TRBboy

I know no-one's posted for a while, but I thought it better to revive this than start another thread.

Third practice last night with the new rhythm guitarist and drummer, and it's going fantastically well! It still feels a bit strange playing the same material with different people, after having played with the same guys for the past 13 years, but it's going really well! It's not better or worse particularly, just different. The pace and feel of some songs is different, and I guess some of the 'pushes' and such from the drummer.

The new guys are coming to our last gig with the old lineup in two weeks, to get a feel for how we usually do things. I'm not expecting them to be exactly the same, but we need to try to have a similar feel about us at least as we're keeping the name and have existing bookings through the year. They're really looking forward to it!

I also gave the B1 Four a run out last night. @SamIAm has kindly loaned me this, as I was curious about them. There's some great sounds in there, but I need to tinker around with it a bit more to see if I can get what I want out of it. I'm not sure if it's just my perception, but I don't feel like the effects are quite as 'good sounding' as my old B3 at the moment, but maybe one I play around a bit more I'll get there. Not sure what the difference is in effect quality between the two units. I am struggling to get used to navigating patches, I'm so used to just having my B3 set up as 3 stompboxes, which I can just turn on or off as the mood takes me. 

And last but not least, my relationship with 'Pinky' is blossoming! Such a great playing and sounding instrument, even if I do say so myself! There's still a bit of fettling I need to do with it, but I'm really enjoying it!

So, a great practice overall! 😊👍

1 hour ago, Aidan63 said:

I have made three more attempts to contact Sandberg by email, using their website, service@ and home@ email addresses and still no reply. Why bother having a contact form on the website and hiding your sales phone number ?

Any company that is only open to using social media for customer contact can do one afaic

I'd say it's typical big company arrogance, their way or no way.

What's the point of having a configurator if you won't discuss the details with the customer.

If they can't be bothered to deal with a potential individual customer in order to make a sale they are unlikely to be responsive once they have the customer's money. If they replied and said I need to go through Bass Direct or another dealer they are happy to use as intermediary I'd understand that but no reply at all ? wtf

I love the Lionel fretless but they won't be getting my money for a fretted one, they have lost a sale, I'd much rather give my money to a UK luthier who will actually appear to be interested in making me an instrument, or even give Fender too much money for a JMJ with a finish I hate but a pickup and neck I like 😲🙃

That's a real shame, they've always been a bit flaky on Comms, especially via the home@ email, but I've always had a response from service@, even if not especially quickly.

I believe the official line on the configurator is that you need to discuss it or request a quote through a dealer; you can't order directly from them.

Sandberg remain a pretty small operation, and are focussed on building instruments rather than running a contact center. It makes things more streamlined if they can focus on receiving and fulfilling orders from their distributors/dealers rather than fielding loads of individual queries from different customers.

Hi Steve, I don't have any experience with them as such, but I did pick one up in Guitar Guitar Birmingham the other week, and I was really surprised how sharp and badly finished the fret edges were, surprising for Ibanez!

If I were in your position, I think I'd be looking at something like a Yamaha TRBX305/RBX375, an Ibanez SR305, or something similar.

Very nice indeed! I tried the 1005SMS at the show and was really impressed.

The wood finish is supposed to be like that, it's an 'open pore' finish. I really like it. 😊

I have to hold my hands up I guess, I do currently have a rack case for my amp! 😂

I only got it because I was worried about damaging the graphic sliders if I just had it in a bag, and it ONLY has my amp in it.

Just out of curiosity really, I notice on the FB groups that a lot of our American peers LOVE a massive rack unit filled with all kinds of stuff. I'd say they're a pretty uncommon sight in the UK, and probably haven't been for the last 20 years or so. I'm not saying no-one uses them, just that it's more unusual here.

Just wondering why that is? I get that power conditioners are common over there due to the nature of the electrical infrastructure, but then to also have a bass amp or power amp, preamp, compressor, tuner, etc, etc just seems kinda old school I guess, with the developments in technology.

I suppose it stands out more when it's sat on top of a compact lightweight cab, I've seen a couple recently where the rack unit was bigger than the cab!  😵‍💫

Again, I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with this, just a discussion point out of curiosity. 😊

Photo from Google

6 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

How are you getting on with the B1-4?

I suspect to @tauzero's shock, I will say that if there's one niggle I have with the Zoom B1-4, it's that it's a noisier than I would like with one of my gigging basses and I end up using a "Motown" patch with a cut at 1.6kHz and 3.2kHz plus the Zoom noise reduction sim on all of my patches as standard. But given the flexibility it offers elsewhere for its ridiculously low price point, I've been able to live with that work around. Don't know if other B1-4 users have had a similar issue?

 

I'm hoping that the MS-60B+ with its improved chip set will be less noisy.

I've not had time to do much with it yet, arrived Thursday. Did manage to spend a little time setting up some sounds last night, but needs done further tweakery. I'm using the Dark Pre fire my crunch/light OD sound, and I've setup a choice of two patches for higher gain, Dark OD and DI+. Also a chorus patch; I've gone with the Corona for now, but struggling to decide which I like best. I prefer the chorus on the B3 though at the moment. 

I'll just be using them as standalone effects, no amp/cab Sims, comps etc.

Damn you! I tried to buy this last week but you must've beaten me to it! What a gorgeous bass for a bargain price!

Might be worth getting in touch with Headstock Distribution RE the wiring schematic. 👍

I would order cheap 250k pots off eBay first and see if they fit. I only use generic pots these days, and never had an issue with them. I used to use CTS, but I had some really crappy scratchy ones, so stopped bothering. Cheap, generic pots, I've never had an issue with, all have been smooth.

