DGBass

I owned a Fender bass with an S88xxxx serial number and it was a 1978 so odds on its a 78 or 79 you have. The neck heel might help narrow it down as it likely has a date stamp. The sunburst finish is consistent with those times. The fingerboard doesn't look original but fender did make fretless versions with both maple and rosewood boards at that time. I would guess you have a standard usa fender 78/79 with added routing for the Jazz pickup and emg electronics added at a later date. The fingerboard is also probably aftermarket but looks well done. I'd be inclined to keep it as is if it plays well and sounds fine. The nut obviously needs attention and maybe the foil job but thats a small amount of work required for what could be a fantastic players bass. Nice one.

I sort of did the signature bass thing a long time ago and what I ended up with probably reflects what I considered my dream rock bass was at the time. Before this came along I'd already had a few Jazz Bass copies, a Westone thunder and a couple of other forgetable budget basses. It also occured to me whether a signature bass was a customised version of someone elses design or a blank sheet on the design board with shape, construction and finish. I opted for someone elses design( a bloke called Chris May ) and I filled in the options based on preference and to an extent cost as back then it took me a while to save up for the whole signature bass experience. Here are a few of my specs:

super slim jazz bass profile neck and nut width

two octave neck

graduated fretting

bound ebony fingerboard

Pre Cites Brazillian mahogany body and neck, thru slim heeled neck joint

Flame maple top and matching headstock with transluscent blue tint

German Schaller hardware includiing locking strap nuts

Kent Armstrong custom soapbar humbuckers positioned to my spec

VTT with master 5 position pick up selector wih tone filtering on each position - all passive

I remember at the time being thoroughly excited about the prospect of having my signature bass and even now I'm surprised how it turned out. Almost forty years later it still makes me smile when I open the case and plug it in for a jam. Everything else since has been off the shelf standard as I've never had any urge since then to build or have built another signature bass. It's something i recommend everyone does in their bass playing lifetime. Hopefully you will get a bass you will never tire of.

I've had a few GP 7 SM's in bits for a rebuild, 150's and 300's and the split heatsink output boards are the bipolar variant. They arent dissimilar to the MAG 180 and Mag 300 design in later Ashdowns, one heatsink is positively charged, and one heatsink negatively charged. They should never touch or sparks will fly and components are likely to pop. The only reall issue I ever see with these bipolar boards is that some loose their ground screw because the locking washer either wasn't fitted in the first place or due to years of vibration. The screw in labelled GND1( see pic) and is in the left front corner of the board. I always give this screw a turn with a screwdiver to see if its loose. If it is, renew the locking washer. If not its probably ok. Another curious but common issue with the SM amps is the standby switch circuit. The big green resistor next to C10 is often fitted hard to the board, overheats and burns out. This causes no output because the standy circuit dies. Both are easily fixed. Anoth tip is to keep the cooling fan clean and make sure the heatsink fins dont clog up with dust. Bipolar output transistors can be prone to thermal runaway if the aren't kept cool. Mosfets will shut themseleves down in that scenario. Fans on the bipolar SM's tend to run noisier and faster than the ones on their mosfet brethern's amps. 

The 300 watt mosfet board is very stable, and the only issue i see with them is vibration causing dry solder joints on the coupling caps over a long time. On earlier models, the board is usually not screwed down at the front right corner and sort of floats losely on a plastic post allowing that corner to flex too much. Later SMX models like the one in the picture were properly screwed down at all four corners. The mosfet boards also tended to have thermostatically controlled fans so they run quiter and smoother and only spin up to full speed when the amp is hot. Thats why later SMX's are more desirable than standard SM's, they usually have the more reliable mosfet output and all the previous niggles earlier SM's suffered have for the most part been ironed out.

30 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

That’s quite telling in itself, that techs recommend them.

