Dan Dare

If you like the instrument and intend to keep it, by all means put some money into upgrades. Be aware that you will never get the money you spend on improvements back. A HB is still a HB, Seymour Duncans or no. Do you particularly dislike the pickups it has in it? If not, replacements will not magically transform it. HBs and similar are budget instruments, built down to a price. The woodwork and finish is generally quite reasonable (it has to be or people wouldn't buy them), but economies are made on fittings, metalwork, electronics etc. By the time you've replaced pickups, tuners, pots and the like, you could have bought something better with the money that will have a higher resale value. I appreciate it's difficult to sell on an instrument that was a gift. In your shoes, I'd use it as is and save for something better.

Good point.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126319429390?hash=item1d6939870e:g:1kUAAOSw3tVlwlLW&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4MIUiy4i87kVy6U6tvWUu96fXRujgsbPruu5674P1qMkZ5%2BiFZuv%2BB%2By1JCzl6HlFGDAFI9zT0pvIxi744BfYJapKEeHeLhtUe6zII0YCPTpm7QgbRSKX3%2F4qHQolxhKQ61NbkklvdAzAHtTd4ty0Eb7boVG9K3%2BSmDWkkcNPOIgzODkPSqcqaBwW9mSclpS8FIT%2BF7oRI4XgRAv2J1kUZUdlJXDC0%2FF9VW0pnjMFJ0zYh7Jc5EVBxuNy3D91e3vHUK1kIKdzt0UTJ6sEdlfxhTiP%2FL9RHkDWzLxaxdUiNGi|tkp%3ABk9SR4ir3ICyYw Another chancer who has scrubbed the Squier decal and serial from the headstock and stuck a Fender one on.

It's a good idea to use cable that is fat enough for the cable grip in the Speakon connector to hold it securely.

SS amps don't usually have output trannies. A very few hi-fi brands, such as McIntosh, do, but you shouldn't harm your Peavey by switching it on/powering it down without a speaker connected.

Good advice. The input gain on your mixer is your friend. There's usually a switchable pad, too, as stated above. Line level is often marked on the input gain pot to give you a starting point when running line level signals in. If you use a DI box or DI out on an amp, the signal will be stepped down to mic level. DI box transformers are usually around 12:1 and many have switchable pads to attenuate the input signal further. You normally only need those for keyboards, unless you have an active instrument that gives a very hot signal. On the mixer, you should start with the input gain at minimum, set the channel fader to unity/0db and switch in PFL for the channel. Bring up the input gain slowly and you can monitor the level on the meters. If the signal is too hot with the input gain at minimum, switch in the pad.

Value is always subjective. If someone likes/wants something, they will pay more. Generally, around half new retail appears to be the average when selling used gear. If mint, you may get a little more and desirable brands can go for higher prices, too (Barefaced cabs seem to command decent used prices, for example). Ditto vintage/rare. A few people may jump on me for saying this, but many tend to over-estimate the value of what they own in the used market. It's often better to sell a rig as separate items, rather than complete. Time of year has an effect, too. This is traditionally not a good time to sell as everyone is recovering from paying off the massive Christmas credit card bills that landed at the end of last month. Maybe put it on the 'Bay with a reserve and see if you get any interest as a starter for 10?

I put one in my '72 J bass. It certainly made it a little more versatile in terms of tones. However, I found I couldn't quite get that classic J sound (where you run the neck pickup on full and back off the bridge slightly) using it. It was close, but not quite there. The quality of construction was excellent and the solderless connections made it simple to fit (although the battery was a tight fit in the cavity with the preamp installed). In the end, I removed and sold it. If you have just one instrument and want it to do everything, it could be useful.

Not after you've factored in the cost of a Transit van to get it about with.

That's AI generated blurb. You can recognise if from the trite phrases - "whether you're a beginner, performer, etc", "sure to impress", "perfect for right handed players", "taking your talent to the next level" and so on. All the sort of tripe that non-musicians (the wallies who developed the AI spiel generator) believe musicians will be persuaded by.

Thanks for posting this. I've used a Sessionette 1x12 for many years for my electric fiddle. It doesn't have that baked in mid peak that so many guitar combos have, which clash horribly on a fiddle. It's nice for jazz guitar as well, probably for the same reason. It's been in need of a refurb for a while - pots getting crackly, etc - so you prompted me to get in touch with them. I emailed this morning and Stewart replied to me within the hour. Have booked it in for some TLC. He told me they are to stop making new amps shortly, but will continue to service/repair existing ones until 2029.

I agree with you in principle, Bill, but £750 for a complete PA is a tall order here in the UK. Used is the only option. Any reasonable 12 ch mixer with decent eq (no point in buying something really basic, with just low and high eq - as you say, the mids are very much where the action is) is going to account for getting on for half the budget.

