Hello and greetings from lively Amsterdam!(passing by, enjoying Dutch lifestyle? V), been just in tapping seminar in Gouda,Holland)

I had a chance to try PJB Briefcase and it sounded awesome for such a small unit. It got me thinking, what is your dream gear for stick? For a combo and for separate amps? Whats the best ones you have experienced? Very intrested to gear(typo, Hear)!?

My ideal is a separate head and cab, that configuration being a compromise relative to a heavy rack—the contents of which would replace a head.

My primary reason for using separates is that there are only a few cabinets on the market which improve significantly on the decades-old standard of low-frequency performance whilst also handling the Stick's higher range well. Those two points bear further emphasis: whereas the Stick's “bass” side has significantly stronger fundamental-frequency content than bass guitars, it also reaches quite a bit higher than bass guitars (e.g. Ten-String Classic tuning). I would recommend either a Greenboy fEARful or Fearless for a full-size Stick, with a Barefaced Bass Big Baby II or Big Twin II as an acceptable compromise based on geography; for an Alto Stick or an SG12, I expect that a Genzler Bass Array 12-3 STR or Bass Array 12-3 SLANT would be sufficient—though any of the cabs mentioned previously would also work quite well.

Regarding heads, I would want lots of EQ controls—due to the Stick's range—and the ability to combine signals. The old Carvin BX heads were great for this; unfortunately, they were discontinued when Carvin left the amplifier business. Only last night, I posted what may be the best compromise in that regard (note that said plan is for an Alto Stick).

Though that pretty much covers my “dream gear,” I feel honor bound to include two more links: one to the StepAbout 2 Stick preamp and one to my “second half” (for the purposes of this discussion, I recommend reading the Conclusion section first) of Free Hands Friday #44: The Bass Side Amp.

I should probably also mention that I did not include effects because, well, that journey is endless…even by gear geek standards.

I've had my best experience with a Epifani bass amp and Vox amps for melody side. It all depends on the style of music you like to play. I like a clean melody, which Vox accomodates very well. I have three Vox MV50 amps (the small 50 watt Nutube amps) as well as a 50 watt Night train, and an AC15. Very clean. Other amps that are great for the melody are Fender George Benson model and Quilter. Invest in good amps. All the pedal and MIDI stuff should come later in your musical exploration

Big thanks for good replys guys! Have to check those out in some music store!

I agree that good (fingers)-> amps first and then pedals.. Best pedals for stick..hmm.. more gear porn..

Japhlet and Randy use PJB briefcases, both to good effect. I expect they would be good as a practice amp to start. Which is all you really need, well, that and a good TRS to dual mono cable.

I like the QSR K12 as it has 2 channels and can take a TRS cable in when I'm looking to play mono. I use a pair of these live even though one is generally plenty.

Beware of the selection bias inherent in selecting gear from a store's inventory. If you mean to transition this hypothetical discussion into practical application, then please post your budget.

Jason Brock uses the PJB Briefcase in NorthBay, Ontario, Canada.
I've tried it a few times and love it. It's on my list of things to acquire.

In the US, at least, the Phil Jones Briefcase borders on false economy: it costs only $100 less than a Genzler Bass Array 12-3, ≈$200 less than a Barefaced Bass Big Baby II, and ≈$400 less than a True-Three-Way fEARful 12/6 (bought, not DIY) or Fearless F112 (with all of the weight-saving options selected, such that either of the latter two would weigh 35 pounds [±2 pounds])—all of which will reach further into both ends of the sonic spectrum, especially the fEARful. Though that compares a combo to passive cabs, bass heads—with better EQ controls—can be had quite cheaply.

I understand why Phil Jones's products cost as much as they do; however, I feel that his designs have been superceded.

It's all about the tone.
If it sounds great, I buy it.
Phil Jones makes decent amps.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlndPiLr8bE[/youtube]

That is almost certainly true for all of us. That said, I weigh all my options before I spend money.