I sold a 2002 ABM to a local player recently, and told him it was over twenty years old. He didn't seem phased by that and told me he had been using a Portaflex PF500 which failed just a few weeks outside of its warranty. His local tech shop told him it would cost more to repair than it was worth. When he asked the repair tech what to get, he said get and Ashdown, and an ABM if you can. If anything happens to it, I can fix it for you next time. Not much changes design wise in some Ashdown models, its is an Evolution process that works. I also sold a lovely EVOIII ABM to a well known visitor of this site recently. It was one of the best EVO III examples I've seen in a long while. It had all the full spec completely original 575watt parts in it and was around ten years old and just needed the dust removed for it to be as good as new.  Most of the major parts from the 2002 ABM would also work in the EVO III ABM. They are that compatible and I guess thats why techs like them. There are however many subtle spec differences between versions of the same models that mostly Ashdown will only be aware of and thats why it always makes sense to get Ashdown to service one if you can. I haven't come across any ABM models ever that couldn't easily be repaired.

Oddly enough I always have snacks ready to consume during breaks and in between sets at a gig. Last weekend it was raisin & biscuit flavour Yorkie. Yum. As far as drinks go, it has to be non alcohoholic and non fizzy. Staying hydrated is my doping for bass playing nowadays. Bars don't seem to offer free drinks as much as they once did anyway and i'm always driving too. Was just thinking it's also been a very long time since I was in a band that had a rider provided so the temptation to drink beer in a dressing room before a gig hasn't presented itself. That's probably a good thing. 

1 hour ago, Riverbassman65 said:

You really want to feel smug… get one of the Squier 40th Anniversary Vintage P basses.

Lovely basses and I don't doubt the smugness factor will be pretty high when comparing to MIMs or Corona standards. When it comes to MIMs, Squiers, and Standards there are actually so many useable and interesting variations/finishes to choose from these days. If it wasn't for powerful force that prevents me from suffering too much G.A.S. and being a lot more selective when choosing a bass, i'd more than likely own or have gone through way more basses than I have on The Quest that lots of bass players do.🙂 3.12kg, now thats lightweight for any P. 

I don't think i've been without an Ashdown of some sort for at least the last ten years. Mostly ABMs of all shapes and sizes as they are my favourites and I understand why the OP says his ABM is his sound. I've sold on a few Ashdown's in the past, always in great working order and when I've asked the buyers why they were looking for an Ashdown, I hear the same reasons over and over. They sound great, they are reliable, and something that is said very often is "my tech told me to get one" and that's because they aren't disposable like so much gear is becoming these days. They are very durable, can be repaired easily and that's usually a sign of a quality design. And of course they are backed up by Ashdown here in the UK. 

7 hours ago, dmc79 said:

I'm curious what scales you are using for the stated weights

just regular Salter digital scales. I weighed an 80s Sunn Mustang ( more or less a Fender p-bass copy made by Fender for Sunn) the other day to compare and it tipped the same scales at 4.7kg. It was inordinately heavy, and noticeably so compared to even my USA bass. I think one of the reasons I've come to like my current MIM is because it does feel very light. Usually with the USA bass i'm beginning to stoop after a 3 hour covers band gig. Not so with the MIM, it also feels more balanced than the USA.  The maple neck on my MIM replaced the original Pau Ferro neck and the maple neck was also less weighty. Not sure what the body is made of. It's a 2018 model.

So, I had an epiphany of sorts at a gig on Saturday. I was using my MIM Fender Player P-bass ( polar white with maple neck) through my GK rig and realised it sounded as good and played just as well if not better than my USA Standard P-bass. I've been playing the USA standard for 25 years and apart from it being the only P-bass ive ever owned until the MIM appeared on my radar, the USA Standard is a phenomonal bass and no mistake. However the MIM has certain advantages. It's way lighter for starters. 3.19kg as opposed to 3.98kg for the USA. The modern MIM neck profile is considerably slimmer than the late 90s plank on the USA Standard. Both basses have their merits and de-merits and I love them both for what they can deliver. Rosewood chunkiness versus maple slimmness. However there is a certain smugness I feel when playing the MIM knowing its lighter, sounds as good and cost less than half of the retail cost of  a USA P-bass.  This thread is for owners of a USA P-Bass and a MIM P-bass. How do you rate both of them and do you have a preference for using your MIM or your USA/American Standard in certain scenarios and why? Feel free to share your pics of USA Standard versus MIM bass. 😁

I'll second any comments made about how well Peavey 410 TX/TVX cabs sounded. I owned one and used it with the matching 115 BW cab which was not quite as good and a bit of a boom box. Even before then when I had barely any spare pennies to rub together, especially for spending on dedicated bass equipment, some of the unsung heroes for me were the very cheap 4x12 cabs that could be picked up in pawn shops and the used gear corners of proper music stores. I found this photo a few days back while clearing out some old stuff. I remember this cab well, it was thrown in for free as a deal with the second hand but almost mint Stingray 150.

