thodrik

Al Cisneros has used a five string Rickenbacker at times for Om. Generally stoner/sludge/doom music is often heavily influenced by 1970s rock and punk rock and there is often a preference for ‘period correct’ gear, and this period generally predated five strings. Four string Fenders and Rickenbackers dominate the scene. However as detailed above some five strings are used by a number of bassists, particularly in bands less interested in trying to look like they were emerged from a time machine from 1975. I would crack on and just use whatever bass you want. Edit for confusing Yob and Om after four hours sleep (or should that be ‘Sleep’…)

I have the iRig HD2. Really easy to use. Comes with amplitude which is great for guitar and so so for bass unless you buy extra gear. Used it for some basic recording and it worked well with a few different DAWs.

Also this

Well and truly spoiled… A new gig bag!

In: Sansamp Bass Driver, clone of Earthquaker Hummingbird. Out: Nothing. From 2016-2020 I pretty much sold everything that I no longer use. A new cabinet will be purchased at some point. But until then I will make do with what I have.

Love that colour.

Generally with second hand Trace Elliots, each unit you are going to be looking at will be 20+ years old unless you are looking at the newer Peavey era units which were released around 2006-2012. So the most important thing is what condition the individual unit in question is in rather than what models are the 'good' ones. The combos are pretty heavy, especially the 4x10 combos which are very tricky to move (I would highly recommend a separate head and cabinet if you want a 4x10 set up). For me, I think that the SMX 12 band amps are superior to the SM lines due to the extra features(dual band compression, pre-amp tube for a bit more 'warmth etc). As a result the SMX heads generally go for a bit more on the used market, though the SM line are bit newer so you might find a head or a combo in better condition. The Series 6 stuff preceded the SMX line but is many ways the pinnacle of the solid state Trace Elliot amp tone. As far as I recall though the two separate pre-shape models only appeared on the SMX and SM lines, so if you want that feature I would stick to those models (though I never really liked pre shape '2''). The most common second hand Trace Elliot set up I tend to see online is the 7 band 1x15 combos. You can generally pick one of them up for £150-250 depending on the condition or model. A 12 band SMX 1x15 combo generally goes for around £300-350. So for 'bang for buck' I would look at the 1x15 SM300 1x15 combo, or generally whatever is on the used market within a reasonable drive. I love Trace Elliot and had a SMX300 head and GP7 SM300 combo for years. With that said, I would take a SVT II over most Trace gear apart from the V4, V6 and V8 valve heads (though even then it it would be a tough call and I have a V6). In terms of the 1x15 combos, there are much better, more powerful and more flexible options on the market at this stage. However, if you need a functional 'that'll do' amp, it should be fine. Just have a look on the used market and see what is available.

The early 2000s Nu-metal period was full of really baggy jeans and I confirm that trouser-flapping made a brief comeback during this period before the Strokes/Hives type indie-rock replaced it in popularity and brought non-flappable skinny jeans back to the fore.

Three heads for one cab is extreme, but I sold my other cabs a few years ago and have not got round to replacing them yet. I alternate the heads every few days when rehearsing. To say that I have to be careful with the master volume controls is an understatement. At some point I will get a four ohm 2x12 or 4x10 that I can lift easily. The mesa cab weighs about 135lbs/60+ Kg and is a struggle to load in and out of a car. I'm 35 now so this isn't a rig I fancy lugging around post 40, hell maybe even past 36. The sound is however immense, even on low volume levels. The Mesa Walkabout to the left is actually my main gigging and rehearsal rig and has been for about 12 years. Even that would be considered 'heavy' and 'underpowered' in modern terms.

I bought a Sansamp Bass Driver V2. It was a shootout between that, a VT Bass DI and Darkglass B7K Ultra. As a clean to mild dirt preamp/amp sim I far preferred the Bass Driver to the B7K Ultra. I also have the B3K and Alpha Omega v.1 so I didn't feel that I needed the drive of the B7K. I was tempted of going the Helix route and I will do so eventually, particularly for recording. However, for live use the Sansamp is essentially idiot-proof and the pedal itself is nigh on bomb-proof. I'm also not willing to ditch 'real' amps and going the FRFR route just yet. Other than that, I bought an Earthquaker Hummingbird clone that my friend built. Really nice but very limited use to certain types of sounds.

