TRBboy

Looooool -this compact 2x15 stack sounds monstrous! Got it pretty much as low as I can and the walls are shaking 🤣🤣🤣💥🔥🤌❤️

Maybe it doesn't help you, but you're the only person who can say whether it's too heavy for you or not. 🤷 Personally, that would be way too heavy for me, I'd really struggle on a gig. I'm strong, I can support the weight no problem, but those little niggly aches and fatigue coming in ruins the experience for me, and ultimately means I don't play my best and wish for the end of the gig to come. I've sold basses much lighter than yours for this reason.

Definitely sounds like it's rattling in the nut slot from what you've said. Try adding a small shim of paper or card in the slot and see if it goes (or improves). This will prove whether it is the nut or not. Apparently cooper shielding tape in the slot works well to help fix this, if you don't want to replace the nut. Haven't tried it myself though.

I genuinely didn't realise there were MIK Fenders from the 90's, thought it was just Squiers. Does look a nice bass though that jazz. Still have my first bass, Squier MIK Precision, a '93 I think. Are they worth anything yet? 😅

I used one belt that was already well used. I managed to pull pretty much all the carpet off with brute force, and then sorted a couple of patchy bits with a sharp decorators scraper. The sanding was too remove the old adhesive, which was rock hard but sanded off fine. Hardest bit of sanding was putting the radius on the sides where the amp had been, as those edges were square. I don't have a router so had to free-hand guesstimate a similar radius to the other sides. But it came out okay.

Do it! There's some bargains and fun projects to be had!

I commissioned a custom VM5 build which I received just over 5 years ago, and was very keen to try the Black Labels! Ironically, I absolutely hated them! 🤣 Sold the bass pretty much immediately after waiting a year for it (seems very rash on retrospect 😅😬🤦). I felt like they were REALLY aggressive but seemed to lack any actual 'tone'. It's really what led me towards ordering my TT5 passive, with their Alnico V pickups instead. Much more organic and toneful for my ears. But this is why we have choice, because everyone likes something different! It also highlights why you need to TRY things yourself to form an opinion. No amount of people telling you what they like will replace that 😅

Well, this was a fun project!😁 I fancied a cheap 1x15" to go with my Markbass LMII and Ashdown ABM Mini 15 practice rig, so kept my eyes peeled. I came across what was once a Trace Elliot combo in a very sorry state, but it was only £20, and I do LOVE a project! I trimmed off the section where the amp used to be, flipped it on its side, plugged the old handle routs and speakon hole (installed by the previous owner), and sanded it all up. Painted with Tuff Cab, new corners and handles, painted the grille with satin black Hammerite, and created a new location for the speakon connector. Et Voila! Really pleased with how it's come out, probably cost me about £70 all in. 👌 Just waiting on replacement port rings now, which @SamIAm is kindly 3D printing for me. One original was missing and the other was cracked.

Yeah, on further reflection this morning, I think I might give it a good polish up and leave it as is. Might put gold hardware on it at some point, I've always liked black and gold 👌

No, unusually it was a tone toggle. One way direct to the jack, one went to a resistor, and the other went to a 0.1uV capacitor. This meant basically you had one 'okay' sound, one very bright and one very dark. Unfortunately the pickup only has two conductor wiring, otherwise I would've installed a series/split/parallel DPDT mini toggle. 🤷

I reckon 3 ply black would look killer! ❤️👌🔥💥

Been doing a bit more tinkering, got rid of the 'tone toggle' switch and installed a regular tone control with orange drop. Much better for my tastes! Easier to dial in a sweet spot and not have all or nothing. Just used since knobs I had spare from my 5 string build recently. YES that is a massive washer underneath! 🤣 Turns out the toggle hole was pretty big, so found a washer in the shed the right size. 😏🤌 In terms of refinish, current favourites are: a) leave it as it is b) the Manilla light green pictured above c)... Let my 11y/o arty son go at it with his Posco markers! 🤷

I think it looks great mate! Personally, I'd be tempted to make a new pickguard for it though. I've always fancied a YOB Blazer or Yamaha BB (1981). ❤️👌 Is your neck alignment a touch off or is it just the photo angle? Congrats anyway, it looks superb!

