Buying/selling Basses/Amps/Cabs

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='renniks' post='853134' date='May 31 2010, 11:55 PM']Lets hope I can come to this stage sooner rather than later, from the consensus it would seem the logical route is to find my favourite fender, buy a few more, realise the fender was what I wanted, and use it.[/quote]

Yep, ive done the USA Fenders, Laklands (4) and now back to a Squier and couldn't be happier (for now). Could have saved myself a good few £1000 over the past few years.

[Colledge]

i wish i could say that i've got unjustified gas... but my gas is completely justified.
ive been playing for about 5 years now, the first one and a half years was with a horrible stagg goth wonabe bass (in parts now) and an ashdown mini rig. then i moved up to a washburn force 4 with an ashdown mag600 stack..... there ive stayed for the last 3 and a half years.
i have major gas right now, sold my amp a few days ago and am now buying a TB.
I'm at the point now where i find it hard to play anything other than my washburn, it doesnt feel right.... well i say that but i think in the whole time ive had it, ive only played 2 other basses for a few minutes each. one was a horrible encore precision at school about 2 years ago and the other was a beautiful looking aerodyne jazz a couple of weeks ago to test out a TB. Neither of them hit it off with me, i'm just not used to anything but my usual washburn pickup thumb rest and anorexic neck. i think i'll end up getting a decent squire precision at some point, but at the moment amps are more important to me.

[deathpanda]

a passive jazz bass through an ampeg, is all I'll ever need. I fully agree with "never say never", but I know I'll always come back to those two in the end. I find myself drifting towards hartke, but I'll always know that ampegs have THE perfect tone for me, it's psychologically engraved.

that said, i will always be buying more gear and I will go through all the phases because to me, that's what life is.

[algmusic]

I have a different pain.. I've reached this point with my drums and i'm happy with what I have.. but since I started actually having my own basses very late in my playing years (borrowed pro spec stuff from players with alot of gear who are very good friends), i'm trying to accelerate this process so i'm totally happy on the bass front, with a selection of basses and amps.. I guess you can't though..

[Mog]

Gone the opposite way I'm afraid, picked up the 'wick to jam along with some RHCP a while ago and put it down after half a song. Up until very lately it has always felt just about perfect but for the last couple of gigs I've used the Yamaha, and while it doesnt fit in the overall sound of the band as well as the 'wick, it feels better in the hand. Seriously gassing for a new bass, pruchased a few lately but shifted them all soon after. Totally out of ideas. The head says a P bass or a Jap P special. Was also thinking Fernandes and Schecter.

[JTUK]

In the market for an interesting amp and maybe another mini stack of cabs.

Basses are well and truly sorted. There is nothing I would want.

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='853203' date='Jun 1 2010, 04:47 AM']Then I ordered some custom made Wizard soap bars and the day they were fitted by Jon Shuker was the last day I looked at or wanted to play another bass.[/quote]
Similar tale here. Mine was the day I picked the SB FrankenFretless up from the Gallery, all properly shot in & that... A year down the line, it still feels so right & everything else feels a bit wrong.

As & when I've got the cash, might contemplate a couple of lightweight 1 x 12s to give a few more options - mainly just for ease of (Public) transport. Won't change the Superfly unless the worst happens - no need, it does all I want & more.

GAS? I don' need no steeenkeeeeeng GAS

[Ou7shined]

I'm GAS free for deffo regarding amps & cabs. I'll be using this rig until I run it into the ground. :wub:
As for basses my nirvana is and always was Stingray but unfortunately the sound doesn't always sit well with the different styles of music I play. Sooooo I built something that covers most of if not all those bases. The amazing Pingray!
I'm focused on funk/rock at the moment so I'm back on the Stingray for writing. I suspect I'll be gigging this material with the Pingray although I could easily go with the 'ray too.
I can't say I'm GAS free on the bass front as my hobby is building/modding guitars so I'm always on the look out for the next victim but my personal playing needs are certainly fulfilled at the moment.

