thodrik

I would keep the older one. I have an SMX (Kamen era I think) myself and love it, but I think that it easier to find SMX amps second hand than the Mark IVs. So if you come into lots of money, it shouldn't be too hard to find another SMX amp. I don't see many of the Mark IV's around, so you could regret it if you sell it. Best of luck.

I have been playing bass since the age of 11 (1998) and double bass since 15. I started playing guitar a bit at the age of 16 after my brother went away to college, leaving his 1978 Strat at home. I couldn't really resist that. I have since bought my own guitar, a Fender US deluxe Toronado, which I consider to be a great guitar for bassists (thick sound, doesn't seem to suit virtuoso players). I will never be very good, but I am an okay rhythm player.

[quote name='dan670844' post='1215758' date='Apr 30 2011, 12:57 PM']Series 6 now you are talking! SMX compressor is great I still have mine that I bought in the 90's don't know how many gigs they have done, still going strong aside from a few jack plug replacements[/quote] I have an SMX that I picked up on Ebay for peanuts. The jack plug needs replacing and the power section has been replaced, but it sounds really great. I have tried a Series 6 amp once and it was really great, especially compared with my older SM300 combo, which although was good, was nothing in comparison.

On the ABMs I have found the best way to avoid the 'wool' is just to turn the bass knob down and not go over the top with the valve drive. Not my favourite amps, as finding the sweet spot takes a bit of work, but I can always get a decent sound out of them. The ABM 500s are also really really loud! I still prefer Trace Elliot amps hands down though and consider the Ashdown ABM amps to be a step backwards from the Series 6 or SMX range. That said some people hate Trace Elliot so it is horses for courses really. The Ashdown valve amps look pretty cool though! Also as a whole the ABM and Mag ranges are good value for money, for both amps and cabinets.

Probably the Sansamp, I don't use it live anymore but it is just a great bit of kit to have.

I have had the Sansamp Bass Driver for the last 3-4 years. Great peace of kit, especially with a passive Fender bass. Since I have moved on to active basses (Vigier/Sadowsky) I have not been using the Sansamp much as I don't need the extra character that the pedal adds (which is a mid cut). Still its the first thing I grab when recording, and I bring it to every gig regardless in case I just need it. I don't really like the overly distorted tones though, and the presence knob can make things sound a bit clanky, but otherwise I can't fault the thing. A great bit of kit. The lack of a DI on the VT bass has prevented me from really considering one seriously, but it has got great reviews. I suppose it depends on whether you need the DI that the Bass Driver has or whether you need the extra functions of the VT Bass deluxe.

I use the Aguilar Agro and think it is great. I use it at low settings for a slightly gritty sound in the style of a less scooped Sansamp Bass Driver. So its more of an 'always on' rather than 'off and on' pedal. At the higher settings you get a good overdrive, but it is not really a fuzz pedal I understand the 'it loses low end' argument, but I don't think it really does, its just that doesn't add any extra bass 'oomph' in the style of a wooly mammoth or Boss ODB3 or such. I would think using the Aguilar as a bit of grit and the XXL as a full on fuzz would work really well. Congratulations and good luck.

In terms of Ampeg I have always liked the 6x10 and the 410HLF as a single cab option. The 410HLF is a strange beast though and isn't for everybody. I use a 2x10 and a 1x15 Trace Elliot stack for most gigs. It works fine and I don't think I am really missing out on anything to be honest. If I was buying again I would probably get two of the same rather than mixing though, since I didn't know of the problems of mixing speaker sizes when I bought them. So two 1x15s would do it! More likely I would get a good 4x10 and gig with that.

From playing both these models I really preferred the 55 02 in terms of tone, just a lot more tones available for tweaking with the active pickups/preamp, which I always prefer on a five string bass. The JO5 I tried sounded a bit weak on the B string in comparison. For looks though it is the JO by far, as I am not a fan of the looks of the 55 02s, though they are great basses.

Off the top of my head the Tony Franklin signature and the American Deluxe P basses are both PJ style and they are Fenders. Also Sandberg will no doubt have a PJ model. Sadowsky do PJs as well. I would probably pick up a Sandberg, or look for a Fender second hand. Or buy a P bass and put another pickup in.

