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Big changes in the past year

JimmyM

JimmyM

Apr 11, 2005
127,260
125,189
Plymouth NC
Disclosures
Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
#1
In the last year, I have...

-- Downsized
-- Upsized
-- Quit playing 10's regularly after 30 years
-- Found a solid state head that actually sounds like tube amps
-- Found a SS stompbox that sounds even more like tubes than the SS head
-- Got my old broken tube gear working (sort of...the SVT's back in the shop again)
-- Decided that I missed using all tube amps and went back to them fulltime
-- Sold my old hybrid amps and took a beating on the prices
-- Started playing two 15"s for the first time ever
-- Quit using a DI and went to only a mic
-- Fell in love with 125 hz and fell out of love with anything above 3k
-- Spent more money on amps this year than I have in my entire lifetime

But the biggest change this year was falling 100% in love with my tone for the first time in 10 years, which coincidentally is when I quit using my SVT/810 and switched to a hybrid/410 out of laziness. Between going back to all-tubes and having all these great little SS toys that actually sound like tube amps when forced to use something I don't like, I'm almost always quite happy with what's going on behind me. All in all, I know none of it matters in the long run, but I think it translates to the audience and helps me put on a better gig. That's worth $5000, I think. Nobody with any sanity thinks it is, but I'm not known for my brilliant business decisions.

So let's hear about your big changes now that Christmas is upon us and the year's almost out!
 
#3
In the past year, I went through a few changes too:

---Downsized and used nothing but IEM's
---Upsized and went back to an 810 cabinet (Mesa)
---Finally discovered the sound I've been hearing in my head, but have never *quite* been able to nail down, and can honestly say for the first time in my life I'm 100% happy with my amp setup.


Went through several changes bass-wise too, but since this is the Amps forum, that's for another thread.;)
 
#4
Returned to playing after a nearly 20 year hiatus (a promise I kept to myself when I stopped for school and my Career).

Found Talkbass in Feb of 08 (was stoked).

Bought a small practice Amp here to see if I could dust the chops off and enjoy playing again. This led to digging the old GK out of the basement - cleaning it up and foraging Craigslist for a Cab - wanted to really feel my Bass again. Found a nice Ampeg 15 with a tweeter and moved from the practice Amp to the old GK. Liked this so much - I picked up a used SWR Goliath II 4x10 - Breaking Windows now :D

Bought a new Jazz Bass to go with the two I already owned. Bought a Spector, Bought another Spector, Bought a Fretless Jazz, (seeing the pattern here - TB is to blame) Bought an ABG, Bought a P-Bass, Bought a Jazz Box Ibanez Guitar,
Bought Mark Bass LMII, VT Bass after participating in Jimmy's test :D Bought a 6 String Spector (that I love), then an 8 Track, Microphone and other various doo dads and connectors - stands Wall Hangers. My callouses are back, - and I am having a freaking Blast. Played with my old Guitar Player from the last Band (Great Guitarist) I was in last weekend - we had a blast playing some of the old stuff and new Songs we both like.

This morning my Son opened his First Bass - he loved it - Metallic Blue Mikro P/J Pups and he gets the Fender BDEC for practice.

If you are getting the impression Dad's Happy - He is :bassist:
 
#6
I REALLY got back into playing after 29 years of being a one hour a week bedroom bassist.

I played a lot in the 70's, but until recently my last paid gig was in 1979. I quit to go to college, raise kids, etc. I am (or was) so intense about playing - to the point of being almost obsessive - that I was afraid to try to manage a family and job and play at the same time.

Now the kids are gone, I'm not as die hard about my day job as I used to be, so I figured - why not get back into it? Muscle memory is an amazing thing. After a few months of diligent practicing by myself I was ready to play out again.

I joined a band with a couple of real hoodoos. We lasted all of 2 practices before personal sh*t between the drummer and guitarist ended it. Then I lucked out in hooking up with a very talented singer/songwriter who has released 3 CDs, toured, and opened for some major acts. She no longer works a day job, so we're going to hit it hard next year.

