JapanAxe

I believe andyonbass got one for his daughter recently. Andy?

[quote name='Handwired' timestamp='1397995024' post='2429282'] It's a common misconception that SVT 3 Pro's are under powered, the're not! the problem is the added graphic, there's additional headroom built in so you can switch it in so a boost is available, to use it like a conventional amp and get full power, switch in the graphic, move all the sliders fully up and eq as normal with the rotary controls. [/quote] Even with the graphic flat there is 10dB of boost available from the level slider.

If it's a small social club, you probably only need to put vocals through the PA, plus any keys or acoustic instruments if they don't have dedicated backline amps. What is your full line-up, and what backline are you using?

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1397997450' post='2429323'] I'm sure they'll find a ready market with the irritating hipster crowd - if ukeleles can become popular then it proves that some people really will buy any old sh*t. [/quote]

For me, the pre on my amp sets the basic sound range, and the controls on the bass (whether active or passive) allow me to operate within that range. If a particular preamp gives you something you can't otherwise get, then go for it, but there is a risk of ending up with a very lumpy response that may sound fine soloed, but fails to find its place in a band mix.

[quote name='goingdownslow' timestamp='1397984575' post='2429125'] Yes. I set it myself giving the pot slightest turn and checking the mV each time with a mutimeter. At one stage I had 40mV, so shows how sensitive the pot is. My 3Pro had a sizzle from new, could only hear it at low volume, I thought it was part of the sound till I read the posts on [url="http://www.talkbass.com/threads/svt3pro-bias-setting.437406/"]HERE[/url]. I hesitated for a while before doing it as I wasn't sure if I was going down the right track as it being a new (USA) amp I didn't think it would be the bias, then I thought no harm in checking the voltages. I was surprised but chuffed at what readings I found, knowing then that this was the cause. Armed with a small screwdriver and being wary of what I had read about the pot being sensitive I took my time. Did it with amp cold with no signal and no load on. I stopped when I got the average reading as posted above as I thought it being close enough, set the amp on my cab plugged in bass and the amp was clean as a whistle, and with what I thought was more punch on gigs. Reading up the SVT Bias threads on TB gave me the confidence to have a go. It is also possible that a batch had been set wrong at the factory as it hard to think that it drifted that far out. Good luck with whatever you do. Edited to say, whatever others have posted, I turned the pot clockwise to increase the voltage. [/quote] Huge thanks again Pete, particularly on the bias pot direction. I have read some 3 Pro bias threads on Talkbass, but not the one you linked. As you say, it costs nothing for me to check those voltages. I have an electronics-savvy mate with a signal generator and an oscilloscope, so I may well draft him in if it seems like bias adjustments are needed. If that bit ain't broke then I won't try to fix it, but there is also the option of fitting a multi-turn bias pot that is easier to set accurately, and less prone to drift through vibration etc. [quote name='kennyrodg' timestamp='1397985951' post='2429145'] I could here the fizz on my 3 at all volumes, moreso when quiet but it was still there when it was cranked. Having the bias done sorted it out and the amp sounded sweet after that. I never had any problems with it not being loud enough either. [/quote] OK that puts bias well and truly ahead in the running as a possible issue. Enough waffle from me, off to the amp and multi-meter!

Very useful Kiwi. The full list is [url="http://www.ovnilab.com/"]here[/url].

[quote name='goingdownslow' timestamp='1397947137' post='2428998'] Regarding the bias, it is worthwile measuring the voltage across the resistors just to rule it out. Costs nothing. I checked mine and found... Initial readings, (mV) 1.6 - 3.0 3.7 - 2.8 3.6 - 2.4 3.2 - 3.2 average 3.025 - 2.85 and after adjustment... 14.9 - 26.1 30.4 - 23.5 27.3 - 20.1 22.5 - 23.4 average 23.775 - 23.275 It sounded ok before but was like a different amp after adjustment. [/quote] Cheers Pete that will be incredibly helpful. I take it those are the voltages across the eight big chunky 0.47ohm 5W resistors that sit in the middle of the heatsink? I have read that those voltages should be around 25mV (although elsewhere on the Interweb I have read that the current through them should be 25mA, making the voltage 11.75mA!) Did you set the bias yourself using a 10kHz signal and an oscilloscope, or did a tech do it for you?