The cab was filled with McKenzie 75 watt heavy duty speakers and I rewired it from 16 ohms to 4 ohms to get the most from the Stingray. It was just one of several old 4x12 cabs I used for many years bought for buttons and used until they either blew up or I got tired of carrying them around. The sound was big and loud and clear from the Sound City at least and I eventually gave this particular cab away mainly because the band I was in at the time reckoned I was far too loud. It never missed a beat and did sound huge with the Stingray 150 head.

This weekend's gig rig of choice. I've gigged the cab a few times but never the matching set. Not sure why because the 700RB (an early MK1) has imho one of the best rock/rythm n blues sounds I've heard in recent times.Thouroughly enjoyed using it and it barely broke a sweat despite a thumping loud low-end.

I did a support gig back in the late 90s for a US band called 3D House Of Beef and those guys knew all about sub bass. A lot of their tunes were played at around 30 BPM and the bass was also tuned to drop D. I recall speaking to their bass player to ask him what he was using on his board and his main pedal was a DOD Meatbox. Never heard anything like them since and to get the best from it I suspect you will need amplification that can cope with serious low end.  The 3D House Of Beef guy was using a full SVT 8x10 rig with additional 1x18 subs 😲 Their album 'Low Cycle' is a good indication of the sub bass tones a Meatbox can do.

The Ironstones had lots of good things going for them that I couldn't find in pups twice the price. I know it should always be a secondary consideration but they also look good and fitted perfectly without the need to file the scratchplate or reposition screws. The slightly raised 70s style pole pieces are also a nice authentic old school touch and the pole piece / string alignment was perfect on my Jazz. There is also no brash branding you find on some replacement sets so the upgrade is quite incognito visually.

If you are looking for a 70s tone to match your bass you could do worse than check these out. https://ironstone-guitar-pickups.co.uk/the-ironstone-jazz-bass-pickups/

I have a set in my USA standard Jazz and they sound brilliant and way better than the stock custom 60s it came with. They give a very balanced and round tone, lots of clarity and sound especially good with flats imho. They arent noisy either compared to the original fender pups. Very competitively priced as well as being a UK company.

One thing I've noticed with some GK amps is that the input sensitivity is quite high and having the input gain anywhere above 12 o'clock can actually overdrive the stage causing a weird fizzy distortion that sounds like the speaker is blown even at low volume. It can happen with a passive bass easy enough. The trick is to back of the input and use the master. Not saying thats what you have but might be of interest to try if the combo isn't already in its return box🙂

I have the 1x15 GK Neo cab with tweeter and its essentially the same speaker box spec as the Legacy 1x15 combo. The horn works very well in my cab, doesn't hiss or fizz and is quite controlable using a knob on the back. I'd be inclined to send the combo back for either a replacement or maybe something else. It sounds like the amp isn't quite working as it should🤨

It doesn't have to say Fender on the headstock...but in this case it might as well😉

Beat up 1980s Sunn Mustang made for Sunn by FMIC. Weight 4.7kg and an 80s Fender USA P-bass neck profile with a 7mm slab of rosewood on it. Loudest passive P-bass i've ever met and probably the heaviest.

