Conan

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1392730670' post='2372026'] I'm not a gay or out, ...on that note, I'll go do something manly & balance will be restored. [/quote] What an odd thing to say! I don't really count my basses. But I've currently got four. OK, so I guess I [i][b]do[/b][/i] count them. What I mean is, I don't really pay too much attention to how many I have. Sometimes five is too few and sometimes two is too many. It doesn't really matter. I have a fretless in case I ever need one. So far, I haven't. My Status has been with me since I was just out of my teens. My MIM J feels [b][i]right[/i][/b]. I want my Marcus Miller to feel right, but somehow it just doesn't. Not wrong exactly, just not "right". But if a bass isn't quite right, or isn't getting much use (and doesn't look like it is going to) - then it is on its way out. Not that selling basses is easy at the moment, but trading them can be fun too. It gives me a chance to try something that I wouldn't otherwise be able to. It's not harming anyone, is it? There are worse (and more expensive) things to spend your money and time on...

I recently carried out a trade with John - his Barefaced Big One for my BF Compact (bass cabinets, for those unfamiliar with these items! ). A very smooth deal (once we got the transportation sorted out!). No problems whatsoever. Clear, honest communications throughout. Excellent packaging too! Highly recommended

[quote name='DorsetBlue' timestamp='1392720928' post='2371892'] Active means that you have a pre-amp onboard the bass which allows you to make EQ adjustments at the bass and also normally gives your signal a boost too. This does require a battery inside the bass though. [/quote] Basically, active basses need batteries and passive ones don't - although it's not quite as simple as that as you can get active and passive pickups too! You can run passive pickups through an active preamp and vice-versa! Generally though, passive tone controls only allow you to roll off or reduce the high frequencies - whereas an active tone control allows you to BOOST certain frequencies as well as cut them... Or at least that is my understanding! Neither is inherently "better" than the other, although active basses can give more tonal variations than many passive basses. Until the battery runs out, anyway.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1392392098' post='2368138'] BC Rich Eagle: [/quote] Nice.... but it needs more switches.

That's not good.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1392677473' post='2371619'] He is the pick man! [/quote] His finger and slap playing ain't too shabby either! BTW, [i][b]that[/b][/i] is what a "roadworn" bass should look like!

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1392543762' post='2369777']I love Rotos but they do die rather quickly.[/quote] Me too. What I do now is put them on fresh from the pack (obviously!) and play them for one gig or a couple of rehearsals. That's usually enough for them to start losing zing. Then I put them in alcohol/ethanol/methylated spirits for a few hours (giving them a good swirl around), take them out and dry them, and pop 'em back on. I find that this "second life" lasts a lot longer than the first one, and they feel better too!

[quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1392389201' post='2368067'] [/quote] Not meant to be confrontational, honest! I'm just interested to hear where JTUK gets that opinion from. It is rather a sweeping generalisation, but maybe he has seen/heard a lot of bass players with awful tones...

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1392365857' post='2367758'] yep...pretty much, and don't know how to get it or what they want to do with it [/quote] I'm intrigued. What do you mean, and how do you come to that conclusion? I like to think that I know how to set up my gear and get a decent tone from it. Are you suggesting that I (and others) don't?

[quote name='Jonny Walker' timestamp='1392386188' post='2368015'] carrying a 45kg cab in each hand is just idiotic unless your an Olympic body builder or there's a honey bager coming... [/quote] Not sure what you mean by "honey bager"... but I was quite a big lad in those days. The "idiot" bit I'll leave for others to comment upon.

A TKS H115 would definitely be worth a look too. Nice and light, and features an adjustable tweeter. Great sound (to my ears) - very smooth and rich, almost "compressed" sounding. Not many around on the used market, and may be expensive to get shipped from Sweden (where they are made). [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/212014-tks-engineering-cabs-new-to-the-uk/page__hl__tks"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/212014-tks-engineering-cabs-new-to-the-uk/page__hl__tks[/url]

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1391696034' post='2360290'] Whichever one you decide to use, think about placement on the stage. The boundary reinforcement (i think that's the correct term) from placing your amp close to a wall or in a corner can make a small rig 'sound' massive compared to the same rig sat in the middle of the stage. [/quote] And your EQ! I know this is a bit like teaching your granny to suck eggs (whatever that means!), but cutting the bass and adding more "midrange"* can massively improve your audibility. *Yes, I know that the range of middle fequencies is very large and that adjusting even a narrow range of them can have a huge effect...

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1392382907' post='2367976'] Very surprised that sweeping the mid freq doesn't seem to make much difference - is it working properly?![/quote] I thought that too! Might the battery need changing? I find the amount of cut and boost available on the East circuit to be incredibly large! The sweepable option allows you to compensate for room acoustics too. Especially if (like me) you have an amp with very basic tone-shaping abilities.

[quote name='Jonny Walker' timestamp='1392133826' post='2365140'] i know its the trend to get tiny lightweight cabs but i really don't see a problem having a big rig ... wish people would man up a bit! [/quote] I am going to print this post and mail it to you in thirty years time. See if you still feel the same way then! There was a time when I used to [i][b]look forward[/b][/i] to lugging my two Trace cabs out of a gig (both at around 45kg) - one in each hand! Not now though...

[quote name='Pete1967' timestamp='1392163411' post='2365633'] For me, the only reason to swap tuners out is to cure neck dive. IME even cheap tuners hold intonation fine for all practical purposes and I've never detected a change in tone. If you have neck dive, go for Hipshot ultralites ot Schaller BM Lites and live with the holes that are left (or plug them). Otherwise put the money towards those boots, or beer..... [/quote] Wise words! If you want a different tone from your bass, first off try a different brand or gauge of strings - cheap and easy! Next, look at swapping pickups (but this can be expensive and not always give the change you were looking for). A different bridge [i][b]may[/b][/i] help... (I'm not convinced by this one, but there are many who are!). Tuners? I've never heard of anyone swapping tuners to get a different tone. I just can't see how it would make much difference at all!

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1391848367' post='2361908'] Ewan Vernal (Deacon Blue) [/quote] Good call! he played on this too... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I8gd8rlpGw

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1392023416' post='2363580'] Or do you have a big one ?(ooh er) [/quote] Funny you should say that...! I am in the middle of trading my Barefaced Compact (which is nice and small, but very loud) for a Barefaced Big One! Bigger, and certainly as loud My Hartke LH500 barely breaks sweat and the whole rig is a one-trip carry. Certainly better than the 20 years I struggled with a Trace Elliott stack (AH250, 1518 and 1048). I feel tired just thinking about it... Interestingly, I'm not sure my sound has changed that much either