Count Bassie

My first amp was a TNT-100. What a thrill- I used to skip school (classes at a boarding school) just to practice along with 8-tracks of Led Zep and Tull. That was a great amp! I used to shake the duct-work in the building on weekends, playing the riff to "Godzilla" by Blue Oyster Cult. I played that amp to death after (not getting invited back to) leaving that school, and it was pretty danged loud for a 100-watt combo. It had a scorpion speaker I think- not a BW- which is what made it sound (I still think, as I've played one recently) so clear and nice. I hear my bass' sound- each bass has its own distinct personality represented through it. That's partly because of the lighter-duty speaker I think. The Scorpion's not a bass-specific driver, it's more 'open' sounding- lower power, and acts 'flatter'. Bad description, but that's my impression. I saw Elvis Costello and the Attractions on Saturday Night Live years ago, and Bruce Thomas played through a TNT-100 sat atop a road case, with a mic on it. That, my friends, is rock n' roll.

I just got an old Hamer Cruisebass (83), and it's strung B-E-A-D, 50-125: A single 125 B string and the lower 3 of a set of Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys. Light tweak to the truss rod- I mean very light- and it's like a new glove. The truss rod is a great invention!

[quote name='Huwberry' post='875043' date='Jun 22 2010, 08:43 PM']Too many basses? I fail to understand.[/quote] This is the right attitude.

[quote name='alanbass1' post='872934' date='Jun 20 2010, 03:00 PM']Um, I think I would get another one of these: [/quote] Now I don't have to go find a picture to post. I want a Rickie- and no number of basses I might have (won't be anywhere near the magnitude of some of the quivers seen around here) would cause me a moment's hesitation. In fact I'd be ready to unload a few to make room. I had one, but learned a hard lesson! I'll be back, I am sure of it. I want an older "S" series- no binding, set-neck, dots, curves, mono output. Color is less an issue. There I go: "I want"... glad my kids don't read this stuff!

Tell you what. And this coming from a guy who would never de-fret a Ric- not for religious reasons- I just wouldn't... get yourself a Warmouth fretless neck with an Ebony fingerboard, find a Fender or Squire body to stick it on. I will bet even money you'll be glad you did. Warm, huge and some nice growl will be evident. I had an '83 made-in-Japan Fender body I did this with, and it was beautiful. Had a 'Select' (EMG) P-p'up installed, was killer.

[quote name='faceman' post='873147' date='Jun 20 2010, 06:48 PM']This is true, I'm just concerned that defretting will destroy the neck and the value. If i got a 4003FL, could always be swapped in the future for a 4003 again. It's just I can't see it getting much playing at the moment so just thinking of getting something useful [/quote] I'd bet on that Rickie becoming useful again, with the frets. I've lost a couple Rics and regret it- it'll be at least a good year before I can afford another one. Not exactly the same thing, but that one's almost a rare-bird, and if you like it, well... ...just 2-pence.

[quote name='JTUK' post='871915' date='Jun 19 2010, 12:05 PM']Agree it is most useable between 10-2, IMV. I just took 6 to mean right up to the max on the dial But once I set the amp...I hardly ever touch it again and do it all on the bass. All are active so there is enough there. I only go back to the amp when I lose things..like my strings are going off and then I have to clean them. As with all these things, the sound is there or thereabouts, you just need a slight tweak.............but I generally think you need to start with decent clean strings. Not so sure they need to be brand new...been there, done that so long ago..but they need to speak clearly and my definition of going off is when the high mids start to get a bit clunky and you spend too much time cleaning this up. On the subject of strings about 6 weeks is enough with normal use, IMO[/quote] Ah, well we are of a different school on strings. I tend to keep mine on as long as possible- or until the need for meeting a sound/genre "requirement" comes along. When I get new strings I'm wearing in inner grimace until they 'cool off'!

[quote name='JTUK' post='871835' date='Jun 19 2010, 10:53 AM']Yes, agree.. 220, same stable as the 400 without the stereo function, it seems. That Beller link is good but I can't believe he runs the enhancer at 6..????? I assume it has the same sub problem as the SM400. Anyway..a classic series and made for a Jazz bass, IMV[/quote] Every head seems to have its own tweak, some are a surprise. It always takes me a few months to know if I like something or not!

Here's [url="http://www.bryanbeller.com/music/ampsandspeakercabs.html#5"]Bryan Beller's blog page[/url], has some interesting info on the SM400... there's his take on the eq section here. Don't have the manual, sorry.

