The decision to go to a tube amp.......picked up a brand new Traynor YBA-2 from my local Long and McQuade for $759 Canadian. Home made road case to protect it during transport, paired it with two Mesa cabs and it's been a fun year with it.
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Just a few weeks ago I bought a Jule Monique - this preamp adds something to the sound that I have never experienced before. Such a musical piece of equipment and clearly my winner for 2017!
I had a surprisingly good run on gear in 2017 - bought this Honeyburst Am Spec P, bought a Rumble 500 combo to be a portable / do-everything rig, and upgraded the pickups in my sandblasted Jazz to a set of Aggy 4J-70's.
Still, the best gear purchase I made in 2017 has to be my buy and repair and rehab of an early 2000's SVT.
Some of the pics in this thead need NSFW warnings! drool
Looks like many of us had pretty good years!
Still, the best gear purchase I made in 2017 has to be my buy and repair and rehab of an early 2000's SVT.
Some of the pics in this thead need NSFW warnings! drool
Looks like many of us had pretty good years!
Yes and thanks.....it certainly was...more than $200 off and got almost $300 off with a trade in of an Ampeg cabinet I purchased for $400. Salesman was shocked looking at the sticker price. They had a used one on the floor for $30 less.
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It's a tie between reacquiring a Walkabout and an FEA Opti-FET compressor. Both excellent choices if I do say so myself. 
Picked up some basses this year that turned out to be winners.
An ever-elusive Skyline hollow body w/factory installed Darkstars.
MIJ Heartfield DR4 with proprietary (and somewhat mysterious) EMG elecs. (photo courtesy of bdgotoh)
Electra Pheonix, again with proprietary EMG elecs. A 5-way rotary switch to select various coil combinations.
USA St. Blues Legendary with Kent Armstrong pickups.
An ever-elusive Skyline hollow body w/factory installed Darkstars.
MIJ Heartfield DR4 with proprietary (and somewhat mysterious) EMG elecs. (photo courtesy of bdgotoh)
Electra Pheonix, again with proprietary EMG elecs. A 5-way rotary switch to select various coil combinations.
USA St. Blues Legendary with Kent Armstrong pickups.
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I keep thinking that I'm done buying bass gear and then I bought 2 new things this year. My Ampeg SVP-CL started giving me problems so I bought a preamp made by my old friend Jack Read.
Then I started getting an irrational craving for a P bass. I play 5-strings so I eventually found a good deal on a Fender P5.
There is only 1 day left in 2017 so I hope I'm done for the year. Still looking for a Carvin TS100 amp but unless one pops up tonight or tomorrow I'm safe.
Rick B.
Then I started getting an irrational craving for a P bass. I play 5-strings so I eventually found a good deal on a Fender P5.
There is only 1 day left in 2017 so I hope I'm done for the year. Still looking for a Carvin TS100 amp but unless one pops up tonight or tomorrow I'm safe.
Rick B.
I finally ditched my Ampeg BA115 combo and picked up an Aguilar ToneHammer 500, and got a Euphonic Audio VL110 cab to go with it for the time being until I save up for something better.
No major gear purchases. Kept my 2017 resolution of "no new basses." I did purchase a set of Shure 215 IEMs. Using a small Mackie mixer I picked up in a pawn shop, I put together a simple wired IEM setup. Thanks to the BL's digital mixer I'm hearing my bass and vocals better than ever.
Got some cool stuff this year needed or wanted everything in one way or another. My best is my Custom Shop Post Modern Relic can’t say enough good things about it. Got my first brand new Fender P American Pro and a MIA Geddy that’s pretty cool, picked up a Rumble 100 as an old combo I had died. Bought a Rumble 500 and ended up trading it in on a new Bassman 800 with a 4x10 Neo then picked up a used 4x10 Neo for cheap. A Super Bassman is in my future very soon.
Attachments
A Kenneth Lawrence Associate 5- (amazing bass with devastatingly good low B)
Ken Smith 5’er, (my favorite Smith ive ever owned, a keeper!)
Best piece of gear for me was my Xerograph Deluxe. It is such a great filter (and I have several others), definitely my favorite.
No basses bought since getting my Lakland in '16. But instrument-wise, I'm so happy to have scored my Mann electric octave mandolin!
No basses bought since getting my Lakland in '16. But instrument-wise, I'm so happy to have scored my Mann electric octave mandolin!
My best purchase of the year (or ever). 1980 Ibanez RS924.
General music-wise, it would be the combination of a used Pedaltrain Mini pedalboard, a flat Cioks DC5 power supply that can just about fit under it, and some stick-on car door bumper material that I cut up to make feet for it that would fully let the power supply fit underneath. Finally got my guitar pedalboard pretty much how I want it (though compact size and light weight have to be balanced against wanting more pedals onboard, so "perfect" is always a bit of a balancing act).
Bass-wise, I finally bought the [used] American Standard P I’d been wanting for over a decade, but surprisingly to me, I’m actually digging more the [used] American Standard J that I also bought (with no intention of it being a main bass).
Too bad it doesn’t sound like a P (my favorite sound), but I’m really liking the look of this J, the way it feels — its the one I’m picking up to play lately. It’s making me think about searching for an early Mark Hoppus, or maybe just spec-ing something out (all Jazz except with just one pickup [a P pickup in the P position], two knobs, the pickguard and control plate slightly modified as necessary, and 9 lbs. max). Anyway, it’s not my #1 or even #2, but it was my favorite bass purchase of the year, I’d say.
Also bought some wider straps this past year that I’m digging. No more thin guitar-style straps for me! Really helps on the shoulder.
Bass-wise, I finally bought the [used] American Standard P I’d been wanting for over a decade, but surprisingly to me, I’m actually digging more the [used] American Standard J that I also bought (with no intention of it being a main bass).
Too bad it doesn’t sound like a P (my favorite sound), but I’m really liking the look of this J, the way it feels — its the one I’m picking up to play lately. It’s making me think about searching for an early Mark Hoppus, or maybe just spec-ing something out (all Jazz except with just one pickup [a P pickup in the P position], two knobs, the pickguard and control plate slightly modified as necessary, and 9 lbs. max). Anyway, it’s not my #1 or even #2, but it was my favorite bass purchase of the year, I’d say.
Also bought some wider straps this past year that I’m digging. No more thin guitar-style straps for me! Really helps on the shoulder.
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