dan670844

[quote name='redstriper' post='1364185' date='Sep 6 2011, 03:43 PM']Thanks for your advice Dan. I am actually in the process, (soldering iron in hand) of fitting a new wiring harness with quality components. This one has a 0.47 cap and the designer (Ki0gon on this forum) suggested fitting 2 of these to reduce the treble even more - I rarely have the tone turned on at all. My old bass does indeed have the 0.5uf cap as you suggest. I will try this new harness and possibly a Wizard 64, but I may end up selling it and going back to my old one - shame it had jumbo frets fitted when it was 'customised' in the 70s.......[/quote] Dont write the wizzo's off until you have a decent tone cap in your bass either that hardess coming from te nasty ceramic cap in there, i think the kit you have has sprague orange drop 0.047 in, they are nice and smmooth big improvement from a this top quality pp cap, if you want smoother try a polystyrene 0.047 from audiocap on the net, bit pricy though....

[quote name='redstriper' post='1358955' date='Sep 1 2011, 04:29 PM']I am considering replacing the pickups in my Mexican Fender Jazz bass. I mainly only use the neck pup with heavy flat wounds and I like a really deep old school sound for reggae and soul music. My old (1963) Fender Jazz has a very deep smooth tone, but the new one sounds thinner and I am hoping a new pup set might help. I tried Wizard 84s, but they sound too growly and aggressive, I like a smooth deep and thick vintage tone with reduced mids and treble. In [url="http://www.atkinsonbasses.com/multimedia"]this comparison[/url] of 5 J pickups, I prefer the DiMarzio "Model J" followed closely by the Seymour Duncan Antiquity II, I also like the Duncan designed ones in The Squier VMJs. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks, Steve.[/quote] Have you ever thought about changing the cap's in the guitar? the older ones dont have a 0.47mfd cap in them Its a 0.05uf (polyester not ceramic) I think???. I think the higher value caps will skim more treble to ground, if you use the tone control, of course many have it wide open! Good luck with trying, I would try the '64's and try and see if you can get a red disc 0.05uf polyester cap, they sometimes turn up on the bay, you might wanna change the pots too! in fact you prob want to get a vintage rewire kit from guitar parts resource in the USA not expensive, and they are very good. I used to have a MIM jazz for the same purpose, I didnt want the old 'un stolen. In the end I got rid and got a MIJ non export, why?, with mim neck is diff 9.5 instead of 7.25" ,jumbo frets yuck. The jap '62 resissue jap non exports i have found are more true to the originals and can be had for a good price from isibushi on the bay even if they are second hand not a prob as they are built like tanks. The MIM to me just looks like a jazz it looks feels and sounds very different to me. Not to say they can't be nice guitars just not what I am after. The exception to this is the road worn of course thats a nice guitar no matter where it was made! but I find the fake ageing a little off putting, but they play great.

[quote name='aldude' post='1352875' date='Aug 26 2011, 06:58 PM']I do think TC are being treated a bit harshly here. If I understand it correctly, TC have made a power management system that makes their watts sound louder than other solid state amps' watts. But nobody will really believe or understand that. People know (or believe anyway) that "tube watts" are louder than "solid state watts", but will people believe that TC solid state watts are louder than other manufacturers' solid state watts? Probably not. So, for people to be persuaded to buy the amps, they will have to be marketed in a different way. Unfortunately they seem to have chosen a way that a lot of people do not agree with. But I do agree that if the above is true, they had to do something, as selling the head as a 230W head would probably affect sales quite a lot. Perhaps they should have chosen a different marketing angle, like "230 tube watts" or "watt volume maximiser system" or something. Still.... does anyone know the power output at 2.7 ohms? [/quote] Its probably nothing clever they probably just have a compressor/ filter working on the lo end of the signal to tidy it up, trace elliot where doing this in the late 80's 90's with the SMX makes a big difference as a lot of current is wasted down there and the voicing of the amp prob helps here two

