ern500evo

What are the red labels like for longevity?

Are all of those strings nickel? What is it you prefer about nickel over steels?

I like Prosteels too, they have a really nice top end to them. I used them for quite a while, until I found the E string dying really quickly in a couple of sets. Maybe a different batch or two, but it did really put me off.

Was chatting to a fellow player recently, and the subject of strings came up. He was puzzled to learn that I use different brands of string on different basses. He uses Elites on all his basses, except for one P bass which has flats on it. It got me wondering, how did you guys settle on a particular strings, did you find a set you liked and stuck with that brand/type, or did you go on a bit of a string trying journey and then decide which ones you like best? I’ve currently got my Yamaha Attitude Ltd strung with Elixirs, my Warwick SS1 strung with DR hi beams, and my Sire V7 jazz is about to get a set of Ernie Ball hybrid slinky stainless steels. I’ve tried a multitude of strings over the years, and with my Sire in particular, I’m still experimenting. What criteria is key for you, is it tone, price, feel, longevity, or a compromise of all the above. I think for me it’s tone and longevity. I like the zing of fresh steel roundwounds, and once they start to lose that, i start to think about replacing them. I think of all the ones I’ve tried, the DR’s and Elixirs seem to tick the boxes. Just to add, I always use 45-105 steel roundwounds. Just curious as to what led you guys to your favourite brands/types of string.

Get well soon! That was a pretty speedy turnaround from Ashdown, did you just get it serviced or was it in for repair?

Used it for the first time this evening. Have to say, I’m thoroughly impressed. Plenty of versatility in the eq, nice depth and warmth to the sound. Used it ‘dry’ and also tried a few pedals through it, Ashdown Lomenzo hyperdrive, EBS Sheehan sig, and Darkglass X Ultra. Only took my Sire V7 tonight, so yet to try my Yamaha Attitude Ltd 2 or my Warwick SS1 yet, but so far I’m loving this amp

And it’s got the added bonus of an extra sleeve, so if you ever want to use it with a different cab, you just take the amp section out and put it into its own case

There’s an Ashdown Mark King combo in the classifieds at the moment, which has been price dropped to £300, it’s in Stockport. That’s a great price.

I quite often used to use my BDDI into the front end of an amp. Using it more as a drive pedal that I could switch on and off as needed, with the added bonus of having a di box with me if I had any amp emergencies.

Picked this up this morning, looking forward to giving it a run out at rehearsal on Tuesday. Will get the ABM500 sent off for repair sometime soon

I should probably give a V2 BDDI a whirl. Had an amp fail on me mid gig last week and was relieved to have my Darkglass X Ultra pedal with me, to use as a DI box for the remainder of the gig. I’ve been toying with getting rid of it, as I barely scratch the surface of what it’s capable of. Don’t want to be without DI pedal now though, and as the Sansamp is about the same footprint, wouldn’t need to shuffle my little pedal board around too much either

I can’t honestly remember. I’d have look one up to be honest. It was several years ago now

It’s been a long time since I used either. I used the BDDI first, the V1, and thought it was cool, but having no mid control wasn’t ideal. Then I got to use a Paradriver and it was just like “wow, this is everything I wanted the BDDI to be” The sweepable mids control just seemed to make a huge difference to my cloth ears. I think @Lozz196 has plenty of experience with both pedals, and could explain it far more eloquently than me. I think the BDDI has more drive on tap, but I only ever used either on a fairly low drive setting anyway. More of a grit than a overdrive as such

I’m picking up a ABM600 this weekend. Sold my EBS and my ABM500 decided to give up the ghost last weekend. Seriously thinking about swapping out my Darkglass X Ultra for a Paradriver too.

The V2 bass driver is a cracking pedal. IMO the Paradriver is even better, the sweepable mid control just makes it so versatile

Dropped my EBS TD650 off to it’s new owner yesterday, and with the ABM500 currently dead, I’m ampless for the first time since I started playing at the tender age of 17. I’d kind of made my mind up that I was going for a ABM600, will get the 500 repaired in due course (assuming it’s financially viable), and then from out of nowhere, a GK Fusion 550 becomes available. I’ve gassed for one of these things for years, this is going to be a tough call! 🤦🏻‍♂️

Sold my EBS amp to Paul, arranged a meet up near Birmingham. Had a chat and was nice to meet Paul, great guy, really easy to deal with. Would deal with Paul again without hesitation

I was planning on selling the X Ultra and getting a Sansamp Paradriver, safe to say I’ll be buying the Sansamp before the X Ultra goes, to make sure I’ve always got a DI pedal with me.

Sod’s law that it decided to pack up the night before I sell my EBS amp, which is being dropped off to its new owner today. So for now, I’m ampless! I will get it sent off to Ashdown for an assessment, but I’ve been meaning to get an ABM600 for a while now, so maybe it’s the kick up the derrière I needed

My very early ABM500EvoRc decided to give up the ghost on me tonight, with a puff of smoke and the delightful smell of electrical burning, halfway through the first set of a gig. One stroke of luck, before the gig I was going to take my Darkglass Microtubes X ultra off my little pedal board and put my EBS Sheehan pedal back on but decided I couldn’t be bothered to faff about. I don’t usually go through the PA for smaller gigs, but luckily I was able to use the Darkglass as a DI box to bail me out.

Think I’m going to change my V7 for a gen 2 V7 vintage. Love the black, black, maple look with the black block inlays