Dan Dare

I had a similar experience to yours - bought a small PJB combo, liked what it did and decided to try a full rig. You can certainly do it, but it won't be cheap. They will deal with fat tones happily, but you'll need a few of those small drivers to shift enough air in a live situation. The good news is that they often come up used and, as they are often bought by jazzers and non-headbangers, they are usually in good shape and have not been caned. They cut through very well on stage in my experience. However, I am playing in a soul band and doing functions, pubs and clubs. I am not competing with heavy-handed drummers or guitar players. Your situation may be different. They also project well into a room. I used to play in the house band at a local jam night and it surprised me how well my two PJB 4x5 cabs filled the space when I listened to others playing. If you want to make a bit of noise, especially with fat, low-end heavy tones, you will need a few drivers as I mention above. I have five 4x5 PJB cabs and run three or more of them when I want to shift some air. They are inefficient, so you will need powerful amplification. If you buy the PJB powered cabs, that will be taken care of, but if not, you need at least 250W per 4x5 cab to get them singing. I'm not so keen on PJB amps. I find them a bit too hi-fi. I use Aguilar and/or Carvin amps, plus a PA power amp if needed, which give me the warmer, more old-school tone I prefer.

The value of any instrument will always depend on how much potential buyers are willing to pay, as well as the usual things - make, condition, etc. Unless your local-ish music shop specialises in double basses, they are probably not the best place to go for a valuation or to sell it. In your shoes, I would Google something like "double bass dealers uk" and contact a few of the names that come up. Ignore any shops that sell electric instruments. I just tried it and places like Bass Direct and the Bass Centre, which sell mainly or exclusively electrics, appeared, but there were also some double bass specialists. Speak with a few and get a feel for what they think they can get for the instrument. All will charge commission - they have to set up an instrument, put right any issues before sale and offer some kind of guarantee - which will not be pennies. Fair enough, given that they have to make a living. If you have a quality instrument, you are still likely to realise more by selling it through a specialist and paying commission than you would by doing so privately. You could also contact a few auction houses that specialise in musical instrument sales. Avoid local outfits - the sort of places you see on programmes like Bargain Hunt - that auction mainly bric-a-brac and house clearance stuff. Google "stringed instrument auctions uk" and you'll find some.

I've got an old Morphy Richards convector heater. It's rated at 2kw. Doesn't half chuck out some heat. I reckon it would be ideal if you want lots of clean power. Should certainly get those cones flapping. Perhaps even smoking. PM me if interested and we can discuss.

It was originally an illustration of Dan Dare from the Eagle, but a glitch in the BC system a few years back deleted all our avatars. I replaced it with the KiteKat tin in a moment of silliness and never got around to changing it.

I don't know whether they're still available, but I got replacement plastic sleeves/handles for a couple of my EV n/dyms a few years back.

Bass players are exactly the same as any other group of people. Some of them are tw@ts.

And then 3, flat 3, 2, flat 2. Always fun to run a few substitutions.

A Jumbo Jet.

Exactly. Inconsiderate of architects and builders in the 17th century not to anticipate our need for somewhere to put the PA, eh?

Earning a decent living from music.

It isn't a combo, though. The OP will have to buy an amp to drive it.

Nodes, surely?

Great work, Jack. Were I not so feeble, old and decrepit, I'd treat myself to another proper bass cab'.

I agree with both Tim and Tegs. Many people are struggling financially for the reasons Tegs describes, but circumstances - as referred to by Tim - also mean they are less likely to go out in the evening and spend what fun money they do have. It's not either/or. Some kind of guaranteed income for artists would be a nightmare to administer and run. Who qualifies and how? Is it reasonable to spend scarce public resources on things that might not be considered essential, when public services are under the cosh and many people struggle to heat their homes and afford other necessities? And so on. Tim makes a very good point about encouraging/helping people to become less reliant on public funds. We already have in-work benefits for people in low-paid jobs, which are intended to do just that. The trouble is that they mean large amounts of public money go towards subsidising the wage bills of large and very profitable corporations, which pay their staff poorly in the knowledge that there are few well-paid jobs on offer and that the taxpayer will step in and make up the difference.

Of course not, but it amused me. I realise I've probably blotted my copybook with some on here, but I guess I'll just have to soldier on...

If you like it and then find it may not be as it seems, that'll take the gilt off the gingerbread for you. In your shoes, I'd avoid diving down the rabbit hole. If the serial checks out, just have fun with it. Nowt wrong with MIM Fenders, anyway, especially for the money. I have a MIM P Bass Special (P/J) that does the job as well as any instrument I own.

It's a bit late to worry if you've already done the trade.. If the bass does the job for you, just enjoy it.

The grille on the Ashdown 1x15 cab I used to own was held on with velcro and could be prized away from the baffle with a screwdriver. Even if you're only using the Rumble as a power amp and cab', I'd still be surprised if it will be much of an improvement on what you already have. I'd question whether the BF 1x10, whilst very loud for its size, would do the job for you. A single 10, no matter how capable, just won't shift enough air to be adequate in a rock band. It'll be expensive to find out, too.

Does it make you talk sh!te about other musicians, too?

I use a 4" wide Pinegrove. I bought it to solve the slight neck dive on my Spector (it has a grippy suede liner that helps prevent it slipping), but I find it very comfortable. It's thick leather, decently padded and very nicely made (in the UK, with UK-sourced materials, too, which is a bonus).

I know it depends on the band and how loud the players are, the size of the space you need to fill and whether you have PA support, but I don't reckon a 1x10 or even a 1x12 would be loud enough for a rock band. Modern gear is unquestionably much more efficient than a lot of old school stuff, but there are limits - the laws of physics, Jim and all that. If you have a reasonable amount burning a hole in your pocket, you really should go and try/audition some gear. I appreciate that there may not be a wide choice in the Highlands, but buying on the basis of recommendation alone is often a route to disappointment. Rumbles are a standard recommendation, with good reason. They are portable and good value. However, they do sound a bit generic and I don't think one would improve on what you have. If you like your MAG 210, keep it. 22kg is hardly a behemoth and a quality folding trolley would make life easier and cost far less than new gear.

Agreed. She does clean up rather nicely, mind...

Not great where I live (Hants), but I don't expect it to be. Specialised items tend to be thin on the ground away from major centres of population, unsurprisingly. Say, for example, that one in ten thousand people play the bass and so will have the occasional instrument to sell. In the Greater London area, with approx 10 million inhabitants, there are likely to be a few hundred to choose from at any one time. Move to where I live and you'll find a couple of dozen at best. Better players (excluding the rich and famous who have bought a mansion in the country) tend to live in major population centres because that's where most gigs are. Unless you want a used Squier, there ain't likely to be a lot to choose from.

This. we can only guess, which is not a good idea with anything electrical. Bite the bullet and take it to a competent tech.

Recording rehearsals is very useful. We always do it. We're fortunate, in that our drummer has a home studio in his garden where we can rehearse, so it's straightforward for him to prepare reasonable mixes of rehearsal sessions. But even a simple recording that isn't mixed is helpful. Just set up a portable recorder with a couple of mics. The result will, of course, depend on everyone playing at a sensible volume. I agree with comments above that people should learn parts beforehand and use rehearsal time to stitch it all together, iron out bugs, etc. A recording is valuable as an aide memoire and to check everything works, the key is correct and so on. It also gives you something to play along with at home.