Muzz

Oddly, this'll be the second time today I've typed this, but I used to have a LMIII, and ended up putting a Sansamp/BDI21 in front of it to get an Ampeggy/drive tone, and then I bought a TC Classic (and then a RH450, for the bells and whistles, which are great - there's nothing out there which will do all the RH450 will do in one box) and sold the LMIII and the pedals straight away. The RH450 has frequency controls for the Bass, Low Mid, etc, so there's lots to play with, but, as is being discussed currently, it's a low-mid voiced amp with a definite character that doesn't suit everybody (but then what does?). Having said that, it sounds like it might suit you. The BH500 apparently has the same tone circuits, but is a lot bigger, I've never tried one. Then again, I like the ABM heads (and the Spyder) too, so you might be good to go with that.

Was in PMT earlier in the week, and if I'd had more time I'd have tried the 330 Spyder out (I spent all my time with the SR1200) - I had a 550 Spyder briefly, and I loved the tone. I'd be interested in any reviews, if only due to idle curiosity (happy with my RH450). The SR1200 was...disappointing. The pickups are great (Nordy Big Splits), but it didn't feel £500 better than a SR500 - the wood in particular was bland and not finished very well. I'd really wanted to like it, too.

Yeah, that's my understanding. Interesting that you preferred the Skyline, though - that's cheered me up no end

FWIW, I used a LMIII for a good while (rock stuff, precision, pick), then I bought a BDI21, which gave me the more aggressive tone I was after, then I bought a Sansamp for the programmable functions, then I got all OCD about not having pedals (don't like the mither of them), and I bought a RH450, which sorted me out completely. A Classic450 would do the job as a more aggressive backup if you don't need the bells and whistles of the RH. And yes, the TC stuff is at least as loud as the LMIII...

I can only conclude there's something wrong with either his rig or his ears, then - I play in a band where I use ear protection because we have a full-on rock drummer, and I've never been anywhere 11 o'clock on the volume. I've played club gigs where I didn't go through the house PA, and the sound guy didn't realise until he tried to lower my fader and remembered he hadn't connected the DI cable... That's where the "Where's the rest of it?" comment in my sig comes from - after the gig, he didn't believe I only had the kit I did. What cabs is your mate using? Edit for agreement with WoTs far more coherent possibility...

Just got a Skyline DJ4, and it's so much better than any Fender Jazz I've had. Very very nice indeed - the US ones must be sublime.

It's a head with a particular voicing, a hatful of features you won't find anywhere else, and some clever background gubbins which makes the most efficient use of the voicing. The top end roll-off and Tubetone functions should really be a pointer to the target audience, and if, like me, you're in that target audience, then it works really really well. Every amp made will have a sound which is disliked by someone, and if you like low low end rather than rock-type low mids, then it isn't for you. The sanctimonious witch-hunt on TB was just ridiculous, and as indicated above, it's fuelled by a herd of bedroom warriors who have never owned (let alone gigged) one, and who can't/won't see past "watts=volume".

The longer I look for one 'really good' bass, the more I'm regretting selling my Overwater. Such a lovely piece of wood, I should have persisted and changed the pups, but back then (not so long ago) I looked at a bass as a complete thing, not something to be played around with until it was right.

God Almighty, mine's deafeningly loud.

There's got to be a Latin name we could come up with which would be factually correct and yet sound...expensive. How's about Lignum Misceremus?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329670996' post='1545613'] This. Note to self - buy more plywood. [/quote] Could be a plan, but as I'm sure Fender's marketing department* know, people won't pay a grand for a bass made from plywood, no matter how it sounds... * And all the others, too...

Yeah, but once the guitard cranks up, it's all pretty academic... While the factors of wood density and internal construction (which will vary from tree to tree and slice to slice) might in theory have an effect on the sound, in practice it's so subtle as to be undetectable by most people who aren't looking for it. And even then... The 'strap a couple of pickups and a neck onto some plywood and compare to a Fender Jazz' thread on TB pretty much demonstrated that. I've found pickup type and placement to be the biggest influence on tone (after your fingers) by a long, long, long way. These days I like to think of 'tone woods' as nice to look at...

That's lovely. I'm a big fan of having a go at things like this- cracking job!

Yep, I tread a line between the definitive stuff being absolutely right, and not killing myself if the details sometimes aren't (but the overall sound is good). As an example, we do Forget You (Cee Lo Green), and there's some pretty random twiddlefills near the end which I haven't bothered with learning exactly, and no-one has ever noticed my substitutions. On the other hand, fanny around with the bass intro to Sweet Child Of Mine, and you're on shaky ground.

Sorry to hear this Clarky, not much I can add that hasn't been said already, but fingers crossed and I'm sure there's new opportunities just around the corner.

Traded basses with Hutton, and a simpler, more straightforward process you couldn't wish for. Great communications, and boy, can he pack a bass. Bonus socks, too! Hutton's a gent and a credit to this place, deal with him in complete confidence.

Yeah, it was pretty much a staple back in the day. Listening to it again in the cold light of a YouTube vid (and the guy does a great job of recreating it), it's surprisingly rubbish.

Awaiting a set of SD SSB-4s for my Fenderbird, but the Laklandbird will have Nordy Big Splits. It'll change the sound, trust me. If you've a few quid to throw at the project for fun, Nordstrand will make you a jazz pickup in a soapbar cover. The Epi soapbar rout will take an EMG35, which is the size Nordy work with replacements for. I asked Wizard not long ago about making something non-humbucking in a soapbar shape, and Andy said it wouldn't work. I'm watching this one, though, interested in how it turns out

It's gotta look right, but it's also gotta play right. The sound (up to a point) I can sort out with pickups and electrics. I've got a Fortress that's just lovely to play, and it now sounds like I want it to, but (and I've whined about this before on here) the colour...sheesh, it just constantly niggles at me. If I could guarantee the result, I'd refinish it, but it's a maple body, and Gawd knows how that'll end up. I'll play the bass for a while, but then it'll go back into its case for a while, because looking at it bugs me. Yes, I'm shallow. On the other hand, I had a Ray in the right colours (black/black/maple), but I couldn't live with the sound, and the neck was too big. I guess if it had been just one factor I'd have worked on it, but both meant it had to go.

"[color=#000000][font=Arial][size=4]to emulate the iconic 1964 Rickenbacker 4001s of the late Bee Gee Maurice Gibb"[/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font=Arial][size=4]Now that's what I call a niche market...[/size][/font][/color]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1328997434' post='1535958'] My fave JJ moment: When the bass comes in on Hanging Around. It really sounds like the bass amp is actually in your room, playing along to the track. Fantastic bass moment that. [/quote] This. The greatest bass guitar moment, ever.

I'd go for the Ibby every time - I've got the 500, and a friend has the 505. Great basses for the money, and the easiest playing instruments I've found: the ergonomics are just so right, although you need to like narrow, shallow, fast necks. Barts, too...