skankdelvar

[quote name='Buzz' post='320625' date='Nov 3 2008, 01:06 AM']DHA spring to mind, all valve pre and effects (I think), coupled to 1 (yes, one) power tube which is can be easily overdriven to the powerstage crunch and harmonics if you want, that's then reduced to line level via a dummy load (internal speaker), which is then pumped into a 400w Class D solid state power amp. That's the rough jist of it.[/quote] ...which is sort of what Eddie Van Halen did for his live sound: Gtr>Fx>Marshall valve amp>Dummy load>Solid state Power amps>Cabs. So perfectly legit and clearly an acceptable sound. (If you like VH)

I like old Fenders. That said, they're no better than new instruments and there's an amazing amount of snobby b%x talked about 'vintage'. And if I was offered the choice between a 35 year old Woolies Kay and a brand new Warwick, I'd go for the Warwick. Gotta keep some sense of proportion.

I love valve amps. But one downside is the cost of replacing power tubes...some valve amps run as many as 6 or 8, which is expensive at circa £20 each. OTOH, if the amp's looked after, the tubes could last a good long while - depends how often you gig. At the risk of sounding desperately pose-y, the valve thing is something you 'feel' more than you hear. Kinda like the difference between CD's and Vinyl - just like a little extra indefinable 'something'. But it does make you feel good.

That's a strong price, given there's one just like that rusting in my mate's garage and ...(sound of screeching tyres).

Glad it's working again...funny about the JJ's, though - generally viewed as a pretty safe buy - as are Laney's. Have used JJ el-34's, 6v6's, 6l6's and 12ax7's, no problems so far. Will bear all this in mind if I'm allowed to buy another amp, ever..."but it's an [i]VC-30 [/i]and I haven't got one of those....whine, moan"

Don't know if the following also applies to the LC range. Cribbed off the web: [quote]The sockets in the Laney VC30 are wired up to accept only one type of EL84. They use a pin that has no connection on some valves as part of the circuit - however other EL84s do have a connection there - and pop they go when you plug them in. Not too hard to rewire the sockets if you have this problem. The advice is to get this job done before plugging in any new power valves except those Laney supply. While we're on the subject, a tech I know pointed out another issue on a VC30 he had in. He'd sorted the wiring thing, but still found that one of the power valves glowed red on the plates however many times he checked the bias. Then he noticed it was very close to the speaker magnet. The magnetic field was helping the current flow, overheating the valve.[/quote]

My standard response to "Can we share gear?" is "Fantastic! What have you got?". Plus, I only use a small combo these days, so it's not 'manly' enough for the size queens out there.

Agreed - as you say - roughly matched. That's my point. Given the usually minimal differential in tolerances between tubes of the same mfr type, matching is much less relevant given the balancing is done in amplifier in the course of the biasing process. Fair point, [i]too[/i] far out of balance (e.g. using different iterations of 6L6) and you start to lose the humbucking function of the push-pull pair. And sometimes in very powerful valve amps (like SVT's) imbalance can lead to instability. Biasing isn't strictly about increasing gain. It's the function of the front end of the amp - the pre-amp - to act as one or more gain stages. Here we're talking about the power amp section, where biasing is done to adjust the current that flows through the valve. Bias is a negative voltage that acts as a brake on the main current carrying the amplified signal through the valve (in a manner of speaking). Put simply, the more bias voltage you apply, the less current flows through the valve. Too much current destroys the valve as it can't dissipate all that heat. Too little bias voltage and it doesn't work right. But that's a process you control when you're biasing. NB - I'm no expert - just picked this up from my mate Steve. And it still doesn't solve the OP's question. Sorry about that.

You don't really need to replace in pairs - just buy one of the same type and get the tech to bias the set accordingly. All this matched pairs stuff is allegedly voodoo invented by Groove Tubes to sell more valves.

Where's Thunderhead when you need him? In his august absence...failed or failing power tube? OTOH, could be a manky vibe from boozer crawled into your reverb tank and is sending out a bummer spiritual negativity. :wacko:

Hi and welcome. You're a bit like me - have swerved between 4 and 6 strings over the years. Loads of advice here in the sub-forums on budget stuff - and the gear in the 'For sale' sections is often a damn sight cheaper than Ebay. Enjoy!

