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Just Buy Them - things you wish you bought sooner


SamPlaysBass

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I've put off a few purchases in the past thinking that there are cheaper alternatives, or that the cost doesn't match how much I need them (a rare moment of clarity). I've used cheap crappy tuners, bought crappy gig bags etc. and I've now made a small list of things that I wish I had bought sooner. Here's my list of 'Just Buy Them...' items:

 

1. Boss TU-3 - I put up with crappy tuners for ages and then bit the bullet. Suddenly realised why there is one on most boards, regardless of genre, instrument, region etc. 10/10

2. Markbass LM3 - Bought mine off the 'bay for a very good price. It's been incredibly useful being so lightweight (I throw mine in a backpack) and with a lovely DI to keep the sound lords happy. Has powered countless cabinets and puts out a wonderful amount of volume, really pushing the notes through the mix in a pleasing way. Standard LM3 has more than enough power as it is. Built like a brick sh'house. Not the finest in aural pleasure, but on a cost / sound / reliability index, it hits a solid 8.5/10

3. TC Electronic Spectracomp - Was shown one of these a few years back, liked it and forgot about it. Found one for a very good price a couple of weeks back and it has changed my view on compression. It supports my playing, not hindering it by choking notes too quickly or sustaining notes when they need to fade out. It's like going from standard def TV to 4K HD. Absolutely love it, a great addition to any board. 9/10

4. Hiscox Bass Cases - STD. - Outperforms every other hard case I've come across so far. Not light, but you trust it. I've had mine over 10 years and I think it'll last another 20 years hard labour. A genuine 10/10 investment. 

 

What items do you wish you had bought sooner? 

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1. a great big cab. a 6x10. i absolutely love it. so much power and definition i can go anywhere and not have to worry about anything sound or power wise. indoor or outdoor it doesnt ever break sweat. wasted years replacing amps and cabs trying to get that big sound from a 300w amp and 1x12 or 1x15. Pointless. A 6x10 has it all day long with almost any amp.

2. a "proper" pro amp. i spent years with the next level down in a range or lesser makes. absolutely no point. buy a recognised pro level amp and the world is so much easier for not that much more money.

i did love my barefaced sc but the 6x10 beats it hands down for power and sound. if i ever was to get another barefaced it would be a modular 2x10 system, but the expense would be completely unrealistic.

i did love my usa precision, but my vintage v4 reissue at a 5th of the price is just as good. if i was to ever get another it would be purely for vanity, sound wise theres nothing in it.

i did love my spectracomp, but my amps compression is good enough. 

i loved by zoom b3 but never used it live - i just dont trust thin adaptors and connections on stage. if i was to ever get another fx unit itd be a recognised rack system or helix etc.

 

 

Edited by la bam
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Been fighting with crappy low powered Windows PCs for yonks and had tech rage. Just got a reconditioned Macbook for 200 quid, downloaded garageband, plugged in my audio interface and control surface and it just works...

Why oh why o why etc? Well, for a start they're overpriced new, but...

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9 minutes ago, la bam said:

1. a great big cab. a 6x10. i absolutely love it. so much power and definition i can go anywhere and not have to worry about anything sound or power wise. indoor or outdoor it doesnt ever break sweat. wasted years replacing amps and cabs trying to get that big sound from a 300w amp and 1x12 or 1x15. Pointless. A 6x10 has it all day long with almost any amp.

2. a "proper" pro amp. i spent years with the next level down in a range or lesser makes. absolutely no point. buy a recognised pro level amp and the world is so much easier for not that much more money.

I love hearing tales of people going back to the big heavy stuff from small, light amps and cabs. I too moved on the Barefaced in pursuit of bigger (and cheaper, and less easy to steal - it's a rough area where I usually gig!) rigs. What are you blasting through now? 

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1 hour ago, KiOgon said:

100% Duck Down Pillow - seriously - all those years with shitty cheap nasty things!

 

1 minute ago, Daz39 said:

Decent mattress - £400 of memory foam loveliness. My back is very grateful.

There's a theme here... The result of years of shifting big heavy boxes around? 

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3 minutes ago, Williams4S said:

I love hearing tales of people going back to the big heavy stuff from small, light amps and cabs. I too moved on the Barefaced in pursuit of bigger (and cheaper, and less easy to steal - it's a rough area where I usually gig!) rigs. What are you blasting through now? 

The rig (in the last 6 months) has gone from:

Class D MarkBass EVO 1 & Barefaced Super Compact (to be fair a great rig).

to

Markbass EVO 1 & Markbass 6x10 ported cab.

to

Ashdown EVO IV ABM 600 & Markbass 6x10 ported cab.

 

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A bass amp to play my missus' bass (which had been lying around the house unplayed for 15 years) through.

Not sure why it took until I was 48 to work out that would be the best thing musically I would ever do. Clearly just a bit of a slow starter... 

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A decent office chair. It took years of sitting in front of the PC on a crappy Ikea folding chair for it to occur to me that I should get something with some actual padding... and lumbar support... and adjustable height... etc.

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1. Hercules guitar / bass stands.  I had to get one out of necessity during a phase of gigging my Thunderbird and an old Explorer bass, but just so much more secure than conventional stands, and fold down compact too

2.  TI flats.  Tried flats and discarded in disgust at various times over the years until I found these.  

3.  A really decent quality lead.   Audible improvement in sound, and no more re-soldering crappy cheap jack plugs.

4.  Leffe Brune :drinks:

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My custom Alembic Triple Omega. It was my present to myself for my 40th, when I finally decided life was too short, regardless of how expensive it was. Sadly my back and neck were a mess by then, meaning that although I had it built as light as possible it was still too much and I eventually moved it on a few years later. I wasted years and a lot of money (way more than it eventually cost) buying lesser things when I could have just bitten the bullet and got a good decade or two out of it. 

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3 hours ago, Daz39 said:

Decent mattress - £400 of memory foam loveliness. My back is very grateful.

Oh yes, forgot about that, we're on our second, first lasted 9 years then seemed to go too firm! Bought the same make again, Ergoflex.

So with the mattress and Down pillow we should be in bed heaven 😁

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1 hour ago, Shaggy said:

 

3.  A really decent quality lead.   Audible improvement in sound, and no more re-soldering crappy cheap jack plugs.

 

This. I am so fed up with my band mates assortment  of cheap crap that causes no end of problems.

And we all know where to get them - from OBBM!

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