Cat Burrito

I own both an EEB-1 and a Flying V. Both are really good instruments and I am not feeling the need to add "for the money". Tonally the sound great, they are well made and look cool. I like the vibe of the company and a lot of their range appeals. The only downside is that away from the big hitters like Fender, there is not much resale value if you decide to sell them on.

I've had two of these and it is the one bass that I regret selling. Unfortunately I have gone a bit mad buying kit this year so can't entertain this. It goes without saying, good luck with the sale. I too am very puzzled why a previous owner would scratch out the Crafted in Japan bit. The MIJ / CIJ used to be really rated in the early days of Basschat but that aside... it's, um, on the back of the neck!!!?!!!

Being as I seem to be doing some bigger shows these days, I thought I'd kick common sense into touch and go heavier again. I have the Orange SP212 for smaller venues but this is less likely to get lost on a larger stage or not be heard inside of a 5 mile radius!! The head is also the newer revamped Terror head that Orange brought out earlier this year so it's an all new 2019 setup for me. I much prefer the newly modified head as it doesn't break up so quickly and with the cab I pretty much plug in with no need to search hard for a tone I like.

It feels strange as we supported them last month. They went down a storm. RIP.

D'oh! I forgot all about that!

If like me you've seen Showaddywaddy ripping it up at The Wyvern in Swindon circa 2016, you soon realise what a bit player Elvis Presley actually was!

I'm back with New Moon again after a break. A European Tour earlier this year made me realise that I probably should have some cover. I've always found them really cool to deal with and I like the vibe of the company (they are all musicians who have the near impossible task of trying to make insurance a bit edgy!?).... but I HAVE NEVER CLAIMED! I guess that is where the true test in all these things is.

I think it depends on the band. I play in a tribute band as well as a few original bands. Normally these things tend to get learnt as they should put the band put subtle little nuances into them... fast forward 12 months down the line and they can sound surprisingly departed from the recording. Normally picked up when somebody leaves and you hold an audition!

The market is full of choice these days. Over the last few years I had a Belcat tweed amp and a Vox Pathfinder which were great but for reasons unknown only lasted a few years each. The tone and volume were most impressive, especially thinking back to the bad old days of the 80s. Now I have the Ampeg BA108 which sounds fantastic but with the addition of both a headphone socket and an input to play either YouTube videos or MP3s, my practice has improved massively.

Love Me Tender by Elvis. I have the music notation tattooed around my arm. Funny story but I was sat on a plane coming back from NYC once and there was a queue down the aisle for the loo. This old lady in the queue was just staring at my tattoos and although normally pretty placid, it got to the point I was about to say something. She then piped up with "Love Me Tender". She'd been reading the notation to work out what the song was!

We finished six dates across the UK. I particularly enjoyed Nuneaton & Stoke but all six were fun. I used my Hofner verythin until the last date. I have a 6am flight to Italy in the morning to start the European leg.

I've yo-yo'd between Ampeg and Orange over the last 10 years. I wouldn't say it's a radical change as they are subtle variations of the same kind of vibes. My two favourite brands, personally.

For any Ric hating going on, all I can say is that I took my 4003s out last night for a Creedence Tribute show and it totally delivered. I just need to get a bezel so I can get shot of that annoying pickup cover!

I thought it had been discontinued but some shops still advertise it. It's here https://www.thomann.de/gb/hoefner_verythin_bass_hct_500_8_dc.htm?sid=229eb2e131eb9e87d589e9bcbc651e34 I don't notice any issue with neck dive but I have a wider strap that tends to grip my shoulder nicely. It really is a wonderful bass. Check out Dan's review here;

I appreciate this is always personal but having recorded extensively I've tried everything from my cab to studio cabs to D.I. My personal favourite now is the Sansamp VT bass pedal into a D.I. Hands down this was my favourite bass sound. They often crop up here or on EBay second hand around £100. Worth checking out.