Lfalex v1.1

My SMX used to blow a fuse every time I turned it on. Trace said it was because they'd changed the power supply to a stiffer one, and it was drawing more current at start-up than the specified fuse would permit without blowing. The tech suggested using a slow-blow fuse of the same rating (3.15A in my case) I tracked some down at a HiFi shop and bought 10 for £2. That was over a decade ago, and I still have 9 left... The Tenth is still in it! Worth a try, but mail or phone them first.

Potentially controversial, I know, but I just don't have any empathy towards amplification at all. I have a lovely collection of instruments. And I have some things I plug them into. They're made by people who know what they're doing (Trace/Hartke/Ampeg/QSC/Peavey) but the things fill me with no joy at all, to the extent that I'd consider amp buying a chore and would be more likely to buy another bass whilst trying amps out. Do I need help? What type of GAS do you specialise in? Basses or Amps? Or are you one of those well-rounded individuals who likes BOTH?! Please relate your experiences!

Try lots of basses! Try them all. Even if they cost four times your budget. Even if you've no intention of purchasing there and then (music shops hate me!!) You'll soon build up a set of preferences. Buy with your hands and your ears before your head or your heart and keep an open mind. Have you a friend who plays? Take them! A second opinion can be helpful, especially if they're experienced. They do need to remember that the bass is for you, though! If a bass feels and sounds good in a shop environment, a good set-up (Learn to do it yourself, so you can tailor your instrument to you) and your favoured strings will only make it better. With regard to amplification, a degree of familiarity can be beneficial, but if you can't get something you know, try your shortlisted instruments through several amps/ combos. (I hate buying amps!) Hope this helps!

I've been told I'd get £800 max for my rather nice LX6. Not that it's for sale.

Not a million miles removed from a MIA Deluxe "P" They've got a "P" and the Double "J" style HB at the bridge - Same sort of Pick-up as the one used in the "Big Block" model. Nothing wrong with an P/MM It's like a back to front Attitude, too. They're HB/P...

Making the sleeve was the easy bit. Cut a top and bottom, plus two sides to sandwich (standing vertically) between them. I just screwed through the top/bottom into the edges of the sides (they're quite thick on mine, mind!) 6 screws top, 6 bottom= 12 per side and 24 in total. It's fallen, and it just bounced! I just sanded the outer edges slightly, carpeted, and added feet, a handle and corner protectors.

[quote name='Beedster' post='98576' date='Dec 4 2007, 05:26 AM']Hi, yes I have, I've tried a lot of websites. I suspect that stcked pots might work a little differently to the same combination of discrete pots, that is stacked Volume/Tone for 2 PUPs might require different wiring to seperate Volume Tone for 2 PUPs? Chris[/quote] [disclaimer] I know VERY little about electrics [/disclaimer] But... I reckon you could get it all to work by wiring both wires from each P/U to their respective stacks, perhaps tone first, to stop it being influenced by having the volume pot before it in the signal path. So; Pick-up >>> Tone >>> Volume >>> Output jack. Try this for both pots, and the only point at which wires from one meet the other is at the output jack, certainly in the case of the "Hot" wires, at any rate. Try also joining the cold wires together here, too (plus the bridge earth) If the pot shells need earthing, do it straight to the cold side of the output jack- independently of the signal earth. More wiring, but it [i]might[/i] work! I want to go to 2V,2T on my Squier 70's VMJ, but I just haven't got the time at the moment!

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='97254' date='Dec 1 2007, 03:52 PM']They look better that way. [/quote] Also, they're more stable (having a lower centre of gravity). This , in turn, avoids lawsuits from crushed players who pulled their stacks over! Not all heads (although they're getting smaller of late) will stand atop a vertically-oriented 2x10 or 2x12, as the top surface area is too small. Whilst plonking your head on a vibrating enclosure is hardly good for it from an acoustic feedback point of view, it's still where most of us deposit our amps for practicality's sake...

