JPJ

Any 1/4" collet router should do, but steer clear of the ultra-cheap ones, you know the saying, you get what you pay for! I echo everything said about templates, and no matter how small the cut, avoid the temptation to freehand as routers can and do 'bite' into wood and before you can react, the damage is done. Good quality double sided tape is excellent for securing templates, especially when clamps would obstruct the router. Other than that, the quality of the cutter is important if you want clean 'burn free' routs. Finally, practice on scrap first until you get used to the direction of cut (yes, a router cuts in one direction) and don't try to remove too much material in one pass, as this almost always results in the router biting or kicking with disastrous results. Quick word on health and safety - make sure your workpiece is either clamped down or on a non-slip pad, wear goggles or glasses, and I'd also recommend ear protection as they are quite loud. If you have long hair, tie it back because you invariably end up leaning over the router 'to get a better look'.

Why are more manufacturers not replicating the 4/8ohm trick of the Orange Terror Bass 500 to get the full output irrespective of speaker load? Or was that just marketing hoodoo with a physical switch?

I have nothing to add here other than to say its threads like this that keep me coming back to this site time and again. Some excellent knowledge imparted here. Thanks chaps (and chapesses)

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1446221141' post='2897897'] get a dremel or the cheap equivalent from lidl or aldi for about 15 quid and away you go. [/quote] Be careful with this method, it works, but if you run the tool too quickly you will melt the pickguard rather than remove the material. Junior hacksaw and a good round or half round file is your best bet.

Quick update: Martin posted this on facebook earlier this week which has done nothing to calm my GAS for this amp! "[i]Ok, following some soak testing, it appears I've underestimated the capability of the KT120 power valves. The design does indeed give 200 watts with 6550 valves, but these things can drive much harder and I've just measured 280 watts clean RMS[/i]"

For what its worth, herewith my twopenneth Firstly, scale length makes a huge difference to the sound of the B. I noticed this immediately on going from 34" to 35", notes played on the B string seemed more 'immediate' making faster passages easier to play. Having recently acquired a 36" scale bass, this is confirmed with an even faster 'response' and a much better definition overall. Secondly, break angle over the bridge. New strings, especially 130 & 135 'B' strings need to be manually 'broken' over the bridge. When I restring, I bring the B up to tension, stretch the string, retension etc until the string tuning is stable and then I press down on the string just in front of the bridge saddle to 'force' the string to break over the saddle rather than sort of 'arcing' over the saddle. This also helps with action, as my action with new strings is often higher on the B & E due to the lack of break angle over the saddle caused by the bulk or mass of the string.

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1445694410' post='2893493'] For the scratch plate, I've had good results with thin brass sheet. Cut out a section to sit under the end of the plate, then glue all the bits in place on top. Pretty much invisible on its put back together, but the brass takes all the strain. [/quote] I've done the same with a piece of really thin aluminium (so thin you can cut it with scissors). Glued the original pick guard to the aluminium and bobs your mothers sisters husband, pick guard repaired and shielded to boot.

Used to work with a PA guy who made covers for his bass bins out of carpet, pile on the inside, with the corners/edges stapled. Lasted for the three years we worked with him and did an excellent job of protecting the cabs from the inevitable road rash

Ive always had excellent service and great cases from Swan Filght http://www.swanflight.com

This is interesting. When I was looking at reconing my SWR 6x10 with neos, I suggested wiring it as a 4x10 using standard drivers and a 2x10 using LF drivers to arrive at 4ohm total load. The sound witch doctors said that I was wasting my time and I wouldn't hear the difference and that I should just wire it as standard and run at 5.6ohms. However it looks like these big BF cabs do the same but in a slightly different config?

Looks like a Fender Precision Elite from the eighties. Been a few basses down the year with the double split P pickup (BC Rich for one) but I must confess I've never played one. I think WaterOfTyne owned an Elite so he might be able to shed some further light on the matter.

