dave_bass5

I gigged for a year or so with a MAG300-C115 combo. It did the job well although we aren't a rock band (as i keep telling my guitarist). We were pretty loud back then though. I got a ABM head and hated it, I know its got more going for it but i felt the tone was too wooly or warm, and didnt cut through like the MAG head did. Both 300watts, both going in to the same cab (not at the same time of course) yet the ABM would get lost in the mix sometimes. Given the choice again i would go for the ABM but i disagree its miles better than the MAG, they both have a different tone and quite a few people do prefer the MAG tone. I think the MAG 4x10 combo will be a much better bet than the 1x15 version if you are prepaid to lug it around. Add a 1x15 at a later stage and thats a very loud rig. More cone area so more air shifting. Neither of these amps will be putting out their full 300watts until an extension cab is added, so having more speakers to start with is a good idea.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1319626' date='Jul 28 2011, 06:46 PM']trust me.. you dont need to slap in a shop at any time anywhere.unless you want actually hear what the bass sounds like slapped......do your thing and try out the bass.. i cant stand people who slap/w*** in shops.. i went into guitar guitar to try a sadowsky and the guy got it down and started doing 100 miles an hour slap before i got to play it.. total idiot.. i dont go into a guitar shop to show everyone my chops.. your buying a bass not there admiration[/quote] Like the OP i can do a very small amount, and i only do this because a couple of our songs (all covers) require it. If im in a shop and need to try a bass out ill make sure i play some lines that i play at gigs, after all, thats why im trying it out. A bit or Motown, some modern stuff, heck, even Stuck in the middle. I do wish i could be one of those annoying slappers, i am impressed with it when its done well, but as its rarely actually needed in my life its not something im going to devote hours to but i do find it a bit intimidating in a shop environment. Once you start slapping all basses sound more or less the same, its an effect IMO and you can get that out of any bass (ok, i know there is some variation but to my ears a slapped bass is a slapped bass). I guess if you are in to that style then it makes sense to play that, and i would imagine the feel of the neck is quite important for that style of playing so i can understand people doing it.

Another vote for a MB head. Ive been using them for a good few years and IME they are very versatile and would suit your situation well.

One thing i want to add if you do go for a Wizard. Ive written about this a few times but my Wizard Thumper was not the same size as the SD pup listed above, and this caused me problems with the PG on my Squier. The Thumper case was just a bit larger than a standard (Fender/SD) pup and it meant i had to file the PG down. This was with the stock PG and one brought on line. Both have the same spec's and would easily fit a SD/Fender pup. Im sure it will be fine but just wanted to point this out, especially as the Westone doesn't have a PG so might need a bit more work. Im also sure this isnt the norm for Wizards. Fantastic bass by the way, i had one when they first came out.

I went ahead and ordered one from Amazon. Its just arrived and im very impressed with its looks and feel. The display is nice and colourful and very bright. It also feels a bit more robust than my Peterson. The one minor downside is it doesn't seem to fold down as much as my Peterson but thats really not an issue.

Ive always loved Damon Minchella's work with Paul Weller, again, no problems hearing those great bass lines played on a Jazz.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1315268' date='Jul 24 2011, 11:02 PM']That textured Blackburst is one of my all time favourite finishes[/quote] Same here, very mad max. I almost got the 5 string version of this a few years ago but due to a few neck issues i didnt bother, but ever since ive been after one. I'm not too keen on the standard plain necks, i think i would need one with blocks or at least dots. Still, its not a bass i would ever turn down and i look forward to seeing it in the For sale section asap ;-)

[quote name='fjbass' post='1316528' date='Jul 26 2011, 02:38 AM']I decided to stay with a Jazz. It sounded more to my liking playing through a two speaker version of my four speaker amp. I did go with an Am. Std. Jazz, instead of the Std. (MIM), or Am. Spl. Jazzes. The other two didn't sound that bad, but I think i made the right choice for me anyway. It just feels right. Thanks for the all the input, I like other views. [attachment=85674:0425a_1_1.jpg][/quote] Lovely bass. I had one briefly last year, my first ever sunburst, and once it had a black PG on it was the nicest looking bass ive ever owned. I would love to get another but the price is too high these days.

Thats a nice head Al, Its probably the one i should have gone for instead of the Streamliner. I love the look of it and the built in tuner is a great idea. You cant beat a head with loads of lights, its just soooo much more professional ;-)

Cheers. I think ill order one in time for the weekend. Its normally only my G string thats out when i get the bass out of the gig bag at gigs so for that i think this will be a good choice. My peterson is very accurate and great for doing setups etc but for gigs all i need is a basic, but highly visible tuner.