I have a Mesa 6x10. The single best bass cabinet I have ever heard. Heavy as hell. Complete overkill for pretty much every gig. They were about £1800 new but I got one for about £400 in near mint condition because it is heavy as hell and complete overkill for pretty much every gig. I won’t sell it, but yeah I really don’t need it. Very much a cab of a bygone era.

Most of my gigs over the last 20 years have involved using a 1x15 combo delivering the sound of my bass directly to my legs. At this point I believe that my calf muscles suffer from tinnitus.

Those DB751s are cracking amps, but yes at that price it is a bit beyond the means of most folk.

Nah, just the hammer. Contacting Ampeg would just lead to queries of ‘was the amp in warranty?’ or ‘was the repair carried out by an authorised service centre’ that would just cause further frustration. Hammer and done for me.

If it has been at a shop for a year, I would just ask for it back and then attack the amp with a hammer in a fit of semi-cathartic rage or sell/give it away for parts.

I have a Vigier Excess that had a shim inserted in 2016 for the same reason. I got the bass in 2004 and while I really liked it, I always like something with it wasn't quite right. The neck was either installed or had been adjusted (or had moved in transit) at a very slightly 'wrong' angle, so the action was a bit 'spongy' in the upper frets even when the bridge saddles were at the lowest setting. Owing to the lack of truss rod, I couldn't adjust a truss rod to compensate as the neck is almost dead straight. My tech installed a shim and it made a massive positive difference and much easier than having to try and file bridge saddles. I just wish I had done it sooner. That is the only instrument I have ever had to shim.

They just launched it last year so I would assume so. Just with the nature and price of the head I don't think that they are planning to sell them in massive numbers.

I'm the same. My brother loves Joyo pedals. Amazing value.

Looks interesting. I have actually only started to really enjoy my A/O original since I bought a V2 Sansamp Bass Driver last year (I bought the A/O about two years ago). With the Photon and the ADAM, I see them more as tools I would really like to have for recording purposes, rather than for the purposes of gigging where I generally like to keep things 'simple'.

For me it is between: Mastodon - Hushed and Grim - decidedly less 'metal' than previous efforts, but I really like it. Not every track is a winner but I think that the album flows really well and it is their most cohesive album in years. At this point this is about as 'mainstream' as I can go with modern rock and metal in terms of production. Green Lung - Black Harvest - London based Sabbath retro rock with a guitarist who loves Brian May. My favourite tracks are actually the more folk-influenced tracks. Boss Keloid - Family the Smiling Thrush - love this band, elements of heavy doom, English folk, 70s prog. Gutted I missed them on tour. I am conscious that my listening tastes are 'limited' to heavy rock/metal. However, after spending 20 plus years of ensuring that I listen to every genre possible I really don't have the time to continue to do so with work and family commitments, so I really haven't listened to many albums this year.

I follow EBS on Facebook and they are plenty busy on that front. I think it is more of a change in philosophy from being a 'bass amp specialist' to being more of an all round manufacturing brand covering guitar and bass effects and a range of class D bass heads. The range of made in Sweden bass amp heads have been phased out. As EBS-Freak says above, they were a bit late to the party on the class D amp front and their Proline and Neoline cabs are still pretty expensive. Personally, I think that the Reidmar amps are very nice but I don't see them as 'best in class' amps superior to the Mesa, Aguilar, Darkglass, Bergantino 'boutique' class D heads. I really do believe that the HD350/650 and Fafner were close to being 'best in class' amps for their time, but that was about 10+ years ago and technology moves on and brands come and go as the 'flavour of the month'. Still I have been using a Fafner for about 12 years and will probably keep it for years to come. Cracking amp if you put up with the weight of a 3 unit amp head which actually 'only' delivers about 440 watts at 4 ohms.

Damn, I really want to get some specs. That 4x10 looking cabinet in a previous video has got me super intrigued.

Very nice! I love the metal 'V' added on the headstock. It just looks a bit classier that the painted on logo on my 2009-ish Arpege from the earlier run of the Series IVs. Love that finish too!

I use Elixir Nickels on the Arpege IV. Good all round string and last for ages (tough to source now with general shortages). Other than that my go-to string is D'addario. I had a set of Hi-Beams once and just found them too bright.

I desperately want Vigier to release a walnut grain run of basses again. I think that they look terrific. I have now owned an Excess for 17 years and a bolt on Arpege five string for ten. Both sounding better than ever. I just need a Passion to complete the set!