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I have a middle of the range Tokai 335 copy. Guitarist in my band has a Gibson 335. I daren't let him try my Tokai as I think it’ll just depress him.

After much trying out and research, I’ve finally sorted out my small rig. It’s unbelievable that this little lot ( Aguilar AG 700 and a Barefaced One 10) can produce the sounds that it does in such a lightweight package. Rehearsal tomorrow night should be fun!

Thank goodness you're here to save us, @prowla! Actually, while you're on, I've just snapped up The Mona Lisa for a great price. I'm SO chuffed.

1. What makes owners of Mesa gear like it so much. (general question about Mesa gear ie build quality, support and availability) - Sound, build quality, character. I have more compliments about my sound when using Mesa gear than any other. 2. What is it that made you pick that particular amp over others. (in respect to other Mesa amps or cabs and maybe in respect to other manufacturers gear) The 400+ is iconic. There's a reason it's one of the default models on Logic Pro X. It gives me a sound I absolutely love. Bass = 3, Treble = 3, MIddle = 10. I have a Walkabout Scout 12 too and use that with it's own 1x12 combo or with a BF TWO10. Both have very similar flavour sounds and cut through the mix. The 400+ is used either through a BF Big Twin 2 or a SIX10. 3. Is there a favoured set up that majority of owners prefer or would prefer. Not particularly. I change mine depending on the venue, my mood, whatever. 4. Can you describe briefly your preferred tone (ie, warm, mellow, mid-punch, heavy bottom end, high top end are just some things i can think off). A middy clank not unlike Duff McKagan, a thumping P-bass with flats depending on the song. Both the 400+ and the Walkabout get me where I need to be. Once you've learned how to quickly adjust teh knobs on the go, it's not an issue. 5. what bass do you generally use with it. (just to give me an idea of whether your bass is passive, active or has a deciding influence on how your tone might sound) Yamaha BB2024x, Valenti P-bass, G&L2500 6. Finally what Mesa gear would you recommend for a Mesa Virgin like myself playing mostly classic rock with a Jazz bass but occasionally depping for other music genres doing pup / club material. A Walkabout Scout or a Walkabout with a quality 210 would probably serve you well. The DI on Mesa gear is weird. You have to be aware that if you change the master volume setting it will affect the signal out so if you tweak up your volume on stage the desk is going to get a hotter signal. Worth mentioning to a soundman just in case. My 400+ measured the power output at approximately 245W clean and 350W maximum when clipping as done by MJW Amps during a service. Transients could well be higher. It's not stupidly powerful but it is loud through a good cab. As a comparison, my MJW Taranis 200 (4 x KT88) is 253 clean and 544 fully clipped.

Just in case you haven't heard this...

Awaiting for mine.

Hey Basschat, I've just started properly recording this bass and loving the bite from it! Anyone else here using a P-elite and want to share some photos/videos?? Cheers, Bill.

Trace Elliot Series 6 Type 7215 GP7 1X15 300W Combo Back in the day, I was one of the few bass players who didn't use a Trace Elliot rig. When I saw them on sale at that time (late 80s/early 90s) they seemed quite expensive and I got the impression they were solely for Mark King-alikes who favoured the now-infamous slapping style that was all over the place then… In short, it was a hairdresser’s amp and not suitable for muscular Ampeg men such as myself. So I didn't ever have the Trace experience. In the intervening years, I've explored pretty much every other brand and every possible format of bass amp and cab with varying degrees of satisfaction. But then I saw more and more threads about old Trace gear, both here and elsewhere and was intrigued… …mainly because some threads insisted Trace gear sounded terrible, Trace owners wore waistcoats and looked at themselves in the mirror a lot, Trace was a one-trick pony and the gear was incredibly heavy because it was full of concrete. Others praised Trace to the skies, citing a big sound, a huge variety of tones not available elsewhere and claiming lifelong allegiance to the cause. Some very polarised views, then… but they can’t both be right, can they? This cognitive dissonance will not stand! So when I saw a Trace combo up for sale on BC, I thought ‘why not?’ It can only be terrible. Or great. I’ll find out. Got the combo home and plugged in my Jazz Bass - it sounded terrible. So I fiddled with the EQ for a while and it was better, but not great. After quite a bit of fiddling and button-pressing and bone-headed persistence, I got some acceptable results, but there was an overall baked-in aspect to the sound I couldn't seem to get rid of, a sort of Marcus-type twangy vibe. I fiddled for a bit longer (fnarr), upped the input gain quite a bit, then loaded a play-along CD into my Linn system which I set at near-battle levels, to see what the combo would do in concert, as it were - and suddenly there it was - without changing anything, the tone was at once lush, muscular and taut - and without the twang, or rather it was still there, but it now served to make the notes articulate and present, without being in any way offensive. Nice tight bottom end, too - I eased down the 50hz slider somewhat to avoid speaker stress, raised the 100Hz a db or two and all was good. Very good. It is a big, chunky sound that puts a stupid grin on your face. I strongly suspect it will be a cracking live amp. Trace obviously made gear that was meant to be taken out into the world and gigged with a band, not used solo in a bedroom. Tip: Leave the Mid Pre Shape button alone and avoid the ‘smiley face’ EQ curve. A word on LOUD: According to physics, a watt is a watt is a watt, but any layman will tell you that valve watts seem louder than solid state watts. I can tell you that Trace SS watts seem louder than, er… other SS watts. And by some margin. I need to do a lot more research, but apparently this 7215 combo delivers around 180-200 watts into its internal speaker which provides an 8 ohm load. There is an additional output socket on the rear of the combo to allow an additional 8 ohm cab to be used. It will then produce the full 300 Trace watts into 4 ohms, which must be truly seismic. All GP7 combos use custom Celestion drivers, it says here. In use, it comes on at least as 'loud' as a regular 500W @ 4 ohms Class 'D' amp and that’s without using an extension cab. I can’t imagine ever needing one - the combo on its own is punishingly loud and must have been astonishing back in the day, largely because it’s astonishing now. It is also built like a tank and the spec of this one puts it at a scrotum-busting 35kg - however I don’t think it’s genuinely that heavy, as it’s a do-able two-handed lift into my hatchback. Lift with your legs, lift with your legs… huppp. Having said that, I wouldn't like to carry it very far… Barefaced it is not. I now keep a folding sack truck in the car. And a truss. So there you have it. As you know, I've been on the gear merry-go-round for decades. Could it be that if I had bought this combo in 1993 I wouldn't have needed anything else and could have put an end to amp and cab GAS right there and then, saving myself a fortune in the process? We’ll never know. Will I now recommend that you madly rush out and buy up loads of old Trace gear? I will not. Because I don’t want the price to go up. You probably wouldn't like it, anyway…

