a lovely place