What's wrong with the standard pots, or are they a different value?

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Well it seems the Pod Express is not being pitched as for live use pedal by Line 6:

 

"You'll notice none of our in situ photography shows POD Express on a stage or with other pedals—it's always shown on a desktop or outside at the beach or campground."

Eric Klein, Chief Product Design Architect, Yamaha Guitar Group | Line 6 | Ampeg - Talkbass 8 Mar

 

I'd love to find more beach use for my bass playing, just can't see that happening any time soon.

That's nuts, it's an effects pedal with footswitches, surely you use it however you want, live or otherwise. Maybe they're getting twitchy that it's been received (so far) much better than the HX One, and might make that product irrelevant in their range.

We have a Nate Navarro video now too 😊

Second half of this video is a bass demo, although done by a guitarist 😅

5 hours ago, JPJ said:

Watched the video and I think its a little strange that two of the amp/cab sims are Ampeg, yet they have modelled the SansAmp (SVT in a tin) as one of the drives?

I don't think it's all that strange, they were bound to include arguably the most popular bass amp, and the most popular bass overdrive. 🤷 Even though the Sansamp is based on the SVT, they don't sound exactly the same.

1 hour ago, rushbo said:

I'm a big fan of Zoom stuff, too. I've had a few multi-FX devices as well as a portable recorder (H1) and the fantastic Zoom R16. I've never been less than impressed.

 

My FX needs are pretty minimal, so my old school B3 is perfect for me- especially as I modded it to use with an external patch changer pedal. I had a Zoom B1 Four and it sounded great, but for live work, where I have to switch between patches, I prefer the B3.

I do like my B3, I've had it for ages, but it's a bit big, and I really want some of the newer Zoom sounds, so I'm really looking forward to trying the B1 Four 

19 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Thomman have them at £190 - there are a few cheaper ones too.

BAX £179 when I looked last night 👌

45 minutes ago, skidder652003 said:

Just get a zoom B1 four used for £40 quid. Try it and if no likey, flog it on for the same here.

Just received one yesterday from Sam, hoping to get stuck into it later 😊👍

I think the Darkglass drive is going to be perfect to me. I'm hoping I'll be able to ditch my B3, ODB3 and Bass DI+ off my board

Shame there's not as much choice of colours in the 5 string version..... Love the blue and satin black! 😍👌

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

We were playing originals songs in pubs. It does happen, you know, whatever you on your lofty cloud may think.

I've done it both ways, I've been in an originals band playing gigs all over the country where there was proper sound, Ava I've been in ones where we were playing closer to home where we almost always had to haul our own system. I don't think there is a one size fits all really, especially with original material.

Oh boy, how I wish I had a grand spare now! Stunning bass, GLWTS mate 😊👌

6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Zoom unveils the next generation of its cult classic MultiStomp pedal | Guitar World

 

"The MS-50G+ essentially puts the company’s latest G2 Four multi-effects pedal into a compact chassis."

 

@TRBboy - as you know, that's the question I've been wanting to find out i.e. is this going to be an upgraded chipset as compared to the decade old MS-60B? If that statement about the 50G+ is correct then it looks like a definite yes!

 

In which case colour me super excited - I usually wait to pick up my pedals used in case I decide to move them on at a later date 'cos it's a great way to try them out without too much value depreciation as we know, but if Zoom are going to be delivering the B2-Four in a compact chassis for around £130, I'll be making an exception for the MS-60B+ 😊

 

 

Sounds like it will be a winner! I'm not quite sure if those buttons are going to be really awkward to press with your foot though, but I guess it's no different to the setup on the B2 Four 

32 minutes ago, Jamison said:

 

Yeah some of them can be a little heavy, especially the ash models. The ones I ordered to spec, I asked for a lightweight slab for the body. I upgraded to swamp ash on the Classic Booster 5 I had, and that was the lightest, it came in about 3.7Kg. My current TT5 Passive is pretty light, and that's alder, but I did specifically ask for a light piece.

If you've bought new, resale value isn't great, especially on the non-fender models. I sold my Classic Booster for almost half of the new list price. Really wish I'd kept that one, it was incredible

Hey everybody! It's taken me a while to get around to finishing this, but finally done! 

The only piece missing was the port rings. @SamIAm kindly scanned the one I had, and 3D printed me a pair! I've cleaned and sanded them up, made a foam gasket for the back side of the flanges, and added a decal to the front, just for fun! 😊

Thanks so much for your help with this project Sam!

They're both decent basses, but you need to try them really to see what works best for you.

I've been playing Sandbergs around 13-14 years now. I've had 9 of them altogether I think (or maybe 10 🤔), various different models, 4 custom orders.

Prior to that, my number one was a '97 USA standard jazz I bought brand new and swore I'd never part with. Well, my first Sandberg ruined it completely! My trusty jazz just felt cumbersome and awkward to play by comparison. So I sold it not long after, to buy another Sandberg.

And that's the thing for me with Sandberg, there's just something about the feel and playability that's better than anything else I've played over the years, even far more expensive basses.

I'm not a huge fan of the Delano style pickups, my current bass is a TT5 passive, with Sandberg Alnico V pickups, and it sounds sublime. But pickups can be changed easily. That's why I always prioritise feel above all else.

20 minutes ago, Wombat said:

Just been in Yamaha London. They said “mid April & RRP £208” but did imply that actual cost would be lower.

That doesn't surprise me, Yamaha's 'show deals' at the UK Guitar Show were the same prices that all the retailers normally sell at!🤣