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I remove my glasses to read. They spend much of their time perched on top of my head.

I’m a Bergantino guy , but have some old friends that are long time Aguilar users and can share their experiences. These are guys that are busy , and play a variety of venues so they’re constantly lugging it around and dragging it home. I’ve never heard of one reliability issue. It’s designed to be used. It’s well made. These are guys that look after their gear, not abuse it. No complaints that I’ve ever heard.

I had my MB200 develop the pink ring of doom, I looked around at other similar amps and decided there was a reason I loved that little MB200. I got the MB to a qualified repair guy , and it runs like a charm again. My problem turned out to be the fan , and when it didn’t work the power module burned out. Still , the repair was much cheaper than buying a new amp. And once again it’s a reliable little workhorse.

Cab design has undergone such incredible advances in the last dozen years. One reason I signed up here was to learn a little more about amp and cab options that are not common here in Eastern Canada. And from what I’ve read , If I was in the UK , I’d try and visit Barefaced. And I’d buy a cab or two.

Ouch. I hope the fix won’t take too long.

That’s a lot of Alembic stock for one shop to carry.

Nice rig!

I’ve read quite a few reports from those that bought the XC. For the most part they were diehard Ric aficianados , and well versed with Ric basses. And they were delighted that the company made something different. And completely over the moon with their new bass. Expensive , yes , but also something unique. I expect them to only appreciate. I wish I had the disposable income to have snagged one. I happily would have.

Some dealers have stock , but Rickenbacker are no longer taking orders to make new ones , so once the available stock is gone , they’re done. (and at that point they’ll probably increase in selling price , as so many limited runs have done) I think they’re gorgeous , I’d love to have bought one , but …

I haven’t brought a new bass home in just over a year! I did pick up a baritone guitar simply because my Bass VI was a whole lot of fun. Also picked up two more amps in the last year. And not seeing any immediate need in the near future.

This pandemic is not over , and there are a lot of people with a reluctance to be in a crowded environment. So we see the numbers have been down , but things seem to be gaining some momentum. We’ve lost some venues. But the last years have been brutal. I’m hopeful.

It’s one of my favourite times.

Best to simply play as many as you can get your mitts on. What’s perfection for one player will be misery for another , we all have unique preferences. A simple setup will completely alter the character of any instrument. I’d suggest learning how to set one up. It’s simply part of learning about your instrument. That said , I prefer passive to active basses. I like the extra knobs on my amp rather than on the bass. I’m an amp nerd. I like four stringed instruments more than five stringed ones. I’ve come to prefer short scale instruments. I’m fussy about weight , so I’ll pass if it’s heavy. I like some basses because of how the single coil pickups sound , and others because they have humbuckers. I have neck through , set neck and bolt on instruments. Solid , chambered and hollow basses, so I pick up an instrument and check the weight , put it on my lap and noodle for a minute and get a sense of how it’s set up. I’ll try and be aware of balance. I’ll check the neck relief if the strings are high to see if a simple truss rod adjustment might be in order. I’ll plug it in and make sure everything works, and listen . Simple string choice has a huge impact on how things sound. I’ve picked up too many over the years , and have some problems selling them. And I have learned that I love different ones for different reasons. Simply play as many different ones as you can , and buy the ones you like. You will also need an understanding partner.

I usually have some memory work to do , and like to warm up with scales , but I have to give myself a good chunk of time to simply goof around and explore. That time has certainly been a gift when I get a solo.

At the jam there are some that are just ear players without a lot of theory, and others that have completed music degrees. Some that can lead a band with gestures , and some that are terrible communicators. We get the dog’s dinner …

With E, G , B , C and D sounding so similar in a noisy room with musicians that I suspect suffer some hearing issues … we have a recipe for disaster at the best of times.

I’m in a long running house band for a blues jam every Sunday , I always write down several songs to listen to. Sometimes I’m surprised at how close I imagined the bass part might go. And sometimes not. As long as one person in the house band knew what was going on we’re usually fine. It’s a fascinating dynamic when most of the band has no clue as to what’s about to happen.

You could buy the Exponent and have both pedals in the software Suite.

It’s a lot of fun , it takes a little time to get comfy with the Suite , but it quickly falls into place. I’m still discovering what various things can do , it’s easy to edit and save presets. So you can continue to fine tune anything you construct at a later time. I hope you find the fun I’ve been having with it! Enjoy!

I approve of the 200 500 900 watt choices. My little GK MB200 was a favourite home practice amp, it could also handle small and mid sized rooms. I was heartbroken when it stopped working and went looking for a replacement, couldn’t find anything at the time that I liked better. I did get it repaired. But if these had been around I might well have picked one up.

I’d throw flats on all three.

I hope you have the fun I’ve been having. The software takes some time to get , but it doesn’t take too long. I enjoy constructing presets , and I’ve noticed they seem to be a little more subtle as I become more familiar with the process. The amp carries a good learning curve.

I do mostly mid sized rooms , and am not in the PA for most gigs , so my amp has to fill the room. I like modern heads and cabs. I’m lugging them.

Shania Twain is coming to Halifax and Herself is excited. god help me

What’s not to love? I bought a Squier VI last year and continue to spend a surprising amount of time on it. Love the thing. I really didn’t expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I have. edit It came with fairly light strings , people complained , and Fender made a heavier string set available. I put on the heavier strings and like them a lot better. I had to slightly file the nut on the low E slot , and re-intonate. No big deal.