geoffbyrne

I use a redface British built MAG400 (485W@4 Ohms) & am very happy with it. However. One of the things I've discovered is that the EQ is a bit ineffectual till you yonk it up a bit. You seem to lose a ton of power by leaving everything flat. I tend to turn everything up to around 3 o'clock except the bass, which I leave at 12 o'clock. Sometimes I put the Mids back to 12 too as it's naturally a bit mids-heavy. Dependent on the cabs I have attached, I may or may not cut this back a bit when I do the soundtest - I have an Eminence 3015 in a smallish cab & an Eminence 2515 in a large-ish cab. If I use the 3015 on its own, I need the extra bass, which I usually get by hiking up the 220Hz knob a bit, but with the 2515 attached (or both), there's bottom end aplenty without doing too much to the EQ at all. Try pushing the EQ up a bit & turning back the gain till the needle's only waggling about in the middle. G.

What's your EQ settings? G.

If you are still 'adjusting' the nut remember to cut with a slope down toward the headstock as you need the 'witness point' at the very front edge of the groove. The lack of this is the cause of many intonation problems. I've used CTS pots in the past with no probs. Sometimes, when you have a slight fret buzz further down the neck, a very slight release of truss-rod tension will fix it. An easy way to cut volume is to buy a decent tuner pedal that cuts the volume when stood on - you can check your tuning too - the step on it again to go. G.

It produces its full 300W through 4 Ohms, which means you need to add another speaker cab which has to be rated at no less than 150W and is 8 Ohms. Currently, through 8 Ohms, it's giving in the region of 150 - 180W. Adding the second cab will give a large increase in perceived volume. You can add another 1x15 or a 4x10 (or even a 2x12, but that would need to be 2x 16 Ohms in parallel - I'm not sure how common they are). When you have 2 cabs of equal resistance (in this case, 8 Ohms) the output power is divided equally between them. So 300/2 means a maximum of 150W into each cab. G.

I saw a gun bag in a surplus shop once that would have been ideal, but unfortunately that's closed now, but if there's a services surplus near you, have a look. G.

Maybe go for a Wilkinson bridge - inexepensive & usually fairly decent. If you haven't cut a nut before, then go very carefully as one pass of the file can be the difference between perfection & a blown nut. Put on a new set of decent strings & I bet at least some of your intonation probs will disappear. I'd probably replace all the pots with semi-decent ones & go for VVT. Good luck with it. If you do all that & it works out, there is a terrific sense of achievement & satisfaction. G.

tests run on JJ 803S valves [url="http://la-economy.blogspot.com/2012/02/tube-test-jj803s.html"]http://la-economy.bl...est-jj803s.html[/url] & Tung Sol 12AX7 http://la-economy.blogspot.com/2012/02/tube-test-12ax7-tung-sol-reissue.html G.

if I'm playing guitar, Gaz, it's Bass at 12 0'clock, Treble at 3 o'clock & Mids at Max!!! It suits my amp (Fender Studio 85) but YMMV. G.

I've played guitar since 1959(!). Started playing bass about 7 years ago. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it!!! I really don't play guitar in public any more as there are so many better players then I. I must say, though, what I do know about guitar chord theory (which isn't an awful lot) certainly helps my bass playing, but I'm not sure the reverse is true. G.

Rosetti Lucky 7? G.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1329391712' post='1541644'] Stone The Crows Guitarist was probably the most famous casualty: [url="http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2106/is-playing-the-electric-guitar-dangerous"]http://www.straightd...uitar-dangerous[/url] I had been under the impression that equipment was manufactured to safer standards and it wasn't an issue these days but obviously not! [/quote] Nice bloke, Les, too. Worked in a Music shop (Cuthbertson's, now defunct) on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow in the 60's and was always up for a natter & let you play a guitar or two. Brother of Alex Harvey and totally brilliant guitarist, up there with the very best - I watched him replace & tune a top E string one night while actually playing a solo - he was with Alex's Big Soul Band and Alex was knotting himself at sticking his wee brother in it. He was engaged to Maggie Bell at the time of the accident & I don't think she ever really got over it. I wouldn't say I knew him, but we chatted in the shop a few times. G.

I could be replaced fairly easily in my Blues band & my Country Rock band, but my Middle-of-the-road band won't do anything without me, even practice the odd night. If I left, I reckon it'd disband. Not really sure why that is, as we don't do anything out of the ordinary. G.

Bass Doc. G.

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1328950872' post='1535126'] I have the side stick on ones. Great for dark stages and those awkward moments that sometimes catch you out. Don't always use em, but it's very nice to have em ready. Then again I'm a fairly 'flamboyant' player onstage. [/quote] Which ones do you have, Gaf & where did you source them? I currently have a lined fretless & I learned on an unlined, so the side dots are in the 'wrong' place for me. The stick-on leds might be the perfect way of fixing my problem without changing anything. G.

It's your bass - do with it what pleases you. G.

What do you want to achieve? G.

Loop a patch cable from your FX Send to FXReturn & see if this changes anything. Sometimes the connections on the FXReturn gets dirty & cuts off the signal whether there's anything plugged in or not. A patch cable ought to complete the signal & tell you if the pre is ok. Usually spraying the jack with contact cleaner & inserting it 20 or 40 times will fix it. Otherwise amp tech....... G.

If you are using 2 (or 4 ) speakers, is each side in phase? G.

.... was that before or after he played for Celtic? G.

So, how did you get this sorted? Enquiring minds need to know......... G.

So why do you need to be so loud at rehearsal? Seriously. G.

http://www.guitaramplifierblueprinting.com/index2.html You can talk to Myles direct here: http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/1351234/Feel_free_to_ask_Myles#Post1351234 G.

Personally, I'd get the hole in the tailpiece bored out a little. G.

I believe the embargo on US guitars was removed in 1957. G.

You'll need left-handed pickups for that.........