JapanAxe

Thanks @Bigwan, you are a star!

You may! I have just acquired (as scrap) a Carvin Vintage 33 combo. The cabinet is more than a little distressed, the speaker is blown, but both transformers work. My plan is to take the existing chassis and transformers (and some other useful working parts e.g. switches, pilot light) and convert it to a 30W bass head with the following features: Output section based around four EL84 valves, because that's what the OT is suited for - hence my interest in the LB30 schematic; Preamp based on a 1964 Amped B15 channel; That's about it! I need to make sure that the pre-amp will work with the power amp (i.e. that phase splitter has enough beans to drive all the EL84s), so I will be working on my understanding of push-pull amps and hitting up the forums . Here's the innards as I got the amp, and the almost-gutted chassis:

Thanks @Bigwan

Does anyone have a schematic for the Ashdown Little Bastard 30? Or at least the output section. I have a project in mind...

OK, so no need for me to snag a used big-iron Class AB head then. D'oh!

That's an utterly brilliant justification for GAS! Just off to enquire about a big f-off head that might still be for sale...

That does make sense for the bass guitar, as a clean bass note starts with an amplitude peak which falls away to a much lower sustained level, then decays away. The TC Active Power Management blurb describes how the system heavily limits the initial peak, so that they effectively only have to amplify the remainder of each note. EDIT: Although we should all probably stop worrying about power, and listen to how loud an amp is and whether we like the sound, inevitably we are always going to want numbers to compare.

That's the point, there is no logic to GAS. I have a killer amp and cab yet I still find myself browsing eBay and the BC Marketplace for another amp!

I am the lucky owner of a lovely hybrid bass head, with a valve pre-amp and Class D power amp. Recently I had to carry out a repair on the pre-amp, and it got me thinking about other amps - could an all-valve head be EVEN BETTER? For a while I had been ogling an EBS T90 Classic on Absolute Music's website. I had a gig in Longham on Tuesday night (only 3 miles from the shop), so Mrs Axe and I drove down early and I took a bass and cab in to try it out. It's fair to say I didn't feel the love; it sounded quite nice, but was a bit hissy, and I didn't think it went loud enough before running into distortion - I tried it in their big Live Room, you can't really tell in a demo booth! No sale. Then I toddled off to my gig. My own rig sounded truly wonderful So no more amp GAS then? No, I'm now thinking about building/repairing/modding a 'big iron' conventional transistor amp... And that, folks, nicely demonstrates the illogic of GAS

For only £199.99 you can be the proud owner of this not-very-highly-sought-after Marshall Bass State combo. Except it's 'for spares or not working'. And if you want it posted it's another £39.99. Huh?

Welcome Giulio, from another AVRI 63 Fender Precision owner!

Not really. 30W in, 200W out. Huh?

Ladies and gentlemen, please observe the rear panel of the Trace Elliot elf, specced on their website as '200W continuous into 4ohms'. So how can it put out 200W when it only consumes 30W? They're all at it... And yes I know that's the 120V version, but you still can't magic an extra 170W from nowhere!

Hi all Sorry to have to do this but I am going to have to bail for family reasons. Particular apologies to anyone who was going to bring an amp for me to try, and to anyone who was looking forward to picking the Demeter out of the cavalcade of heft. Graeme

I'll happily stand you a coffee and a sticky bun if you can bring the Aggie, would love to try it! Status raised from 'moderately enthused' to 'somewhat breathless'.

I'm moderately enthused!

Oh, I'm interested!

PM'd

I am on my second Mustang bass. The first (MIM Pawn Shop) came with the fitted Urban gig bag, which gave only slightly more protection than an Ikea shopping bag. I gave up long ago on finding a decent fitted bag for my current Mustang, so it now travels in a regular full-size gig bag. Guitar gig bags are too short. I expect a gig bag made for a 12-string solid-body guitar would fit because of the extra headstock length, but then they're not going to be that common either!

