Steve Browning

When the stars want a piece of kit for their stadium tour, they go to Mike Hill Services. What makes them better than you and more deserving of the very best available? I'll tell you what. Nothing. You deserve the same level of quality that they enjoy. Turn the Dog and Duck into your own Wembley Stadium.

So. Here it is. A switcher (with a buffered output) that lets you select one of 3 inputs (with level controls on two) and send it to your amp etc. Also features a mute button that allows you to tune silently on stage. 9 volt operation (which self respecting rock god uses batteries?). Join the hallowed ranks of MH client. Names (according to the website) such as Will Young, Take That, Duffy, U2. Plug in one of 3 basses to play Bullet The Blue Sky!

In pristine condition (I think I got all the sticky marks off the front - from labels).

These retail at £180 so £120 delivered to the UK seems reasonable. Will obviously post to any destination but do be aware of any import/handling charges.

I know I'm pedantic but the listing says "is owned". Turns out to have been in a number of hands since that was true. 

8 hours ago, AxelF said:

Greatest female vocalist of all time for me. And Teddy Pendergrass just in case you were going to ask.

Have to agree regarding WH. For all the great female singers there have been, she is top of the list for me too. 

Absolutely. It's when things go wrong that you truly learn how good customer service is.

I've not experienced either Warwick or Ashdown, but certainly have had stellar service from Mesa Engineering and the Bass Gallery.

I think the sets I actually bought first were Albion. Then flirted with Dean Markley Blue Steel but soon settled on Rotosound and have been a happy customer since then (probably about 1987). Swing Bass Nickel on the single bass I have that is strung with rounds and Jazz Bass on all the others.

I think it's fairly obvious we're creating a Utopia. If no-one joined an army, there's be no war. Not very likely, but nevertheless true.

5 minutes ago, Crusoe said:

Utterly inexplicable though.

The drummer (Robin) used to dep with the band I played in. Last saw him at a pub in Bognor Regis. He used his dad's car. I was a bit stunned to learn of their success Stateside.

He is/was a very fine drummer and obsessed with Dave Weckl.

Just now, Dad3353 said:

 

So that's the rumblings in my stomach..! 

 

...

 

 

That's the rumblings in its stomach!

Fill yer boots, as they say. Good result. 

7 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

While this is correct - the OP is about secondhand basses

It doesn't mention that you get hit with 20% UK VAT on importation. 

The Belgian shop must have been much cheaper to still save on all the costs of importing the basses. 

Good result for sure. 

John Paul Jones wrote no part of Stairway To Heaven. How different to a bass player in another band playing the song?

Not a big fan of tribute bands though. A mate of mine was in a Who tribute and you could almost imagine him thinking he was Roger Daltrey.

8 hours ago, agedhorse said:

Excellent, welcome aboard!

 

It's a long and complicated process and Gibson wants to have everything in place. 

 

I was at the factory the other day and was impressed with the amount of product destined for Europe. I don't know the scheduling, but now I better understand the reasons for the continuing delays. The guitar side will also be represented in this launch, and there's a proverbial crap-load of amps/cabinets being built for that market too. We are talking about months of production resources currently being dedicated to Europe (and AU/NZ).

Thanks. I've been on board for a couple of years or so. I was originally supported by Kris, and Trent passed on my details when he moved on.

12 hours ago, White Cloud said:

I'm hoping to be there👍(God willing).

I'm sure Ged is willing.

On 18/09/2023 at 20:05, agedhorse said:

Just wanted to update on Mesa availability in Europe... Mesa bass gear will be featured as part of the new Gibson Garage showroom in London which will be up and running early next year. That's when the re-launch of Mesa in Europe will occur, and it will give players to try out some of the new gear locally if they don't have a dealer near by and happen to be traveling through London:

 

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Blog/News/are-you-ready-for-the-gibson-garage-in-london

That's good. I've just been passed to an artist relations team in the UK, so I guess it's all about to open up again here.

