Hello! from Cornwall.

[FlyStraight99]

Greetings! 
 

picked up the bass last month and @Deep Thought recommended this page as I have recently fell into a band and I’ve been bugging the fella about equipment. 
 

I’ve a couple precisions, a squier sonic and a Harley Benton PB-20 (initially as a back up but lately I’ve been using the HB more often)  

 

Currently looking for a head & matching cab that can keep up with my fellow bandmates so I’m keen to see if basschat can help.

 

A bit of a backstory: I’m part of a 4 piece band called “The Blinders”  with myself on bass along with 1x Guitarist, 1x Keys, & 1x Drummer of course. We were originally just a small jamming group in which I had originally joined to play guitar but recently it was decided we’d be a band so I have stepped in and decided to handle the low end side of things. 
 

I am after a head & cab that’s suitable for pub rock which doesn’t bring the bank to its knees (mind you I am after a good quality set so understandably I’m not trying to budget too much!) if anyone could advise and help out?  

 

Many thanks in advance ! 

 

 

[SpondonBassed]

Welcome FS99.

[ezbass]

[obbm]

Welcome. Another from Cornwall here. Too old for gigging these days but still have a few basses to keep me amused.

[Geek99]

I’m not from Cornwall. Sorry. 
however I’ve only been an Emmet once 

 

I recommend a tc electronic bh250. You can tweak it with your phone and it has a silent always-on tuner. It’s tiny and super loud 

 

 

Edited May 14 by Geek99

[Eric_Wombat]

Hello from Bodmin! 👋

[obbm]

15 minutes ago, Eric_Wombat said:

Hello from Bodmin! 👋

Hello Bodmin, Mylor Bridge here.

[Cornwall Steve]

Hi to all fellow bass players from Cornwall (and Basschat members too). I'm also from the Bodmin area and another old guy (pushing 70). I don't gig or even jam, just enjoy tinkering/noodling with my 20+ basses plus a few six string guitars, synth, and keyboards. No idea what I'm doing - just keeps me sane on rainy days !😂

[Geek99]

Find some open mic nights, just the right amount of commitment and usually bass players are rarer than a rare thing 

[SpondonBassed]

Welcome Steve.

[annawhite]

Welcome!

I recommend Ashdown Studio Head, which costs around £200-300.

Block Blast

Edited yesterday at 03:00 by annawhite

[mikebass456]

Welcome from across the country in Lincolnshire!

It would be interesting to hear how you're served by music shops where you are - it's always a massive advantage to try before you buy - especially with amps.

[Cornwall Steve]

8 hours ago, mikebass456 said:

Welcome from across the country in Lincolnshire!

It would be interesting to hear how you're served by music shops where you are - it's always a massive advantage to try before you buy - especially with amps.

Terrible is the answer I'm afraid. From Cornwall the nearest half decent bass shops are in Bristol so travelling to check out or even to buy is a long and expensive haul. For anything else in the towns in between I reckon I own more basses than I've seen in stock (dis-regarding the usual plethora of ultra low budget beginners stuff !😂). Buying online is the most viable option and the gambles and risks that go with it 🤔

[Chienmortbb]

2 hours ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Terrible is the answer I'm afraid. From Cornwall the nearest half decent bass shops are in Bristol so travelling to check out or even to buy is a long and expensive haul. For anything else in the towns in between I reckon I own more basses than I've seen in stock (dis-regarding the usual plethora of ultra low budget beginners stuff !😂). Buying online is the most viable option and the gambles and risks that go with it 🤔

Choose a reputable retailer with easy returns, then you can try and return if not satisfied. 

[FlyStraight99]

On 10/06/2025 at 22:35, Cornwall Steve said:

Hi to all fellow bass players from Cornwall (and Basschat members too). I'm also from the Bodmin area and another old guy (pushing 70). I don't gig or even jam, just enjoy tinkering/noodling with my 20+ basses plus a few six string guitars, synth, and keyboards. No idea what I'm doing - just keeps me sane on rainy days !😂

Hey Steve! St Austell lad here. 🤘🏼

[FlyStraight99]

16 hours ago, mikebass456 said:

Welcome from across the country in Lincolnshire!

It would be interesting to hear how you're served by music shops where you are - it's always a massive advantage to try before you buy - especially with amps.

Thanks Mike! 

 

Since my post I ventured out to Truro a couple weeks ago and visited Modern Music. Great little shop. I nearly went away with an Ashdown Studio 210 if it wasn’t for the fact we parked too far away to lug it around, plus I had to be conscious of throwing £550 at an amp so early into my bass journey

[Cornwall Steve]

6 hours ago, FlyStraight99 said:

Thanks Mike! 

 

Since my post I ventured out to Truro a couple weeks ago and visited Modern Music. Great little shop. I nearly went away with an Ashdown Studio 210 if it wasn’t for the fact we parked too far away to lug it around, plus I had to be conscious of throwing £550 at an amp so early into my bass journey

Modern Music is indeed a great little shop - a real guitarists Aladdin's cave. The guys always have something interesting in there, though along with Craig's Music in Bodmin, their websites are unreliable and always out of date when it comes to stock 🙁 I remember my (ex) wife buying me a Marlin Sidewinder and Marshall combo as a surprise Christmas present must have been in 1989 🤗 I was quite tempted with a white Fernandes bass they displayed in the window. By the time I raided the piggy bank it was gone !😥