Updated attendee/kit list 1) Cetera - Spector NS2 & Legend 4X, Dingwall NG2, Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird, Yamaha BB3000, GK800RB head, Genz Benz Neox212 cab, Tech-21 Dug DP3X preamp/pedal 2) Ezbass - Maruszczyk Elwood L 4 string fretted (J pickups), Maruszczyk Elwood L 4 string fretless (MM pickup), Rickenbacker 4003s, Rob Allen MB2 fretless, Phil Jones Flightcase + PB300 3) Happy Jack - AliKat DB #004, Mike Lull 54P, all I need to play a doubling gig (that evening) on those two instruments 4) BlueJay - Eminence Upright (left-handed), loads of camera equipment 5) obbm - Fender Precisions, Sadowsky HPJ, Bergantino NV115, Handbox WB100 and if room Quilter BB800 + BF One10 + Nate Mendel for sale/trade  6) Nancy Johnson (Paul) - The Big One, rack (GED/poweramp), possibly the dUg DP3x. A bass. 7) MacDaddy - Shuker bass(es), Snapdragon Folding bass, Flattley Bass Poison Ivy. 8 ) prowla (Paul) - Maybe a Ric or two and fakers, maybe a couple of Statii, maybe J- & P-basses. Probably a Markbass amp & cab and a pedalboard with some FX. 9) Stingray5 - Old faithful Stingray5; Tune SWV4-BB bass; Eden EC180 1x15 combo. (I also have a gig that evening so may leave the Eden in the car but happy to bring it in if anyone asks). 10) TrevorR - Wal Pro II E, Wal Mk 1 Custom, Aria SB700, MarkBass LMII and Traveler 2x10, pedalboard. 11) TheGreek - Mesa M Pulse 600 head/ Powerhouse 1x15 cab and The Psilos bass built by Andyjr1515 12) JapanAxe (Graeme) - most of the stuff in my signature! Plus Orange Valve Tester - test your valves for free (must be cool) 13) Wolverinebass (Andy) - Maybe some Wounded Paw effects/signature preamp and a bass. 14) Silverfoxnik (Nik) - Roscoe Beck 5, Gibson Thunderbird, BC Rich Eagle, plus my Ampeg V4BH Rig 15) Paul The Drums of the Junkyard Dogs, with kit. 16) Frank Blank (Frankè Blanké) Rob Allen Mouse, AER Basic Performer, Fender Modern Player with modded fretless neck, Ibanez SRC6/SR500, cake. 17) Ordep - Noble Preamp, Modulus Jazz, Fodera Monarch New Std, Amp, pedalboard depending on the day’s mood. 18) ChunkyMunky - Yamaha BB1025X, SWR Redhead combo  19) Jabba the Gut - TC Electronic RH450, RS112 and some own build basses 20) Thestick - Vanderkley cabs, Aguilar ag700 head, selection of basses 21) Mr & Mrs Hamster - Tea, coffee & cake! Might bring a couple of basses too 22) bassace - usual double basses etc. 23) OutSpoon (Steve) - Fodera Monarch Standard Classic, Sandberg California VS5, Maybe a '94 Stingray? TC 208 combo or PJ Double4? 24) Walman - BF Super12T, FPPR Status S1 (yes that one ), Genz Benz Streamliner, Helix Floor, and a load of EBS pedals for sale 25) musicbassman - planning to come, sorry I've nothing of great interest to bring with me, just some respect for all you guys bringing your treasured possessions to display. 26) Kebabkid - Sire Marcus Miller V7 (4 string), Roland Bass Cube 120XL, Zoom B3 & EBS Octabass 27) Graham (still tentative at the moment) - Lakland DJ5, G&L USA SB2, Yamaha TRB1005J, EBS HD350, EBS Neo 2x12, EBS Microbass II, EHX Big Muff Bass Deluxe, Joyo Orange Juice 28) NickD - Maruszczyk Jake 5P+, Maruszczyk Elwood L5A, Markbass 121H, Zoom B3, Bass Soul Food, EHX Freeze, Mooer Tender Octaver, Ebow. 29) Rodfunnell - Darkglass Microtubes 900 head, Barefaced Big Twin T, BB2, Super Compact, Warwick Corvette $$, Streamer $$, The Alien; Various pedals including MXR, AudioSource (inc a Hothand) and a couple of Darkglass bits and Phil Jones EarBox 30) Seer73 - Sire V7, Warwick Corvette, new Overwater Hybrid Custom. Aguilar TH500 and PJB C4

Does this cable have some kind of suppressor fitted? Maybe that is filtering out mains-borne noise.

Errr... have you got hi-fi house wiring too?

I've just read this thread and had my PF-50T GAS re-awakened, until I came across the hum thing. From reading this link posted by @afterimage, it seems they sent a lot of units out with a noisy grid bias circuit. I am happy modding stuff, but not if I've bought it brand new. This demonstrates the difference it made:

Yes to all the above, I can't imagine there will be no-one interested in any of those things!