Ander87

https://www.thomann.de/gb/sadowsky_metroexpress_21_5_vin_mo_bk.htm https://www.thomann.de/gb/sadowsky_metroexpress_21_hybrid_obmp.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwwMn1BRAUEiwAZ_jnEivh_-Y7NpUNL10bu11nePStL16J9yeI2oZB6INIqlamqerVeX06EBoCLDcQAvD_BwE oh. shoot. wow. so yeah totally different game indeed and an interesting turn in strategy I guess.....! I wouldn't think I'd witness sadowskys under £800 indeed! I don't think they'll be on same level as the japanese ones.... that doesn't mean they're not good enough!

Because a picture is definitely the finished article in your hands... I agree - I was ignorant enough once to say Skjold basses had the same issue with string alignment - pictures of full basses aren't enough to cross string alignment... Very true - I've got to admit that Chinese-made-German-supervised isn't something I was expecting from Sadowsky and I'm somewhat (maybe irrational or snobbish of me) skeptical. But then again I've heard the chinese Dingwalls are great so I guess I'm speculating. And I shouldn't. Tut tut.

As mentioned earlier my Japanese metroexpress was axe.

Hey bud - the fact that the Sadowsky was great doesn't mean that there's no better like the NYC or the Alpher I've got on sale too. Also if it helps get my mindset, the Alpher is my most favourite jazz bass I've ever had and yet I'm letting go of it as a bargain I think - the reasoning behind it it's not the construction/design/sound but what I need as a bassist: where I am right now I rather cash out some fantastic gear I've got to put money in the bank for a house. I don't gig that much and I'm far from a professional musician so I'm happy with gear more aligned with my other budgets. I hope that clarifies! Going on a bit of a personal journey myself letting go of lots of fantastic gear to have a more.... 'stoic' and simpler rig.

Oh! Further finding on the Fat General thanks to the post from @javi_bassist (https://www.talkbass.com/threads/testing-compressors-cali-smoothie-empress-diamond-keeley-fea-darkglass-doc-lloyd-jhs-more.1345638/page-112#post-22941910😞 In Blend mode, there really isn't a great way to dial in any makeup gain. In other words, I liked the tone/compression I dialed in [...] I loved what I heard, but I was barely at unity gain. As I turned the Balance knob more CW the overall perceived volume increased, but of course so did the compression effect as I was dialing in more wet (compressed) signal. As expected, the feel and tone changed as a result. Interesting turn - I do have my #1 as an active 18v J+J/MM bass and I'm quite into having the unity gain mentioned - my amp isn't too powerful (TH350 on one cab so 175w) and I wouldn't want to have to push volume or have to use a booster as that goes against my one pedal setup. Do any of the Fat General users encounter this issue? @fretmeister and @ryancowell25 swear by it so I'd be interested in hearing more on this! As it stands and mentioned just before this I'm most interested on the Diamond Jr, VT Nemphasis and Thorpy Fat General - can't find much info on the VT as suggested and I'm not troubled by the low ratio (3:1) of the Diamond.

That is a thing of beauty - congrats!

Hmmm I'd have to disagree - My MetroExpress Japan MV5 was superb - light and well finished, very 'elastic' to play - then again I may have been the lucky one or unlucky in your case - I agree there must be differences between the MetroExpress and big(ger) boys but I loved mine same as an all american SR5 Special for example...!

Thanks mate, the TC Spectracomp is defo coming across as one of the simpler / more budget sensible options and yours seems to be the general sentiment on the TLC too. Hmm... I take your thoughts on the Diamond and am intrigued by the Nemphasis VT Lee, thanks! Although the Cali76 must be great I don't need more brightness to be honest and the 6 knobs start to puzzle me - as with the MXR, I am confident I can crack it but still feels like too many options, I rather have a couple, three knobs to explore and set up quickly just! As @Kiwi and @clauster mentioned and judging by the reviews on ovnilab, Becos and FEA labs are quite high up there but then again I want them as simple as it gets and since I'm still at the beginning of the compression journey I'd want it easy to buy/easy to sell too and don't come across these as much. I think that's the winning approach Javi, thank you! So far, the ones I quite get on and have heard solid things about are the Diamond Jr, Nemphasis and Thorpy Fat General. Of these three I'm most inclined towards the Fat General, not so much info on it but I 'really get it' more than others and is potentially the route I may go down - will nonetheless do more research on the rest!

Hm - if you love Warwick and Ibanez most I'm inclined to refer a Spector due to similar narrower string spacing etc. Otherwise, Sadowsky... and well in a different vibe I've got a couple Merlos in the marketplace (4 and 5) at a ridiculous price for handmade instruments. If you're not sure of the investment, a Spector Euro would always return the money and you've got a couple around facebook and here for 1300 ish.

