DirkThrust

[quote name='machinehead' post='1313076' date='Jul 22 2011, 06:43 PM']Just noticed this thread Dave. Being a 1212L and Compact (and Midget) owner I'll chip in. At absolute full tilt I think the 1212L will be slightly louder. But the loudness comes at the price of a mid-heavy tone and gets tiring on the ears I think. The Compact is almost as loud but has a vastly more rounded tone and is a more pleasing sound. A Compact is a lot deeper than a 1212L, there's not much difference in size but the Compact is a lot lighter and an easier shape for carrying. I would have no problem in choosing the Compact over the 1212L and the 1212L is a very useful gigging cab too as we both know well. It's just that the Compact is more versitile all round. Frank.[/quote] I made the same move myself, from 1212L to Compact. I can't really add anything to Frank's post except that the only application where I would favour the Schoeder over the Compact is where I'd be struggling to be heard over loud guitars and drums, but as I try and avoid bands like that now I have no use for the Schroeder. I finally shifted the Schroeder in favour of the Compact when I started playing in a quieter band with a more sparse mix and I found the Schoeder mid honk too tiring. The fuller sound of the Compact just filled up the bottom end of the sound better.

I found the Musikmesse demo by Dan Gooday rather underwhelming. Ashdown could take a leaf out of TCE's book for publicity and keeping the hype going. The fact that it delivers full power into 4 or 8 ohms is interesting and could be a good USP

[quote name='Evil Undead' post='1305872' date='Jul 16 2011, 03:12 PM']I kinda figured that although the speaker size is only 2" in diameter less than the Ashdown, the extra 70W in the Promethean would balance out the volume.[/quote] That "only 2"" translates to a lot of extra speaker cone area and speaker cone area is probably more important for volume than how many watts you are putting into it so your logic is flawed I'm afraid. There are many factors that contribute to perceived volume and the only way to find out is to try it and see. Anyway, don't get him started on Ashdown. They're all crap y'know

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1305724' date='Jul 16 2011, 01:07 PM']C) I like GK enough to associate myself with them. I used GK amps before I was endorsed, I don't get paid by them, I choose to recommend them because they're great amps IMO.[/quote] Yeah yeah, they all say that. I didn't say the MB210 is bad, but it is a budget amp and will sound inferior to the GK/Harke rig. To make a combo that lightweight at that price point will mean a lot of corners have been cut in build quality. Constructively speaking the OP wants a lighter rig whilst (presumably) maintaining quality and that is going to cost more money. Buy cheap, buy twice is an unfortunate fact of life. I would suggest looking in the classifieds for a lightweight head like Markbass, TCE, GB, GK and then pairing it with a Barefaced or Markbass cab. Of course if he wants to buy new and buy now it will be almost impossible to match his existing rig for the budget he is suggesting.

[quote name='Evil Undead' post='1305296' date='Jul 15 2011, 10:42 PM']I agree. But so expensive. I can't justify dropping £700-£850 on a small combo, but £475 is more manageable.[/quote] If you want lightweight and quality it's going to cost. You can't avoid that and buying the GK because it's cheap will inevitably lead to having to upgrade in the future. You seem to be ignoring all the good advice in this thread except for the one poster you should be ignoring, Thombassmonkey, who will recommend GK at every opportunity because he is a GK endorsee.

Have you tried Simplified Sight Reading for Bass by Josquin des Pres published by Hal Leonard. It breaks the process down into easy exercises. It may be just a matter of finding the right learning tools

[quote name='jsixties' post='1302970' date='Jul 13 2011, 10:32 PM']Never bought any item from him but we have talked many times and is a great chap, I think absolutely reliable. His name is David.[/quote] Thanks for your reply. Do you know anything about him? He sells a lot of Fenders that he says are "new and unused" but at the prices he charges they can't actually be new. I don't think he's an official Fender dealer either. Just curious that's all. I'm thinking of buying the '62 reissue Jazz