The name was chosen after a poll on the local N.E. Bass Players Forum run by our very own WaterOfTyne. I believe that there was a regional aspect to the naming ;-)

Finally, an update from Martin about his all valve bass amp [color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"[i]A long time coming but it's been worth it - the YI200 Stoneham 200w all-valve bass head, christened by this very group![/i][/font][/color] [color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][i]This is the very first one off the production line, following some endurance tests you can bring your basses/cabs down from next week to see what you think. RRP £1,499[/i]"[/font][/color] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/YI200%205_zpslyoprn6g.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/JPJ/YI200%205_zpslyoprn6g.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/YI200%203_zpsegv7bdv4.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/JPJ/YI200%203_zpsegv7bdv4.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/YI200%201_zpsxyqxayxs.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/JPJ/YI200%201_zpsxyqxayxs.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/YI200%206_zpsfdy6wi1a.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/JPJ/YI200%206_zpsfdy6wi1a.jpg[/IMG][/URL] I'll be taking him up on his offer of a test drive soon and calling down to his new workshop for a play about. I'll report back later :-)

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1444375531' post='2882604'] ive never been able to get a tone i like out of an ashdown amp so i know which id go for but it depends what you are after i guess, im sure theyre fine though once you spend a bit more time with them. the cabs i have found more usable. [/quote] I've always had this problem too until the other night in a local rehearsal space. The rig was an ABM 500 into the Ashdown 1x10, 1x15 (sort of SWR Triad type) cab. Rolled off a bit of the bass, fiddled about with the sliders and bingo, useable tone in bucket loads with nice little bit of bite from the valve too. Eye opener as I've never been able to get that before.

Thank you for the kind words gents, as you can see, I'm one very happy chap. Thanks again to Mike (BigRedX) for selling her to me :-)

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1444502988' post='2883763'] That bass suit you sir [/quote] Why thank you kindly sir!

And less than 48 hours after collection, she's out earning her keep :-) [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/straightout_zps8m1giuq3.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/JPJ/straightout_zps8m1giuq3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1444403340' post='2883008'] That looks fantastic, how does the filter pre-amp work? [/quote] Well I'm no expert but the way it was explained to me a long time ago was if you think about it like a multi band graphic eq for each pickup, then at one end of travel the graphic is in the 'classic' smiley shape, and at the other end its in the 'frown' as you turn the knob you gradually go from one to the other. The good bit is that its still musical at both ends of the scale and with two pickups, two filters and a pickup pan, the tonal possibilities are almost endless.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1444374804' post='2882597'] Exceptional! How do you get on with the long scale? [/quote] Very easily actually. The difference between my two 35" scale and this is hardly noticeable at all. It feels a much bigger jump going 34" to 35"

Yes, I was so busy babbling on like an excited schoolgirl that I forgot to mention the Overwater name :-)

So when this bass came up on eBay I couldn't believe my eyes. An original series 36" scale five string with the filter preamp doesn't come up all that often and for once, I was in the position to buy. The purchase was even pre-approved by Mrs JPJ (only the second time that has ever occurred). I've been a fan of Chris May and the teams work since I was a pimply youth who used to visit Chris and Andy's guitar shop on High Bridge in Newcastle on a Saturday afternoon. I watched their progress with envy until eventually, as a forty-something I finally managed to secure a J series 5 string which became my main squeeze. Lately, I've obtained a Perception 5 as an alternative to the J, but secretly I've always desired an original series who's body shape just presses all the right buttons for me. A quick exchange of PM's with the seller and a deal was done culminating in a trip to Nottingham today to collect her. Arriving back at 7pm, she was with me in the rehearsal studio at 9pm! She is unbelievably well balanced on the strap, not a hint of neck dive or indeed left shoulder weight - she just sits there! The filter pre is intuitive to operate, and I can't help thinking its a much better alternative to the traditional active bass, middle, and treble set up. The 36" scale is hardly noticeable (mind my J is a 35") but it adds another dimension to the low B. All in all, I'm one very very happy bunny. Big thanks to our very own Big-Red-X for the deal. [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/Overwater%20front_zpsgihoafex.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/Overwater%20body%20front%201_zpseixi3o7f.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/Overwater%20body%20front_zps735mycgq.jpg.html"][/url]

Personally, I wouldn't want any of the FoH component coming from behind the band for the reasons set out above i.e. mic spill / feedback etc. Like most, we are 'forced' to run our subs under the tops as the tops are pole mounted in the bins. Even though they are split left and right, I still run the bins in mono and only the tops in stereo. We use a Behringer X-Air XR18, and I have a pseudo crossover set up with a low cut on the main L/R and a high cut on an aux bus at the same frequency. If I had my choice and space/transport wasn't a factor then I would have the tops on stands and the two bins side-by-side in the centre of the stage. I get to run our rig this way in one venue that has wall mounts for your tops and I think it just sounds more 'together' like this and its easier to get that 'chest thumping' bass drum without drowning out the vocals.

I'm currently being seduced by the looks of the Gibson EB14 five string bass. Fortunately for my credit card, nobody local to me has these in stock. Do we have any owners on here who would like to share their opinion?