[quote name='alexclaber' post='1352057' date='Aug 26 2011, 09:53 AM']Just because some bassists think that doesn't make it true. If you like what the TC amp does as it runs out of power then you'll think it's loud. If you don't then you'll think it's overly compressed and lacking in deep bottom. It's just like how a lot of people think 300W valve amps are really really loud but personally I find them lacking in clean oomph. We have lots of happy customers using the TC amps but I don't recommend them universally because of the sound of their APM system. Clever technology by TC. Disappointed by their marketing. The main frustration for me is that we make cabs that can handle (and do good things with!) huge power but because everyone else is making cabs with much lower power handling and max output (the TC cabs being a prime example) no-one is really making a lightweight head that can get every last dB out of them. The end result is that we're working on launching a lightweight head ASAP that really does have huge honest power output...[/quote] Good luck with the lightweight head, I have never seen heard or played anything so far with a switch mode power supply that can really push bass in a dynamic way, I heard switch modes struggle to deliver a dynamic current load quickly that is needed for good low end thump. It is possible though I think Proel has a good power supply module but its very expensive Have you ever played Ashdown's 427? thats 427 watts RMS clean FTC 10hz-20khz that's very loud in anyone's books again, very expensive and they prob make a loss on everyone they sell! Heavy is not be be used lightly haha with this unit!! I think Early SVT's are loud due to the high quality high band width transformers they had in them modern ones dont have the same transformers i guess are so expensive.... I think the problem is nobody is prepared to pay for the expensive of a 'proper' job the TC electronic Shuttle, Markbass etc is good enough for most people and they can't really justify spending that much more than the £600 price point. I have learnt over the years never to go for gear that is so heavily endorsed its usually crap. So over to you you did it with the cabs.................. I will stick with my bipolar QSC until you come up trumps!!

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='258067' date='Aug 8 2008, 01:37 PM']The difference as i see it is that in the past Ashdown would make all or a lot of the PCBS and PSU's up themselves in the factory. Now they get the PCBs already put together (as you say) and assemble the whole lot together over here. I would like to know why they make a big dela about the Klystrons being made over if its all the same thing. Yes, its not a problem where it come from if it works so we agree on that at least. I do think that the switch was what caused the quality control to get a bit poor though. I could pin point more or less when Ashdown moved to China as i had an email from them stating that as from now etc but i dont know where it is now. Doubt i still have it. It came about when i ordered a MAG30 C-115 and it was delayed. I emailed Ashdown to ask if i could come and pick it up from them rather than it being delivered to the Bass Centre and then out to me and they said they were waiting for the new shipment to come in and explained about China. I think it was around end of 2003 but cant be sure. Still, im not bothered really, just was pointing out that unlike the older ABM EVO's the EVOII's might not be made the same way.[/quote] Interesting points I made a ampmaker woodface amp which is a 5watt single ended 6v6 guitar amp. My mate want one also so we decided to build one from scratch i.e. not from a kit. We put a caveat that all the bits need to be made in the UK or at least Europe or the USA. I was amazed how many passive components are still made in the UK esp Caps and resistors, they are all very high quality low tolerence items, we even got the transformers from a uk manufacturer. I must say his amp is much more lively and sonourous than mine, it feels more alive and clear. Maybe thats what it is with all this chinese stuff, same circuit, but when you use componets with 5% tolerance or cheaper made stuff its doesnt sound as good, collectively. I have to say that his parts cost a lot more than mine prob double, but get what you pay for!!! I am busy modding mine to the same spec!!! double the price of bits is still only £30 of bits.......

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1348202' date='Aug 22 2011, 06:04 PM']I am thinking of adding an ashtray to my Squier Active Jazz. I am un-decided at present. There will be no going back because of the obvious holes! What do you think? If you have no opinion, I have a 'don't care' option [/quote] I wouldn't put one on a bass that doesnt already have it, I have one bass with them on its a 1961 stack knob jazz. It really needs them on especially over the bridge pickup, as the way the old uns are wired with an external earth strap, the pickups can be a bit noisy, esp under florescent lights, put the covers on and quiet as a mouse. They are not really in the way for finger style you get used to them pretty quick...... problem is when you take em off and on a few times the screw holes get blighted then you have to reach for the matchsticks....... Before committing try them by sticking them on with 3M VHB tape (the foamy stuff) they will stay on tight and you won't need to drill and no one will know!