I live in the South East. The contracation of various local scenes has caused the bulk of decent gigs to be London jobs. That, of course, incurrs the wrath of Mayor Livingston to the tune of £8 a time. No chance of going in later, as London Venues frequently demand preposterously early load-ins (1600 for 2000 start) - I wonder if they get a cut from the congestion charge? I'm so glad (in a round-about way) that I'm no longer gigging. Cost of fuel + General aggro of travelling + evil travelling times (2hrs, approx.) parking + loading / unloading etc. Just makes it too stressful to bother with if you're not getting paid IMHO.

[quote name='Vasquez Rich' post='97452' date='Dec 1 2007, 10:57 PM']Paper centres with aluminium outers??? How's that gonna work when you're wobbling 41Hz though them, need some pretty darn good glue in my opinion. I have Hartke 410XL and it's very good, if it ain't broke... Richard[/quote] In fairness, most moving coil loudspeaker drivers of the types that we'd be using feature pretty darn good adhesives in their construction anyway... Primarily, where the cone (H) joins the surround (G) and where the said surround is bonded to the chassis (I) Also, where the cone is bonded to the voice coil / former assembly (D), to which the "Spider" (F) is also attached. The Spider is also glued to the chassis. Finally, dust caps are often bonded on. I reckon if you looked at the stats, more drivers would be found to fail due to being abused by clippng amps / being driven beyond their thermal and electrical limits. That, or physical damage such as torn surrounds and damaged cones. I don't think you'd come unstuck with the Hartkes...! (That's a Peerless XLS 830500 driver, BTW)

DO fit 2 lockable castors/wheels (leave the other two plain) Don't put them both on the front face of the dolly board/ cab. It makes the stack unstable! Either put them on one end, or diagonally opposed. Stops the rig tipping over when you walk away from it mid-gig, run out of cable and... TIIIMBERRR! Flat guitarist.

Do bear in mind that the replacement EQ need not [i]necessarily[/i] be an MEC unit. The Warwick control cavities are fairly generous, and you may also be able to source a unit from the likes of East, Aguilar, Audere, Duncan, Bartolini etc that will fit. They also may pop up on here second hand as has been previously suggested (good idea!)

Perhaps a Maple fretboard? Strings make a difference. Look for something really "responsive" (If you know what I mean- They react quickly and accurately to player input) Otherwise (judging from my own basses), "hotter" basses seem to be punchier. Higher output may help your cause. Whether that's achieved by hot passives, warm pick-ups & an 18v EQ (for headroom rather than gain), or active pick-ups and active EQ is a matter for personal choice. I once read that body shape has an impact on sound. I think the rationale was that; "For a bass of a given mass (and even density), a more compact (but necessarily thicker) body gives a punchier sound. A broader, flatter (and thinner) design gives a more open, expansive sound" Sound like rubbish? Think about Warwick Thumbs and Active Jazzes... Which leads to another Warwick related point; Harder body woods should give a more immediate attack and "snap" to the sound. I own a Zebrano-bodied Warwick Infinity SN4. Compact body, fashioned from a (very) heavy and hard wood. That has some punch, and it doesn't have the headroom of an 18v EQ, as it's a 9-volter. I don't think that neck-thru/bolt on/glued in has as much impact as some people think. Certainly not in the "punch" department.

