surfguy13

Absolutely brilliant, thank you! I have checked them out and flats for this price is pretty much unheard of unless they're really cheap and nasty, which Status certainly won't be. They have a brilliant range too and I have no idea at all how come I wasn't aware of them.

Yeah, it is a shame they don't make them in the UK anymore and the import duty has increased the price by 50% but even with that you can get them on Amazon for under £30 post free. I'll try and find some Status Hotwires but if they prove to be hard to get hold of I'll check out the D'addario flats. Great to have some options.

Thanks @hooky_lowdown, that's amazing for under £17 posted. I've had a really good search online and can't find any sellers or even info on them. is there any chance you could point me in the right direction?

Good to have another positive review! I just had a long conversation with the guy that is currently selling the Picato flats. He was incredibly helpful and explained that Picato were still there but have ceased manufacturing their strings in the UK. He thinks that Ernie Ball are now manufacturing for Picato. However, as a result prices have gone and I'm guessing that's down to import duty and the cost of manufacturing in the USA. I have used D'addario roundwound Chromes and they were excellent strings, quite bright, but I'm not sure if they do shortscale flats.

This was what made me look around as La Bella are getting stupidly expensive and in a way I'd much rather buy a British product if I can. Good to know that the Fenders are good too.....I use their roundwound and I think they're excellent. That was exactly what I wanted to hear.........these are for an old mid 60s EBO and that's about as thumpy as you can get!!! Yes, I agree about gauge too but as these are for a short scale bass you can happily go with a slightly heavier gauge.

I have always used La Bella flatwound strings but saw a really good deal for Picato flatwounds but have never used them before. I think they're UK made which is a big plus and I seem to remember hearing that their strings and really high quality. Anybody out there used Picato flats?

They are a REAL pain and I sincerely hope this isn't going to be a permanent fixture. It is genuinely putting me off using the forum.

Paul kindly responded to my 'wanted' thread for a 4ohm cab and had exactly what I was looking for. He got it out of storage, hoovered it and generally gave it a spruce up. Above and beyond!! Lovey guy to deal with, brilliant comms and wouldn't hesitate to buy a bit of gear from him in the future; really nice to meet another Basschatter in the area. Thanks for a great deal.

Thanks for that, it looks like a pretty decent bit of kit! Definitely worth considering. That is REALLY helpful and really does help me better understand. For me the most important point is that a preamp will increase gain which in turn can result in distortion, something I just don't want. I love Ampegs because they give you a really great clean sound. I have had another look at the ART tube preamp I use for phantom power with an acoustic (with my glasses on this time!) and I see it has a +20dB gain button. It also has an input knob with up to +40 and an output knob with up to +10. This is definitely worth a try before I do anything. When I initially tried it in front of the amp it didn't really seem to give me that much in the way of an increase in volume and it also definitely seemed to muddy the signal as the input/output was increased. However, I hadn't depressed the +20dB gain button! The Behringer looks like amazing value for money and many thanks for the link! Interesting, I didn't consider the possibility that it could be a dirty pot or dirt on the socket. I will get that checked out now. Wouldn't it be great if it was as simple as that!

First of all that's a hell of a preamp!!! It sounds like it may be worth a try. That looks like a custom/home made preamp......is there such a thing off the shelf with that sort of dB boost? I guess all I have to be careful with is ensuring I don't blow the speaker. Mind you, I don't want huge amounts more volume, just enough.

This seems to reflect my experience. Love the tone, always have with Ampegs, but the output is fairly poor. I think you're right about not being able to increase output so I think that's a decision made!! Yup, this is now dawning on me!!!! Great to have the advice and feedback though; didn't want to ditch the amp and realised there was another option. Strangely enough a Trace is what I had decided to go for. Such a shame about the Ampeg combos as they really do sound great but the lack of power seems to be right across the board and the fact that they've introduced the HP range suggests that they're aware of this!! That's exactly what I was hoping to do! I wonder if this works because you are going into a PA? I have tried an ART valve preamp box that I use for the acoustic and although it makes a difference it just doesn't make enough difference and also it doesn't sound right somehow?

Well, relative isolation!! However, I think a lot of it is due to the fact that Ampeg seems to make very conservative combos. The amp appears to be functioning perfectly but, as you say, there could well be an issue. Had it not been for the B3 being equally underpowered I would have assumed it was a fault. It's OK'ish with both gain and master flat out but I really don't like having the gain that high.

That was exactly what I was thinking. I definitely don't want more gain, just volume. Really appreciate the advice and I guess I will stick to plan A and keep on looking for a new amp!!!

This is probably a very stupid question but I have an Ampeg BA-115 Mk1 combo and as with many BA Ampegs it is seriously underpowered. My old USA B3 that I had for many years was also very underpowered. I just use it at home but even so it definitely doesn't quite give me the volume I need without turning the gain right up and even if I max out gain and master it still falls short.. I probably need to buy another combo or head/cab to resolve this but noticed an Eden preamp on Ebay today and just wondered if this might give me a a bit of a boost? I've never used any sort of pedal with bass and certainly not a preamp pedal. I suspect that putting a preamp in front of the preamp in the combo may not be a good idea but....................

Aha, thanks for that, I will have a look now.....

Yes, I went an had a look after I saw your post but I could probably only contemplate the PB100 due to price and it's not giving me a lot over the Double Four amp I have as it is loaded with 2x5" speakers in a very compact cab. I really wanted to try and use a larger cab to see if it would open the amp up a little. I'd like to have tried one out before buying at close to £400 but there aren't any stockists any near where we are sadly.

Thanks guys, really helpful. You have confirmed what I suspected. However, great to know that PJB do a powered cab @WinterMute, I will get on the case and check that out. Also, the EH power-amp pedal looks like a really usable solution and it could just go on the pedal board so thanks for that @Prowla. I will check that out too.

I have a small Phil Jones practice amp (Double Four) that unfortunately doesn't have a speaker out. Just a line out and headphone socket. Is there any chance that the headphone out could be used to connect an external cab?

Just bought some strings from Jake. Smooth transaction.

Very good point, has been returned to sender..............close shave there!