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1349128' date='Aug 23 2011, 04:19 PM']Neodymium is just the example that affects magnets and is easy to talk about, the Chinese clampdown is across loads of rare earths, and like neodymium they've cornered the market over a period of time by undercutting, stuff that has more esoteric uses that making magnets out of. I don't know if the clampdown includes export of products containing rare earths, that would make a sort of economic sense as suddenly you could only buy technological products from China, and it would keep everywhere else struggling to produce technology competitively. When I say 'stopping of supply' I don't mean China's is totally stopping supplying the world, I mean people using the stuff suddenly have their supply stopped, because demand is elsewhere, in the scheme of things, 40 year obsolete technology used only for indulgence is not a priority use.[/quote] It will end in war probably while the US still has some teeth, I think this is the till of the iceberg!!

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1342946' date='Aug 17 2011, 11:50 AM']Agreed, although SLAM is definitely not lacking with the Streamliner. It sounds huge. It needs playing with EQ wise somtimes, but once its set, BAM! I need to A/B my AD200 with my micros soon.[/quote] Maybe I should try it then someone said they have developed some kind of coil to reserve current inbetween the PS and the output module, I thought it was balony, but glad to be proved wrong.. my back!!! and it has a real valve preamp as it runs in HT. All other lightweight stuff i have tried seems to be wimpy although loud it just does not have that shove of current to dump when told too haha!

[quote name='bozzie' post='1342903' date='Aug 17 2011, 11:15 AM']thats pretty similar to how i have my streamliner set, and i think it sounds great[/quote] I am not sure you would ever find a class D amp with the slam of a valve amp.... possibly the tone though with some of the HT preamps and of course sansamps that are now available. The problem is the mismatch between a switch mode power supply and the class D amplifier module. It is possibility the worst combination, simply because a switch mode can only really deliver a constant current without any dynamic peaks, whereas a class D amp module is all about dynamic peaks they have a very variable current draw. So while these little amps are loud they do not have the slam of a all valve system and the articulate and dynamic nature of an all valve system. But hey they are light! If you want solid state emulation without the weight you should be looking at something like a tech 21 landmark 300/600 they are basically a sansamp as a preamp with a mosfet power amp. They can be made to sound exactly like an SVT but are some 40kg lighter! or you good try a sansamp with the normal mosfet power amps or for that matter any other valve preamp should do the trick!!!! Ta

[quote name='thebrig' post='1147757' date='Mar 2 2011, 10:51 PM']Every week our lead guitarist jams with some guys he used to play with in the past. Anyway, last week the bass player could not make, but he sent his bass along for someone else to have a go. Yes! you've guessed it, our lead guitarist, who doesn't usually listen much to what I'm playing, but still likes to tell me [b][u]how[/u][/b] I should be playing, decided that he would be the bassist that night. And yes! you've guessed right again, by his own admission, he made a total mess of it. Even though I'm not the greatest player around, he now thinks I'm the dog's whatsits! So maybe the penny has finally dropped, and he now appreciates what the bassist does! Maybe all guitarists should be made to have a session on bass, just to drag them out of their own backsides![/quote] Ha I stood in for a band once called *****ex, as the bass player was overseas, I knew they were an arguing band, I found out why as the Guitarist/Singer wrote all the bass parts, lets say they were written exactly how a bass player wouldn't do it, I.e no anchors pivots lead in's etc just a load of chord tones in a random order! The moment I suggested that I could do this..... I was told I didnt know what I was talking about..... I quietly escaped!!

[quote name='witterth' post='1340753' date='Aug 15 2011, 03:17 PM']so what was Norm using then?^ I never knew Norm was a trace elliot man anyone know what he has? ( that Guy used....gear bore question)[/quote] Norm Has used Trace for a very long time..... although with Wilco he uses some lightweight gear im not sure but I think its either TC or Tecamp, prob given it ............... His Trace head is a AH1200 with a 1048H and 1518C before that he was using a Series 6 AH1200 with 1048H and 1518C he used that for a very long time...

[quote name='JTUK' post='1330650' date='Aug 7 2011, 09:50 AM']I don't need a change of pickups, but I found out long ago that I really don't want excessive winds that over-power the sound of the bass.[/quote] Depends what bass you have, I don't play them but some of the earlier mexi fenders jazzes are very thin sounding and benefit from a bit of bass hump. In any case a lot of the classic early jazzes and strats have slightly overwound pickups, they where made by old ladies by hand who liked to gas I guess. They sound good if not overdone, with the wizards its not overdone and the pickups character is very defined.

