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I have a couple of Epi basses , and a couple of Gibson basses. The Epis are both from the Unsung Factory in Korea and I have no complaints about the quality , they are very well made. I’m ok with the Gibsons too. Same deal with Fenders and Squiers. The US made instruments are worth more , not necessarily a superior build.

Still , there’s nothing like acquiring nice stuff… guilty

Much of the offshore production has been great . Initially Japan was the source for cheap labour , then Korea , now we’re to Indonesia and China. Being manufactured in Japan does necessarily mean it’s superior to something from China. But we just like to think that if something costs more , it must be better. That isn’t always the case.

My main gig bass is a Dano Longhorn , but my reasons for using it have nothing to do with the price . It has a deep woody thump (ancient strings) and slides wonderfully under the stage mix. And , it’s featherlight. And it’s seriously fun to play. I usually bring a backup bass and have a good selection of stuff to choose from , sometimes I try it for a song or two , and inevitably go right back to the Dano.

And the second practice rig is an SWR Headlite into an Ampeg 210AV cab, although I’ve been looking at the mini Trace Elliot eight and ten inch cabs …

Now that the weekend’s over it’s back to the practice rig . I have two , this little GK MB200 and a PhilJones C2 is a wonderful low volume solution. The MB 200 recently sported the “pink ring of doom” and was fixed by an authorized repair tech. Well worth the repair!

That’s a heck of a good deal. The CV basses have a great bang for buck ratio.

For gigs I usually play a Dano Longhorn , there’s just something about how it’s woody thump slides under the mix , but my favourite thing to play is easily this little Gibson DC Jr. It’s light , sounds wonderful and is really fun to play. And the Ric , well it’s simply a gorgeous old thing.

With some old friends down at the local blues dive , we’ve been doing a Sunday jam there for around twenty five years, some of the usual suspects.

Gotta say the cheapos of today are often very playable instruments , that wasn’t always the case. I have an Epi Flying V! And love the trashy little thing , picked it up used for a good price. I love it , and it’s doubtful I’d shell out Gibson money for one. Last year I picked up a Squier Bass VI , my first Squier. Again it’s unlikely I’d spring for a vintage or Custom Shop VI so I’m thankful for the Squier. And spend a surprising amount of time on it. No complaints about the build quality of either.

I’m in the House Band that’s done a Sunday Jam for the last twenty five years , and sometimes the Sunday jam will be the most enjoyable gig of the week. Certainly the case last night. Oh there were some moments of horror , no jam is complete without both extremes , but there was certainly some great playing , and a great case of fun. Here’s a bunch of the usual suspects.

I mostly play short scales these days but still have some classics around. The Pbass is a 72 and for many years was the only bass I owned , whenever someone would pick it up they’d inevitably say “this is a nice one”. I missed out on some great gear deals back when things were cheap because I thought I had all the bass I’d ever need. The Ray is about twenty years old now and for years was the bass I kept handy beside the couch. I just love that fat chunky neck! I’m normally a flatwound guy but I keep fresh Slinkies on the Ray. Two very different basses.

I remember an interview with Abigail Ybarra , the legendary winder , and she mentioned that winding pickups was like knitting.

Welcome Manish!

The upper end Squiers deliver a great bang to buck ratio. I was thankful they did VM and CV versions, the vintage originals fetch silly money , and the Custom Shop ones are still pretty pricey. There was a Mexican run but they’re long out of issue and hard to find. I’m still surprised at the time I spend goofing around on mine , no regrets whatsoever.

I’ve played a good number of them , some friends have them (and love them). Unlikely that I’d spring for one. I’m quite happy with the selection of basses I have , already have twenty something basses.

I’ve never been happier. Got the cabs first , and then decided I should try the amp.

No , I have a ton of headroom. For most gigs my rig is a single cab solution , however I’ve found that sometimes dual cabs are needed. And two smaller 8 ohm cabs are more convenient than a single larger 4 ohm cab.

That’s lovely!

Welcome! I’m a Longhorn fan too.

I know people that have removed wire to improve the pickup sound. They swore the surgery was successful. I have never been tempted.

Usually run my amp around 3 . It’s a Bergantino Forte , so I have a ton of headroom left.

I have a 112 and 210 combination , they were designed to be used together , both are 8 ohm loads. If I need volume , or am outdoors I use both , but for many gigs I can easily get by with a single cab. So a modular rig works best for me. I’m usually in mid sized rooms , and often not in the PA. I have to fill the room.

Being an old geezer I remember when used stuff was cheap , and the term “vintage” hadn’t come into play. Used meant cheap , and I wish I had been able to invest at the time. Could have picked up EB3s for around $300. Pbasses were 4/5 hundred bucks , some were pre CBS , there was no distinction at the time.

Jack White covers the Little Willie John Classic I’m Shakin.