Hi Harry, welcome! P-bass - proper!

Nearly bought a kitchen worktop like that. But it looks different in a sort of good way....

And it ain't just the bass cellar. Chandlers in Richmond about 5 years ago: Me: I'm looking for a small amp to crank up. Salesman: You should try a power attenuator. Me: But I want a small amp. Salesman: Yeah, yeah, but have you tried a power attenuator? Me: Yes - I bought a Marshall Powerbrake. Salesman. Huh! Why d'you buy one of those? Everybody knows they're totally useless. (Calls out to other assistant : "Hey, he's got a Powerbrake!" - Cue joint sniggering) So, who sold you that, then? Me: You did, in here 3 years ago.

NO offence, but you might be better off sticking this in the 'amps for sale' forum - with the word "Feeler" appended to the title - people will get the drift and maybe make some offers. Have a look at some of the Ampeg gear for sale - it'll give you an idea of current values. Good luck

I am genuinely filled with admiration for all of this; yet I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before. After all, it is about sound, our 'Holy Grail': Soldier: Where'd you get the coconuts? King Arthur: We found them. Soldier: Found them? In Mercia? The coconut's tropical! King Arthur: What do you mean? Soldier: Well, this is a temperate zone King Arthur: The swallow may fly south with the sun or the house martin or the plover may seek warmer climes in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land? Soldier: Are you suggesting coconuts migrate? King Arthur: Not at all. They could be carried. Soldier: What? A swallow carrying a coconut? King Arthur: It could grip it by the husk! Soldier: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut. King Arthur: Well, it doesn't matter. Will you go and tell your master that Arthur from the Court of Camelot is here? Soldier: Listen. In order to maintain air-speed velocity, a swallow needs to beat its wings forty-three times every second, right? Etc...ad inf.

He may be talking b%x, but that's quite a pretty bass, if you like sorta-Fenders.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='313538' date='Oct 24 2008, 08:59 AM']If I was one of those awful people who mis-applies cod psychology to complete strangers on the basis of completely inadequate evidence[/quote] I never said he was a cod. But, in the absence of any specific leverage, people [i]always[/i] insult or threaten you with the thing they fear most. Logical, innit. Anyhow, I don't care 'cos my attorney can prove I've made more in the last 5 seconds than everyone in the history of the planet while you're all rotting there with your welfare line parents, naked in a septic tank in a filthy basement in the middle of a toxic lake while I glide around Sherman Oaks in my $350,000 Lamborghini Twatinello and you couldn't afford the bit of thread hanging from the lapel of my Mr Nudie suit, even if you sold your family to Homie pimps [i]and[/i] all your pathetic possessions [i]and[/i] the piece of rotting plywood you call an Alembic, you loser morons.

Well, he's only had 3 sales in Oct under that seller name. Looking over the last few months, seems he mostly ships VOS Les Paul's abroad, and some overpriced 70's tat. Suspect he's not doing quite as well as he makes out, which might explain his protestations to the contrary. Given most of his insults are to do with being poor and living in a dump, suspect that's the thing that frightens [i]him[/i] most, however rich he is. Perhaps we should just pity him. OTOH he's still a t8sser. So let's go tw*t him and rob him, the big baby.

Bruce Foxton John Paul Jones John Entwistle

[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='312265' date='Oct 22 2008, 04:24 PM']Give me the early eighties anyday compared to the talentless wonders today. I think it's a bit harsh to say that the early eighties was a dull time for music. You had the dawning of new romantics, new wave, hip hop, goth, electro & Ska..to name a few off the top of my head...what have you got now?[/quote] Well, it was a bit dull for me, compared to the 70's ... but maybe not for anyone else. In fairness, we did have the NWOBHM (hey kids, if you don't recognise this acronym, ask your Dad!)

Why not post a soundclip when you're done - nice to hear it...

All very Midsomer Murders...