[KingPrawn]

Over my 20 plus years of devotion to this wonderful instrument. I have realised many things about myself. Having built a small army of amps and basses one thing is a constant. "me". does not matter what i change around me, its still my fingers on those strings with my own limitations. I have never had a punter come up to me and say " why use that rig bass etc" I have had bass players ask, but they are not normal punters. The problem is we are all suffering from the same disease. This site only reinforces us all. I need help we all need help. This is not a real world. " Abandon all hope ye who enter"

[urb]

2 x Sei - super jazz 4 string and single cut 5 string
1 x lovely custom fretless
Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0
Epifani cabs
a handful of FX
MIDI enabled bass
Logic Pro - and other bits of software gubbins

Basically that does it for me right now - I think and know from experience that owning a good bass is one thing but playing it in, getting to know it and learning how to play that specific bass takes time, practice and patience - constantly changing basses means you have to start that whole process every time you get a new instrument - obviously some instruments have their limitations but they may have virtues hat others don't as well. I'd love a classic Fender jazz vintage bass but do I need one? Not really, I'd love a Fodera too - but until I find one (in later life) for a decent price I doubt I'll ever own one... learning how to get the most out of what I've got is (IMHO) a far better use of my time.

Cheers

Mike

[spinynorman]

The bass I never wanted was a Fender P, but one came up at a good price and I bought it. Turned out to work better in the band than anything else I had at the time. Since then I've bought numerous other, more exciting basses, in the hope one would turn out better than the boring old P, but they've all ended up back on eBay, apart from a 51 RI P and a Dearmond Starfire, which are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Now I look down the for sale listings at all the high end stuff people are trying to shift, and laugh. It's a hollow laugh though, because I miss the excitement.

[TK4108]

I should have read this thread before I started my latest round of gear swapping...

[4 Strings]

"As for amplification, my rig has been a gradual evolution over 25 years from cheap Laney gear, through lots of Trace Elliot, Ashdown, Mark Bass and finally onto Genz Benz. I don't really GAS for amplifiers. As long as they're reliable, light weight and faithfully reproduce the sound of my instruments, I'm not really fussed."

I think this was similar to Victor Wootens 'recommendation' of Hartke.

[retroman]

Not had too many amps and cabs, as I really do shop around before I buy. My first rig was a full Trace Elliot stack - V-Type AH600, with the matching 4X12, and 2X15 cabs. Now I have moved onto an Ampeg SVT CL, and 610 HLF cab, and love it :wub:

To be honest, I tend to apply my same way of thinking to bass amps, and HiFi amps.......The more whistles, bells, and knobs it has, the more it is trying to compensate for a poor amp. Just my opinion chaps. I'm sure that there are people out there who swear by their feature packed amps. Give me gain, bass, mid, treble, and volume any day. I just find that I seem to spend ages messing around with gadget laden amps, and never really seem to find what I am looking for, but a big, hairy old valve amp to me is plug and play.

I've been through a few basses in the last year or so.....Tried the whole Stingray thing, and wasn't really for me. Beautifully built and finished, lovely tone, just found it uncomfortable/ painful to play at times. I now have 10 basses that are all different in their own way, and i don't think there is one that I would be keen to part with now. My main weapons of choice now are a Gibson Les Paul deluxe bass, with the Bartolini's, and an Alembic Orion 5 string. The Alembic is lush, and is only the second 5 string I have ever had. Finding it really easy to get on with.......Still occasionaly hit the low B by accident though!

I guess that it just takes some people a while to find their ideal set up, others find something they like straight away, and a few are searching for the absolute nirvana

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='852567' date='May 31 2010, 01:19 PM']Hi all

With all my buying/selling, I think Ive reached a point where Im struggling to find anything thats better. Its almost like I expect there to be something I should be looking for, but it isnt there.

Ive decided to stop once my orders arrive, and enjoy and gig what Ive got. More practice, less GAS. I tend to find when I use my gear I realise how much I like it.

There is one thing left; a 'void' where the Classic Stingray sat for about 24 hours. I sold 2 great Stingray 4s for that, and owning two was definitely overkill. But, I still think I will fill that void with another standard 3EQ white Stingray with maple board. Mmmm.

I also discovered that more exotic manufactures just dont work for me.[/quote]

In reply to my own post, I recently tinkered with the idea of yet another rig, but I quickly realised the size wasnt any smaller than what I already have.

So, ive learnt my lesson that Ive got a stellar line up of amps/cabs, and I need to enjoy them more and not move anything on.

