Bigwan

[quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1486032266' post='3228607'] I stupidly sold the purple SSBS Mini (above) last year, missed it so much I just got another one (sparkly silver this time!!) Such a great pedal! Only problem is I sold the Metro 24 board I used to have, and I can't fit 6 pedals on my PT Mini - really need to stop selling things so quickly! [/quote] Easy fix! Loose the modulation!

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1486031080' post='3228599'] Hi, Bigwan Harry tracked this down for me to use - it's a Northwest Guitars product and is basically a Hipshot clone: [url="http://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/hipshot-style-string-retainer-string-tree-for-electric-bass-guitars/"]http://www.northwest...c-bass-guitars/[/url] The only thing I would suggest is that you consider some better screws (or maybe even go BA nuts and bolts all the way through like Ibanez). Because it is holding down three strings, there seems to me to be a hell of a lot of force bearing down on two not-overly-long and very thin screws. With a tiny pilot hole and much care, it is actually doing the job, but it must be on the very edge of its design capability. The tree itself, though, seems to be very good quality. [/quote] Thanks Andy. I'll give it a shot with the supplied screws. If it should fail I'll do the Ibanez bolt through job. Cheers!

"[b][font=Times]Ideally I would like £1000[/font][/b]" Wouldn't we all...

I don't think the Lomenzo really does warm drive (I say that as the biggest advocate of the pedal there's likely to be around here). I think the intention with the pedal, and how Lomenzo uses it himself, is well explained in his youtube video. You'll note from the video that his bass sound is lovely and warm BEFORE he kicks the pedal on... For a warm drive I'd recommend the BJFE version of the Blueberry, as I frequently do! They're pricey, but if you know somebody handy with a soldering iron pedalparts.co.uk do a complete clone kit. I use the Lomenzo and a Blueberry clone combined to great effect (pun intended).

Hi Andy, do you have a link to the string retainer you used for this bass? My HB-50 arrived yesterday and the fitted tree isn't fit for purpose. Neither are the tuners but the Wilkinsons are sitting ready to be fitted - unclear whether they'll need ground down like these at the minute. Might get a way with a light filling going by initial investigations!

Wooden cavity cover, wooden battery compartment cover and wooden truss rod access would say 'hand made with care taken' to me. Bridge placement could be a factor of bridge pickup placement, bridge saddle position is a function of string type and gauge so I wouldn't read too much into either of those. And it's a Schaller roller bridge (and I think Schaller M4 tuners - the screw tab coming out of the bottom instead of the side is a giveaway) which are excellent quality. I think I've seen that Thompson make before, and not very long ago... Though it was on Bassist Ireland on Facebook but can't find it now... I think this is a quality one-off build myself. just has the misfortune of looking like a load of knockoff Chinese imports and will probably sell cheap as a result.

Not much to add. Try everything you can. My wife bought me a USA precision as a wedding gift and I love it.

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1485947555' post='3227874'] Oh dear I was afraid of that. I've been Gas free for a while now but that's not helping. The EQ had better turn out to be poorly voiced for bass or Mrs Painy is gonna be getting upset with me [/quote] Or easily have it revoiced. It's only a few component changes.

Just to play devils advocate. I've owned the Vintage, the b7k and the b3k twice. Couldn't get along with any of them to be honest, but I was sure I must be missing something since they seemed so highly praised which is why I kept going back. It's been commented by fan bois that folks who don't "get it" mustn't be using them correctly... Alas they just weren't for me. I like the way Doug at darkglass thinks, his support seems excellent and I wish him every success, but they are not all things to all people. I've continually returned to the Ashdown Lomenzo Hyperdrive pedal for my distortion needs, but again it might not work for you. This and my modified DIY BJFE Blueberry clone make a glorious noise when combined.

No, but the top on my ACG (0249) has the next slice off the Tasmanian Blackwood block: [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/acg_admin/wordpress/portfolio/0249-recurve-5/"]http://www.acguitars...0249-recurve-5/[/url] That 4 string is the bass that tipped me over the edge into ordering mine...

Has his own line of pedals too. The Gremlin was one of his bass overdrives if I recall correctly...

It's a P bass, so no! Think you're thinking of the 55-94, which is the US version of the 55-02. Sound way better than a MM to me, but then I HATE the MM sound...

I liked it. Awesome Lakland neck. I owned it at the same time as the 55-02 which slightly edged the 64 in playability, but the 64 sounded fab. The only issue I had was it was heavy at 11 3/4 lbs. You don't see many of them around.