I might be wrong, but I am sure that AV 810 has been sitting in the Glasgow shop for a couple of years. I would guess that they just want rid of it.

I love the 25 frets idea. Now the magical high G sharp is possible! They look great for the most part in my opinion.

I wouldn't get too bogged down into model ranges, as each model ranges will have a certain dogs/gems ratio, as is the Fender way. Best bet is just to try everything that you like the look of, you will no doubt find one that feels right. I like the look of the American Special series, though a part of me thinks that is a range brought out just so Fender could hike up the price of the American Standards series.

I have never needed more than an efficient 300 watts into a 4 ohm load. I think an 8x10 should be reserved for when you are in touring band playing in big venues. But if you really want it, then go for it.

1. Gibson EB3 (experience the mud!) 2. An old Precision 3. Rickenbacker 4003 4. A Wal 5. Some kind of really expensive bass

I have one of these at home. They are pretty cool and well made enough to act as a basis for modifications.

Main bass is a Viger. Backup bass is a Squier Affinity J. I generally take both to gigs just in case something goes wrong. The Squier is simple, passive and not so valuable that I have to 'keep an eye on it' in the same way that I would need to for a more expensive bass. I also have a Sadowsky Metro, but I don't need the hassle of bringing two really expensive basses to a gig where I only really need one. The chances of something going wrong with my main bass is pretty low, but if it does, at least I have something that will probably work.

I have ordered three items from the Bass Centre and deliver has ranged from 3 days to four months, with all items being considered as 'in stock' when I ordered them. That said they did phone me regarding delays and they did eventually get everything to me in working order. They are not perfect, but I really don't think they are in the business of ripping people off. I just don't think that the website is always accurate in terms of stock.

I'm guilty of one really. Jack Bruce and Andy Fraser prompted me to buy a Gibson EB3 when I was about 16. Since then I don't think I would buy/have bought a bass on the basis of 'because X plays it). In fact it would probably prevent me out of buying it as I don't really want to be a fanboy or copycat. So many of my favourite bassists use a Rickenbacker, but it seems like it is almost a cliche in stoner rock circles so I avoid them. Also I do love Tool but I have never thought that the 'magic' of the guy's sound was the bass, but rather the player.

[quote name='Doddy' post='1168359' date='Mar 19 2011, 03:38 PM']Seeing someone great has never made me want to give up. I usually get influenced to pick the bass up and practice. I do sometimes get slightly disheartened when I see players/bands that I consider to be seriously bad, being lauded as great though.[/quote] Pretty my experience too.

The pickup controls are really cool. Why it has taken so long for Fender to go back to that design is beyond me. A cool Fender is a cool Fender. I hope this pickup design does well and at some point makes its way to non-custom shop models. I will not even ask about the price!

Its just a technique, there is nothing wrong with it really, rather the problem is with the players that feel obliged to use the technique at all possible times. I don't get the people that use slapping as a generic 'showing off in public' technique or as the only way to try out a new bass. I find I get more out of the bass playing fingerstyle to see how the bass 'breathes' and resonates when played, to me it works as a better way to try out the natural tonal characteristics of a bass. I find that it is a good technique to learn though, even if you never need to use it in the context of band. Its just good to explore different ways of playing and seeing what works for the player. So I guess I am in the middle of the 'slap is crap' debate.

I only have the Walkabout combo, but it is probably the best sounding single cab I have heard. The Powerhouse range are really good, but also really expensive and far from lightweight. So from that it is pretty understandable that they are not that popular over here. Great cabs, but I feel that it falls between two stools: too expensive to be a solid, workhouse cab; too heavy to compete with the modern lightweight boutique amps.

1978 Fender Precision.

From my experience I think that the Microbass is a lot similar in sound to the HD 350 than it is to the Fafner. I think that the EBS Valvedrive would get you a lot closer to the sound of the Fafner in pedal form. Great pedal though the microbass. In my opinion you are probably not going to get the same sound shaping capabilities and flexibilty as a full on amp as the Fafner through something like the Bass Driver, which while awesome, is really just going to give a couple of stock sounds (which are really great, but change the character of your bass a fair bit). I don't think the Bass Driver is something for those that are constantly changing settings. Its a bit of a 'plug in and go box' in my experience Try turning the 'blend' knob on the Sansamp down for starters though, so you get a more transparent sound coming through.