jeremy_crockett's Reviews

An Outstanding Bass. The Fender P Sound!

First, I want to say that I did not expect to love this bass as much as I do. This Made in Mexico, Standard is the predecessor to today's Player line of basses. And while the Player is a very good bass, this is an excellent one.

It has the Fender sound without the American-made price tag.

I upgraded the cosmetics, putting on a Tort pickguard, bridge and pickup covers. And after a good setup this is was ready to rock!

If you can find one, I highly recommend it. It's a fantastic bass!

Yes, It's a "Real" Telecaster!

You want a Telecaster. You NEED a Telecaster.

You are considering different models of Telecasters. You are watching dozens of YouTube video reviews of Telecasters. Steve Cropper, Waylon Jennings, Marty Stuart, Don Rich, and Buck Owens couldn't be wrong.

Now, you are looking at THIS Telecaster. Go ahead! Buy THIS Telecaster.

First, it is a "Real" Tele. It has that distinctive Tele Twang and does not need to have its pickups "upgraded" to get the sound you have been lusting after. Next, the quality is superb. The Squier machine heads keep it in tune, the three-color Sunburst finish is absolutely beautiful and everything about it feels well put together.

I am a complete sucker for bound Telecaster bodies and this has it for a lot less because the only other option for a new Tele with a bound body is from the Fender Custom Shop for much, much more money. This is a great guitar that will scratch that Tele itch and look good while doing it.

Amazing Bass, Fantastic Tone, Completely Happy!

For many years, I had a nearly incurable itch for a Stingray. Unfortunately for me, they have been out of my price range for just about as long.

Two years ago, I got a Ray24CA and did not get along with it. It was nicely made, however, the sound was far too bright and the two-band EQ did not shape the tone nearly enough.

Thanks to the information that the website TalkBass provided, it turns out that the older generation of Ray34s was most likely what I was looking for; slab body, alnico pickups, two-band EQ. It was widely reported that those particular axes were much closer to the more expensive USA Stingrays.

My initial impression is that this thing is a beast! I am used to passive instruments so I need to learn how to use the active features. But there is an incredible range of sounds this bass is capable of producing.

As well, I don't know if it's the alnico as compared to the ceramic pickups, or if the active electronics are significantly different but the tone is far more customizable when compared to the Ray24CA. It can be incredibly bright or more mellow and low.

If you have been Jonesing for a Stingray but do not want to shell out +$2,400 for a new one, check this ax out. It may be just what you are looking for.

Fender Precision, The Standard by Which All Other Basses are Measured.

My first real Fender in over 20 years and I am completely satisfied. No, it's not made in the U.S.A. but, considering the $600 price difference, I'm thrilled!

The build quality is outstanding. You can tell the difference between this and a top-of-the-line Squier. Fender is doing great work with these Mexico-made basses. It plays nicely and has that lovely P low-end thump that you want from a Precision. It's not a "Boutique" bass, Precisions were never meant to be that. It is a meat-and-potatoes bass that never lets you down.

Leo Fender did, in fact, "get it right" in 1951.

THE Ultimate Drum Microphone Kit!

This package is the ULTIMATE bargain when it comes to drum kit microphones. And here is why: Let's start with the SM57s themselves. They are currently running for about $100 each. SM57s have been THE music industry standard for, literally, decades. They are suitable for both studio work and live performances. This package includes three (3) of the Shure SM57s. There is $300 right there.

The DMK57-52 also includes the Shure Beta 52A which has been specifically designed for bass/kick drum amplification and recording. The Beta 52A is currently priced at $200. So, we have $500 worth of microphones for $439. It's like getting one of the SM57s for free! This is all if you go with the microphone-only package. If you order the $449 deal with cables and a small boom mic stand it gets even BETTER!

The package with cables includes four (4) XLR 3-pin cables which are about $13 - $15 each ($46 total) and an On-Stage MS7411B tripod boom stand for the kick drum mic. This is a $45 stand. So for $10 more, you get $96 worth of cables and a stand. Lastly, both packages (cables included and mics only) come with three (3) Shure A56D mounts for the SM57s. These drum mounts are $45 each for a grand total of $135 in mounts.

I'm just afraid that American Musical Supply is going to figure out what a FANTASTIC deal the package is and stop selling them. If you are thinking about micing your drum kit, pull the trigger on this Shure DMK57-52 package and get the cables and stand option. I thought about it for weeks before deciding to buy and I am ecstatic that I did!

Real-Deal Tube (Valve) Amplifier That Sounds Awesome!

I have never owned a tube amp before the Fender Blues Deluxe. I was never convinced that there was much of a difference between a solid-state and tube (valve) amplifier. BOY! Was I wrong.