Oh now, let me see... In rough chronological order I've owned: Aria MAB20/5 (Still own) MM 'Ray 5 Lakland 55-01 NTMB Fender Roscoe Beck V MM Bongo 5HH Dingwall AB1 Lakland 55-02 Dlx Lakland 55-64 ACG Recurve Graft 5 Sire V7 Alder/Rosewood ACG Recurve Custom 5 (Still own) Yamaha 425X (Still own) Of them all I'd probably rank my current ACG at the top, but it's tough to say what I'd call a close second... Various other musings: Scale length means very little. I wouldn't own a MM again. Ever. Lakland necks are awesome. Dingwalls are easier to play than they look and sound good, but I don't like the pickup switching. Best bang for buck is a tie between the Sire and the recently acquired Yamaha. Both amazingly good value. I think the Yamaha just edges it, but if we were talking 4 strings I'd probably give it to the Sire. Next I'd like to check out: Spector Euro 5LX or Forte 5 Dingwall P5

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1485697869' post='3225856'] Yeah, the roadworn is fantastic as a deliberately reliced bass but it is still a reliced bass with a craftsman making it look old not genuine wear caused by years of love and gigging, given the spare cash I would have this one in a heartbeat whereas I am actually thinking of trading the roadworn out and sticking with my 50's classic and getting that nice and worn through years of gigging and love [/quote] If you decide to sell the Roadworn let me know!

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1485607098' post='3225255'] The other thing that I've had to 'fit' are the replacement tuners. Even though I would be surprised if the originals aren't Wilkinsons, the base plates on the Wilkinson replacements are bigger, requiring grinding away of the preceding ones to avoid overlap! From that I can only assume that the peg spacings on the HB are subtly different to Fender and Squier. Worth noting if any of you are thinking of upgrading a HB yourselves! Still, they look OK - almost like they were designed to do this : [/quote] Bugger, bugger, bugger... Wish I'd known this last week. HB 50's P, Wilkinson tuners and bridge incoming... I may get a file at the ready!

Ashdown Lomenzo Hyperdrive (my standard response to this sort of thread) or EBS Sheehan Deluxe would be good ones to investigate.

No. Nothing comes to mind...

Another vote for ACG here. Alan's work is extraordinary for the price, you get regular updates and he sticks to his projected completion date. I bought one of Alan's cheaper "graft" series basses (now discontinued) from a local guy (Black Coffee of this parish) to check out his work, and while it was visually bland, the construction was top notch. That convinced me to go for a custom build which I've been very pleased with. I've had a custom Shuker built before but I fell into the old trap... I THOUGHT I knew what I wanted, but by the time the bass was complete, my wants, and more importantly, my NEEDS had changed considerably. Jon's work is also excellent, but his communications and projected completion dates are woeful.

Nobody conservatively rates class D in my experience (I can hear the worm can being opened!). The Orange Terror is the only one I've played that felt it was anywhere close. Haven't played any of the newer generation stuff though (700/800/900 watt offerings).

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1484909210' post='3219560'] I know the older MarkBass LittleMark's had a switch mode power supply right, but they wheren't class D? I'm really not very clued up on all this, but I think they were class A/B, and certainly sounded a lot nicer than their newer class D ones... Cheers, Ewan [/quote] You're right about the Class A/B and switch mode supply on the little mark, but I think it was still a fixed voltage. If I recall correctly you had to change internal jumper settings to change the supply voltage between USA and Europe supply ranges.

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1484845555' post='3219054'] I'm extremely interested in the Origin amp. I get the impression that although this might be rated low by modern class D standards, I know that Mark at Ashdown isn't the biggest fan of class D stuff, so I'd guess the power section here might be something different, either that or an extremely conservatively rated (i.e. honest) class D effort. If this isn't too pricey, and assuming my thoughts on the power section are true, I'll be pre-ordering one of these! Eude [/quote] I dunno. Reading through some of the literature on other sites "[font=Roboto, serif][size=5]The Origin comes complete with auto protect voltage for global touring musicians" [/size][/font]screams class D to me. I don't ever recall seeing a non-class D amp with that feature. It also looks a little small for a toroidal tranny the size you'd need for an "old school" 300 watts.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1484871992' post='3219391'] Gotta say that seriously is incredibly small. [/quote] Said the actress to the bishop...

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1484834505' post='3218906'] The Origin amp looks ace but is missing one thing (IMO) which makes the headphone socket really useful - an aux input. [/quote] Yup. Why would you EVER have one without the other...