manthedan

Bought this bass in 2014. Started playing bass in 2009, and for five years was using a fairly mediocre P-bass copy, so felt the need to upgrade, and thought going up to a 5-string might be interesting and push my playing a little further. For the time, this thing was a great axe, and I still use it for any 5-string duties. The Jazz neck feels wonderful, the body fits comfortably, and the P-bass pickup especially sounds great for any soft-tone duties. This thing falters with tonal versatility and the active circuit. The active bass boost on this bass is pretty crummy (which is probably because it's cheap Squier electronics, from before Squier got good). The bass boost sounds muddy and kills any highs or mids you had previously. Also, the full tone on this bass isn't fantastic, you'll struggle to get anything distinctive unless you slap or use a plectrum. Worse still, the active pickup also makes it difficult to mod with new, better pickups. I've relegated this bass to practice and 5-string duties only, and only gig with it if I need 5-strings or my Thunderbird is out of action. Were it not for the active circuit, I'd mod it with new pickups and play it constantly, since the rest of the bass is fantastic, but the pickups let it down, and I have a feeling I may sell it in the future.

Bought this bass in 2016, and it's been my go-to bass for anything rock related, ranging from indie to progressive to 70s/80s metal. The neck feels sublime, it doesn't suffer any of the top-heavy issues some other Thunderbirds have, and the pickups are beastly. They're Gibson pickups, rather than the Epiphone standards, and the quality is all in those. You'd never guess from the sound that this was a Chinese-built bass. Couldn't recommend enough for anyone wanting a great 4-string to chug on.

This definitely isn't the best OD pedal you'll ever play if you ever get the chance to try some high-end gear, but that's the situation with most Boss products. The ODB-3 was my first bass pedal, got it along with a Dolby Fuzz when I was younger and obsessed with trying to sound like Muse or Cliff Burton. I still use it. The ODB-3 isn't without issues. For a start, it's hardly that functional. This thing is designed more to be used on its own or with a small collection of other pedals than alongside a whole array of weird effects. The balance never gets a perfect sound out, and you have to rely on the EQ mixing to get the right tone. However, this thing is perfect for the affordable price. The sound is great, the overdrive itself will blow the roof off, and I think most importantly: it's simple. This is a perfect pedal to start on, and then move on to some more intense, complicated stompers. It's not the best OD pedal you'll play, but it'll be a great tool to start on, and that's what it's there for.