I did it with a Trace H122SMX (2x10) Combo. Took all the gubbins out of the enclosure; Speakers, Horn, Crossover, wires, Amp, the lot. Peeled back the carper, lay it face down and ran a jigsaw through the side sections holding the "amp" onto the combo. Sanded them flush. Stretched the original carpet back over the new "top" of the "cab", cut to size and re-glued it. Filled the original hole for the speaker cable. Routed a space for a new connection plate on the rear, wired it up and sealed it off (so the jack socket doesn't "breathe" like a port for the enclosure) MADE my own sleeve for the head in 12mm MDF, carpeted it, slotted the head in (make sure you accurately mark/drill where the securing bolts go!) You might get a sleeve out there, but the SMX I have is the same width as the cabinet, so 3" or 4" wider than a 19" rack mounter. I reckon the Ashdown might be the same.. Cost? The new back panel for the "cab" A small sub enclosure to seal off the new jack socket 8 screws Wood glue Carpet 4 rubber feet A fold out handle (sprung loaded) I actually got a Penn Fabrications one identical to the ones left on the "new" cab A sheet of MDF I already had. One trip to Maplin. Less than £35. One afternoon's work. Result? 5 years later it still works. Everyone likes it better than the originals (it's the same width as the cabs, not narrower) Fits in the boot of a Punto without lowering the rear seat or cracking the rear screen! I can use the new head with my Trace 1x15 or 4x10 or bastardised 2x10 or any 2 together. Worth the effort. Happy cannibalising, but take it easy and be careful!

Ultimately, I'm not too bothered! Frequently, Glued in or (in particular) Neck-Thru instruments have better upper-fret access due to the smoothness of the neck/body join. Neck-Thru do seem to have better sustain, and I've never played a Neck-Thru with a chunky neck profile, silly fretboard radius or rough fret-work. That said, I own 2 Neck-Thru instruments, 1 Glued-in, and the rest are Bolt-ons. I tend to buy an instrument because of its sonic character and if it plays well, neither of which are necessarily dependent on the method of construction employed!

I've been here before myself... And here's the result... I own an Ampeg SVP-pro pre-amp, a Hartke VXL bass attack, A Peavey MAX pre-amp and a Trace SMX head (plus a busted QSC power-amp) Nothing but nothing sounds like slightly edgy tubes. With the Pre-amp >> Power amp (or head driven via FX return), you don't get the power tube crunch and compression as the power stage is almost invariably going to be Solid State. You DO get lighter weight, though. I'd keep the LM, and drive its power stage via a pre-amp (be it rack or pedal based) That gives you the light weight, and the versatility of being able to use the LM via its own internal pre-amp. If you bought an SVT, you'd not have that option. I've come to appreciate what the Peavey is trying to do... Even if it is a jack of all trades (master of none!) It has switchable & Blendable SS and Valve Stages, each with separate gain / output level controls and a separate EQ for each. This (theoretically) gives you the best of both; Flick a switch on the G&L, dab a footswitch, and your entire sound can change between two separate settings. Unfortunately, it's no match for the subtle to brutal ability of the Ampeg, is noisier than my Trace or Hartke, and thumps when switched from SS to Valve and vice-versa. For alternatives that offer this degree of flexiblity (racks brain...), check out the Ampeg SVP-CL, The Sansamp BDDI (programmable), MXR 80, EBS Microbass and The Sansamp Rack mount units (RPM, RBI and PSA) In my experience, The SVP-Pro works well with American made/ designed basses; Fender, Musicman, G&L etc. and can readily tame any top-end excess without sounding dull, yet retaining warmth and allowing you to dial in as much OD as is desired, either by overdriving the input AX7, using the soft drive AU7, or both. It doesn't allow you a "clean" sound, though. There's just the one channel.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='88903' date='Nov 15 2007, 12:52 PM']Glad to have been of help! I've just moved house and now my computer is no longer in the corner of a room the el cheapo speakers have gone from sounding tolerable to horribly thin and bottomless - damned boundary reinforcement or lack thereof... Alex[/quote] My work colleagues couldn't understand why I kept moving our little stereo around until it sounded right. Our work area is approx 28000 sq ft, and it'll be lucky if its little drivers get more that 2w/ch PMPO... It needs all the help it can get! Needless to say it's above ear level in a corner. Better radio reception higher up!