I did decide I still needed that 4 string White/Maple Ray though...

Ive promised myself that this is it for at least a year. I need to pay less attention to the for sale threads and get involved with more playing and sorting out my career. Hopefully more time will be spent on the technique threads! Ithink its the same sort of realisation Nigel/Siddlx had a few months ago, (eg we are here because we like to play bass, not just to GAS and discuss, although discussion can be necessary ).

Edited June 20, 2010 by Musicman20

[harvey1-8]

To be honest dude, you've got so much quality kit I don't see how you can be GASing for anything else. As for getting another rig, that's just madness. Look at what you've got; 3 amazing amps, an army of cabs, and more basses then you can shake a stick at. Any one of us on here would be happy to gig with what you've got (except Siddlx, he'd need one of those POD things). So yeah, take the time to enjoy what you've got and not thinking about what you could have.

EDIT: I really should check spelling before posting.

Edited June 20, 2010 by alexharvay

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='872530' date='Jun 20 2010, 12:18 PM']Ive promised myself that this is it for at least a year.[/quote]

[warwickhunt]

I always knew that I would eventually settle on an NS/Streamer bass but it's taken me an age to find 'the one' (despite thinking I was there on a few occasions) but I've finally got 'it' and consequently my collection of basses are going to be whittled away! Peace at last.

Amps and cabs... the Thunderfunk will unlikely ever be beaten IMHO but cabs are still a bit of a bugbear as I want the tone I get from my Aggie DB12's but with 50% of the weight.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='872557' date='Jun 20 2010, 01:02 PM']I always knew that I would eventually settle on an NS/Streamer bass but it's taken me an age to find 'the one' (despite thinking I was there on a few occasions) but I've finally got 'it' and consequently my collection of basses are going to be whittled away! Peace at last.

Amps and cabs... the Thunderfunk will unlikely ever be beaten IMHO but cabs are still a bit of a bugbear as I want the tone I get from my Aggie DB12's but with 50% of the weight. [/quote]

If Aguilar make a version of the DB212/112 in neo form, but with that massive authority and punch the DBs provide, then I think they will make a killing. I doubt they'd ever going fully neo, but I did email the Aguilar Customer Service about lightweight offerings, and they basically said watch this space.

I cant find anything better than what Ive got (for me anyway), so Im stopping.

[Musicman20]

I need to re-read this thread and stop myself indulging in more amps. I KNOW ill end up prefering what I already have.

Time to stop.

[Truckstop]

As far as actually playing bass goes, I'm delighted with my current stable. It's just that I'd like to be in actual possession of some cool guitars! I want my walls to be full of Fenders, Yamaha RBXJM1's, Shuker Jazz's and Artists and some weird and wonderful Japcrap. Hell, even though I can't stand the look or sound of Ricks, I'd love to have one in some massive collection for no reason.

Unfortunately though, space and money!

Truckstop

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1059669' date='Dec 15 2010, 03:51 PM']I need to re-read this thread and stop myself indulging in more amps. I KNOW ill end up prefering what I already have.

Time to stop.[/quote]

You're absolutely right - you need to concentrate on getting some more Stingrays ...

[MythSte]

Boredom leads to GAS. At least that's what I've found.

Due to being at uni I've not been spending as much time with the band recently. So I decided I'd start looking at what I really wanted in a bass. I lowered the action as was a bit disappointed that my Jazz was never going to be as low as other basses I've owned in the past. Sounded good but have to wrestle to slap it well.

Got to band practice last week. Panic stations, why Can't I hear anything?! Action back up. Ahhh. There we are. I knew I loved you. I should never have doubted you...

I intend to end up with one Jazz and something exotic eventually. Not for a good few years yet though

[Musicman20]

I need to be in a more busy band....it would take my mind of changing around!

More Stingrays! Never Actually, I would if I had the money.

[Wil]

I can't fault the way my Spector plays, or the way it feels strapped on. The only thing I lust for occasionally is a change in tone, so sometimes I find myself longingly looking at Streamer Stage IIs and Bongos on ebay. But, the financial outlay is, for me, just too great in times like these. I could afford to buy a used Bongo or Streamer now, but I think that money would be better kept in savings for a rainy day.