Muzz

Yep, I used the Franken P/J, the Ray and the fretless Corvette on the album, whenever the engineer suggested it, on the basis that this is the guy's job, so he knows more about it than I do. Also, it's worth mentioning at this point that I was initially unhappy with some of the bass sounds as recorded (as I thought he'd messed with 'my sound'), but once the process was finished, I could hear the end result was what was needed for the track.

A couple of sheets of pyramid acoustic foam does the same thing for about a tenth of the price. Not great under very heavy or tall stacks, but under a single cab, it's very effective. And it packs down very small, too. The stand does a similar thing. For a tenner or so, it's worth a try...

I use a version of that stand, more like a deck chair, very small when folded, and it angles my 1515L when I need to. Because the cab ends up at 45 degrees or so, I use a folded sheet of that black bobbly mat they sell to stop things sliding off your dashboard. I got about half a square metre for a couple of quid, it gives some vibration relief and stops the amp moving. Very good indeed, I'll get some pics up shortly. Here's the stand: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stand-Stagg-GAS-3-2-Monitor-Amplifier-Amp-Speaker-Floor-Stand-Folding-00693-/190673863031?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Access_RL&hash=item2c650c4177 And here's a dearer version of the non-slip mat stuff: http://www.maplin.co.uk/multi-purpose-non-slip-mat-217606?c=froogle&u=217606&t=module

Tried one a while ago at PMT, just a gorgeous valve tone, would love one, but waaaay too rich for my wallet. The EQ section is, IIRC, the same as in the 550 Spyder, which is a bit more practical from a form-factor and price point.

I had one recently (not the maple-necked one but I'm sure it's close) and it was very light (maybe 8lbs tops?) and ergonomically one of the best-designed and therefore comfortable basses I've ever picked up. The Barts and 3-band give it a real spread of sounds, and IIRC, they come strung with Elixirs, too. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Have to say I didn't get on with the PF500 much either, and I sooooo wanted to like it, for lots of reasons. I'm smack in the old school/vintage/Ampeg/valvey demographic, too. Well, maybe not so much I didn't get on with it, more that it made me go "Meh". Tried it with a couple of basses and different cabs, too, just to be sure. Best with a P, but even then... I'd still recommend it as something to be tried in competition with the other smaller heads, though: as has been said, horses, courses, and all that...

I replaced the pups in my Fortress with a Wizard P/J set, but that was because I was after a particular sound (older-school than the MECs), and I got it.

So you've never covered a Queen song then? Just because a gay bloke had a hit singing it doesn't make it bad. Listen to the Gloria Jones original, grit your teeth and get on with it...

OK, I've read a few responses to threads recently where people were saying along the lines of "The rest of the band prefer me to play my Fender/MM/whatever", or "My bandmates prefer the sound of my ...". Now it might just be my lot in the originals band, but I can't recall any point in the last four years where anyone's expressed a preference, and I must have practiced and gigged with at least a dozen different basses. The nearest I got was in the studio, where the singer insisted on the Ray rather than the PJ for a couple of tracks, which was encouraging, but then he ruined it later by not being able to tell which was which on playback ("I like the Ray sound on this one" "That's the P/J" "Oh, right.") The other bands I play with are dep-based covers/function bands, and there's a pretty large pool of players, so understandably folk don't remember. The only thing my bandmates prefer is the Schroeder, because it's easy to lift. Is it just me?

Loved this last night, great, great voice, and a really good band, especially the drummer. Will be checking them out more extensively when I get a mo.

As far as tone goes... maple looks nicer to me. Birdseye or some flame, even better.

Yep, they're monsters for passive - I love a series switch (I've had them wired in all my two-pickup bitsas) but the range available with those four settings is fantastic. The tone control seems to be so much more than just a passive cut, too. Not sure if Dood mentioned in the video, but they're super-light: mine (an ABZ4) weighs 7lbs 9oz on my digital scales, which makes a massive difference on a long gig/rehearsal. My bass GAS is pretty much done.

Wow +1 - I've never seen one of those either. Very interesting.

Was playing a 1024X in PMT Salford at the weekend, a very very nice bass, very simple and straightforward, but very well made. The 2024x is also very very nice indeed, but given that it's been more than a year since I played one of those, I couldn't give you a meaningful comparison. If they did a 1024x or 2024x with a maple board I'd be very interested, but I can't remember seeing any BB with a maple board, so I think that's unlikely.

Has anybody pointed out yet that it's not one speaker - the 10s produce the high notes and the 15s produce the low notes...

My Fenderbird, although it now has a Hipshot Supertone bridge, new wiring, pots and knobs, pull-serial switching and EMG pickups. Tell you what, I'll take a more recent photo, shall I? [sharedmedia=core:attachments:89623]

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1334736806' post='1620325'] The tone is very versatile and very comfortable to play. I don't really care much about cosmetic design...I have owned a few Warwicks and they look like a stepped on piece of chewing gum! [/quote] Corvettes were ruined for me by a mate, who, when he first saw my Corvette, said of the top horn "That looks like a bit like a nob." A hard mental image to shake, and I never managed it. Sold the bass. I bought another couple over the years, because they're a great bass, but sold them, too. I think I'm mentally scarred. Love my 94 Fortress tho.

I put a set of 1/2" post Ultralights (and the Ultralight Xtender) on my Fenderbird, which had pretty bad (Thunderbird-standard) neck dive, and they fitted fine on the MM P-neck, which I believe is modern Fender standard. The difference is very apparent - the head of the bass feels lovely and light, the neck sits nicely in the hand, and the bass balances very well now, too. If I had the cash, I'd fit them to everything, they're just the way forward for tuners.