That additional air chamber created by the shim must have an effect, too 😁

J bass pickup locations have changed over the years, which also affects the sound.

Good advice above. You don't have a lot of wriggle room with a £750 budget, so used is defo the way to go. The usual powered mixer/mixer and power amp plus two 10 or 12 + horn cabs on stands should get you going. You may get lucky and find something like Beedster's used Bose rig - plenty of people upgrade and sell off smaller gear, so it's very possible. if you do and it's a bit over budget, consider finding the extra money and getting it, because it will stand you in good stead. If you only need PA for vocals and perhaps kick, you can get a small mixer for not much money. Get at least 3 band eq - mid control is very useful for vocals. I'd avoid large - 15 + horn - PA cabs. Bulky, heavy, awkward to transport and store and you need heavy duty stands for safety/stability. If you want more power later on, look at getting a sub to augment your existing stuff.

Same here. I use flats and change them once in a blue moon, so when change time comes, the board is normally well coated with dried on skin, sweat and gunk and needs a good scrub

Happy 70th. I was 70 last November. 1. Why you don't have any gigs? I do, but only around 2 a month in the book at present. 2.Do you rely on an agent ? Yes and no. There are a couple who offer me/us gigs - I play in a couple of bands, plus the odd gig as a dep' - and I or band members look for gigs, too.. 3. Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs? Band members, agent or me. 4. Are you or any band members in this for the money? Yes and no. We/I are retired from our main jobs and reasonably comfortable, so don't need to earn from music. However, extra money is always nice to have, so, unless it's helping out a friend, family member or similar (say by playing at their birthday party, wedding and so on), we/I won't turn out for nowt. If travel involved, has to be decently paid. 5.How much do you want to gig? Wouldn't want to do more than two, maybe three exceptionally, a week.

It's even more fiddly/time consuming, but you can remove the screws once the adhesive has set, drill out the holes and push in tight fitting dowels coated with adhesive. Sand them flat once they have set in place. Handy if you want to profile the edges and don't want to risk ruining your router bit on the screws.

Would it be worth taking a day's holiday from work and going somewhere such as Bass Direct to try a range of gear? Go in the week when the shop is quiet and you can try stuff to your heart's content. I did that several years ago when I was not sure what upgrade route to take and found it very helpful. It was also costly because I bought an expensive new toy, but I haven't regretted it because I was able to compare quite extensively, so don't suffer from "What if I had bought X? Would it have been better?"

"Whether you're a seasoned musician or a collector, this rare piece is sure to impress". What better way to tell people "I'm a chancer who found this in a house clearance. I know nothing about musical instruments"?

£200 postage, too. I reckon someone's been told by the missus "I'm sick of these bloody basses cluttering up the place", so he's stuck it on the 'Bay at a silly price so he can tell her "I'm trying to sell it, dear. Honest. No takers as of yet, sadly".

But you weren't a beginner if you were offered a well paying gig. Unless there isn't anyone else within a 100 mile radius of you who plays the bass... Look, I get it. We all love quality gear (not going to be trashy and brag about what I use, but it isn't budget). It just seems patronising to imply someone is wasting their time unless they start out with a grand's worth of kit. Being hard up isn't the only reason someone might balk at paying two grand for a small AER combo. I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford one, but it wouldn't suit my needs, so I haven't got one. It does happen quite a lot on here that, when someone asks for advice on starter gear, people leap in recommending Barefaced, AER, PJB and similar. It smacks of trying to appear clever. I also wonder how many who recommend such stuff actually own and use it, as opposed to repeating what they've read in reviews. The best advice one can give anyone looking for their first rig is to visit a decent shop or two (or perhaps the home of a kindly bass player - several generous souls on here do offer that sometimes) and try stuff out.

Someone else dropping expensive names such as AER and PJB. Why do this? Is it to demonstrate good taste and knowledge when it comes to gear? The request was pretty simple - a newcomer to playing the bass wants a nice-sounding bass practice amp/small portable amp for small venues. It doesn't need to be "narrowed down". It's complete as it is. Nobody apart from the wealthy is going to buy pro-level stuff straight off the bat. Wealthy people do not ask for advice on forums such as this. They take the trusty gold card or, if they're old school, a wad of notes, to somewhere like Bass Direct or The Gallery (maybe even have someone else do it for them) and spend, spend, spend. There's no shame in recommending good honest budget gear.

When anyone posts along the lines of "Newbie here. Please recommend a small combo for practice, etc that sounds good", many recommend kit costing between £500 and a grand (Barefaced, Markbass, PJB and similar). Yes, they may be of good quality, but a lot of beginners don't have anything like that kind of budget. I'd go used and get something like the 100w Rumble combo mentioned above. They work well and are easy to sell on when/if you wish to upgrade.

See above - exercise your fretting hand, don't give up, you'll be better for it in the long run, etc, etc.