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1397941620' post='2428961'] Coolio. Enjoy ! Fiddling around with amps is fun. Never played a 3Pro myself but the design of the tube gain control seems very odd and counter-intuitive. Good old Ampeg ! [/quote] It is a misnomer. It should be called 'Plate Voltage'. I will try measuring the voltage range at some point. In the meantime, here is my rig pictured next to Mr Axe junior's new [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/235006-ashdown-mibass-20-1x10-combo"]Ashdown MiBass 2.0 combo[/url]. Note Mrs Axe's excess cushion stockpile. How dare she go on at me about having too much kit! EDIT: Sorry, this is possibly the blurriest wonkiest pic I have ever taken. Will try to do better!

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[quote name='lee4' timestamp='1397933599' post='2428831'] Why not a Warwick? [/quote] Because they are fugly?

[quote name='vicar' timestamp='1397926113' post='2428735'] That would be the build quality I assume? [/quote] These combos both date from a time when a 100W bass combo was seen as perfectly adequate for gigging, and said combo inevitably weighed as much as a walrus. Things have moved on somewhat, and we bass players now have lighter and louder kit available to us. I am conscious that this is not helping with your original question, so I will quietly withdraw

Although my current fretless is surplus to requirements, I have no regrets at all from trying it out. There are plenty of decent inexpensive fretless basses on the market, including Squier Jazz and Precision models, and usually loads of used examples to choose from here on BC. Personally I wouldn't go straight for a new one, as you stand to lose quite a bit if you don't get on with it.

On the way out of posh marquee gigs (yet another former band), I used to have fun by shouting 'gangway!' before ploughing through the Hooray Henries with my 2x12 on casters. They were too hammered to realise what had just taken out their shins, and they'd had fair warning anyway!

IIIRC they are both weighty beasts! That was my only point really. I'll get me coat.

I reckon we are a similar age. I am playing more than ever, but on the country circuit and in WM clubs, and only occasionally in pubs. I was playing the pub circuit regularly up to about 5 years ago, and the things that got me down most were: 1. Difficult loading in/out through narrow doors and p!ssed-up punters into tiny and unsuitable spaces; 2. Risk of damage to self and kit from drunken eejits; and 3. The bunce hasn't gone up in 10 years! I did a stint in a tribute band which was better on all the above points. I suppose the common factor, and what got me down the most, was the feeling that the people booking the band just didn't give a toss. On the country circuit, organisers make you feel welcome, and most will at least get you a cup of tea when you arrive. I guess it comes down to being valued for what you do.

Are you perchance bionic in all your limbs? And do you have a titanium alloy spine?

