Joe_L

She's anyone have experience of fitting and or using Hipshot extenders to drop their E to D mid gig? Can anyone decipher the huge number of models on the website?

Yes. They can.

Just read another post about annoying buyers on eBay and I would like moan about another aspect of eBay... And that is buyers paying near-to-new or more-than-new prices for current-model non-rare second-hand gear and robbing me of the chance to grab a bargain! If I'm looking to buy, for example, an effects pedal, the first thing I do is look up it's new price (including postage and availability) and then figure out what would be a reasonable price to pay for a used one. If a new pedal is £200 online, I won't pay more than £140 for a used one. A used pedal may well have been mistreated, smoked, dropped, soaked, or otherwise abused so the £60 I save over the new one comes with a real trade-off: a risk, a compromise of longevity, a lack of warranty. However, I regularly see used pedals, guitars etc being bought on eBay for the full new price! People will pay the same for a used item than they would for an identical but new instance!!! It literally makes no sense! If you could spend just a little bit more, avoid any risk and get a brand new, boxed , guaranteed one, why wouldn't you? (I'm a hypocrite because a couple of years ago I sold two rather ordinary, current model, freely available Boss guitar pedals for more than they could have been bought for, including postage, online - and probably received quicker!) Thoughts?

Late joining the topic. Just adding a boost to my board and wanted something with a 3-band EQ so I can boost some mids in addition to volume. The M281 popped up as a possible candidate but then someone on this thread suggested the MX81. The MX81 is expensive but offers everything I need plus a DI out, which is a really useful bonus as this will be the last pedal in my chain and gives me another way to feed the PA. I know using a preamp as a boost is not exactly conventional, but in my experience a 'character' boost is always more fun than a 'clean' boost! The TC Electronic Spark Boost has a clever momentary latch feature that I would really like though, but otherwise it's pretty bland. I will be trying both though, see if I prefer sound (MX81) or functionality (TC)! Adding to the other subject of the thread, namely trying pedals / gear out. In my experience as a live and studio guitarist / bass player and music producer, the only use of forums and YouTube (at least, in this context) is to check that equipment has the right feature set for you. Trying to judge whether you like the sound is mostly pointless as the variables are so many (type of guitar / amp / pedals, playing style, expectations, context). Buy the gear, try it out out for as long as it takes to a) learn how to use it properly b) learn how to best integrate it with your current gear c) learn if you like it and if it does what you need. Be prepared to make a small financial loss in the short-term selling nearly-new gear you kept for longer than the cooling-off period (you'll make it back by sounding more amazing and getting more work). Keep refining your sound in increments. Go for minimal solutions so you have as small / light a rig as possible with fewer things to go wrong. Learn your gear inside out. Joe