[quote name='douggie' post='1339463' date='Aug 14 2011, 11:35 AM']Shell Pink?????? That was Betsy, my Burgundy Mist 64 Jazz on a rare outing.. It was great fun all round, although it would've been nice to have just one rehearsal.. Thanks everyone, you see proper bass players are such a nice supportive band of brothers.., Cheers! G P.S. Leave poor old Adam Clayton alone..I don't care how big his house is, if I had to play what he does year in year out I'd have gone down Sainsbury's with an Uzi years ago....[/quote] Sorry, I could see the colour I had been supplied with free lager all afternoon, Mrs was very non +, must have just been my retinas, rose tinted.... Blinding playing full stop and now you tell no you did no run up, I am in awe..., No way I could pick up that quick, not playing those tunes.....

[quote name='douggie' post='1339274' date='Aug 14 2011, 03:25 AM']Guy Pratt would like to say thanks to all the people who've posted nice positive things about him here..As for the bashers, he's rather puzzled as to what he's ever done to them? Perhaps if they could give examples of his most heinous crimes so he could at least respond?[/quote] He had a great play..... and looked as if was having a lot of fun with the guys..... good set, great playing on his part, rest of the band where on full bore too.. shame they were not on later on in the bill they would have gone down better in the evening and should have been ... shell pink jazz well not my colour but it sounded good.. Felt sorry for Badly drawn boy they really fooked up his sound, like him or not, surely the sound guys could have done better. How those pickups going I chopped you 'douggie' hope they are doing ok, they are pretty good 'uns

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='273617' date='Aug 31 2008, 11:45 AM']Hi Folks, Don't know about where you are, but it's been nothing but thunderstorms and pouring rain here on the south coast this morning! To help cope with the boredom, here's a silly question to pass the time and have a bit of fun whilst taking a few pot-shots at each others bass-related favourites.. So, in your opinion, what's the most over-rated bass, bass gear or bass-related product you can think of and why? Or what do you just love to hate? Here's my top 3: 1. Sei Jazz 5; too many of these being sold here lately, guess they look great but are too clean and polite sounding unless you play in a jazz-fusion trio? 2. Ashdown amps & cabs; wooly sound, pointless retro design, not easy to get a decent sound out of and definitely a case of 'style over substance'. 4. Bartolini pick-ups; bland, polite & sterile. Definitely massively over-used and over-rated! Nothing too serious remember - just a bit of silly Sunday fun. Nik[/quote] 1. Roadworn / relic modern basses and effects pedals don't understand that, they look sh*te 2. Wireless systems for bass, I hate it when I have to use them. 3. Playing on a sunday, its my day off.....

[quote name='nottswarwick' post='1326425' date='Aug 4 2011, 06:10 AM']In the final analysis the Ashdown may well be the head for me. I like it's depth and easy adjustability, but I keep getting drawn to the terror bass by great reviews, and previous good exp with their guitar stuff. Has anyone used both and thus feels able to do a comparison? Thanks Chris[/quote] I would not buy the terror bass, it needs some mods that Orange should be doing not the purchaser, I would hold fire until this has been done they are doing it right now.. It has the potential to be a good amp but at the moment it is not.... i think Mk2 will be a what everyone is wanting.... still a one trick pony but a good one ABM is a fine machine that has been modified and enhanced over the years, it is very versatile and can cover all styles if you know how to use it .... I still have my early ABM, apart from a dodgy jack it has had nothing go wrong with it and its now the house bass amp at my mates pub in camden so get used 3-4 times a week. But they are old school mosfet stuff can be quite heavy depending on the model you get....

[quote name='JTUK' post='1329946' date='Aug 6 2011, 02:42 PM']This is what I would expect. The 84's would have a power that I wouldn't need. I'd want a thinner sound with more character...and something I could beef up if necc..without it being there and not being able to get rid of it.[/quote] The 64's are best for this they have unbelievable clarity, well just like original fullerton pickups! 74's (rub my invention haha!) have the power of the 84's without that overloaded low end. The 84's are great for MIM Jazzes std's as they can be pretty thin, it turns them alive. It depends what you are putting them into.....