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='870559' date='Jun 18 2010, 05:16 AM']No-one's mentioned GK. G.[/quote] I have no experience with them, but those who do have put it up there in the same league with Markbass and GB- I mean to refer to the MB500 and the Fusion 500... the micro heads. I don't actually think you can 'screw up' with GK, no matter what you get.

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='870149' date='Jun 17 2010, 02:33 PM']OK Riff-raff I'm 63. I have 5 stents in my heart. I have hip problems not to mention the arthritis. I can no longer lift/carry heavy items. The Ashdown is great but simply too big & heavy for me these days. So I want something lighter. OK? G.[/quote] Permission granted! A friend of mine here in the states has a Euphonic Audio Micro 300, seems to like it a lot. Thing just about fits in your back pocket... it's actually comparable in size to the LM II. EA also makes a 500 model.

I must: Why are you replacing something you seem to like and trust? Why not just add to the ranks? Or get another of the same thing for backup? I'd be spending on a bass... you implied riff-raff could respond...

Play 'em all... I'm playing a Mexi P that belongs to my guitarist (I'm going to make him sell it to me). It's got a standard wider nut, but the sound is great! Just plain cuts through, consistently. Every note is THERE. Great bass- I don't really mind the width and I don't have very big hands. I'm getting on with it fine, I don't even notice. Playability... Play them until you find the one that is 'invisible' to your hands.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='859807' date='Jun 7 2010, 08:09 AM']Both: Doom What speakers have you got lined up for the peavey? I think you Ampeg will have a far better resale, but it might not agree with valve amps so well if the speakers are 8 ohm each, you end up with a funny total.[/quote] Hey- this was a good question. Sorry to pass it by. I think it was just trickily-wired in some kind of series/parallel trip though. Maybe they mix ohmages and wire 2) 4 ohm drivers to make 16, and then combine that with... um, something. Good question. But for my part, I'm on to the 410!

Our story so far: My venerable and trusty AMP BH-420 is up for sale (overseas shipping'll be killer, so I haven't listed it here- I will if there's interest), and I'm sticking with Trace Elliot. I'm a TE poster-child, fine. The Peavey 215D is here holding down the concrete slab in the basement, loaded with Scorpions (guitar speakers, ok for now); the Ampeg 610 deal never even got spoken about with the guy- he never really got into it with me. What? I know... So all that was for yaks and nothing more I guess. Sorry. BUT, I have a shot now at an Ampeg 410 HLN. Any opinions on this one? I will go back and review this thread, and do some searching around, but any new ideas? I already have the Peavey (got it for $50 US!) so that's done. I'd be in a press to get this Ampeg 410 HLN, but I [i]can[/i] do it. I like the smallness of it, and the idea of nice present 'lows'. But I already have: 2x Bag End S15-Ds Peavey 215D ... for cabs. I've got 2 Trace AH250 heads, and a Peavey TNT100 combo at the rehearsal space. Dunno if the 410 is necessary, unless it offers so much different an experience than the Baggies- for less grunt-factor than the giant Peavey cab! Discuss?... thanks for your thoughts on it.

[quote name='dan670844' post='868481' date='Jun 15 2010, 04:47 PM']I have just been digging out toy cars from my cabs....... Kids and animals you just can't work with em....!!![/quote] I just deleted a post. Distraction!! Yeah I had a day off yesterday and spent much of it doing the same thing. And I've got cat-hair (same cat) all over my carpeted Bag Ends and Trace MK IV head. Ah, domestic life... who'da thunk I'd be living it... Off shopping with the kids. Peace! Good luck Chris, and show us what you bought man!

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='868432' date='Jun 15 2010, 04:10 PM']Didn't someone post earlier suggesting the exact opposite - i.e. recommending you should crank the master and use only a little pre? [/quote] Dunno. I want to get as much signal into the amp as I can without overloading the circuit... and I think this can be a matter of taste and how the particular amp behaves/sounds. I think that I'd rather hear more of my bass and less of the amp, if that makes any sense- so I'll pump it in there and then [i]back off at the clipping indicator's prompt[/i]. I'm not tech-savvy, really, just functionally (mostly) literate. But it seems to me that keeping the input gain (whatever it's called on your amp) out of the clipping zone means you'll run clean signal into your preamp section and have a nicely shaped sound to amplify at the power section. That's why you have that Overload/Clip/etc light there at the input of some amps. You do want to know you're not slamming your speakers with too much power though, so you need to know what your speakers can handle and what your amp is putting into them. I guess I did assume that in the above post! But your ears will hopefully give it away before you have to finish your set on the other band's cab... if they'll lend it to you... I really think this can be a subjective thing. Experts?... (I had to go rescue a cat from a tree so I've taken a long time to answer, and may have gotten passed by, making my post obsolete. I run into that 'obsolete' thing a lot... )

