Your best (and worst!) bass gear purchases of 2025?

[Mudpup]

The stuff I've picked up this year has all been brilliant. After stopping gigging late last year I've changed loads of stuff out (Barefaced cabs, GR amps and a cab and a MarkBass 5 string) and I've been really happy with all of the replacements.

 

I can't pick a winner between one of @stevie's LfSys Monaco cabs or a purple Spector Pulse 2 5 string with an Lhz preamp fitted. The second hand Bugera Veyron BV1001M that cost buttons gets an honourable mention too.

Edited Sunday at 18:16 by Mudpup

[Bagman]

I read up on power supplies and went with Vitoos DD-12 , very good 

 

Boss OC-5 

I still haven’t given it a full run through but I think a good option from

Boss considering the scarcity and price of OC-2 by the look of it 

 

FKT AUDIO - “ The Fretless” 

think it’s a dumb name but this is an excellent pedal.  I’m looking at other pedals in their range given how good this one is 

[police squad]

Earlier this year, in my quest for U2 basses came these Warwicks

Then came a Harry White 4003

Found myself buying a Ric bridge pickup and the bloke played me some stuff he recorded with his Ric thru an Ampeg V4B. So I had to buy one of those too

Wow, ussed the HW thru the Ampeg last week at a Total Jam gig. Awesome. Total Jam are a Jam tribute

 

not able to get everything lined up but what a year I've had

Ampeg has given me the best sound I've had in 38 years of gigging

Edited yesterday at 07:35 by police squad

[Elfrasho]

One of these. Cort a5. Absolutely astonishing bass. So comfortable to play and sounds tremendous. It's quickly became my #1!

[Elfrasho]

worst piece of kit: LEKATO In-Ear Monitor System MS-1

 

Bought on an impulse to test against my xvive system, and as a back up. Really flimsy, and every connection crackled on even the slightest bit of movement. Dont send many things back. I returned this.

[YellowLedBetterBass]

3 hours ago, Elfrasho said:

worst piece of kit: LEKATO In-Ear Monitor System MS-1

 

Bought on an impulse to test against my xvive system, and as a back up. Really flimsy, and every connection crackled on even the slightest bit of movement. Dont send many things back. I returned this.

Similarly, the worst bit of kit I bought was their "upgraded" MS-02. Connection quality at anything further than about 6 feet was awful, sound quality awful and distorted, and the push button volume controls meant it was either too quiet or too loud with no inbetween. Couldn't be in the same room as my laptop or one of the two would lose connection.

 

I bought mine discounted on eBay for £32, and when I tried to return it the seller gave me a full refund and told me to keep it as he'd sold half a dozen that week that were all returned and he didn't want the hassle with them any more. Awful.

[Woodinblack]

4 hours ago, Elfrasho said:

worst piece of kit: LEKATO In-Ear Monitor System MS-1

 

I got the MS-1 and still use them, in place of my xvives. they are flimsy but they have worked really well well.

[Mrbigstuff]

On 01/11/2025 at 13:19, chris_b said:

I bought some batteries, but that's it.

I thought I might have bought some strings this year but looked at the email receipt and they were from 2023. Time flies!

[Rayman]

Easily my best acquisition was this Hohner fretless jazz, used, from a BCer, I’ve upgraded the electrics to CTS etc and put a Fender high mass bridge on it, everything is as it was. The pickups are awesome, stock I presume, and the neck is lovely….

 

 

Its for a specific album track we’re recording, and I haven’t put it down since.

 

The worst thing I bought was an Ibanez SR506 that doesn’t work, but possibly my own fault to be fair. It’ll be the first project of 2026.

[cetera]

Best purchases:

 

A beautiful Spector Euro CST (Jap ltd version) in desert island blueburst, imported from Japan with the assistance of Bass Japan Direct.:

 

 

 

My old Charvel 3B, which I bought back after stupidly selling 15 years ago... and now upgraded with EMG-X pickups.

 

 

 

The fantastic LHZ HL-1 HAZard LAMPS preamp pedal. The sound of a classic US Spector Haz Labs preamp in pedal form. Brings all non-Haz loaded basses to life, particularly passive basses!

 

 

 

and last, but certainly not least(!!) the amazing LFSys Monaco 600W 8ohm bass cab courtesy of @stevie. Lightweight, punchy, authoritative and loud... with wonderful dispersion.

 

 

 

Worst purchases.... none that I can think of. I like to do my research before parting with moolah.... 😉👍

Edited 2 hours ago by cetera

[Rich]

By far the best bang-per-buck money I've spent this year was the <£100 I spent on my TC Electronic BG250-115 combo. Loud, portable and stupidly cheap. Scruffy, but who cares.

[la bam]

Best purchase, hands down the tonex one. Can't tell you how good it is when you get the right sound. 

 

Never really any bad purchases.