I have had a hankering for yer actual Ampeg for some while, so having recently parted company with my TC Classic, I was pleased when an SVT 3 Pro came up for sale on BC at a very reasonable price. (Yes I know the 'real deal' is an all-valve job but they weigh a ton and they're too wide to sit on top of my cabs without looking a bit ridiculous.) Anyway, said head turned up on Wednesday so I have had a couple of little goes with it. Btw none of the following should be taken as criticism of the BCer who sold the head to me - it was used, the price was right, and (as with used cars) you do expect to spend a few bob on tweakage to get a used amp how you like it. The seller had wisely suggested checking that the valves were still correctly seated after shipping, so before powering up I unscrewed the top and tested each valve in turn on my Orange Valve Tester(TM) (which has probably paid for itself already). The valves are a mix of Fender/Sovtek, GT/Sovtek, and EH - three 12AX7 in the preamp, and a 12AX7 and 12AU7 to drive the power MOSFETs. The tester failed a couple, apparently because of the mismatch between the two triodes. This is not necessarily a problem, but having studied the schematic, the 12AU7 seems to work like a phase splitter, so that one needs to be well balanced. I also noticed that the toroidal transformer is slightly loose, so I need to locate a suitable box spanner to tighten this down. I connected the amp to my BF Midget to check out the sound. the fan is a little noisy so I may look to replace it. I reckon the bearings have become worn over time. At gig levels you wouldn't notice it at all, but I wouldn't want it to fail in use! Considering that the bass and treble controls are passive, they have a good range and are smoothly graduated. I am likely to use the 5-way mid frequency switch in position 1 (220Hz) or 2 (450Hz), to control the low mids. I had thought I wouldn't be bothering with the graphic EQ, but it is very musical-sounding. I dialled in a gentle low-mids hump, and really liked the effect on my sound, plus the extra volume available. Neither the Bright nor Hi switches are of much interest to me, but I was pleasantly surprised by the effect of the Lo switch (which scoops the mids and slightly raises the bass) as it gives you a different voice to play with. I didn't hear much difference from the Tube Gain knob until I connected the head to my full speaker setup (Compact plus Midget) and wound the wick up. This control actually adjusts the plate voltage in the last valve stages, so it goes from compressed/distorted at 0 to full headroom at 10. At gigging levels you can create the impression of a valve amp at full tilt without actually running the amp at full power. As many have remarked, you do have to turn this amp up to get the most out of it. (Okay you may get the same volume from another head with the master at 4, but by 5 you may have hit the buffers.) There seems to be an element of overdriven sound that won't go away, regardless of gain structure. If it was a MOSFET bias problem I would expect to hear it as the note faded away, but I don't, so my money is on one of the valves, most likely the 12AU7 with mismatched triodes. I am confident I can track it down by monitoring the signal at different points in the chain, so no biggie there. I have some 12AX7s in my spares box but I'm going to have to order another 12AU7. All part of the fun, and once again, no reflection on the BC seller. I am currently chilling at my sister-in-law's, but I will post some pics once I am home, and report on my findings at a later date.

Mr Axe junior is about to start gigging in a blues trio in Madrid, and he needs a powerful rig that is portable enough to lug around on the Metro along with his Hohner Jack and a few cables. His budget was €500, which I thought was unrealistic until I came across a deal on Anderton's website - Ashdown MiBass 2.0 combo for £379! It is rated at 400W RMS into 4 ohm and weighs only 15kg. Having moved on from an ABM rig about 18 months ago, and read mixed comments on the original MiBass, I was a bit dubious, but while he was over in the UK we took a trip down there to try one out. Well I was pretty impressed. I took my G&L 5-er for reference, and I had no problem in getting the sort of sound I favour. The amp has a lot of mid-range 'push', but you can turn up the bass EQ without suddenly running out of headroom, and there is plenty of top end available too. It's very hard to assess the volume of an amp in a small room (Anderton's bass basement) but I could still hear it upstairs with the door shut! I came to the conclusion that you would hear this over a drummer provided he wasn't going bananas. It is a 1x10 after all (with a concentric HF cone), but it I reckon it will be fine for smaller bars, and will be DI'd in larger ones. For comparison we also tried - MiBass 2.0 head with 1x12 cab - slightly bigger sound, but the cab on its own is heavier and bulkier than the combo; TC BG250 2x8 combo - even more portable than the Ashdown, but far less volume available; and Markbass Little Mark 1x15 combo (can't remember full details) - would have gone for this except that it is a large and unwieldy cube that you wouldn't want to be dragging on and off the tube! Mr Axe junior booked the amp (well packed in its original carton) as hold luggage on his return flight, which worked out much cheaper than shipping it separately. The first proof of the pudding will be band rehearsal next Friday. I'll keep y'all posted.

Plenty in the Yamaha stable that meets these criteria.