Let’s talk about the second small sound system I purchased to replace my Fender Passport, the Bose PS1. It’s also called the Bose PAS, and, more recently, everyone has seemed to settle on the Bose L1 label. It’s all the same thing, though. If you remember from a previous post, I had been gigging for a few years with the Fender unit and was perfectly happy with it. One day, the guitar player in our band asked me if I had seen the new Bose system. I hadn’t, so it was off to Guitar Center we go! This post focuses more one buying the Bose and the follow-up post will deal more with using it. I don’t like typing long posts, I probably have a short attention span.
At the time (maybe still), Guitar Center was the ONLY place you could buy the L1. I found their demo unit off to the side in the room where they display most of their PA and lighting inventory. The salesguy was helpful and was actually familiar with how it worked. I have to say, it certainly looked different! Usually, or sometimes, anyway, different-looking is cool-looking. That was true in this case…so, check.
First of all, I really didn’t see how it could project much power because the speakers are little, 2 1/2 inch units that run the length of the “pole” section that plugs into the horseshoe-shaped base unit. The separate little box-looking piece in the photo is the subwoofer. It also has a remote unit to set a few volume levels and basic high-mid-low knobs for 2 other inputs.
I’m not going to go into a review of every little knob, button and spec…there are plenty of sites on the dang old internets that cover that stuff.
I had brought along my iPod and a patch cable and Mr. Helpful Salesguy got me all hooked up to run a few tunes. At the time, I was enamored with the live version of Elvis’ 1969 Las Vegas rendition of the Mystery Train/Tiger Man medley. I have to say, when James Burton’s Telecaster started cranking, everyone within 50 feet drifted over and listened in. I was floored by the power and quality of sound coming out of those little speakers. We had the volume level set at about 20% up from zero, so we were not pushing it at all.
After a few more songs, I was sold. You would think that since I was going to use this for vocals, I would’ve hooked up a microphone and tested that as well, but I never said I was a savvy-buyer. More of an impulse buyer, maybe. Regardless, I wrote the check. As an aside I will have to say that Guitar Center wouldn’t take my check. Or, more accurately, their check service wouldn’t take my check. So, I got on the phone with Mr. Telecheck.
Them: I’m sorry, we’re unable to accept your check.
Me: Why not, haven’t bounced any checks, is there some flag on my account?
Them: No, the amount is too large. ( I think it was about $2,000.00)
Me: What does that even mean? Do you realize that this is Guitar Center, they have lots of stuff here that costs more than what I’m buying, are you saying you can’t take checks for any of it?
Them: Well, you’ve never written a check for that much, so we can’t approve the transaction.
You would think that the idea is to get people to spend MORE rather than less in a retail store. But, maybe that is just one of my old-fashioned ideas…remember, Guitar Center was the ONLY place you could get one of these, so I did what any other American consumer would do, I put it on my credit card and problem solved.
Next time…using the Bose L1.
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