This amp is amazing! It is loud, very loud. So far, while practicing, I have not had it above 4.5 and it literally "goes to 12" (take that Nigel Tufnel!). And the tone it produces is beautiful. This amp specializes in "clean" and "clear" but does "dirty" with equal aplomb.

The tweed covering is fantastic, harkening back to the earlier Fender generations.

The biggest gripe I have is that the chrome control panel that looks stunning, is nearly impossible to read. There are traditionally colored (black with white lettering/numbering) control panel covers available to help remedy this, but I cannot quite bring myself to do it. The "cool" factor (for now anyway) is overpowering practical considerations.

All-in-all I love this amplifier.

"Intermediate" Level Drums That Deliver "Professional" Sound.

I am absolutely crazy about this Tama kit. This is likely the least unbiased review I have written to date. Part of my enthusiasm is due to the fact that I got an amazingly killer deal on my particular set. I picked it up online for $350.

I will start by pointing out the most obvious weakness which are the included cymbals. Like all entry-level kits, the cymbals were of fairly low quality. They were Meinl HCSs.

From what I can see the shells are very well built. The kit I have is over 10 years old and the wraps are holding up perfectly. The included hardware is absolutely first-rate and very heavy-duty. Both the kick drum and hi-hat pedals perform their tasks flawlessly and are very responsive.

Since I bought the kit, I have upgraded the cymbals to Paiste PST7s and replaced the clear heads with Remo Emperor Vintage Coated and this set sounds like a million dollars!

Tama gets great reviews online and elsewhere and now I completely understand why. If you are considering a starter kit, the Imperialstar will carry you down the road for YEARS.

A Very Good Alternative to a Pedal Board.

I am not much of a "pedal guy". To go down that particular rabbit hole is something that I have never desired. But, I do want to add Compression and Delay to my bass. The BOSS GT-1B fits that bill and more, should one decide to.

Pros: Tons of effects. To my way of thinking this multi-effect processor has every "standard" pedal one can conceive of including; Graphic EQ, Octave, Phaser, Flanger, Chorus, Tremolo, and more.

Well-built and tough. This will easily stand up to playing out in a gig situation and it looks good as well.

Reasonably priced. For the cost of two pedals, you get so much more and you don't need to mess with a bunch of patch cords.

Cons: The interface is not the easiest to navigate. The onboard LCD display is very small and can be difficult to read, especially if you have older eyeballs like I do. The downloadable software is much easier to use and should be had by anyone using this processor. It's free to download on the BOSS website.

In summary, if you do not want to invest tons of money into your signal chain, check out the GT-1B. I think, it will serve any bassist well for a long time.

Entry-Level Squier Performs Above its Price point.

A guitar that is priced below $200 should not sound this good. A guitar that is priced below $200 should not feel this good. And yet, here I am giving the Squier Bullet Telecaster five stars. What the heck?

I am primarily a bassist. But for quite a while I found myself with an itch. A very particular itch. A twangy Telecaster itch that simply would NOT go away. But I could not justify spending the $700 on a MiM Telecaster in spite of that itch.

After looking at online reviews I began to consider the lowest priced Squier I could find. I was very suspicious of this $180 Tele. How good could it be at that price? Probably not very. Still -- electronics notwithstanding, the neck specs of this Bullet are so close to a "real Fender" that I, at least, had to try.

The Guitar Center near me had one... ONE of these in stock and I happened to have about $200 in my bank account that I could "play" with. So I did it.

This thing produces THE Telecaster sound, at least to my ears it does. The construction is very nice, the neck is smooth, no rough fret ends, no flaws and is arrow-straight. The paint is not "Lake Placid Blue" by any stretch of the imagination. It is a really nice blue sparkle however. And the pickguard is an awesome minty-green shade, that often photographs white but when you see it in person, it's definitely green.

I LOVE my Telecaster!

Versatile and Awesome!

I have become enthralled with the great hollow body players like Chet Atkins and Joe Pass. As such, I began looking for a quality Jazz Box at a reasonable price. The Epiphone Emperor Swingster fits the bill perfectly!

Not only is this is a genuine Tone Monster, but it is also absolutely gorgeous! The neck, headstock, and body are all beautifully bound and finished. Speaking of the headstock, the inlay is stunning and headstock shapely. Many of the online photographs fail to do the Red Wine color adequate justice.

One of the best features are the two push/pull Tone controls that allow you to change each pickup's output individually from parallel to series wiring. The Bigsby-licensed B30 tremolo has the original "wire" handle and is pure Chet Atkins!

