three

Not at all - a fabulously entertaining, fruitful and ongoing adventure! Thank you!

Pleased the OP’s obsession is reduced - it was his previous posts that part fuelled my own. I’ve reined things in but currently enjoying (a) a Noble - contemporary twin valve but works best for me with Fender style basses (that I don’t have or favour); (b) Hellborg - err...favourite - very responsive; (c) Millennia - brutally transparent but requires technical expertise (not my amateur fumbling); (d) Alembic SF2 - nuts and see (c) above; and, Avalon U5 - simple and lush on preset 2 with more modern and active basses. Not sure there’s anything new here - the OPs selection was possibly broader

I'm with a band just now (one that I was with years ago!), but work wherever it comes - mainly dep jobs and recording - fortunately, I enjoy playing across genres. The pres are used mainly for recording (and I like having them around). Until recently, I was working with Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the lure of exotic gear became great. The preference for the 750 is mainly the tone stack - I know that the 751 is supposed to sport improvements, but for me (of course) it wasn't a positive change. There was a slight cheapening of production too (though 751s remain superb amps). The '50s scifi aesthetic is lovely on the 750 as well. The one cab I have just now is a Berg hd210 (but as you can imagine, I've had all sorts from Cerwin Vega bins and 4x12s in the '70s and '80s through to di only in the 90s and 2000s). Main gigging bass is a Spector Shorty (light and small) and main recording basses are a Status Series II (an old one) and an Alembic SCD...I like compact. To be honest, in many situations, I just use house amps or take along a BAmp with the Berg - the Agi is extremely heavy (about 85lbs with the pre and the flight case).

Aguilar DB750 is definitely the one to own for me - I'm on my third. I prefer these to the 751 and can put up with the fan noise. Way too heavy - mine is in a foamed rack on wheels. A creation that sounds imperious in itself but takes external pres very well indeed (and this is a way to get around the noisy AU7 if you can't be bothered to change it). I use mine mainly with a Hellborg pre as a front end. Works beautifully with a Noble or a Millennia too, depending on what one wishes to achieve. I use an SF2 as well but that's just nuts.

The Bergantino BAmp has various preset options. It's possible to change very rapidly at the push of a knob

I just purchased a set of strings from Sam - beautifully packaged, fast delivery, great communications and exactly as described - a fine and utterly trustworthy member of the community!

I use a Spector Shorty as my main bass - the Bantam is very similar if a little more rounded. The basses are light but probably around 8.5lbs (not super light). I’ve been struggling with back pain for the past two years - the Spector has not essed this. I’ve been working hard to get around the problem in the last three months as I’ve been playing more intensively and sitting hasn’t been an option. There’s been a lot of experimentation. Ia lot depends on the source of the pain but three things have helped me: 1. longer (comfort strapp) length - I’ve shifted from a very high position to something considerably lower - over tummy rather than lower chest 2. avoidance of schaller locks - I noticed that these shift the centre of gravity of the bass slightly and tip the top bout forward a little. They also invite me to hold the bass in place rather than just let it ‘sit’. Just the strap with Fender strap blocks makes a significant difference in positioning the bass more comfortably and keeping it there 3. Replacing cable with wireless - after 40 years, I’ve realised that I twist very slightly to avoid tangling or tripping on cables - with a wireless (transmitter in back pocket), my posture is more upright of course, all this is individual but it’s providing some relief for me. I play short scale most of the time but I don’t think it makes much difference in terms of discomfort. An Overwater PJ feels just as good with the adaptations listed sbove. Good luck - I can empathise!

I've had both (and an embarrassing list that includes many of the other contenders). As a direct comparison, the US Sadowsky had a slightly more expensive and cultured look and feel - the whole package (case, candy, hardware) just felt expensive. The Sadowsky pre is lovely - not dramatic but a professional, studio-style gloss right out of the box. The bass was also very light and comfortable, and capable of a very low action (if that's your kind of thing - it was highly adjustable). All that said, it didn't feel or sound particularly 'alive'. It was a bit 'ordinary', possibly anonyous for the price. However, that might be what makes Sadowskys so popular and desirable among big-name and session-players. Just an excellent Fender clone that feels familiar, is light and an can emulate a Fender tone (and then a bit). The Shuker was a much heavier but beautifully built instrument - somebody else's custom order that I bought second-hand. Excellent timbers, really good construction with top-quality fit and finish (in the main). Again, the circuit was Sadowsky, along with the pickups, so great tone on tap (if nothing extreme). Not as comfortable to play as the Sadowsky and suffered from some fret-sprout (an easy fix and nothing out of the ordinary - this is a feature of many Alembics - but a little frustrating). It was possible to feel and see where the extra money had gone into the Sadowsky (but maybe not the 1000-1200 at contemporaneous prices). The Shuker had its own elegance but was a little more chunky and workperson-like than its US counterpart. Overall tone was a little more aggressive but this is probably down to timbers and design. Hardware was high-quality sourced-in rather than in-house. Overall, both very good basses if not absolutely top-of-the-line game-changers. I picked-up the Shuker for around 1200 and the Sadowsky for maybe 1750 - prices have changed (obviously), At the time, the premium was probably justifiable. With current prices, I'm not at all sure. I'd have no hesitation in custom ordering from Jon. Excellent, professional instruments at realistic prices. Just to throw another curve in - Atelier may be worth consideration - some bargains appear on here (and excellent Japanese build quality).

Just bought a stand from Craig. Super packing, fast delivery, great communications and exactly as described - an upstanding and totally reliable member of the community!