Mog

As the title says really. I have a VMJ that I bring to open mic nights but the crappy output socket is really starting to get on my tits. Can anyone recommend an upgrade that will cut out crackles and farts. (As this is a throw-about bass I rather not spend too much).

Trace Elliott and Peavey were the big dogs over here. My neighbour was (still is) a highly regarded pro and he used SWR. That thing sounded like glass even through concrete walls. I think it was a PB-200. He picked up a redhead as soon as they came out ('87 I think). IMO SWR redefined what bass amps could be and were THE brand to have back then.

You should be able to pick up a Yamaha BB424 for less than £200. Great basses for little ££'s.

I use D'Addario EXL 170's on mine. I found Stainless Steel strings were too bright. Haven't tried flats yet but I'm sure they would sound good.

They original unit was a Guild/Hagstrom design. Hammon Eng. produce a version called the Dark Star.

Was it shifted to another section of the site Pete? Try checking from the My Content section of your profile.

Basically it was acting as a solvent. The difference is the molarity of the two products. Household Ammonia is somehow sold with a molarity of up to 10% which is strong enough to burn your lungs. Laboratory grade Ammonia is highly concentrated. I've seen guys drop on the spot after unknowingly walking into a cloud of it. In any concentration it plays havoc with local water treatment facilities so essentially what I'm getting at is use something else. Try using a mix of vinegar and bicarb.

A comp with hard attack and a quick release will get you close to a fingerstyle tone when using a pick but IMO you're better off getting proficient with both techniques and trying to avoid switching between the two during songs. If necessary practice flicking the plec between your ring finger and pinky when not using it. Its just like rolling a coin between your fingers and doesn't take too long to master.

Check out the following bands, Burning Tree, The Winery Dogs, Clutch, ZZ Top, The Atomic Bitchwax, The Black Crowes. They all have Blues/Rock roots but take the concept further than 12 or 16 bar.

Get your wah check out. Mine imparts little if any colouration when its not being used.

Gigging tonight and I've a choice between my two throwabout basses, an early 90's CIJ jazz or a VMJ. The VMJ is in the gigbag. For a budget bass the quality is amazing.

How about throwing a comp or eq pedal with level control between the bass and amp? Should be a cheap fix.

Is it selling out? No. Only a bedroom player or noob with extremely high regard for their own ability would make a statement like that. A good mate of mine does the one man thing (and does it very well!). He sometimes finds it hard to get gigs because the pub owners want the look of a band at the price of a one man/duo act. IME punters can tell the difference when it comes to backing tracks. These days nobody wants to hear an 808 sounding drum beat or a bad synth bassline. It's become too easy to record your own backing tracks which is something I would recommend strongly.

Used one on occasion at acoustic sessions. They can be tricky to use but you can make some unique sounds with one. Be careful though, its easy to overuse it.

MXR M80.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNVdXWdyq2I[/media]

Hartke LH500 and two 1x12 Hydrive cabs. They go for next to nothing secondhand.

Every time!!!

Myself and a few mates run Jam nights down the local. We usually supply 99% of the gear. As long as those using our equipment respect it we don't mind. Everyone has been told that if someone acts the bollox they'll be switched off. Once is usually enough to get the point across.

Its worth it when you don't regret buying it a few weeks later. Simples. Everything else is down to taste/choice.

Ive seen a few of the passive models pop up over here from time to time. So if they can turn up in Ireland there must be a few flying around the second hand market in the UK. I saw Static X play a year or two ago and their bassist was using a deluxe. I couldn't get a good look at his rig but it looked like he was running through a sansamp psa into an Svt. The tone was monstrous. Great definition on the lowest string which surprised me tbh. I really didn't think the electronics were all that when I played one.

http://www.catalinbread.com/SFT This should do it nicely

How much volume do you need? I've gigged in venues with just an EHX 44 Magnum driving a Hi Watt 4x12 and it was plenty loud on stage but had FOH boosting it out front. It easily would have done for the average pub gig by its self. Its about as light weight as it gets.

Apologies. The phone is acting the otters pocket.

Played a deluxe a few years ago and was fairly impressed. The neck was really comfortable and fast (or would have been if the owner knew how to set up a bass) and the electronics were very usable. The build quality was fine but left me wondering if I could get a higher quality instrument for the same money. Overall its a fine bass if somewhat uninspiring/bland.