A bit of the same as usual with a bit of something ( relatively) new. What started as a quest to find the smallest lightest and cheapest giggable amp box with the most watts has morphed into a fairly wholesome setup. The band are back rehearsing after a break and looking forward to some gig action in July. Used this setup tonight at rehearshal and it performed perfectly. Same cab ( a faital pro loaded Musicman ), a GP12SMX stereo pre-amp and the tiny lightweight 1U air cooled Harley Benton GPA-400. Loud enough for a small pub gigs using one channel but where it shines is in bridge mode( 400watts @ 8 ohm). Another unique feature I haven't seen on other stereo power amps like this is a basic EQ where you can cut or boost bass & treble quickly on the fly without messing around on the GP12SMX. Very handy if you have a dull or boomy venue. It also has a very neutral and clean class-D sound with the EQ at the default 12 o'clock setting so I get the sound of the GP12SMX in all its glory.

18 minutes ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

To get over-driven tone without excessive volume the gain is set high, the master set low. For the cleanest tones the gain is set low, the master set high.

Yep there is no law against doing either. It's up to the individual. Personally I come from an age where setting the input a bit higher to maximise the pre-amp signal( I blame those Trace Elliot LED's on my GP11 and the VU meter on my ABM's for that) and not cranking the master.  I'm really interested in getting hold of an SVT3-pro now just to see how it actually works.

While the B2RE and SVT3-Pro do share a lot of design features like multi core connector plugs to link pre-amp and output sections they do also have slighty different layouts. If an amp is suspected of not be performing as expected and if its new, i'd contact the retailer or return it. If it was bought used, a visit to trusted tech is always worthwhile just to make sure its as it should be. Most fairly modern 300-500 watt solid state class A/B amps should be capable of sufficient loudness and power levels without having to run pre or post controls anywhere near full up to get a gig ready level of output 🙂

I missed a chance to pick one of these up the other week after a closing venue was having a house backline clear out. It sold for £50 and was in perfect working order. The guy who bought it was the only person who had transport big enough to take it away at the time and thats mainly why he got it as well as no one else offering anymore than £50 for it. Great cabs and as awesome sounding as the 8x10 while being comparatively lighter and easier to move around. We are still talking elephants weight wise though🙄

I recently serviced an Ampeg B2RE for a fellow bass player who was reporting low output and a bit of unwanted fizz. The B2RE has the same 450 watt output section as the SVT-3. The SVT has the mutli valve pre-amp as opposed to a much more basic solid state pre-amp in the B2RE. Both have a very similar boost and cut range in their EQ structure. There were two things causing the low output. First was a multi way connector linking the pre-amp board to the output board. It had worked itself up at one end ( can't recall which end) but snapping it back into place and a bit of hot glue to retain it had a huge effect on the signal level. Also the output section has a tiny little screw on the base of the amp that grounds the rectifier for the amp to a heatsink plate. It's a really odd design and the actual screw had fallen out so only the weight of the power board was making poor contact with the chassis. Replacing the screw( a tiny m2.5 self tapper) and cleaning the ground plate turned it into a super quiet almost studio quality amp and a total gig monster when turned up. It was crazy powerful into just one 8 ohm cab after that. Even with everything flat and the graphic switched out, it didn't need the master at more than two or three with the gain around 1 or 2 o'clock to be shaking the room. I would have expected an SVT-3 Pro to be as powerful and more flexible tone wise.

Just for info, the B2RE had been through the gig wars and had a few other vibration related loose parts . The 450w output section is a beast and super powerful.

I saw the cookie banner this morning and thought well yeah, there probably should be one for Basschat. Most cookie banners these days aren't very intuitive and the ezoic one falls into that category.  The other thing with cookie banners is that some folks won't care much having to complete an extra step before login or while browsing the forum online or offline. Having some choice to reject cookies is always better than no choice imho so well done admins for at least looking into it. If it does end up being a permanent feature on here, a cookie announcment in the site news might be an idea to alay fears that the site has something wrong with it.

6 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

£1000+ Not sure that it is special enough to warrant that price.

I'm sure street prices will prevail eventually as they arrive in the shops in numbers. Things always cost more when there is limited stock and are newly available in a particular market. In the watts per £ stakes, the TE1200 doesn't do too badly at +1🙂

i'm reliably informed TE1200 stock arrived in the UK last week but in limited numbers. Some have already been sent out to retailers to fulfil pre-orders but there are limited units available for anyone keen to order one. GAK are actually advertising them as in stock at the moment.