Hey bud, If it helps, there's a nate mendel in facebook (probs here too) for £675. I think Paul Walsh had the most gorgeous tangerine Limelight P recently - I wouldn't miss a chance for a Limelight though!

Well! It has been a very interesting couple of weeks - the first courier cancelled the shipping so I arranged for UPS to collect it from Spain Thursday 23rd April... I had to change the address and UPS was absolutely horrible in redirecting it to the right depot and trying attempts on my old address etc (believe me it's been a load of back and forth...) in the end the bass arrived last Thursday and I've been having a chance to noodle with it. It is a lovely bass! These are faux f holes if that makes sense, in the sense that they don't go through the whole body and just around the holes. The bass has lots of punch and moves good air and the resonance is ridiculous, you can feel it all over your chest whilst playing. As mentioned, the electronics are very flexible and I love the fact that I can jump from Active to Passive without having to pump up the volume etc. The construction is very intricate, this is what I would consider a very complicated instrument, definitely more difficult than the regular jazz/precision bolt on approach but it's been resolved quite nicely. The neck is incredibly flat, thin and even from fret 1 to 24 which is comfortable and the first bass I try like this - so far loving it! I am playing it through a new rig composed of the Aguilar TH350 + matching SL112 straight in. Fat tones all day, very rich indeed! Attaching a picture for you guys but I'll be doing a more detailed review sometime soon!

Thanks gents, very valid input. I think for general purpose or 'clinical' approach, the Cali76 is defo the one to go for without a doubt. Especially if you're not afraid of controls etc. Next to this, from what I gather and read around, is the Empress Compressor. Now on the other side of the ring, there is the Diamond Bass Comp Jr - Like @MGBrown says, I kind of want that 'magic' to tone and longer lasting notes and etc that just... make it all better. I have to admit the 'tone enhancing' and 3 knob of 'how much you want to use' works, but potentially you can, from what I've read, add a bit more noise than the others and loose some treble.... Now having said that I gotta admit @ryancowell25 this may be a very interesting call! On one side I have the simple operation of the Diamond, the blend/mix of the Empress and Cali, and from what I've read, the sustain can thicken up tone whilst still able to add treble if I fear losing it. I just popped a message to them and already got a reply saying it works well on bass etc.... Ryan can you tell me more on this?

Hey guys, thanks for the help! It does sound like so...! On the other hand I hear quite a bit that it's on the 'pop', bright side of things, whereas the Diamond is the tone fattening, not a big ratio (set at 3:1), warmer (and simpler!) alternative. @Bobthedog cheers mate - Darkglass is always a contender but from what I hear here and there Darkglass is on the 'darker' end - considering my already warm enough sound I'm conscious I wouldn't want to blur the highs... Still would love to try one properly, but THIS IS GOLD!! Wow, it really has opened me up to some reviews and models, thank you! From what I see, read there, out of my options, Diamond could be a bit on the lead there... ... It's also made me consider others like the Empress Compressor - I will definitely do more digging here. It's true that, as @itu said, one knob buttons control more than one parameter... I think this is where I'm most comfortable, 1 to 3 knobs and an 'impossible to mess up' knobs/controls.

Hi everyone. I'm a simple man - I'm receiving a new rig soon with a 18v active J+MM Merlos bass to plug to an Aguilar TH350 + SL112 matching cab. We play neosoul / soul / jazz / blues. I dread pedals. The cables, the extra pedalboard, power supply etc.... I like to gig and practise light as I can and have had very neat pedalboards before with power supply etc etc etc..... Lovely, but it just doesn't work for me, I can't be asked. Nonetheless, if there is one pedal I could do with is a compressor / boost; I used to have an MXR compressor and used it as a tone enhancer. The visual compression was neat but I was too scared to mess up my tone due to the multiple knobs and configurations (I'd even take a picture of my settings to not lose the setting I liked). With this in mind and the rig above, I'm looking for a simple, easy to operate pedal solution I can velcro to the head and keep 'always on'. I would use it for 'that one setting' that works for all songs and adds a bit of juice and evens up signal / controls peaks whilst still respecting playing dynamics. The rig as is (preamp of the bass and Aguilar) is quite warm already, I'm open to a coloured compressor as long as it makes for a nice tone whilst still allowing definition. My options: - Diamond Bass Compressor Jr - Operating at 9/18v, 3 knobs, about £217 - Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Bass - looks like the leader in the category. I think I could figure out that one setting and etc and obviously want best tone possible but I start to trouble with the HPF controls and etc.... also £269 - Aguilar TLC compressor - good reputation and matching colouring ethos probably with my current rig but no visuals I believe on the compression added (not a deal breaker as I won't have it 'at hands reach') That's when it comes to compressors, and I'm inclined to believe that's what I need.... Nonetheless I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on whether the Darkglass Harmonic Booster or the Xotic Bass RC booster /V2 would do a better result. What do you use? Thoughts?