Osiris

I'm always slightly bemused by these 'best of ...' type threads. How exactly do you define 'the best'? What criteria and metrics are being used? I've no doubt that the 2 amps in the original post are superb, but are they 'the best' because they among the most expensive class D's available? Or because they have an impressive and unique feature set? Or for some other reason? Some specifications have been quoted as have some of their unique features, but no-one yet seems to have mentioned their respective tones and flexibility, which for me personally help me decide what 'the best' amp is - for me. For example, I was tried out the Mesa Subway D800 (I'm guessing an amp that shares much of its DNA with the WD800) and it was a fantastic sounding amp, but I found it very limited in what it could do. It went from shouty and aggressive to REALLY SHOUTY AND AGGRESSIVE. Now, I'm quite partial to a shouty and aggressive bass tone, but at other times I want something more subdued, but I wasn't able to coax that from the D800. In the end I plumped for the Genzler Magellan because that could do shouty and aggressive too, but it could also do subtle and mellow, warm and vintage, bright and funky etc, and it could do all these with the conviction that the Mesa delivered its aggression. Out of the 2 the Genzler was the 'better' amp for me because it was way more versatile. But if I was playing in a punk band the Mesa would likely have been 'better' for my needs. One mans' treasure and all that.

@Cuzzie, I've already started digging a hole under my patio for you.

Yesterday Graeme and I met for a dodgy deal in a motorway services where I purchased a Mustang bass from him. The bass was in great condition and was at a fair price. I'll happily recommend him as a trustworthy guy to deal with.

I believe the technical term is Turd Chromatography. It's a big thing in certain dark corners of the internet, apparently.

Or knackered. Or phuqed.

You beat me to it! And it's surprising how infrequently you are wrong

Great work @Cuzzie that's one fine looking finish on the body.

Someone mentioned replacement tips for the ZS10's a page or 2 back, I ordered some of these and can confirm that they fit the ZS10's perfectly, although they do fit deeper into your ear canal than the stock tips so they feel a little odd at first!. Unfortunately they do not fit my Shure SE215's, the bore in the tip is too big to fit over the narrow sticky outy bit of the Shures. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Replacement-Sport-Ear-Gels-Earbuds-Tips-for-Various-Devices-Flange-Ear-Buds/282177969644?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=581177088266&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

I'd buy one of those on the strength of the name alone Oh, and yeah, gimme a P bass (at least the pickup) too - although I'm playing a P/J Mustang these days as I struggle with full sized basses these days.

I've used Acetone too before and it works a treat for this sort of job. It evaporates really quickly so you have to work quickly, I just applied some to a rag and worked it over the stain in circles and the stain came up in a few seconds. There were no obvious watermarks either once I'd finished. I'm not sure how the acetone may affect any finish that's already applied to the body but if you're planning to refinish it anyway that shouldn't be a problem.

I don't really have a favourite colour as such, I tend to judge each instrument on its individual merits. But anything turdburst is fundamentally wrong and should be cleansed with fire. So I'd probably have to say all of the above as long as it doesn't like a dirty protest 😀

On the water bass the seller forgot to mention what to me is its biggest selling point, namely the crude drawing of a Sci-fi or superhero film villain on the finish.

Cheers @intime-nick 😀

Cheers!

Cheers, Are you using something like these? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Replacement-Sport-Ear-Gels-Earbuds-Tips-for-Various-Devices-Flange-Ear-Buds/282177969644?var=581177088266 If it's something else, can you share a link please?

Out of interest, what replacement tips are you using with the ZS10's? I am using the large rubber ones that came with mine and they offer a good tight seal for me but one of the tips has an extra bit of rubber that look like a moulding defect that irritates the inside of my ear after a while, so I'm looking to replace them but I don't know what aftermarket tips fit them. What tips/buds have you tried?

That's a great colour and a good tale too. Even with the extra charges I guess it still worked out about half the price of a new one in this country? I have an Olympic white one (yes, the sonic blue ones look virtually identical) and have ripped the pickup selector switch out and fitted a blend pot instead, it makes the bass way more versatile. It's a cheap and simple mod that really opens up loads of new sounds

Ha! Typical 😀

Cheers, I don't suppose you're anywhere close to sunny Wellingborough are you, so I could pop round for a cheeky test drive

I think that Punk was and is still musically significant, at least as much so as any other genre. I still like a lot of punk music that has been made over the past 40 years as well as much that has been influenced by it. But I do think a more pertinent question is whether Danny Baker is significant or not? He certainly isn't from where I'm looking, the cockney gobshyte. And what's with his hair?

I currently gig a variety of basses the cheapest of which was £150 and two others that each cost 10 times as much. While the more expensive ones have noticeably more attention to detail in their construction, the cheap and cheerful one (which has had a pickup upgrade and a new bridge but is otherwise stock) still holds its own. And I'm less precious over it on the odd rowdy gig. As @dmccombe7 has already said, there are some seriously good cheap basses available these days. I have also played some expensive basses that were simply terrible, e.g. I once tried a Fender custom should jazz that was up for £2800. The neck pocket had a noticeable gap of 2 to 3 mm and the logo on the head stock was wonky. For me, I'll judge an instruments suitability on how it plays, feels and sounds and not by its price. In my experience there's good and bad gear available at a variety of price points.

@JohnDaBass Cheers for the heads up on the LP junior, I haven't com across that yet, I'll check it out. I like the idea of an SG shorty too.

According to my battered old Oxford English dictionary the literal definition of Multi is more than one. While it is often understood to mean loads in terms of multi-fx units that offer dozens or even hundreds of effects, it is still a perfectly apt and reasonable description to this single pedal that offers 3 different effects. Yes, pre-amp would probably have been a term that would have sat well with more us than multi effects, but it is still literally and grammatically correct. The argument about cheaper multi-fx doing way more for much less money also applies to things like your beloved future impact too. Just sayin'

I like the design of the Nordstarnd, the body shape is more to my tastes but finish was an affront to all that is decent and holy - the one I saw was blue with a nasty turdashell scratch plate and gold hardware. Really fugly 🤮 If they do it in some more sensible colour schemes (natural and black always works for me) then it could well be a serious contender. As for the Stingray, interesting but I personally can't get on with that nasal Stingray sound, it works great in a mix but I find it irritating when it's just the bass on its own!