BassBod

My SWR experience has been very good. They run hot (by design) have noisy fans ( can be improved with modern replacements) and the cabs are heavy ( stuck with that, but the heads are great with modern light cabs). I’ve had very few tech problems, and most of the repair/ maintenance has been fine. They were put together by hand using very standard components of the time. Not all techs like to work on them, but I’ve found it really helps if you can provide the schematic. Saves a lot of time and stress - most are on the web in various forms, generally the SWR versions. The amps I would be most cautious with are the later designs that used early “digital “ power sections (Amplite, Spellbinder) as these weren’t made for very long, and used power sections that have probably been long gone. They could possibly be upgraded with modern versions, but that’s expensive.

You gotta try the MoBass. it’s mental

Yes, it’s a great amp. But I always run into a sansamp first…makes all the difference 😎

Yep this is the case, but really they are different things. I have a mid 80’s AH150 (GP11 preamp) and a Retroglide. Same concept, but the older amp has a lovely low warm thump that the modern (smaller, lighter) amp just doesn’t do. I’d look at the red MK500 the black JJ version or the new graphic ABM version, unless light weight is important.

Yep..I’ve used EUB. They want to see an acoustic, but if it does the job you’ll be mostly forgiven on a P bass with flats. Most important is play along with some of the old stuff, and 80’s revival. It’s the feel and working together that makes it happen.

I've only seen similar in old speaker cabs, usually stored in cold damp sheds. If that has affected a production run it could get very expensive for MM to sort out...makes you wonder how quickly they use their timber?

I have a Peavey badged one very similar - had a simplified rear door, pretty sure it was made by SKB

I recall Pete the Fish saying they gave up on the graphite because the laminated necks were so stiff already - the 80’s trend for very light strings often meant no neck relief, even with the nut undone.

Most British luthiers in the 80’s used various Kent Armstrong pickups, except probably JD and Wal. Before the interweb it was quite difficult and expensive to source anything else. I’ve still got a set of Kent’s J bass pickups here, must use them sometime, when there is some work again.

Could be dodgy memory, but I'm sure the main body of the bridge was chrome on my old Pro IIE. Not that it matters...

Is it just me, or is anyone else disturbed by a black bridge with chrome tuners?

From memory, those big Schallers are really very good - the adjustable spacing on the bridge should give you enough shuffle space to get it sorted. If its still a problem, then think about the Bartolini MM replacements, as they come up used sometimes. Might need a bit of routing, but nothing too horrible.

Very relieved to report the delayed amp arrived around 6:30pm tonight...very cold but otherwise unmolested. 😎

I did ask Mark Gooday about the XLR input on these, and he said they just thought it was a better connection than a jack, it wasn’t supposed to be balanced etc. At the time, a few basses (Jaydee, Wal even some Westone versions) were including an XLR output. Alembic had always used a five pin version, but that was a more complicated arrangement involving power for the on board preamp. It was trend that didn’t take off. I did see recently that the new version of Ashdown’s 12 band amp has an XLR input, so it’s still there...but not in green.

I’m currently waiting on a delayed Hermes parcel 😬🤞🏻

That’s a very methodical way of approaching it. I’d always just assumed that they used a Fender style neck plate, as it was available and did the job...and that could be used to locate matching holes. When I visited Pete to collect my renovated Pro bass, he showed me around their corner of the old furniture factory. I remember asking him about the V neck profile, as my two Wals had noticeably different shapes. He said it was really down to who set the machine for the rough carve, and then who did the final hand shape.

One Control....not much income these days 😳

Thinking about it Rich, I think I was playing this very neck, when I first met you briefly - The Prom, Gloucester Rd many years ago. You introduced yourself as a fellow Wal player...always a good thing 😎

Done 😎

Any thoughts? It’s been on my must try list for a while 😜

Light tuners are a very good idea. One thing I can remember about that neck (on Wal ash body) was the weight of the headstock and big old Schallers. I used to play long barn dance gigs, and after four hours I could feel the strain on my shoulder 😳. These days, I’d just sit down...

I can answer that - I bought this neck as a re-furnished second from Pete the Fish in the mid 90’s when he re-fretted and renovated a ProIIE for me. I was able to swap the bass from fretted to fretless quite easily, as the necks used metal inserts. I traded the bass with both necks to a friend, and put him in touch when I saw the wanted ad on here. He hadn’t used the neck in many years, in fact I doubt if he ever did. When I used it, the fretless neck was perfectly well behaved, and always held the relief set. But, there was evidence of previous work..one or two dot markers were thin up the dusty end, where the board had been levelled...

Still got one, enjoyable listen and happy memories. Hoping Ashdown get around to doing the same one day.