While it is definitely not suited to heavy rock, the Emperor Swingster excels in Jazz, Blues, Country, and Rockabilly.

If you are thinking about purchasing this particular Jazz Box, do not hesitate! Get it today! You will love it!

Supremely Exceeded My Expectations! This is a GREAT Amp!

After an 11 year hiatus from playing bass, I started again two months ago. I did not want to spend a ton of money so I picked up a very nice Fender Squier Precision PJ Beginner's Pack that came with a Rumble 15 amplifier.

Now, the Rumble 15 has 1 8" speaker and 15 watts of power (thus the "15" moniker) and it is a fine amp for daily practice in your bedroom. I knew, when I bought it, that the amplifier while great for practicing, but, eventually, I would want something bigger and more powerful. Well, "eventually" came much more quickly than I had anticipated!

Thence began my "Quest for the Sound". Based on my budget, it came down to a choice between the Fender Rumble 500 and the Ampeg BA-21v2 I started reading the reviews at retail music sites online, I listened to YouTube demonstrations and perused opinions on several music-based message boards. After all these considerations; I went with what I have ALWAYS WANTED -- an Ampeg.

I was a little concerned because in nearly all the YouTube videos I had seen, the Ampeg sounded a bit "thinner" than the Fender did. It is likely due to the style (mainly slap and pop) of the reviewers making the videos. It turns out that Ampeg was IT!

This amplifier has exceeded all of my expectations. It is wonderfully round and full in its tone. The two 10" speakers are a thing of sonic beauty and the build quality of the cabinet is flawless. It feels solid and substantial in spite of its relatively light weight. One will have no trouble loading and unloading this when gigging.

With the three-band equalizer and the Ultra Hi/Lo Tone shaping, I can get any sound I want to out of it. There is even a -15dB input pad for basses with active electronics; so it looks like I now have an excuse to buy that Stingray.

The only real negative thing I have to say is that I am rather disappointed in the "Scrambler Overdrive" circuit. It is not very good and I would suggest getting a pedal instead. Other than that, this amp is a BEAST that absolutely KILLS IT on tone!

If you are reading this and seriously considering the Ampeg BA-210, I can comfortably and confidently tell you to go ahead and pull the trigger. Buy this thing and you will NOT be disappointed!

To sum up:

PROS:

1. The Ampeg Sound!
2. Excellent build quality and value for the money.
3. The Ampeg Sound!
4. Relatively light weight, easy to transport to a gig.
5. The Ampeg Sound!
6. The LED logos are heckin' cool!
7. The Ampeg Sound!

CONS:

1. "Scrambler Overdrive" circuit is mediocre at best. Get a pedal.

Squier Has Come a Long Way!

Greetings all. About 11 years ago I stopped playing bass. My wife and I had a young daughter and my work kept me too busy to keep up with practicing. So I sold what little equipment I did have.

To make a long story a bit shorter; after leaving California twice, my family and I have ended up in South Florida; we have been here over two and a half years now.

At the beginning of July I was promoted from within the company I work for and am now in a position to start playing again. So two weeks ago I began looking at "entry level" equipment.

There is some very, VERY nice stuff out there. The lower end price point production seem to be vastly improved over what I was familiar with a decade ago.

During my research I came across the Fender Squier Affinity Precision PJ Beginner Pack on Amazon. Eleven years ago Squier was just not an option, in my opinion. I had not heard too many positive things about the line. But this time, there were a lot of positive reviews in the item listing. So, I checked other sites and the great reviews were consistent everywhere I looked. I also watched a few YouTube videos on the Squier PJ. Again, nothing but positive feedback.

So, with such a great price $330 for everything and an option to spread the payments over 5 months, I HAD to give the Squier line a chance.

BOY am I glad that I did!

The Less Than Great: The strap included is very cheap. It will do for now, but it needs to be upgraded.

There were several complaints about the quality of the cord included so I ordered an aftermarket but to be honest I have haven't even tried the one that came with the set.

The Great: The amp is really nice. It's small but it's a practice amp. I get enough sound and can play with the tonality enough for now. The amp is also very well made, it doesn't feel cheap or skimpy. It will be PERFECT for any beginning bassist.

The bass itself is BEAUTIFUL! The brown sunburst is classy, the construction is flawless. It's lightweight but doesn't feel crummy or weak. The neck is nice and smooth, no rough edges on the frets. The controls are tight and responsive.

The combination of the P and J bridge pickups make for very capable sound shaping. You can get a a lot of different sounds out of this instrument.

Overall I am BEYOND THRILLED with this bass. It did need a set up so I took it to the local Guitar Center for tha (there is was fret buzz that I could get knocked down). After a $50 set-up the bass is flawless.