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Wanting a change for no readily apparent reason?


MacDaddy

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My Tech Amp Puma 500 sounds great, has never let me down, and does what I need it to.

But I'm fancying a change for no readily apparent reason.

Has anyone else changed things, just 'because'?

Edited by MacDaddy
Feckin autocorrect!
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Waaaay too many times 😉 For the last 2 years I've tried to be more picky with what I buy and really try to justify:

1) what does the new bass / amp etc do that my current one doesn't? (and do I really need it to do it?)

2) can I use my current bass / amp etc in a different way that gives me 1) above

3) can I think of a vaguely feasible reason to overrule 1) & 2) that enables me to buy the bass / amp etc that I'm gassing over 🙂

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I’ve changed amps many times in the past due to just wanting a change, however in recent years I’ve only changed for specific reasons/identified improvements. Nothing wrong with a change now & then, keeps us feeling fresh.

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I think out of curiosity I'd try different amps and cabs and basses. Spent far to much money. But, I can honestly say that I haven't bought an amp, cab or bass for over a year, possibly 2. There is stuff out there I'd like to try but after 20+ years of playing, (and some folk will far exceed that figure), I'm very pleased with what I have now and enjoy noodling everyday. The occasional gig or open-mic and I'm contented.

Those at a different place on their journey through life/bass playing will still be feeling that itch for a change. It's all good fun. When the bass-bashes start up again it'll be good to have a scratch.

Edited by grandad
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All my kit is changed and or added to for no reason other than I feel like it. Bass is not a form of income for me, it is purely a hobby and therefore I am not tied down in expecting / wanting an roi on it. Bass is purely for fun for me and I have the spare cash to throw at it.

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At the top end of the year I moved from amp + cab to FRFR + pedal and I am delighted to report it has removed a whole layer of GAS from my life.

Added another, of course - but changing pedals is (can be?) cheaper than constantly changing amps.  But, now I have it,  I am fairly sure that the Spectrodrive does everything I want.

Doesn't stop me looking at amps and cabs, mind.  There is room in my life for a BF One10, for example.... 😁

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All the time! I think as bass players we forget we're people and as such constantly evolving our views and tastes. They're rarely static. I think it's normal to want to change things up from time to time, be that an amp or bass. New gear often inspires you to approach and play things differently too.

Edited by 40hz
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22 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

My Tech Amp Puma 500 sounds great, has never let me down, and does what I need it to.

But I'm fancying a change for no readily apparent reason.

Has anyone else changed things, just 'because'?

Of course! Basses, strings, amps, fx... I am so busy with work and family life my bass adventures live mainly in my idle imagination so I dream up changes I think I want and if something appears second hand I'll buy it if I want to or if my "i will bid low, probably won't win..." goes wrong. 

But may I raise you this, changing stuff for reasons that don't even fool myself? Buying gear for the band I'm never actually going to start, or because "all pro's need a..." when I am far from ever being there. Why did i need £155 worth of wireless kit? Why do I have a Badass bridge lying unused in my spares box... Why do I even have a spares box??!!!! 

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I’m worried that it’s been so long since I’ve seen / used my GK rig that when /if   I do it will disappoint me! GAS for me has taken a definite back seat since the start of the Covid period, and I’m tempted to use that as an excuse to sell what I have and ‘downsize’ / ‘thin the herd’ to release some dosh. Probably regret it though. 🤔

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...
On 21/09/2020 at 15:26, mazdah said:

After many years with Ampeg and brief affair with Ashdown I went nuts and got myself an SWR amp with ancient Eden d410t (original David) cabinet. 
 

Couldn’t be happier! Want more SWRs!!!

There was/is a SM900 for sale on here recently. I told myself that once I got my Darkglass M900 that I’d be all set and wouldn’t need anything else. Strange then that I’ve spent the last few weeks looking at SWR, Trace Elliot, Ashdown and have currently got an obsession with EBS HD350, TD650 and Fafner heads. 🤦‍♂️

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  • 1 month later...
On 21/10/2020 at 09:27, MacDaddy said:

 

now gassing for a Peavey MiniMEGA 1000.

118729_33869.jpg

If it's any help at all, I used one of these at a festival last year and it was a bit stinky poo, frankly. I'm not precious about house rigs and I hope I'm not a gear snob but this item fell short on every measure.

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I'm horrendous for this! Then I usually regret getting rid of what's been replaced! 

Gigged a GK 1001RBII for 10 years comfortably,

Then got a TC RH750 'cos lights, 

Then back to another 1001RBII after 2 years because I missed it,

Then to an Aguilar TH500 because of YouTube,

Then I bought back my first 1001RBII because I thought it had more "heft", and the TH500 sounded better through a friend's Aguilar cabs than my barefaced cab

And now I REALLY miss the Tonehammer and have extreme gas for a TH700, as well as wanting to delve into ashdown's all tube offerings for warmth and heft 🤦‍♂️... It's never ending!

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12 hours ago, thisisswanbon said:

I'm horrendous for this! Then I usually regret getting rid of what's been replaced! 

Gigged a GK 1001RBII for 10 years comfortably,

Then got a TC RH750 'cos lights, 

Then back to another 1001RBII after 2 years because I missed it,

Then to an Aguilar TH500 because of YouTube,

Then I bought back my first 1001RBII because I thought it had more "heft", and the TH500 sounded better through a friend's Aguilar cabs than my barefaced cab

And now I REALLY miss the Tonehammer and have extreme gas for a TH700, as well as wanting to delve into ashdown's all tube offerings for warmth and heft 🤦‍♂️... It's never ending!

I feel your pain. It's worth considering getting the Tone Hammer pedal and keeping the GK on, though. I got one earlier this year and use it as a pre-amp and DI. Currently getting the tone of my life, frankly.

The Tone Hammer is quite subtle in its effect. I only realised how great it was when I heard a live recording from earlier in the year.

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8 minutes ago, shug said:

I feel your pain. It's worth considering getting the Tone Hammer pedal and keeping the GK on, though. I got one earlier this year and use it as a pre-amp and DI. Currently getting the tone of my life, frankly.

The Tone Hammer is quite subtle in its effect. I only realised how great it was when I heard a live recording from earlier in the year.

Would the GK not pull the warmth out of the tone hammer sound though? The GK is quite a cold sounding amp by comparison. I also use a plethora of subs and synth sounds and I wonder how the TH pedal would handle them 🤔

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9 hours ago, thisisswanbon said:

Would the GK not pull the warmth out of the tone hammer sound though? The GK is quite a cold sounding amp by comparison. I also use a plethora of subs and synth sounds and I wonder how the TH pedal would handle them 🤔

Well - and it's early days yet - it doesn't seem to. I've used it with a few different amps including a GK400RB, and best policy seems to be to set the amps' controls more or less flat and use the TH as the main EQ and as the DI, if you're going into a PA.

Of course, like all of us, I haven't done many gigs of late and have by no means fully explored the TH's potential. To be honest I only realised how good the Aguilar was when I heard this recording from the Summer which is the TH going to the desk and the Gk and 2x12 serving as monitoring onstage. I don't know if it's the particular sound you'd want - probably not - but it sounds like a bass to me!

 

Edited by shug
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