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Kramer Focus 420 (P bass clone) - This one is actually my wife's. She got it in high school when she wanted
to learn how to play. She's actually a natural, after about 10 minutes of quick (and poor) instruction from me she was playing
moderately hard bass lines (at least for someone who had never touched a stringed instrument really) like Money and Green
Day's longview. I still think she should pick it up and play with me sometime. She really has a natural knack for it. Anyway,
I have always said I'd never sell this one unless she tells me to, and even then I'm not sure. It was a cheapy from Musicyo.com
(sorry that site's gone, 3 pack of strats for like 200? Can't beat that with a stick) but it actually plays and sounds pretty
decent. I've used it on a few recording projects with good results.
The original black pickguard
was signed by members of AFI and Jerry Only from the Misfits at a Warped Tour show in 2001, After that I put the white pearloid
guard on (which too some mad routing around the pickup).
Peavey Fury P bass - The first bass I owned. Another cool guitar story too. I used to help with shows,
and sound at a local bar in town. We also played there a lot because we practiced there and the gear lived there most of the
time. So after a show one night we're cleaning up and found this ratty old bass case (the glorified cardboard kind) in the
corner. We called all the bands, and no one had any idea who's it was. I told the dude that ran the shows, and the bar owner,
"lock it up for a month, if no one claims it I'll take it. If anyone ever calls I'll give it back in a heartbeat." Well, no
one called, so I got a really sweet bass for free. I hung around that place for at least another year, playing with all those
bands at least once again, and no one has any idea where it came from. I'm cool with that. If you're dumb enough to not only
forget your bass, but never call and ask if it's there, you deserve to lose it.
Anyway, maple fretboard (which I love), super thin neck (nut wise that is), but a beefy neck depth wise, adjustable neck
tilt, P style electronics (but I don't hold that against it). It's pretty beat up, as it was when I got it, and more as the
result of me loaning it to someone I shouldn't have. I've tried to sell it, but I can't get what I think it's worth being
and American made bass that plays like a dream, so I've kept it. Played it in a band for a while too. I'm going to mod it
eventually with a J pickup or TV Jones Thundertron, but haven't had time, money or ambition for that one yet. 
Squier MB-4 - Took this one on a trade a year or so ago. It's a great player, and the first bass I had with a
Jazz pickup. That changed my life for bass, I discovered I really don't like P bass pickups at all! This one has both, with
a blender knob, so it's got a wide range of tones which I do like, I can even get some usable tone with the P pup in a bit.
I
really like the 2x2 headstock, and it's got tuner buttons that have some beef unlike the standard Fender P bass style ones
that are flat (and feel cheap to me). Small frets (for a bass) and small dot inlays. I sold this one to my bass player with
only a little regret. It was a good bass, and looks pretty cool, but I really didn't use it as much as it deserved.
Yorkville Bassmaster XS400H with matching 4x10" cab - Got a crazy deal on this bass stack. I traded an SWR Big
Bertha 2x15" cab for it. The kicker is I only paid $125 for the cab, and from what I've seen the stack is worth 7-800 bucks.
Go craigslist!
Anyway, the only bass amp I've ever heard that I like more than this one is an
Ampeg SVT. This thing is a lot lighter, and a hell of a lot cheaper. It's got a tube preamp, which I think is the biggest
difference for me. It's also got more mid tone controls than you can shake a stick at. Low mid, sweepable mid, high mid and
a scoop as well as high and low controls. The amount of tones you can get out of this amp is astounding. 400 watts, solid
state with 12AX7 preamp, 2 space rack unit, tough as nails, and a DI for recording (which it's been used several times)
The
main reason for getting a good bass amp was, I was sick and tired of my bass players never having decent gear, or not being
able to lift it, or whatever the excuse was that dozens of practices were missed, or I had to drive somewhere and pick up
a damn bass amp. This way, there's no excuse, because I have it covered, and in style.
Considering
getting a 15" or 18" cab to go with it, but as bass isn't my usual instrument I'm not so sure.
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