Also, is there any cost involved in cancellation? Most studios require 24 or 48 hours notice to avoid a charge. If you're using a commercial venue and there is no (apparent) charge I'd be thinking the venue was told in advance.

I agree that you need to lay it on the line for them. You have your own standards and you shouldn't compromise them.

1 hour ago, borntohang said:

Love IOW. We opened main stage 2018, and then Big Top on Friday the year you're talking about because we were going on a tour next day and they persuaded us to squeeze it into the schedule. The band had played something like 5 years in a row on gradually larger stages before I joined so they had a really good relationship with the festival team.

 

 

It was a nightmare getting off-site to get to the ferry. The ground was saturated. 

Still, Jeff Beck was great. 

Absolutely exceptional amp. GLWTS. You shouldn't need it. 

31 minutes ago, meterman said:

 

Result!

I’ve never headlined the main stage at IOW but have headlined a couple of the smaller stages there at a similar age. 
 

Biggest main stage headline gig (as a session player) for me was one of the London Hyde Park gigs when I’d have been 48 or 49. 
 

We are in the same club. It wasn't the main stage (hence 'technically'). The festival audience had the choice of my band, High Flying Birds or (under cover while it was peeing down) the Manics.

Got me my Rotosound deal anyway!

Quite right. Technically, I headlined the Isle of Wight festival at 52.

I'm not sure that I ever did want to 'make it'. I always thought that Rory Gallagher achieved the level of success that I would have liked. Successful but largely unknown.

I'm perfectly happy with the level of 'success' I've had, but the arrival of my first child made me aware that a regular income was my priority. Touring wasn't very lucrative and there was no royalty income for me either. That said, at 65, I'm still gigging regularly and also tour regularly with artists from the US, fitting it in with annual leave. I did a lot of work in Europe but haven't for a couple of years. Hopefully, there's a 3 week tour in Europe in January/February.

I seem to garner a nice level of respect from people I respect and that has always been more important to me, I think. In some ways, getting the endorsement deal with Mesa is a form of 'making it', if it's a reflection of that respect (and I'm happy to think so!!). I'm not famous but I'm fine with that. I'm way too shy to have been able to cope with that anyway.

3 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

A probably a lot cheaper.

 

It's been a while since I had to look at the process and prices, but for my client (a well-know but cheapskate chocolate maker) even the ball-park prices and approval time scales were too expensive and took too long. I believe that among other things they need to check that the recording(s) you want have been cleared for your particular use (some artists are very particular about how and where their music is reproduced).

Use a Queen song then!! 😞

18 hours ago, mattpbass said:

I’m just setting off down this path, been running a Jad Freer Capo (pre amp pedal) for almost a year, love the thing and 90% of the time going straight to desk/PA and working on in-ears. For smaller gigs where amp is needed the pedalboard is going into an Aguilar Tonehammer 700 and SL410 cab, which is fine but I really just want the sound of the Capo amplified, not further colouring from the TH. So I’ve recently ordered the Coda head that JF make specifically for use with the Capo (or any other pre-amp), it’s just a 700w power amp which in itself is quite unusual, and it’s also a class G amp rather than D, which I’m really curious about. 
 

Taking a punt being as I can’t find a single review or user anywhere online but the Capo is amazing so I trust their quality, counting down the weeks till it arrives…

Class G? Specially done for ventriloquists, I presume. 

Are there any combos where the amp stage is rack sized. You could flog the amp bit and install a power amp. Mesa certainly have done that in the past.

I have had instances where a Hi-Mass made a huge difference to volume and sustain, and instances where it hasn't seemed to make any difference whatsoever. YMMV.

Ultimately, we all have our own perceptions. Whether they're founded on scientific evidence or not, do we really care? We play what we play and we hear what we hear. If we're happy with our choices then that's all that matters.

Maybe Barney Kessel was dying to use an Explorer or Flying V.

Perfectly true. I wonder if the Red Special will still be in the May family 32 years after Sir Brian has passed?