Naetharu

I'd also really like to know how you get along with the Funkulator. I'm just getting into slap playing and this pedal is really interesting me so I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Cheers folks Camden is nice and easy to get to from here - just a train ride away - so looks like I shall be taking a little trip soon!

[quote name='Storky' timestamp='1433530224' post='2791966'] The 750 has the new Nordy licenced pups; they are a split coil (P type) and a single coil. They are not the Big Singles found in the 1200 series and above, so they may not sound the same. Hard to know as the 750 is a new model and no one has them in stock as far as I know. [/quote] I tried one (SR755) at PMT in Southend earlier this week. However, they didn't have a SR600 in stock so I could not make a comparison. I've not tried the higher end Ibanez basses with the full blow Nordstrand pickups in so I cannot say how they are next to that but the 755 sounded pretty nice going into a Fender Rumble 500. I don't suppose anyone knows of a good dedicated bass guitar store in the London area? The places around here are all far more focused on guitars of the six-string variety so its kind of hard to try before you buy.

Fantastic! Thank you folks, I certainly like the sound of the Nordstrand better given the video demos I've seen - nice to know that they live up to that in reality too looks like the SR750 is the way to go.

Hi folks, I've been looking at the Ibanez SR range and I'm pretty tempted with one. The choice is really between the SR600 and the SR750. However, I cannot find a local dealer that has both in stock and so I was hoping for a little help regarding the difference in tone between the pickup types. I've checked out some videos on YouTube and from what I can see, the Nordstrand pickups in the SR750 sound a lot deeper and fatter than the Bartolini ones found in the SR600. As such, right now I am leadning toward the SR750. However, I'm a little dubious to make a choice based on videos as I'm not too sure how fair the comparison is given the different rigs and recording equipment used. Has anyone here got experience with both types of pickups? Any advice you could offer as to their comparative tone would be greatly appreciated.

I have one of these; picked it up as a B-Stock model last week (just a few light scuffs on the outside as it had been used for demo purposes). So far I've been really impressed with it. The sound is nice and the eq, while simple, is effective and easy to dial in a nice tone. As to the volume, I tried it today along with a drummer and guitarist and it stood up fine. It's not going to fill a massive venue any time soon, but it can hold its own in a rehearsal/small gig situation. For me, the really nice thing about this head was that it has an Aux in with a dedicated level control and a phones socket making it a great practice amp for my flat while still being able to work for jams/gigs too. For the price I could not find another amp that offered the same flexibility. Its also worth mentioning that its very light (easy to carry in one hand) and built like a tank.

Hi mate, I was in the same boat as you; just started playing bass seriously and was looking for a simple rig to get me going. I just picked up an Ashdown MiBass 2.0 head with a pair of the matching Mi 112 cabs. If you check GAK at the moment, the Mi 12 cabs are on sale at a very good price so might be worth a look. I paid around £350 for my set up which seems like a really good deal given what it can do. More than loud enough for practice with other band members and even a small gig. The nice thing about going for the head/cab stack rather than the combo is that it is far more portable. In the case of the Ashdown MiBass, the head also doubles up as a headphone amp and is small enough to shove in a satchel and take pretty much anywhere. Ampeg and GK and Fender also all have small affordable class D heads that offer this too so well worth a look. A further bonus to a head/cab rig is that you can always pick up another head at some point and use the same cabs which will save you both money and space compared with purchasing multiple combos. Edit: here is a link to the discounted Mi 12 cab on GAK - http://www.gak.co.uk/en/ashdown-mi-12/62381?gclid=CjwKEAjwhbCrBRCO7-e7vuXqiT4SJAB2B5u7rVGIPzFn6YeYiU5ejECgvAJmKHKe9OuFyqC5O0sXsxoCnJbw_wcB

Hi again folks, Just to let you know I picked up an Ashdown MiBass 2.0 with a pair of 112 MiBass cabs in the end. I found it on a really nice deal (all came to under £450) so jumped on it. Thanks for the help James

I really love the MIM stuff from Fender at the moment. I've not tried the basses but I have a MIM Strat (I came to bass via guitar) and it's fantastic. When I bought it I was not really constrained by budget and tried everything in the range right up to custom shop models and I honestly loved the MIM the most. Like anything its a case of try before you buy as one of the MIM strats I tried was pretty dead sounding but if you can find a good one they are real gems. I would imagine the same can be said for Fender's bass range. Indeed, an upgrade from my Squire to a MIM P-bass is something I plan to do in short order.

[quote name='landwomble' timestamp='1432938434' post='2786516'] TC Electronics BG250? Ticks all those boxes. I really like mine. [/quote] I was reading up on that one earlier today. It looks like a pretty neat little amp, and I love the idea of the build in effect unit. The only worry I have is that its pretty low wattage and so I was concerned that I might find I run out of headroom quickly when playing with an over-zealous drummer. How has your one fared when it comes to playing with a drummer/guitarist etc?

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1432938260' post='2786513'] I'd advise giving some idea of the budget you're willing to consecrate for this; you'll get all sorts of recommendations otherwise which may not suit your pocket. Just sayin'. [/quote] Whoops! I'd say that something around the £300 mark for the amp head would be ideal. I could perhaps reach £400ish at a push but I would rather not if possible.