I still can't believe my luck. There comes a time in your life when you realize that you just have to do what YOU want to. I'm still intense, but it's not an all consuming thing like it used to be. Being more relaxed is allowing me to play better than I ever have before.

I've had quite a year - next year will be even better!
 
#8
Hah!!! I started the year with these:

Genz Benz Neo Pak
Genz Benz GBE750
Bergantino HS210 (x2)

I ended the year with this:

Genz Benz GBE750
Aguilar AG500SC
Fender Bassman (1968 silverface)
Fender Bassman 50 (1975)

Bergantino HT112
Bergantino HT112ER
Bergantino EX112ER
Bergantino HS210 (x2)

During the year I also bought - and sold/returned - these:

Ampeg B15N (1972)
Aguilar DB359
Bergantino HT322
Markbass LMII
Epifani UL212
Aguilar DB112 (x2)
Genz Benz Neo Pak

For the moment my "go to" rig for gigs is the Aguilar AG500SC with a Berg HS210/HT112 stack. It gives me the best combination of depth, punch, clarity, loudness, and portability, and works well with different music, basses, and rooms.

I'm hoping that next year I can just relax and play music, and forget about shuffling gear.

:eyebrow:

It could happen.

:hiding:
 
#9
Started with:
Fender American Deluxe Jazz
Peavey Mark IV
2 TL-606 with Peavey 1502-4's

Bought and returned:
Schroeder 1212L
BBE pre amp
Sansamp RBI
Carvin BR210

Ended up with original rig plus: QSC PLX1602. It allows me to bi amp when I feel like, and it sounds surprisingly punchy and loud. I'm still in the market to try some different cabs, a pair of 1515L's would be a fun experiment.
 
#10
i realized that im more of a precision guy than i thought i was...

so i ordered a new 08 p bass and am selling one of my MIA Jazz Vs.

also, bought a new combo this year. i wanted somthing like an ampeg 8x10, but i just cant justify that yet, so i ended up with a fender 2x10 bassman. very cool upgrade from my ibanez.

i've bought and sold several bass this year and found that vintage style/sound just works best for me.
 
#11
tallboybass said:
I realized that, as long as I'm on TalkBass I'll be swapping gear out like a crazed monkey. :eek: :hiding: :hyper:
Click to expand...
Not me...I've never been much of a gearhead, and this is really my first year doing it. I've decided that until they make a 500w amp that sounds like an SVT and fits in the back pocket, I'll probably stick with what I have for a good long while.

Forgot one other big change...I started using effects again ;)
 
#14
:cool:

Downsized.

Playing smaller gigs.
Sold SVT / 6x10 cab.
Sold Acoustic 370 / 2x15 cab.

Using custom tube head, and two 1x15 cabs.
One cab for small gigs, two 1x15 for larger gigs.

Sold 1966 Jazz Bass
Sold MTD J 5
Sold Valenti J 4
Sold Lull J 5.

I'm not into the "JAZZ" tone now.

Bought 1982 USA Reissue P-bass.
Bought Guild B 50.( fretless)
Bought 1968 Tele Bass.
Bought a 1993 Warmoth P-body / loaded with Bart. "soapbars".
With a 1984 Reissue P-neck.
All but one bass, have flats.
 
#15
First new thing this year was my first high end bass, My Rick. Second was to start recording the band when we play and found we actually have a few good songs . Second was to start singing and get back into writing. I know that's two things. I have found out the band likes what I am doing..(they like me, they really really like me) All in all I am enjoying my music again and am really glad that my wife gave me a nudge to start playing again although I think she's secretly regretting the monster she made...
Happy New Year to all the TBers
 
#17
AMPS

Started the year with an Ampeg BA-210 SP combo... Alright amp, but I used it in the first band I was ever in, like 3 years ago, and it barely kept up then. Earlier this year when my 2nd band that I was singing for, broke up, I knew I wanted to play bass again in my next band. I also knew the BA-210 wasn't going to cut it anymore...so.....

