kwmlondon

I think that if we carry on improving at this rate we will be within touching distance distance of being mediocre! We have a name… Premium Economy!!!

Blimey!!!! It’s the most technically advanced this I’ve ever bought! Initial impressions very impressive but it’s clearly all centred around the app. Have barely got it working so far but will do a review when I’ve had more time with it.

To be fair though, those 40w rumble amps are a bit miraculous. Not very nice sounding but they do get the notes audible which is incredible for what they are. That was at an open mic setup though and from that point onwards I made a point of bringing my own rig to those sessions, even though I carted it on the underground! This is why portability is really very important for me.

That does make total sense, but from what I understand the Positive Grid amps use cab sim to reproduce the 4x12" or open back or whatever and get closer to a characterful guitar sound. One of the issues with a nice guitar amp is that it generally has an optimum volume operating level - I'm mainly playing in a small room with people the other side of the wall, but from time to time I take an amp to a rehearsal space. I've got a lovely little Laney LC15r which sounds fab in a rehearsal space, but honestly at quiet practise levels it's just not that nice. Anyway, the Positive Grid is on its way and will arrive tomorrow and I'll see how it performs - will look forward to giving my thoughts.

Had a quick look at the TV12 - it's quite the thing! It's really not something that would work in my context to be honest. The Vypr ... not seen much about it, but the Postive Grid app looks to be quite alluring. Will see how I get on!

I've not seen a bass AND guitar Katana. They seem to be designed for one or the other which seems odd as you'd basically just need to have a FRFR cab and an amp that could model either/both. I do have fond memories of the Polytone Minibrute from the 80s though but those are bonkers heavy and rare and kind of collectible now.

I can see the point but it's not a stretch to imagine they've squeezed a 75wpc stereo class d amp in the box. It's not going to go particularly low, but in a small space it ought to sound as good as a decent HiFi. I once managed a gig with a 40w Fender Rumble and you could hear my bass above the drummer! Admittedly, I rolled off all the low bass and it was mostly honk but you could tell what notes I was playing! Having tried one out in a store I think this could probably hold its own in a rehearsal space if I absolutely had to use it (well, with our current drummer, maybe not the last one - he made a LOT of noise) but where it really comes into its own is if you want to do a cafe gig. Anyway. Will report back!

Okay... well... I recently sold my MarkBass CMD121p as I have an NY121 cab and BH800 amp and kind of prefer that setup for loud situations. So... I had a bit of cash spare and a bit of space in the study and I've pressed the button on this https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/240119418322008--positive-grid-spark-live-4-channel-smart-amp-pa-system Paying with PayPal I got £20 off for signing up to their credit agreement so it came in at £460. I tried one out in the GuitarGuitar store in Camden and it was impressive but I'll do a proper review when I get my hands on it. Looking forward to New Amp Day tomorrow!!!

Well he seemed okay when I saw him. Bit uninspiring but the band was super tight. I definitely went away thinking he was a decent musician.

I feel so old.

Doesn't take any musical knowledge to write up tab you just have to know where your fingers went on the fretboard. I doubt he was notating it as a musical score but I'm just guessing. Having said that I get really confused writing out tab but then I'm a dufus. I'd forgotten that he'd actually released someone's tune on spotify as his own. I don't know how it works though if you are covering someone else's music and correctly attribute it. I've never put anything on spotify. Er. Well. It could have been. I guess. If so that'd be even more impressive than if they acutally played it! Good grief - imagine having to learn it so well you can mime every note on the fretboard but you're not actually playing it. With a live drummer!

I don't know if he claims outright to have written music, but he's performed other people's work without properly attributing AND what's really bad is he's even monetised tab transcriptions of their music and charged for it. It's worth watching Sapko's video as he explains it pretty well. I honestly don't think most of his followers know or care about guitar playing as such, he's a very attractive young man who looks great on camera and makes superb content that's watched by the general public.

Oh my goodness - the worst bass amp I ever played through was one of these, up for sale on Facebook Marketplace https://www.facebook.com/commerce/listing/1380928936250759/?ref=share_attachment

I don't know. I find it very easy to take a bassline or riff and vary it - it's usually just a case of working out what scale or mode it's based around and change the order or rhythm. I find it very natural, in fact, it's fun to learn a bassine verbatim then re-work it somehow (moving it from 4 to 5 string usually helps to shake things up). But... the way Giaccomo plays EXACTLY the same tempo, key, note-for-note is weird. When someone does that for a well-known song they're showing off thier ability to mimic and their technical virtuosity, but if it's an unknown piece why would anyone not put in some of their own signature, their own style - voicings they enjoy that kind of thing? No. I honestly think he's devoid of any curiosity (he's said he doesn't practise scales or know any theory) and isn't interested in what's behind a piece of music. It COULD be lazy/stupid but I still think it's as much down to just not having any kind of musical creativity and imagination.

The Dave Clark Dive Supergramp AC/AC Chunder The Beadles

Okay. I think I may be the only person in this thread to have seen Giacommo live and... he was very good. His band was excellent. They did that kind of MOR-funk that Vulfpeck do, but while it was very tight and well-rehearsed it was kind of bland and soul-less. Sort of how I'd expect a very, very good cruise ship band to be. I came away thinking he was a very, very competent guitarist, a skilled performer and his band was oustanding. I had no desire to listen to any of his stuff or go see him again, but I do think that given time to practise he is an outstanding musical mimic. It's the fact he's monetised other people's work that's at issue and that he's done it so blantanly and flagrantly that having been caught out he's got nowhere to hide. Personally, my suspicion is that he hasn't got any musical creativity or imagination but that's just a guess.

Greek Day The Panic Street Preachers The Woo The Tye The Sensational Alex Harvey Bank

Maybe you play too many cursed basslines?

Woah woah woah…. This looks like it could be exactly what I want! I’ve seen these positive grid things before but this Positive Grid Spark Live really seems to tick all my boxes https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/positive-grid-spark-live-review

I was a stupid teenager who didn’t know what he had and traded my first amp, a Marshall 100w valve bass head for a Laney combo. Utter piece of farting crap. I still feel that awful sense of shame. The first time I heard the head through a proper cab was when I took it in for the trade and even then I had my doubts…

Nick came and bought my MarkBass CMD121p and it was all great - top communication and we had a lovely chat about bass stuff! Thank you for buying the amp it and I realy hope it fits in the car! All the best. Kim

Hi. I occasionally play a bit of guitar and have a nice little Laney LC15r valve combo but I use it very, very rarely - in the last year the guitarist in my band has used it way more than I have and I'd happily sell it to him for not much money as he'd get good use out of it. It's taking space up, and I think I'd get more value out of a Roland Street Cube EX as I could use it for electric guitar, acoustic guitar and low-volume bass practice and even take along to a jam if it's just competing with a cajon drum or something. I've seen them come up used for about £300 and I think that I'd get a lot more use out of it than the Laney, but ... is there anything on the market that'd be a better buy than the Roland? The thing that really appeals is the whole all-in-one thing for guitar as I honestly can't be bothered with pedals or anything which is why I'm not really interested in a powered PA speaker - I'd end up having to have more stuff to go with it. I'd appreciate any insights anyone has to offer

Well... good news and bad news. First, the good news - the bass is built! It's ready and all good to go... the bad news is they JUST missed their last consignment to Bass Direct so it will go in the next one and I can expect it in about four weeks. So. Not in time for Easter which is a great big BOO, but should be early May. So that's where we are right now. I have asked Ashley at Bass Direct to give me a free set of strings for all the anguish the wait has caused me, he's said he'll think about it! That's fair enough. Anyway. As soon as I know more I'll give an update.