I ended up taking Dood’s Kenton MIDI/USB Host off his hands recently. It’s on my board receiving MIDI PC messages from my Boss ES5, and changing patches on my MS60B. It works a treat.

In the mid-90s (pre-hernia!) I did a gig upstairs at The Garage with an Ampeg SVT-CL and 8x10 - both in flight cases. I did have some help, but definitely wouldn't attempt it today that's for sure.

All the better to hold the headstock on with

Nice one!! That's the one I've settled on. Pretty basic but there's only a couple of songs I need to transpose to learn and the free basic version does enough for me!

I heard one of those narrower combos a few years ago, and even with a Wal going into it , it sounded nowhere near as good as the larger combo with the twin ports. May have been the lower powered one though.

Funnily enough I love a thru-neck too and got a passive PJ 5-string built by Jon Shuker a couple of years back with a set neck option. Pretty much a Fender 70’s Jazz style with MOP blocks on the neck. Got a similar styled “active” 5-string from him too but that has Wizard Humbucker pickups instead of the PJ. Both cracking basses & cant beat that thru-neck feel.

One of the attractions is that the Torpedo seems to have power amp simulation as well as speakers. I have a Helix but I've not yet managed to get it to sound as good as the MXR!

LH500 good too. Cheaper and really simple front panel.

I like the "Tangareen matalic" one on the bottom of the page.. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Jazz-Bass-Guitar-Burnt-Tangereen-matalic-Ellesmere-Port/302592613091?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49138%26meid%3D81a4d8b62765428ebfb9ee40077bee14%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D112736305513&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

It’s ok, he phoned me 30 minutes after we agreed to meet (he did text to say he’d be late) and said “I’m here, where are you?!” He was in the wrong car park. So I’m not shocked it eluded him.

Thanks Sean for your fantastic descriptions. Gives me a general idea of how you use your set up and how that differs slightly from my preferred tone. Thanks for that. One other thing MJW Taranis ? Never heard of them but just googled and they look tidy but not knowing enough about them i wouldn't buy one without trying it first. Dave

I'm a little sketchy on the really early stuff but MK5 was mid eighties (maybe '86) to about '89, Series 6 was the next generation from '89 till '93 then these were superseded by SM and SMX from '94 with an upgrade of the SM to SMC (with the dual band compressor albeit single knobbed) in '97 and a change from grey panel / grey tolex to black panel / green carpet - SMX models received the cosmetic change but were otherwise unchanged except 250w models were now claimed 300w and the 350w model was now 400w. Last generation Gibson models were the last of the 'old guard' produced from '99 until about '02 - 150 and 300w models had a new design power stage, electro-illuminescent panel plus the old 400w was upped to 500w plus the crazy stereo / triamp 1000w replaced the 600w SMX. Both 7 band and 12 band pre-amps recieved tweaks most notably the 12 band with an added valve drive and enhancer facilities. Production ceased in around '03 when Gibson closed the brand and factory. Peavey production started in 2005. Yours looks to be a lesser spotted model as most series 6 were the smaller box design and all SM were larger off-set suggesting a very late Series 6 from about '92 just before they were replaced. Sorry for the essay! Ha!

