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I remember the first time i ever saw this i was completely blown away. I can normally take or leave unaccompanied solo pieces to be honest but this just draws me in, it's mesmerising. Even if it's not your cup of tea you have to admire him, he's a genius.

That's one hell of a cab for that price!!

I started off with a Laney Klipp guitar amp and matching 4x12-wish i still owned it now. Then i made the mistake of trading it for a Marshall 1x15 combo because i wanted a "proper" bass amp. I hadn't been playing long so didn't know a great deal about bass amps. What i do know now is that the Marshall was by far the worst amp i've ever used in my life, it was bloody hateful! I'd like to track it down now just so i could take an axe to it, that amp made my playing life a misery! Next came a Peavey MK3 and 2x15, It weighed an absolute ton, but it served me well for quite a few years and enabled me to earn enough gig money to go towards my first brand new amp, which was: Trace Elliot AH350SM with matching 1518 and 2103H cabs. I loved this amp, this was the early 90's and remember the first time i gigged it i couldn't stop looking at it, i thought the UV light was so cool! Then decided if i was in a rock band i simply had to have an 8x10, so in came an Ashdown ABM500 Evo, the chrome rack mounted one with a matching 8x10(I still have this rig, stood in my dining room) And finally to my Warwick Tubepath, WCA411 and WCA115, Love this amp, Sounds great with my Streamer. Looking at the weight of the last 4 rigs i've owned i'm surprised my back is still working!!

That 30th anniversary Streamer looks mint! Mind you, so it should for £4.5k!

[quote name='DoesThisBassLookBigOnMe' timestamp='1326793750' post='1501911'] Regarding PMT in Bristol: Although now trading as a PMT store, they are basically the same bunch of people who's business has gone under many times in recent years (I'm not so certain this has anything to do with the recession either!) and each time the store returns like a phoenix from the ashes. They have an OK selection of equipment (not so much for bass players though) but never once have I been satisfied with the staff at their store. To be fair I have noticed a slight improvement in attitudes since they have become PMT though I recognise many of the faces from previous incarnations and I guess this may be where things are going wrong. In a previous incarnation of their store I asked to try some equipment out and was told they don't allow demos anymore because people try their equipment out and then go home and buy it online. Never once have I personally done this to them - instead I have spent thousands in their store on equipment for a home studio. Recently I parked near their entrance with the intention of nipping in and literally spending about £1000 in their store as I knew they had something I wanted. Unwittingly I contravened some unsigned rule about health and safety by parking near their entrance. The manager came out and asked me to park elsewhere. Lucky for him he gave me a b****y good discount so retained my custom. I go there regularly enough to know that there is basically no parking space in their store and most of the spaces that exist are taken up by their staff. In short, not a very professional bunch. [/quote] I bought my Spector from them when it was sound control about 11 years ago. Useless!! I tried it out and decided i wanted it, said to the guy i'd take it and i wanted to also buy a hard case for it, " i don't think we have any, i'll just go check". He came back an eternity later with the biggest flight case i'd ever seen, so i said jokingly "I wanted the case for this bass not for a piano"! I put the bass in and there was about 6 inches of space either side of the body, so i said "that's no good, it's obviously for something else" the reply was amazing, "no thats how it's meant to be, it's so you can get your leads and stuff in it as well"!! As i looked at him in disbelief an older guy appeared, pointed at the case and said to him "what are you doing with that, thats a case we ordered in specially for someone for a flying v bass"! The young guy just looked at me embarassed and said "sorry i'll just take the bass to the till". I said ok, i'll just take it in it's box, "oh we don't keep the boxes, you can just take it like this and i'll order you a case" which is just what you want to hear when you're parked half a mile away and it's p**sing down with rain. I also tried to buy a USA P bass from them in '05, i said i wanted a USA standard in sunburst with white scratchplate and maple neck, he shook his head and made that noise that builders and mechanics make when they're about to attempt to financially rape you "I'd have to order that in, so it would be full rrp" i asked how much that was "£949, you won't get a better price" was the reply, i looked at him and said "funny i've just got off the phone with GAK and they can get one to me by the weekend for £749". He basically called me a liar, and said there was no way they could do it for that price, and that GAK were known for these sort of tactics, showing stuff online when they don't actually have it in stock. He even looked on GAK's website, i said i'd get them on the phone so he could hear it for himself. He then got all pissy and said i'd have to wait while he served someone else. I went straight home and ordered ir from GAK. Seems like any PMT's which are Sound Control shops which were bought out are the same. If they were existing PMT stores the reports seem all good.

