After playing with flatwounds for over 7 years, I finally decided to try out some nylon tapewound strings after reading about them and hearing good things from a Guitar Center associate. Since D'Addario is my go-to for strings, I ordered their XL Nylon Tapewounds (medium gauge) to try out on my new Fender Special Edition Deluxe Precision bass.
Being a creature of habit, it takes a lot for me to try something new (especially when strings are close to $40/set), but I'm glad I did in this case. These strings were awesome from the get-go. New flatwound strings always seemed to take a few weeks to adjust to, but these tapewounds were comfortable from the start. They're lightweight enough to hear note definition while retaining a vintage "thumpy" sound --like that of an upright. My fingers can fly up and down the next with ease (I do a good bit of sliding), and there's zero resistance--yet, they're not so slick that I lose control.
I can't say enough about these strings...mostly because they're perfect for the style of music that I usually play. I haven't tried them with a pick, though, because I play pizzicato 100% of the time.
Back when I was hauling gear around three times a week, there were few affordable lightweight options. I loved the Genz Benz I had, but after I stopped playing so much, even that seemed heavy in addition to my other gear that I carried from place to place. The best I ended up finding was an Ampeg Micro-CL 100 watt amp around 2010. It weighed at least 30 pounds and was in two pieces...not exactly easy to carry for someone of my stature.
I considered a Fender Rumble a year or so ago, but then I found the Vox VX50 bass amp...weighing in at just under 10 pounds. Since I still had the Ampeg, I didn't want to drop too much money on essentially what would only be a practice amp. The Vox was only $229.00. After watching (and reading) many reviews, I added it to my cart and waited for Fed Ex to deliver.
Considering its speaker size, this little Vox really delivers. I can easily jam with an electric guitar and full drum set and still be heard at half volume. I haven't tried it in any other setting, but for my purposes, this amp is perfect. My amp is no longer the heaviest piece of gear I'm carrying around. And as a bonus...it has built-in compression and drive options.
Amp specs are below.
OVERVIEW
Smooth, rich bass tone that's easy to take wherever you play.
The VX50 BA offers 50W of smooth Vox bass tone for live or studio performances. The highly portable combo features a single with a 4-band EQ for thorough-yet-simple tone shaping, plus a built-in compressor to keep things tight and punchy. The cabinet construction is also optimized for low-end projection, so you're sure to sound great anytime.
The VOX VX50 BA is a compact, lightweight and cutting-edge bass amplifier with an impressive 50 watts of output power and rich, deep bass tone courtesy of the Nutube-equipped pre-amp. Beyond its impressive sound, the VX50 BA provides players with a 4-band EQ, as well as on-board compression and overdrive for dialing in tight, punchy tones. There's also a full assortment of input/output jacks for connecting your headphones, media player or PA system. Weighing in at only 9.9 lb., the VX50 BA is a fully-featured bass amp that's perfect for the bassist on the go.
The compact and lightweight VX50 BA features a VOX original 8 in. speaker, a unique bass reflex structure that ensures ample power and rich low-frequency reproduction, and warm vacuum tube sound courtesy of Nutube. There's also a 4-band EQ that allows detailed sound-shaping, a compressor effect that's indispensable for bass, and an overdrive effect that provides everything from subtle grit to high-gain overdrive.
Also provided are a full complement of input/output jacks, including an aux. in jack, headphone jack and a direct out jack for direct connection to your PA system. Aesthetically, the VX50 BA sports a red color scheme, a traditional VOX vertical logo, and a metal grille for a distinct and edgy look that's sure to stand out on stage.
FEATURES
·Ample output, and a specially‐optimized bass‐reflex structure to reproduce rich low‐frequency sounds
·Four‐stage EQ allows the bassist to precisely shape their sound