Although i use and love my Peterson Stroboclip it feels like its not robust enough for a lot of gigging, especially as i normally throw it in my ruck sack or gig bag. I think im going to just use it at home from now on so im looking for something cheap but accurate that i can leave in my amp bag. The Snarks look pretty good for the money. Im leaning towards the Black one (SN-5) as i dont want or need anything other than to be able to tune my bass to standard pitch at gigs. I only ever nee dot do this once at the most so i think the Snark's are ideal. [url="http://www.snarktuners.com/sn5.html"]Snark SN-5[/url] I have seen one in action and the display is very bright and colourful, much nicer than the really cheap clip ons you can get that just have a plain LCD display. Im not asking for any other tuner recommendations here, just for any experience with a Snark. Cheers.

[quote name='risingson' post='1317647' date='Jul 26 2011, 09:12 PM']A lot of misinformation flying round this thread [/quote] Like what?

Again, let me say I like the tone of the two pups full on. That's highlighted in my post above, where are you getting the idea i don't like it? Im not complaining, please can this be noted so no more of this derailing goes on.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1317305' date='Jul 26 2011, 04:49 PM']What I was objecting was to slapping a label "Jazz=scooped" categorically. I suspect we've all have heard Jazz basses and know all this... I guess it's easy to get caught up in semantics. Peace [/quote] But i wasnt saying that, at least not without qualifying the statement. From my earlier post: "Ive had a PJ but the problem there is you dont get a true Jazz tone as you only have the one single coil bridge pup, and [b]i like the slightly mid scooped tone of both pups on[/b]" So we both agree with the above, both pups on can give a slight scooped tone (im not the only one saying this), and ive said i like both pups on so it was the "this is just not true" opening line in your post that seemed confusing. Im no there to argue, just to point out i did say with both pups on and never meant to make it to mean anything else. Ive only owned a handful of Jazz basses, far less than most people on here but they all sounded different. The HW-1/one definitely had a lot of clarity and growl, were definitely the ones that cut through alot better than the others but lacked a bit of low end, the Lakland DJ5 was warm and solid, a bit too warm for me back then and the CV jazz is pretty close to the Lakland, although with the 74's in it was a nice mid punch to it. I also had 3 MIA's last year and these sounded just perfect to me, full and deep but with the articulation of the HW-1/one's, and these also had less of a scoop with both pups on.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1317235' date='Jul 26 2011, 04:01 PM']but that's just NOT true!!! they only have a scooped sound if you have both pickups fully on! In addition, the height of each pickup has a profound result in teh final result when both pickups are "fully on". Worth experimenting with that too.[/quote] what a confusing answer. Im the one who said they have a scooped tone and ive also stated i like running both pups on soooooo, yes it is true. :-)

I think part of my issue is i play with a pick so tend to loose that finger fullness, that probably accounts for thinner tone from some of the strings in my case. At them moment my only Jazz is the CV Jazz and it has a very warm tone and really doesn't cut through like my old HW-one and MIA so maybe its time i replaced it as i would love to go back to a Jazz bass.

[quote name='JTUK' post='1316789' date='Jul 26 2011, 11:11 AM']Don't understand this thread at all. Jazzes have a wider range than P-basses and you should have no problem getting on top of things.[/quote] True but they can also have a slightly scooped tone and this wont help getting through a loud busy mix, especially if your cabs are scooped as well. This is why im not keen on PJ's, at least not stock ones, as i love the deep tone the neck pup gets, you just dont normally get that smooth tone with a P pup IME.

[quote name='lanark' post='1316793' date='Jul 26 2011, 11:16 AM']he'd have been seen but not heard.[/quote] Isnt that how its supposed to be Seriously though, i would prefer to sit in the mix rather than cut through it, but then im really just holding down the song and giving space to the guitarist to do what ever it is he does.

I must admit ive never heard a jazz bass player that wasn't cutting through the mix. I do find i have to Eq my Jazz differently to my P to get the best of of them.

I keep going between Jazz and P. While i prefer the Jazz bass i find my D and G string get a bit lost in a band mix, especially up to the 5th fret. Playing a open D and a fretted D on the A sting gives me quite a different volume. Ive always found this to a certain extent and only on Jazz basses. EQ helps though and its not something that would put me off for life, its just something im aware of and is probably the one reason i stick to my P most of the time. Ive had a PJ but the problem there is you dont get a true Jazz tone as you only have the one single coil bridge pup, and i like the slightly mid scooped tone of both pups on.