He's so entertaining to watch, you always get the impression he's having the time of his life! A friend of mine met him at trade show in the US a few years ago and said he was one of the friendliest people he'd ever met, making time for anyone who wanted to chat to him or have pics taken.

Just been looking on TM Stevens website, and after the London Bass guitar show he's doing some masterclasses and gigs. He's doing masterclasses at Tech music schools London, The Institute London and the Academy of contemporary music in Guildford. He's doing live shows with Swans in flight at Colchester Institute March 9th, Exeter Phoenix 17th March and Livewire, Saltash 18th March. seeing as i'm only an hour away in Bristol i shall definitely be heading to Exeter on the 17th, might even make a weekend of it and see him on the 18th in Saltash too!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc7Ovp-6Ptc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc7Ovp-6Ptc[/url]

My big regret isn't a bass it's an amp, and a guitar amp at that! My first amp when i started playing was an old Laney Klipp and matching 4x12. I had no idea it was a guitar amp at first! I eventually decided i wanted a "proper" bass amp and traded it for a Marshall 1x15 combo. The feeling of regret is deepened by the fact that the Marshall was by far and away the worst piece of bass gear i've ever owned!

According to this months bass guitar magazine TM Stevens is going to be there again. It's not mentioned on the LBGS page near the front of the mag, but there's a TM ad near the back which says he'll be there. If that the case, then i'll definitely be there, his performance on the sunday this year was awesome!

[quote name='blind pilot' timestamp='1324112758' post='1470874'] That will be on Ebay soon then! [/quote] I don't think he'd know what EBay is! When i first started gigging i used to borrow his Peavey MK3 and 2x15, which meant tracking him down in one of the local pubs. when i found him the conversation was the same every time: Me: "John, can i use your amp tonight please?" Him: "Yea if you buy me a pint" Me: "Yea ok, no probs" Him: "And if you throw in a whiskey chaser you can take the Fender as well" Me: "ok, cheers" Him: "It's all in the shed, go help yourself, and if the neighbour comes out tell him to f**k off, nosey c**t"!! Ah, fond memories!

Mine was about 1988, i was 17. We were opening for our guitarist's older brothers blues band. We were only doing 5 or 6 songs, the place was full(about 250). We were all getting nervous as showtime approached, then disaster struck, as i walked towards the stage one of the sound guys knocked my bass off the stand and down onto the floor, it survived but was hopelessly out of tune. I was using an Aria Pro CSB-380 Cardinal back then and it was the only bass i'd ever played, so it was what i was used to. As i atarted to panic about getting to my tuner (which by now was buried in my gig bag at the back of a pitch black stage), the main band's bass player appeared and said "you haveen't got time to sort that out, here use this" and handed me his 70's P bass, well it felt like someone had strapprd a telegraph pole to me, it just felt enormous and weighed a ton!! Luckily the crowd was mainly locals who we all knew, so they were really kind to us and we all came off feeling like rock stars! Apparently, that P-Bass is now in bits, in a box in the guy's attic, he's an alcoholic and doesn't play anymore!

[quote name='algmusic' timestamp='1323959277' post='1469196'] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V00zkxZPtZg#!"]http://www.youtube.c...v=V00zkxZPtZg#![/url] [/quote] Yea i posted this clip a few weeks ago, it's quite an old clip, i think he's about 18 now. IIRC he's from Brazil and virtually a household name there.

I had a lovely blue CSB-380 Cardinal series as my first bass. I sold as i wanted something more modern looking at the time, still regret selling it now. The neck's are great on them, it was my first bass and i don't have the biggest hands but i found it really easy to get on with. If you can get your hands on one to try it i would definitely recommend it, you won't be disappointed!

