chris_b

IMO if you let something like that put you off you shouldn't be looking at 5 string basses in the first place. Just changing the strings can make a bad bass sound and feel good. There is a lot you can do, but if you discover in the end the bass you just bought doesn't feel or sound how you want, don't blame the bass. If you can't return it or fix it, just sell it and buy one that does the right job for you. We all sell basses when we think we have found something better. I've never owned a bass with a bad B. I've had a couple which needed a good set up before they were to my satisfaction, but that's personal and what the previous owner though was a good set up certainly wasn't mine. Then again, the bigger your budget the wider your market place will be and the more chance you'll have of finding a suitable bass.

I have 2 great sounding basses and I'd swap either if I found a better sounding bass.

Where are you?

I'd suggest you also take a look at Sire, Lakland Skylines and Fender Squire basses. If you can't get to a shop can you see what other bass players are using in bands playing locally. Ask them about their choices.

That's a "What have the Romans ever done for us!" moment. The beauty of 2 210's is they are smaller and easier to transport. So you can chose how many cabs are appropriate for the gig. They are lighter to carry and you don't have to sit there in front of a 410 on a small quiet gig. If you have another cab, ie a 115 or 112 you can mix and match with one of your 210's (yes, you can do this).

The BBOT is fine, except when it isn't. More mass in the bridge can improve the resonance and sustain of the note.

I saw someone using an LM800 through a BF Super Compact with an EBS Valve Drive. I was surprised how good he sounded out in the room. Made me sit up and take notice.

Markbass's product philosophy baffles me. They have discontinued more amps and cabs than most of their competitors have ever designed. Anyway, I had the LM2 (analog) and liked it a lot. The LM3 (now D class) would be my choice if I was going for Markbass again. I'd recommend you also look at the Aguilar TH500 and AG700.

It's true. I've been known to tap my right foot when playing my blue bass and tap my left foot with the 3 tone sunburst.

Our keyboard player used to travel with the drummer. Usually they would meet up half way and load into one car. At the end of one evening they loaded up the keyboard players car and he drove home. The next morning he found that one of his keyboards was missing. It had been left on the pavement leaning against a tree! 2 days later he got a call from a local music shop saying someone was trying to get in touch. They had found the keyboard and wanted to return it. All they had to go on was his name on the case and an internet search!! He gave the guy £50.

My first bass was a Framus Star Bass 5/149. Cost £22 10/-. Good to learn on but not a well made instrument. This photo was after I'd been playing a year and the tuning pegs had already broken and been replaced. The pots went next! I ended up having to wire the pickup directly to the jack socket. I worked for the summer holidays picking fruit to buy that bass and an amp. I played it acoustically for a year before I could earn the money for a cab.

So you're using a 450 watt 210 combo without extension cab. That's about 250 watts into 210's. The 210 extension cab will give you a serious boost in volume and tone, but I reckon you can do better. How are you sourcing the gear you've mentioned? I see the amp is discontinued. You're looking at big, heavy stuff. Is that intentional? What is your budget? If it has to be Ashdown, then Lozz196's suggestions are pretty spot on.

Still sadly missed. The good old days.

So far (touch wood) I haven't had anything stolen. The guitarist forgot to lock his van one night and both his Strats were stolen. Was that a coincidence or do these people try the doors of every vehicle every night? I've noticed that the other guys in the band leave their car doors and tail-gates open when they're loading in and out. I close the car when I'm ferrying gear in or out of the gig or home and the car is always unpacked after every gig. The basses go in last and come out first. I have left my cabs in the car only a few times over the years. I reckoned if someone wanted to run off down the street with a 95lb cab then good luck to them. I wouldn't be heartbroken if I had something nicked. Bloody annoyed with myself for letting it happen but that's all. Loosing the cash would smart, but nothing is irreplaceable and I'd be looking to make the replacement an upgrade.

If you want 900 watts you don't need big gear any more, but you need the flexibility. Adding more cabs will get you much louder than increasing the number of watts. . Big amps are fine but more flexible if they go to 2.67 ohm. That means you can run 3 8 ohm cabs or 1 4 ohm and 1 8 ohm cab.

I use my One10 for practice. I would gig it if I was still playing in the duo with an acoustic guitarist. I have gigged 2 One10's and they worked very well together with a full band.

These are good cabs. I had one for a couple of years before I moved to Barefaced. If you want the CN212 ask the guy if he'll hold it until the 15th.

Pointless or stunning? Dunnow, but some of his videos are probably less serious than others. That bass? It's just a piece of posh firewood if you ask me. This guy is an excellent musician and probably makes more out of his Youtube channel In a week than the rest of us make out of music in a year. Good on him.

If I had a roadie who treated my gear the "same as I do" it wouldn't have a mark on it. I don't know what kind of "damage" we're talking about here, but I always buy covers for my cabs and a rack, bag or a case for my amps. As I haven't seen the cab I can only guess, but it sounds like it's not being transported, stored or treated with as much care as you expect.

Roadies will seriously damage any gear given time. If I was using roadies I would always flightcase my gear. I've never seen these guys look after anything.

Jerry Barnes is a great player. I believe he was the one who talked Nile Rogers into putting a band together and gigging the back catalogue.

So, I guess my "aware" is your "reading the mood"? Communication is key but watching each other shouldn't part of what we are do. I know not many of us are going to gig at the Pyramid stage or a stadium any time soon, but those guys are focussed on the audience. They are rehearsed to the eye-balls and tooled up for it. They are hearing every nuance and are "aware" but their focus goes only one way.

Everyone in the band should be aware of everyone else on stage and eye contact is important throughout a gig but the guys in the band shouldn't be looking at each other in order to aid their playing!

I started to show some interest in music when the Beatles, Kinks, Stones Johnny Kidd and the Pirates etc arrived but the earthquake didn't hit until I saw my first John Mayall gig. No way back after that.

I liked that. 1cwt of King Edwards over the kit. In time in the right place. Double bass drum pedal. Sounded good to me.