[quote name='Sibob' post='86373' date='Nov 10 2007, 04:56 AM']How do you set the intonation? And how the hell does that string retainer stay on with all that tension? Very 'Ken Lawrence' Si[/quote] [quote name='paul, the' post='86374' date='Nov 10 2007, 05:19 AM']Bassy love.[/quote] No More Nails, innit!

No way he could've stacked a few of those knobs? 7 is very high on the knob-o-meter, you know!

If it feels good (in your hands), plays well, sounds good (to you) and generally does what you'd want it to, I'd say whatever you're playing is a good instrument. I own two similar basses; A 2004 MIA s1 Jazz in Translucent Sunset Orang over Ash A 2006 Squier 70's VM Jazz with a BadAss II and black (brass) control knobs One cost 3.5 times the amount the other did. I find I play the Squier more [i]adventurously[/i] as I subconciously recognise it as being the cheaper instrument (though not necessarily worse for it!) Consequently, I probably wring more from the Squier than the Fender. The Squier does sound more aggressive, and lends itself better to being thrashed, though... I wouldn't have said that your feelings on genuine/relic/NOS are quite as prevalent as the issues that some people have over instrument/ equipment manufacturers and costs; [i]It's made by xxxx, therefore my own assumptions will necessarily inflate my opinion of said item when compared to another "lesser" or "lesser known" brand[/i] The converse is true, also. How many players wouldn't touch a cheap instrument, just because they assume it not to be worthwhile? Perhaps they missed a real gem? I'll admit that I'm not partial to either mojo'd instruments, relics, re-issues or NOS. I'd rather have owned an instrument from new and have it age gracefully in my ownership! So perhaps I'm carrying some bias if my own... I know that my instruments have (generally) only ever belonged to me, and feel comfortable with them as a result...

Anyone wanting an Ibanez SRX 705, Check out Peach Guitars (Braintree, Essex) They've got a NEW (in spite of them being discontinued) one for about £500... And on the subject of dicontinued Ibanez basses, Stringbusters/Holibay Music have a new Ergodyne EDA 5 string in Orange. About £550, IIRC.

Is a 4x10 out of the question? I've used a 2x10 and 4x10 together a lot. Works well for me. They're a Trace 1048h and 2103h BTW... I do have a 1x15 (1153) so I'm covered whatever I want to do! (Anyone got a 1518 laying around- I'll have a full set then!!)

2 ideas; 1) Tweezers! Just tease the contact/s out gently. It shouldn't need the force that pliers could exert. 2) Can't see it in the photo, but how's the battery compartment secured into the body of the bass? If there's a retaining screw/s, try taking the whole compartment out. You'll be able to check the integrity of the connecting wiring then, too, in addition to getting a better look at the contacts. If it's glued in (can't see why it would be, though) then I guess you can't!

Whilst I predominantly play 4s, I have a CGDAE tuned Fretless 5, A GDAEB tuned fretted 5, and a CGDAEB Fretted 6. The range of a 4 is generally fine for most of us, but the 6 (for example) can open up some nice possibilities- The Sub "E" tones are nice to have from time to time (and are a necessity if your band drop-tunes and you don't want to!) Just play along and from time to time, instead of going up, go lower instead. As for the high C, It gives an alternate method of reaching the higher notes without chasing up the fretboard. The C can be barred very nicely with any tone on the D if wou want to add a bit more depth to higher passages. I played one of mt best gigs on my 6. It was with a pop-punk style band. I re-worked a quiet intro part to be played as harmonics on the C and G strings, the First note of the first verse was a "C" Played it low (about five octaves from where I had been) and landed it in perfect time. The effect was devastating. We played a good gig, and then they sacked me on favour of someone less experienced and more malleable!! Everything has its place, I suppose!

[quote name='7string' post='85824' date='Nov 9 2007, 10:46 AM']Very cool and I know from experience how good Jon's repair/modification work is. Makes you wonder why Fender doesn't just sell a bass with this sort of spec.....[/quote] Precision Deluxe isn't far off... apart from having the god-awful Fender EQ in it.