John Entwistle: I love everything about him, his basslines, his tone, his spectacular collection of basses, and the fact that he signed out during a drug fuelled orgy in a Vegas hotel room full of hookers is just pure rock n' roll! John Paul Jones: I think i wore out my vinyl copy of Led Zeppelin 2 jamming along, particularly to Ramble On, still one of my favourite bass lines to this day. Bruce Foxton: The fact you could take virtually any song by The Jam, play the bass part on it's own and people would still know what song it was from just proves what a massive part of The Jam's songs Bruce's lines were. Billy Sheehan: When i first started playing a friend of mine gave me a copy of Eat 'em and smile, i thought "wow" then i bought a vinyl copy of Talas- sink yor teeth into that, got home put it on and spent the next hour or so listening to it open mouthed whilst thinking "Jesus f**king christ" Bernard Edwards: It was hearing Bernard's lines in Le Freak and Good Times that alerted me to fingerstyle funk and a whole new world of some of the coolest bass parts ever recorded!

I've got an Ashdown James Lomenzo Hyperdrive and it's a pretty good pedal, especially for the money, you can pick them up second hand for silly money. It's a sturdy unit too, heard some reports of faulty switch but never had that with mine, it's an easy fix anyway. Other end of the cost scale, the Darkglass B3K is the best distortion/overdrive pedal i've ever heard but they're not cheap. We did a gig with another band recently and their bass player had one, it sounded fantastic. I only use overdrive for a couple of songs so couldn't really justify the cost, but if i used overdrive a lot i would've gone home and ordered one from Bass direct that same night, i was that impressed with it.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1322350178' post='1449919'] i love smooth soul like this.. there are quite a few young chaps and girls that play at this level.... this chap has some great brazilian genes matched with a great style.. gonna be a master.. shame its all about his showman ship all the time.. [/quote] I know what you mean about the showmanship, i imagine that will change as he gets older and people notice him more as a great player rather than focusing on the fact he's just a kid. Saying that, this vid is a few years old now so he may be completely different by now.

[quote name='M-N-Y' timestamp='1322341125' post='1449740'] He's from Brazil I believe. He's a household name over there. [/quote] Yes i think his name is Michael Pipoquinha. he's about 15 now and very famous in Brazil apparently.

It might not be everyone's cuppa but you have to admit for an 11 year old it's pretty impressive!! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kGzQav6FJo&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kGzQav6FJo&feature=related[/url]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1321634395' post='1441509'] I'm 90% a fingers player but for stuff like deep purple you can't beat rocking out with a pick! Remember a lot of parts will be simpler than what you have been doing without a pick before, legs astride, long strap, rock! [/quote]Thats it, i'm gigging at a friends birthday bash tonight, a freebie for all my mates so no pressure, think i'm now gonna drop the strap down on one of my basses and give it the old legs apart stance for proper rock out encore at the end!!

I agree with EssentialTension, dial in some high mids and just dig in a bit harder, should give you plenty of attack. It's a tricky one because obviously for you playing fingerstyle comes more naturally as you spent a lot of years doing it. Maybe at next rehearsal you could play a few songs with a pick, then add some eq, play them again fingerstyle and see what the guy's think? I only use a pick on a couple of songs and i can't wait to get them out the way usually, as like yourself, i've been playing mainly fingerstyle for 20+ years and playing with a pick feels a bit alien to me.

PMT have got some fairly decent stuff at the moment, some nice Stingray's and Fender's. Also got some Yamaha's and a nice Ibanez 6'er, amps by Ashdown, Ampeg, Orange and some of the big valve Peavey stuff. And with the added bonus that all the bass gear is in a seperate little room at the back so you won't have to be left with bleeding ears from young kid ripping out Slipknot riffs on a 7 string Ibanez through the loudest Mesa amp in the shop!!

If you want to keep the Markbass then why not go for 2 8ohm 2x10's or 2x12's which you could stack vertically? Also, as other's have said, that head would sound awesome through platypus' Berg 6x10, and for what it's worth, i can fit an Ashdown 8x10 across the back seats of my Saab 9-3 Aero! Granted it's not something i'd want to do all the time but it is possible!