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='1327371' date='Aug 4 2011, 04:45 PM']Have a read. Potentially very scary. [url="http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/guitar_makers_to_run_out_of_wood_in_10_years.html"]http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/genera...n_10_years.html[/url] Jez[/quote] B@@locks!! they can start taking those blue pills........ work wonders Ive heard...

[quote name='beckmo' post='1328163' date='Aug 5 2011, 01:55 AM']Hi guys, just wondering if anyone has any reviews of the Trace Elliot GP11 4x10 combos? I'm looking to get a new bass amp for my band, and apart from Ashdown's, this one's caught my eye quite a bit as well. And to compare in loudness, how would it fair to a 50w tube head and 2 1x12 cabs? Because that's what I'm borrowing off our drummers uncle at the moment, and it's freakin' loud! I've seen a few go for around £150, but atm they seem to be more expensive, so has anyone seen anyone advertise one for around my budget?[/quote] Nice amps much louder than you would ever imagine ,they are giggable, well loud enough just so dam heavy, they are also still servicable you can still get all the parts. The freq response of the 4x10's start at around 70hz, so they are really low mid to high drivers, but they have enough girth to compete with most modern stuff, if you are feeling crazy you could try to find a same era 1518 cab, these were designed to work with this combo to give subsonic bass as they where the low end sub cab. The combined rig is just an amazing combination, it will make your ribs rattle in a most pleasing way!! GP11 Mark V is the best sound trace preamp in my opinion apart from the valve stuff. After that it got a bit to hifi, if you can put up with the weight go for it, bear in mind depending on the power stage some of them weighed 70Kg!! you wont regret the sound, its sublime.

[quote name='nottswarwick' post='1327068' date='Aug 4 2011, 02:52 PM']So, I'm sat outside my caravan in Cornwall musing over a few things. I am midway through a rig change which came about through a shift to drums seeing me sell some gear to free cash for drum stuff. However I am now bassing full time and want to put together my ideal rig. I am liking my new BF Compact so far, and a couple more gigs will likely see me sure. However, like alot of folk on here I have been through a few heads ( mainly markbass to be fair - lm 2 and 3, ta501 and f1) and I keep reading about the other new micro head options. And then we read about folk chopping and changing, or even singing the praises of a particular head only to see in their sig that they have moved on to something else. FS section sees a fairly regular set of amps cropping up ( shuttles, streamliner, tc heads etc) but not quite as many markbass, ashdown Abm and others. Maybe this should tell me something. I want a rig that I can forget about, that is loud, portable and versatile. So in all honestly who is truly happy with their rig having used it for a good while without feeling the need to change?[/quote] The rig I am happy with is an old Trace RMX2450, its great does everything I want tonally mosfet and valve preamps! and has plenty of power for great transients and dynamic range, but it weighs 35kg!! I try everything to move on, to something lighter but I have not found anything as good that includes markbass, TC Elec, blah blah the only thing I would go to would be a Glockenklang but they are just a weighty. So I guess I am happy ish!!! just the weight!

[quote name='lobematt' post='1311432' date='Jul 21 2011, 12:36 PM']Got it, I'll give that a go next practice. Does is make much difference if you use it as a preamp?[/quote] Just my bag but I always use mine dry i.e. sansamp into board/desk or power amp or power amp in on your amp head that way you get sansamp tones only and not the colouration tone of the preaamp on your amp head. Maybe stating the bleeding obvious Sansamp= No amp. i.e the whole point of it is its an analogue tube emulator i.e you can get get svt ish sounds direct into a desk pa power amp whatever. They are cool.

[quote name='merello' post='1323875' date='Aug 2 2011, 09:36 AM']Bolt on [url="http://www.reverendguitars.com/reverend/guitars/bass_series_bolt_on.html"]http://www.reverendguitars.com/reverend/gu...es_bolt_on.html[/url] Set [url="http://www.reverendguitars.com/reverend/guitars/bass_series_set_neck.html"]http://www.reverendguitars.com/reverend/gu...s_set_neck.html[/url] [/quote] Don't know about the basses but a friend of mine has a few of their six stringers, all he plays now. Nice guitars very well made