Not again, please.

Mr Button did Series 6 to SMX / 12 band I believe, and Ashdown for the first 10 years or so I think

[I know Ashdowns can stand a lot of signal on the input stage, but is there any advantage in a high input level on a Trace? Is it better to whack up the master and control the volume level with the input, or vice-versa,? Or neither?] I think it depends on what sort of sound you are after, I like a clean sound through the amp and the low input works well for that. But to be honest I don’t think I have ever managed to ‘push’ the amp yet. I could dial the input up to get the led on but there’s no point. One thing I notice on mine is that if I wat to use it for practice I have to drop the input more than the output as the output has less effect on the overall volume.

I'm a fan of the Trace Elliot sound but not the weight, so I use a TE head with light weight cabs, agree with everything Discreet says, Trace watts are a lot louder the D class watts and the preshape buttons are seductive when playing on you own but in a band situation a no no, I just cut the 50 and 60Hz sliders (GP12) to get rid of boom, but I do use a bass drive sim which does take out some mid range honk and have the input on full, the red light might flash very occasionally but that's it

Love that! Great job

All the info you could need is here https://www.bassesbyleo.com/gl_bbe_wiring_diagrams.html

+1 I agree that this seems to be more tremolo than chorus. Zoom MS-60B will get you a fair way down the line with either, and won't break the bank.

I guess we need to consider the Trace 1x10 that’s just come out, I’m planning to get one this year, haven’t tried yet though

There`s a thickness & thud to that sound that just doesn`t seem to be around nowadays.

Move to Corona. Wait a mo, that's cause the QC was crap at the old factory

I think the sandblasted series are my favourite basses that Fender has ever made. I lusted after a red one on sale many months ago but it was way out of my budget at the time. Somewhere in the region of £900 if I recall, so nowhere near the deal you got yours for!

a sansamp VT bass or a EHX BIG muff and a fast chorus would get you close id have thought

Sounds like fuzz and chorus to me. On my board I'd use the Chowney Fuzzster and EHX Bass Clone (neither of which are expensive).

We gig this one and I just dig in with my valve pre amp peadal and valve rig and it doesn't sound right to my ears, I think the cheapest option would be a fuzz pedal, something like an MXR bass fuzz deluxe, but I can't really justify it for one number, I hear there was a lesley speaker involved, and a pick, someone recommends a digitech ventura vibe as well, there's some stuff here https://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/836166-john-paul-jones-studio-sound.html and here

That's what I tell the missus.

I sometimes run my Barefaced Four 10 with an 800+, although I usually favour all-valve heads. A touch of hpf and boost in the upper mids works for me with a passive Fender, and I tend to crank the voicing a bit to get a tube sound. Amazing speakers coupled with an amazing amp. I honestly don't think that the Barefaced tens, with their baked in character, could sound "bad" with any amp. Similarly the Mesa 800+ is versatile enough to be a decent match with any speaker, despite having a complex looking front panel I have found it remarkable intuitive to tweak.

Andy, thanks so much for posting this. A radius jig is next on my list of things to build, once I finish the two work tables, the work bench, wood rack....oh and the unfinished guitar and bass that keep on looking at me making me feel guilty. But sanding radii is pretty much my least favourite part of a build, so I shall be re-visiting this thread shortly, compass and stubby pencil in hand.....

Got one on order with the new SL-2

Agreed, it does sound like you have a duff one - I'm with Osiris on this one. You're very welcome to borrow mine - PM me if you do and I'll post it across to you.

Cor!

Mine turned up half an hour ago, quick tune up and straplocks on balances nicely on a Comfort Strapp. I ordered a case with it, the headstock just about fits, which I suppose is just enough really.

Couldn't agree more. It would be between those two for me. Was Orange Friday's me(n)tal orange swirly thing a 2017 build or earlier. It even out weirded the Psilos at the SE Bass Bash - and that's saying something! It does lose some points, though for seemingly being made out of dark matter.

Yeah the burnt ash is a beauty! I saw the body in the flesh when I was down a few months ago! I was very tempted to go the same route for my next bass. But I wanted a light coloured bass. I’m going with a walnut body, Italian sycamore top wood, sycamore neck and fingerboard, with a walnut scratch plate. Chris and Al are great guys, who are masters of their craft! I don’t think I will ever buy an instrument from another company.

The procedure is on page 23 of the manual that you can download from the link Mudpup posted. You'll need a USB cable with the right ends.

here you go https://www.zoom-na.com/products/guitar-bass-effects/multistomp/zoom-ms-60b-multistomp-bass-pedal#downloads

It sounds like thhe crappy bass was the issue, rather than the B string - but if you don't need it, you don't need it 😀

Do 'best of' albums count? If so 'Steppin Out - the Best of Joe Jackson' would be in my top 3. Made In Japan, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath would be the other 2.