[quote name='dan670844' post='868372' date='Jun 15 2010, 03:27 PM']Nope all the used Trace Gear it all mine hehehe (cackles with hammer house horror laugh) ............ and the Count has bags on the Stateside stuff![/quote] Over here we call it "bottom-feeding"... Didn't mean to presume you don't have your amp set-up together Chris, just reviewing a little procedure. You know, for the rest of the guys...

[quote name='dan670844' post='868331' date='Jun 15 2010, 02:52 PM']You Trace Elliot user!!!! he he he[/quote] ([i]Sticks out tongue[/i])

Edit: Sorry, I'm always late with these posts! Quick chime-in: If you set your input gain so that that little light doesn't come on, you can pump up your master- or output- gain pretty good. Next is setting the eq so that you get the most volume from the least turning of that master gain knob. It's been said, lo-mids are your ticket to the land of oomph. Where's J.R.R. Tolkien when you really want him around?... So, if you haven't been through this already: Turn you master gain (volume) all the way down. Play your bass like you mean it, and slowly turn up your input gain... Whe the 'light' begins to blink, back off that input gain. Now you can punch the master volume. Oomph!

[quote name='Wil' post='867005' date='Jun 14 2010, 08:36 AM']I know, I know, it's just a case of once bitten and all that I guess. I would like to try a Hartke cab, because I've heard good things about them generally.[/quote] I recommend them- good solid, all-around cabs. I like the 410s, even the Transporters (down a notch) are really nice.

[quote name='Wil' post='866829' date='Jun 14 2010, 05:55 AM']I once owned a Behringer cab with metal cones which fractured and seperated from the edge of the driver after two rehearsals. Now, I know Behringer are a far cry from Hartke in the quality stakes, but it's make me think twice about metal cones.[/quote] Another testimonial for Behringer bass cabs. Don't think about the metal cones- just because one maker does a crap job doesn't mean it's crap.

[quote name='dan670844' post='865400' date='Jun 12 2010, 12:48 PM']No worries man anytime, if you ever get stuck for parts for Trace gear give me a PM. There's repair company over here called Electro music services, run by too crazy old dudes and a couple of dogs! they have rooms full of boxes and boxes of old parts. They can normally get anything, if they can find it![/quote] Dont be surprised to hear from me Dan, thanks for the offer.

[quote name='dan670844' post='865334' date='Jun 12 2010, 11:43 AM']I think the Mark IV and V are pretty boutique, and were made before they made it really big and starting mass producing them. Amps are always the best when the companies are small to medium and the people within have a passion about what they do, it then always turns to s@@T when they start thinking about money! but the reality is maybe they couldn't afford the parts! I think Mark and Dan Gooday at Ashdown have realized this and they are pulling back and starting to make stuff in house again. Their new valve ended / driven stuff is top.[/quote] I agree- same thing happens in everything it seems. [quote name='dan670844' post='865334' date='Jun 12 2010, 11:43 AM']What do think about that noob on the other thread by the way? ......... Dave College! he hasn't realized yet that the laws of physics etc doesn't apply in bars......... its a parallel universe![/quote] I don't recall the thread- not because ther are so many, but I've been sort of living a pretty nutty schedule the last few weeks I mean 12 years (got young'uns, wierd work schedules, psychotic or personally-disordered band-mates, 'friends', etc)! But I'll say this much anyway, and I think it applies: Science- on paper- and the reality of chaos... they're often pretty irreconcilable! I stay away from math- I think that your ears, which hear in a subjective manner, don't pay attention to numbers. That's why we have terms like "throw" and "bloom". It's what seems to happen, so you might as well go ahead and speak in those terms. It's our reality. Knowing stuff is empowering, but you don't want to let that get in your way, if you get me. Dude I really appreciate the info you threw down. Thanks again. Witterth, I've been told over the phone by my tech that the UV light issue is probably not the ballast, but a simple grounding problem. I'm looking forward to bringing the thing into his shop, I think he'll be pretty gassed to see this old box, and note the 'vintage' of it.