Philverado

Thanks guys 👍

Hi all, done a bunch of research and have decided on one of the above. I have a few questions for anyone who owns them. I’m replacing an MB Big Bang which has a new career as a smoke machine. Currently playing into a BF supermidget, no pedals or effects. I ‘may’ add another cab in the future as I’m usually running about 3/4 of the SM’s limit. I’m looking for warm, rounded and loud (without sounding angry) and a little touch of drive depending on the situation. I think any of the above will do what I want - do I pony up the extra dosh for the T900? Can I live with the stupid top vents on the Minimega and have to work out somewhere for my wireless? Is the Ashdown built better than some I used many years ago? Delighted to listen to experience. Many thanks, Phil 🍻

Howdy, as per the title my MB Big Bang has done exactly as it’s name suggests 🙄 I play into a Barefaced supermidget in what’s essentially a rock band but I like the clean but loud tones the MB gave. anyone got any suggestions for something in a similar vein. Lightweight, small but reasonably potent? I’m in West Cornwall do not an abundance of places to go to try gear out. There’s an EBS reidmar 502 for sale that looks nice but can I expect it to live up to the MB into an 8ohm cab? I can go for another Big Bang but fancy I could be missing out on something awesome Any thoughts, suggestions are welcome. Cheers, Phil 🍻

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1458380107' post='3007053'] Hi Phil, going off what you have said about having a clean and double bass like sound, I'd suggest a MarkBass head. They're simple and effective to use and can give a wide range of tones. I use a TTE 500 head and go in to a Barefaced big baby II cabs(will do when it arrives!) and I use a Mexican P bass fitted with TI flats, I do have a darkglass vintage microtubes pedal and that adds my grit should I need it, my amp and bass is MORE than warm enough and double bass like for my needs. I'd suggest checking out the MarkBass heads, they're clean, easy to use, lightweight, and give you a very unaltered tone, by that I mean they don't have much colour to the tone. [/quote] Thanks, the one I played through before sounded really nice - mellow but quite meaty - although I didn't get chance to tinker with it much at the time. I will be looking at all options in the coming month or so. 👍

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1458374259' post='3006981'] You dont need more power, the fact that you achieve the volume you want by boosting low e.q clearly demonstrates that. When I say a signal [i]level[/i] problem I mean exactly that - not a signal integrity problem but a gain level mismatch between the pre and power amp. RBIs are known to have problems driving certain power amps with a hot enough signal. You dont say what setting your RBI master volume is on - I presume you've tried it fully cranked ?. If its still not loud enough then you could try running the RBI through a cheap mixer like [url="http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/SubZero-MIX02-1A-4-Channel-Mini-Mixer-by-Gear4music/SIZ"]this [/url]into the power amp to provide some signal boost. Maybe worth a punt at £30 if it might save you buying another amp. [/quote] Yep you are exactly right. It's not that I need more power I just need the signal converting into higher volume without getting dirty. As you say it may be worth trying routing out through a small mixer and back into power amp. I'll try that and see what goes down. Cheers, don't know why I didn't think of it 👍

Thanks to all of you for your replies, and cheers Karlfer for the offer to try your Puma. 👍 I'm unfortunately in Penzance so it's looking unlikely but thanks all the same. To answer the other questions, yep I have my power amp up on full chat and use the RBI master as a volume control, and signal path is fine, if I crank the bass eq up on the RBI it's terrifyingly loud (so cabling etc is good) but too dirty for what I'm after. I guess what I'm looking for is something that can do super clean, upright bass type sounds very loudly. If that makes sense?? Which is why I'm figuring on a reasonably high wattage head to counteract the fact that I'll naturally be killing some output by not cranking the pre-stage much and that I'm going into 8ohms. Cheers, Phil.

Great stuff. Thanks for posting 👍

I'm bowing to superior knowledge here, so here goes... I'm currently running Sansamp RBI into straight ahead 600w power amp (bridged) into Barefaced Supermidget. I'm currently not getting a sound I really like and although it sits well enough in the mix of my band (2 di'd acoustic guitars, full drum kit, 3 vocals) I'm looking to improve it. Essentially I'm running my bass guitar eqs (I've got flatwounds on all the basses) right in the middle. Pretty much the same on the Sansamp with the 'drive' all the way down. I'm on the edge of being loud enough but to get more volume I have to either notch up the eq on the Sansamp or on the basses themselves, but I then start to get an overdrive/distortion tone that I don't want. I really want just warm, rounded and louder. Don't get me wrong there's 'kin plenty of volume available when I up the eqs but I'm just not liking the sound. I'm essentially notching out a load of my output by keeping the eqs low. I played a shared backline gig a month or so back and played through a Markbass 115 combo and it was very nice.. So my question is if I invest in a decent output head (which may as well be a lightweight if I'm moving away from rackmount) do you reckon I can get what I'm after? I can afford a used LM3, LM800, Puma 500, Streamliner 600 (looking through current classifieds) or a new Peavey miniMax maybe, and I know it's all relative but I'd welcome thoughts/input. Cheers, Phil.

Ok, off to a good start it would seem. As above, do please review when you are able. Cheers, Phil.

Anyone got any input as to whether this is a 'too good to be true' story? The thing looks very sensibly priced if it's not complete tosh. The long and short of it is that I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on a lightweight head and move on my rack gear. Any input welcome, especially if you can shed light on how it compares vs markbass lm3 or lm800.

I've purchased a set of chromes from Woody and they've arrived today exactly as described. Faultless transaction and a top guy to buy from. Many thanks! Phil.

Have just purchased a fretless from Peter. Guitar was as described and I'm delighted with it. Good communication and a hassle free transaction. Highly recommended 👍

I've just purchased a flight case from Simon. I'm at the other end of the country so arranged courier etc and it arrived today, wrapped very well and in better condition than described. His communication was excellent all the way through the transaction to boot. Highly recommended - top man. Cheers again, Phil.