Hi folks, I am looking for a little help as I am pretty confused by the options before me at the moment. I am new to playing bass and I am after an amp I can use. At the moment I have an old Ashdown Mag-300 sitting in the corner of my flat that I was given as a gift from a buddy that cleared out his studio. However, the amp is way too heavy and large for me to port around in my little car and at the same time poorly suited to practice in my flat without upsetting some neighbors! As such I am looking into getting a new amp that suites my needs. The two key points that I am trying to cover are: (1) an amp that I can use in a band situation alongside a (noisy) drummer, guitarist and horn player. I'm currently playing casually with two different groups of people, and I hope to do more with others so I do nee to ensure that what I get can keep up in a rehearsal / smallish gig scenario at the very least. (2) an amp that has a headphone out so that I can practice into the wee hours while maintaining a healthy relationship with my neighbors. I know I could go for two distinct amps - one for practice and one for actual play - and I am certainly willing to consider such an option. However, the small amp heads such as the Ampeg PT-500, the Ashdown MiBass and so forth are looking like interesting possibilities. So I guess what I am wondering is if anyone has some advice to me regarding these sorts of amps or any other options that might suit my needs. I've done my best to read up reviews and so forth of individual amp models that look interesting but I'm feeling quite daunted by the options and would appreciate some advice from people that are more experienced in these things that I am.

[quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1432885098' post='2785803'] Don't get me wrong, my stock suggestion to anyone wanting a nice practice amp is still "try a Markbass Micromark 801", even more so now they've come down in price so much, but if you're set on the HoTone you probably won't be too disappointed. [/quote] Thanks for the heads up on the Hotone. Out of interest, what it is about the Markbass amp that makes you suggest that as the go-to practice amp?

Hi folks, I'm pretty new to bass and I am looking for nice little practice amp. This Hotone Thunder looks pretty interesting. [url="http://www.hotoneaudio.com/products/nanolegacy/74.html"]http://www.hotoneaud...olegacy/74.html[/url] I was wondering if anyone has experience with them? I'm going to have to mail order it so it'd be great to hear what anyone thinks of them before I commit my cash. Best wishes James

Hi all, I've only been playing a few weeks and I was wondering if anyone has suggestions of good simple bass lines that I might work on? I'm keen to try all sorts of stuff, so any style is welcome. At the moment I have been working on Sitting by the Dock of the Bay (the Otis Redding version), Mellowship Slinky in B Major (Red Hot Chilli Peppers) and Teddy Pickers (Arctic Monkeys). If anyone has some suggestions of other tracks that might be easy enough for a novice like myself to get into that would be really great. Best wishes James

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1432546306' post='2782421'] How long do you all think it'll take for the OP to resist GAS for his next bass? [/quote] Hehe, I must say I have been thinking about a nice five-string that I tried in the course of searching. Something that I'll no doubt pick up six or so months down the line once I have a little more practice under my belt!

Here it is, nothing that special to look at but it plays nicely and sounds pretty good too considering its a cheap bass. James

Hi folks, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that helped me out in this thread. Based on all your feedback I got myself a bass yesterday. I chose a 2008 Squire Vintage Modified P-Bass in the end. I found it via Gumtree. The fellow selling it had been playing bass for over thirty years and had it as a back-up. It's in perfect condition with a really good setup so I could not be more pleased! Thank you again as it was so helpful to have some good impartial advice. Best wishes James

Hi! Thank you to everyone that has posted here; its exactly what I was hoping for in order to give me the confidence when I go to look for a bass . [quote name='barkin' timestamp='1432138315' post='2778533'] Not quite what you're asking, but...if I were in your shoes I'd be all over the Yamaha BB424x in the For Sale section. [/quote] I'll be sure to have a look at the Yammaha basses if I can. That one does look like a really good bargin! I'm just wary of getting something before I feel it as I know when it comes to guitars I've tried some that people think are amazing and yet I really dislike - not that they are bad guitars, but rather that something about their feel just does not sit right with me (I'm looking at you Gibson SG). I'm guessing the same will be true of basses, so I think I'd best get a few more into my hands before making a call on what to get. As to where I'm based, I am down in Essex and I plan to visit PMT Southend as my first port of call, however there are a few others places within a reasonable distance I can also try. Alas I don't actually know any bass-playing friends that are local as I've only moved here in the past month or so, having previously lived up in North Yorkshire. The buddy that lent me the Jazz is back up there. If anyone is about down this way and fancies a gander in PMT with me that would be great, but just the advice in this post has been very very helpful. One final question is regarding active/passive electronics. The Jazz I am practicing on has passive electronics. Is there an advantage of one over the other at my price-point? Should I avoid active on the grounds that they will be bad in cheap instruments or is it simply a case of listiening the tones and seeing what appeals the most? Again, thank you for all of the advice! Best wishes James

Hi folks, I've just started playing bass. At the moment I am using an old (1990s I think) Squire Jazz Bass that a friend has lent me. I'm hoping to go and purchase my own bass and amp this weekend and I am looking for a few tips as to what I should be looking for. I'm not looking for advice on which bass brand/model as such, but rather what I should be looking at to make my mind up when it comes to the basses I try. As a newbie I'm not sure how to judge if a bass is good or not, and so I thought I would try and tap some wisdom here rather than making a mistake that I only come to realise later on. I have around £400 to spend on the bass, so does anyone have a few tips about what I should be looking out for when it comes to basses that are around that price range? For example, I know with guitars that lighter weight Strats are preferred as they tend to sing better than their heavier counterparts, and that fixed bridges are nice for beginners since they are easier to tune etc. Are there any important tips about basses in general that I should be aware of when I go to get my one? Many thanks for your help James

Hi folks, I'm a totally new bass player here. I've been thinking about giving bass a go for a while and I have decided to give it a go this week. I'm borrowing a very basic Squire Jazz bass at the moment, and with any luck I'll be picking up my own first bass in the next few days. I just wanted to say a quick hello to you all. The forums seem great from what I have read so far, so no doubt I'll stick around and hopefully pick up some good tips! Best wishes James