I'm ending the year with this as my rig, and yes, I use all of it in my band..

Sunn Concert Bass
Sunn Concert Slave
Acoustic 406 2x15
Bag End 1x18
Waller 4x12
Eden 4x10

I've posted it way too much on here, so I'll just post a link this time. :)

Invalid Link Removed


EFFECTS

Started off with..

Digitech Bass Multi Chorus
Digitech Bass Distortion
Digitech Flanger
Digitech Digidelay
Dunlop 105Q wah

Got rid of all of those eventually, and got a Boss GEB-7, and a Boss ODB-3

Got rid of the ODB, got an Earthbound Audio Effects Supercollider, and a Boss OC-3. The OC-3 belongs to a friend, but he never used it so I've been using it for months now. Not really mine though. I should probably try to buy it off him. ha I still have the GEB-7 but I'm thinking about not using it anymore. Ironically enough, I've been using the Digidelay that I sold to my drummer. Probably going to buy myself an MXR Carbon Copy though. Also thinking about getting a Devi Ever Dark Boost.

All my basses are listed in my profile, but currently my Epiphone Thunderbird and my 1978 T-40 see the most use. Only other bass I want right now is some sort of Kramer Aluminum neck bass.

So, I've gone through some slight changes in gear this year. :hiding:
 
#18
this past year....

I toured with Lenny Pickett, and played with Dorinda Clark
I found my all original '69 Precision and realized I like P's more than J's
I found my Trace V6....the amp of my dreams
I became a tube fanatic and realized that tubes are one of the keys to my sound
I completely switched to flatwound strings
I then switched back to roundwounds
I tried to downsize, but ended up upsizing
I started playing hip-hop and it's now 80% of my paying work
I started playing gospel and love it
and most unfortunately, I quit playing the double bass almost completely
 
#19
This is the first year where I sat down and budgeted out my "musical equipment expenditures". I set my budget at $7,000 and I've spent almost every cent of it this month.

I've never been a gearhead and I've always used "convenient gear"; that is, someone had something for sale, I had money to spend, so I bought the gear because it came close to serving some function I needed fulfilled.

This year, though, I bought mostly all-new gear and decided I actually wanted to pursue something tailored to my tastes.

This month alone I have purchased the following:

-A Yamaha DTXtreme III electronic drumset. $4,000 is a lot to spend on an instrument that isn't your primary instrument but I've really fallen in love with electronic drums and my old OSP kit with the Roland TD-3 just wasn't cutting it. I'm not going to get better unless I use reliable gear.

-A rack case with a rackmount tuner and a power conditioner. This was serendipitous; I was moving to a rack rig and this came along at the perfect time so I snapped it up.

-A Carvin DCM1500 power amp. This will be the power behind the beast. It'll work for myriad gigging settings with different styles and volumes

-An Avatar NEO B212 and NEO B210. Both 8 ohms. I'll have enough volume for the loud electronic gigs, have enough nuance for the more intimate Americana/folk gigs and plenty of grindiness and slaptasticality for my prog-funk band.

-A EBMM Bongo that I bought right here on Talkbass. I've always wanted one and never got around to buying one because I had a hard time laying down $1500 for a bass. But the deal was too good to pass up and I can't wait until I have it in my happy little hands.

Now I just need the perfect preamp.



Oh, and I bought an '09 Suzuki SX4 to haul all this crap around in. The ol' Sonata sedan just wasn't cutting it for my rapidly-expanding rig.
 
#20
i started with just an SX fretless 5.
bought a '95 ATK305, which was stolen...so i bought another one which is way better anyway! (thanks to TB)
bought a cheap P, found the joy of flatwounds with a P

started the year with a behringer combo, got a GK rig with 2 Neo cabs, sold the head, now am in love with the Mesa M-2000 and some JJ long plates.
i'm learning how to slap properly, I hope to be 20% as good Wooten by 2010. (haha it's doubtful).

i also started taking lessons, which are incredibly helpful.
 

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