Paul S

I did have a Zoom B2.1u for a while but couldn't get on with programming it. All those 'patches' and 'banks' confused the hell out of me. But in some ways one of those might be a more compact solution.

Another thing I wondered about, although it might be a bit clumsy, was to have a number of the Behringer BDI 21 things in line. That would still be cheaper than one of these Sansamp jobs. Any thoughts?

Westone Thunder I or IIA would be my choice. Huge bottom end. Epi Thunderbird Pro probably looks cooler and are nice. More money, but I play in a heavy rock band and my gigging bass is a SBMM SB-14. Nice thinner neck than a Ray.

Thanks chaps. I got the LS-2 before I got the ODB-3 and just sort of kept it in the chain, really. I would prefer life without effects of any sort and have only really been dragged screaming into the necessity of it. as you can possibly tell, I don't really get it. HJ - indeed, ticks most of not all the boxes. Do you find enough control over the mids without having a separate mid sweep control? I think the VT Bass Deluxe has this, but also a lot of stuff i don't need such as amp simulation (or is that just 'presence' by another word?) I get confused.

I think I know what I want to do, but I am not sure about the best way of going about it or even what the options are. I have 2 amps - TC Electronic Classic 450 and Genz Benz Streamliner 600. Both are nice, both give me a variety of sounds that I enjoy. But both need fliddling with in order to get the tones I desire. With my band at the moment I need a warm, slightly overdriven tube-y kind of thing for nearly everything, a much-ly overdriven 'Ace of Spades' and a fuzzy Muse-ly 'Hysteria'. At the moment I set the EQ and gain on the amp for the overall warm tone, use an LS-2 with a ODB-3 set up for the Muse-type tone and either just use this for the Lemmy, which isn't really appropriate, or increase the gain and change the eq on the fly, which throws the levels out. I think I would like to have switchable presets at my disposal - at least 3, more wouldn't hurt. If I had the TC Electronic RH 450 I would use the footswitch for this, but I don't. Plus if I chop and change with the amps it would be kind of nice to be able to get a certain sound from both without spending ages at the controls (within reason). So I am thinking maybe one of the programmable Sansamp footswitches with the EQ and overdrive might work. I default to a scooped sound, which I have read is one of the off-putting aspects of the Sansamp stuff for people who don't. But, if so, which one? I particularly like having control over the mids and the V Bass Deluxe has a 3 band eq and is therefore the one I am drawn to. But would it be the most appropriate? Would I get an overdriven sound that would be fuzzy enough for the Muse-ly Hysteria tone? Are there other makes/pedals that do a similar thing? Advice please!!

There are folks on here who know stuff but I've been watching these for a little while and, as no-one else has chipped in, thought I'd wade in first! One has just gone from 'for sale' to 'on hold' on our classifieds, on sale for £350. I would say that is about right from what I've been looking at recently. There is a kind of hierarchy of Japanese Squiers, it seems to me. The first ones made are the most desirable - the JV series. I've read reports that say these are better than the USA made guitars of the time, don't know if that is true, but they had quality parts and quality builds. Next made were the SQ series, then after those the E series, then various other serial number configurations that, for various reasons, go for less money. The last ones, made in the early 90s, were the 'Silver Series' which seem to have ended on a high as they get better write-ups than some of the middle period ones. I'd buy any of them. I have an E series Jazz and a Silver Series Precision and both are absolute quality instruments. The Silver Series Precision is honestly the best P.Bass I have picked up straight out of the case - it has a tone to die for. My E series Jazz sounds *exactly* like a Jazz bass should, although it is a little heavy. Both have absolutely fantastic necks. An SQ series Jazz is only going to be of the same, or even better, quality.

This just popped up on eBay [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEFT-HANDED-PSN-BLACK-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR-AMP-PACKAGE-KIT-/171007054968?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27d0d09478"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEFT-HANDED-PSN-BLACK-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR-AMP-PACKAGE-KIT-/171007054968?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27d0d09478[/url]

GB Streamliner 600 also has aux in and headphones out. I use mine as homepractice when Mrs S is around.

Looks like a nice tidy one. I have one, light as a feather and possibly the finest neck I have played. Really skinny and shallow - rather like the Geddy Lee/Jaguar type necks (but with 22 frets - just counted them). Stock pups sounds great, albeit nothing much like a P.Bass, more Jazz-like, but I had to change the preamp on mine and ended up with a John East one which is immense.

I always say this but Westone Thunder basses make a good start for modding and can be bought reasonably priced as they are unfashionable. They have great necks, made of decent woods and are easy to work on. I have a Westone Thunder Jet with SPB-3 pup, high mass bridge and a P-retro on board and it is a monster.

My pleasure to be the first to add feedback for Ian (mally2112). He bought my Hohner B Bass in the simplest of transactions. Instant payment, good comms. It has been a pleasure doing business, sir. Enjoy the bass!

[quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1363077897' post='2007840'] Not really a fan of lined rulers - unlined ones look so much classier. [/quote] Brilliant.

I believe there would be a number of Peavey basses that fit that bill - Grind, Cirrus? Not exactly like a Jazz, but 2 pickup through neck that is nearer Jazz width than P width - Hohner B Bass. I also have a Westone Pantera Deluxe II X790 which, back in the day, was the Westone flagship bass - 2 pup, through neck (well, set neck) with gorgeous sculpted body. That is *gorgeous*

I have one on my desk - even better with a cork backing, the words FLEXIBLE and NON-SLIP highlighted (low lighted?) and made by Helix. I had no idea it was so valuable.

I am enjoying this thread. Lots of stuff I don't usually listen to. Here are a couple of oldies - maybe not as 'heavy' but great riffs. Budge have been mentioned, Guts plus Crash Course in Brain Surgery cover by Metallica (their own 2003 re-recording is superb, as it happens). Here is another one of their great riffs - Zoom Club [url="http://youtu.be/VG7e3-jm3UU"]http://youtu.be/VG7e3-jm3UU[/url] And Queen might not be the first band that springs to mind when talking abut heavy riffs but Son and Daughter from their heavier first album has a pretty fine riff going: [url="http://youtu.be/94tKvktP6bY"]http://youtu.be/94tKvktP6bY[/url]