Yeah I did think about that, but then boards are quite expensive, and I guess it's not too small as such, just awkward as you rightly say. Maybe my next DIY project.... 😏

That's stunning, congrats! ❤️👌🔥

Yeah very true, I like using the wah with other effects too. Think I'm going to have another re-jig with what I've got this weekend and see where I end up. I could take the power bar off there to make some space, although it irritates me having it separate. Thanks for all the help 🙏

That's a good shout, but I do also have a tendency to click effects on as the mood takes me. I could easily put my few most common ones on consecutive patches though. Our set list tends to vary regularly (often during a set 😅), so I don't think I could be arsed with that.

No, but it means I could get rid of the wah, so I'll save that space 😊👌

@Al Krow ah I see you can, there is a 'stomp mode'. The only downside is that you have to cycle through the effects in the patch to turn different ones on and off.... Looking at the B1X-four also now, as I could use the wah on that... 👌

Thanks Al, that was also on my radar! I wasn't sure again about switching between effects though, would I just have to up/down through patches? I know you can use up to 5 effects in each patch, but can you trigger them individually whilst performing?

Hey folks! 😊 I have a Zoom B3 on my pedal board, which I've had for donkeys years. I mainly use it for 'occasional' effects that I might only use for the odd song during a set, like chorus, octave, fuzz or envelope, and I just use it in stompbox mode, i.e. I use one patch, with three different effects on. I have standalone pedals for the effects I use more, like comp, a light drive on the MXR (and clean boost), and heavier drive on the Boss. I've recently reintroduced the wah, and although I don't use it much, I do enjoy it! 😊 The problem is, the zoom takes up a lot of space and although I've played around with configurations, it's all a bit.... Awkward. I had to ditch my tuner pedal and use the one on the zoom instead. So, I'm thinking about space saving, and wondered if the zoom MS-60b is worth looking at? My only reservation is I don't understand whether I could switch through effects whilst playing, or trigger individual or multiple effects? Other options include; ditch the boss and use a drive on the zoom (I don't use heavier drive for many songs), ditch the wah and buy a compact expression pedal to use a wah on the zoom (is the pedal wah on the zoom any good?), or ditch the zoom altogether and get a cheap chorus pedal. I do like having the zoom though for it's flexibility, and if I suddenly need a different effect, I can find it. Any thoughts or opinions much appreciated! 🙏 Thanks EDIT: I should add, I'm looking to spend as little as possible on any changes! 😅

Good shout, series/split/parallel mini toggle would be well easy to do. That MM humbucker at the bridge can be a bit overpowering

Exactly right, there is one locking screw in each saddle you need to loosen off before you can adjust the saddle. 👌 @Hausbass if you have successfully lowered the saddles and it's still high, does it need some relief taking out of the neck? I've had 9 Sandbergs (I think 🤔), 4 of them were custom builds direct from Sandberg and they all arrived perfectly set up.

I'd try a pickup change first. I'm a big Sandberg fan, and the neck feel and playability are like nothing else. However, the standard large pole piece pickups leave me a bit cold.... Conversely, their Alnico V pickups in my TT5 passive are absolutely killer, really toneful and organic.

Definitely worth trying if you can, you'll never be able to form your own opinion otherwise. As we all know, whether a bass is 'good' or not is entirely subjective and personal. However, I guess what I was trying to say in a roundabout way before, is that I always prioritise feel. Pickups can be changed very easily, but unless you fancy taking a rasp and sandpaper to your new pride and joy, there's nothing you can do easily about the neck feel. I really liked the BB435 I had before, but on a gig it was a bit on the heavy side, and there was something about the neck that felt a little 'clumsy' compared to Sandberg. However, I LOVE the neck on my BBN5, which is entirely different to the newer BB's.