chris_b

I guess a lot of people can be happy with a bad tone.

Try this for size. . . . good tone isn't subjective. It's either good or bad. Most times we are just too polite to be honest. We say "Good tone is subjective", because we don't want the hassle of telling someone their tone stinks. We are thinking, "Wow, if you think that god awful noise is a good tone, good luck to you". We tell people what they want to hear, then we smile and carry on with our lives.

When it comes to tone an MM and a Precision are chalk and cheese. It might not be an active thing, maybe you just don't get on with the sound of humbuckers. I don't either.

IMO the right advice is not to buy the wrong bass and try to fix it, but to buy the right bass first time.

This is a very interesting question and something I was thinking about in relation to preamp pedals. Would a signal from a preamp going into the same preamp create a better sound than just the one. So same question, is there an accumulative effect that makes for a better sound?

These are all good things that can be done, but there are really only two sensible routes to take if you have a bass that is too heavy to be comfortable; work out until you can deal with the weight, or sell it and buy the right bass for the job. Most of us were OK with 10lb basses in our youth so why can't we deal with that weight now we are older? Because we've become sedentary and lost a lot of our muscle mass. Work out and put that muscle back. You won't be limited by weight and, according to statistics, you'll live longer and happier lives. You can do a lot of DIY on a bass, most of which won't enhance it's value, instead will reduce it's resale value. There are plenty of 6, 7 and 8lb basses around at all levels, from Asian production lines to boutique. Straps don't make a bass lighter, so if weight is the problem buy the right bass for the job.

You'd need sparkly tort to go with it.

Whatever makes you happy. . . . but for me a good technique makes a ramp unnecessary.

Is a Ferrari better than a Ford Focus, a £75 bottle of wine better than a £7.50 bottle, or a Fender Ultra better than a Sire? To many people they are. The bottom line is always if you can tell the difference then that difference will matter. Your choice. For me my Sadowsky sounds better than most of basses I've played since I bought it. It wasn't cheap, but it's worth the extra. . . . to me. @NancyJohnson is right, the person who will notice most is you. But if the bass makes you happy when you play it then you'll play better, and your band will notice that. So it's always a good idea to buy the bass that makes you smile. I had a great gig on Friday. During sound check the drummer lent over and said that bass sounds good. That made both of us happy and we played better as a result. That made the promoter happy and she gave the band more gigs. So buying the right bass, whatever the cost, not because it's the cheapest or most expensive, works best.

Your budget could get you a great used Lakland Skyline and any number of used Fenders.

If you want to buy lots of cheap basses, if you don't see any difference between cheap and not so cheap, then go for it. Personally I'd take that £1500 and get the best used bass I can find. That budget can get you into a different league of basses.

It's a heavy bass. You can make it more comfortable but you can't take away the weight. If the weight is a problem, and it probably is because you've started a post about it, there is only one answer. . . . sell it.

Depping on a gig on Friday, rehearsing this afternoon, given the set list late last night!!! I know about 25 of the 30 songs, but most of the arrangements are new to me and not straight forward! I got some scribbled notes. We'll see how it goes. Should be interesting!

Unfortunately we were in a school hall, and I don't drink anyway. I just sat there ignored, unloved and trying not to burst into tears!! I did chat with the singer. No one wanted to talk to her either.

I was on a "tour". Thursday in Bury and next night in Keighley. As we had a spare afternoon we did a session at a local school for the students. Afterwards they were invited to chat to the band and ask questions. Everyone had queues of kids asking about their instruments. . . . except me!! Not a single student wanted to talk about bass! Ho Hum!

IME bass players are the ones with brains, who can pack a van, write great set lists and come up with better arrangements. We're also the ones holding the band together.

I use Duracell Ultra and change the battery every year, whether it needs it or not. The old batteries from the bass go into tuners etc, which are changed when they run down.

I am kinda brand loyal-ish. I used Mesa Boogie (2 x 90lbs) for 10 years, Bergantino(2 x 30lbs) for another 10 and for the last 10, Barefaced (2 x 22lbs). The weight of these cabs tracks my physical fitness!! Currently I own a Super Compact, Super Midget, BB2 and 2 One10's. Unless a miracle happens I imagine these cabs will see me out.

Give me a call when you get fed up with it.

That's about right!!

duplicate. . . . !

IMO if a bass sustains well the rest of the note sounds better.

I play in lots of trio bands and it is my favourite line up. You just gotta do it right. Don't play louder, don't add effects to fill out the sound, don't play more notes. These are all mistakes. Nothing sounds worse than trying to fill in the spaces. Improve your timing, embrace the spaces and just play the songs. It might sound "empty" at first but you'll get over that and realise you didn't need 2 guitars in the first place.

She's a great player. Shame Guitar Guitar haven't flooded the stores with Sandbergs to coincide with the tour.

There was a punch-up on a gig we did in Dover a few years ago. That's the only fight in a pub I've seen this century.