Has anyone had any dealings with [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FENDER-JAZZ-BASS-62-USA-VINTAGE-REISSUE-2011-CASE-/120744128338?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1295414998296115872"]This guy[/url]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' post='1297870' date='Jul 9 2011, 12:36 AM']Its a regular AV RI. And its clearly a 2005 model.[/quote] Crikey. Bang on. How did you know that? I sent him a message asking whether it was nitro finished, did he have the CS CoA and why he is describing it as a Fullerton and this is what he replied. "Yes the bass is finished in nitro, and is the re-issue of the fullerton 1982 model, and it was produced in USA and the nitro finish applied by the custom shop. I was lead to believe that the bass was new in 2002 but I have removed the neck to check to date and it says Oct 2005, i have taken photos and will try to add them to the listing". Hmm... FoS methinks

Great basses. I've had GAS for one of those for ages. I think I too have had a play of that one in GAK. Would've bought it except for the "Special Deal"* they offered me when I told them in advance I was coming in to try it. * 200 quid more than the price advertised on their website

I've always had the same problem and no amount of practise cured it which is probably indicative of poor technique. As icastle says, make sure the bass is set up properly, but also find a good teacher to look at your technique to highlight any problems.

Thanks for the replies. Yeah the BIN is a bit steep. Still, chuck all the buzzwords in and someone may bite. I did ask him the same question but he hasn't replied

I was thinking of having a punt on [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/62-fender-fullerton-re-issue-precision-bass-/140569627805?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D1%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D970536329219169960"]This[/url] but he describes it as a Custom shop which it doesn't seem to be and also as a Fullerton reissue. I thought Fullerton referred to the reissues made in the old Fullerton factory in the early 1980s? Yet he says in the text it's a 2002. Have I missed something or is it just an AV reissue

As an experiment I'd suggest that on your next gig you just use the 4x10 and see what difference that makes to your sound. You might be pleasantly surprised OTOH you may decide you still don't like tha Ashdown

[quote name='kedo' post='1283362' date='Jun 26 2011, 09:06 PM']Thanks Andy I must admit, I am uncertain about parting with the Evo III head as it has such a good reputation and as you say doesn't contribute that much to overall weight. However, I have had trouble dialling-in a sound that I like. I was listening to Paul Simon's bass player on TV tonight (Glastonbury) Bakithi Kumalo, and heard my ideal bass sound, but all I can get from the Ashdown is an indestinct bass boom with a percussive top (probably from my finger nails). It may be the cabinets which have three position horn switches, but more likely, I am not using the amp properly. I don't know whether to use the guitar or amp EQ or a combination of both, and don't have much luck with compression. Also there is the valve pre-amp option. Also from years of playing, I am a bit deaf (warning to all you youngsters out there). Any advice. Jack[/quote] I'm not familiar with the 415T. Is that a 4x15? Surely not I used to use a mixture of 10s and 15s with my ABM head and have to say I could never get a sound I liked consistently. The speaker experts will tell you that mixing different sized speakers will give very inconsistent results and my experience has borne that out. My sound improved dramatically when I changed to Barefaced and Schroeder cabs with the ABM. That's why I suggest changing the cabs first.

I'd keep the head and change the cabs. Swapping the head for another will cost you a lot and not save you a lot of weight. If you like a big fat traditional bass sound nothing does it better then the Ashdown ABM and you may spend a long time auditioning micro heads to find one that sounds as good. As for cabs I'd give Barefaced a try first if lightweight is your first priority. I used a Compact with an ABM500 and it sounded fab. If you are looking for stack type volumes then maybe a Compact + Midget or a Super 12. Both those combinations would sound monstrous. If 10s are your thing then a pair of Neo 2x10s from Bergantino, Markbass or Genz are very light if you can still get Neo drivered cabs within your budget.

[quote name='TheRev' post='1269875' date='Jun 15 2011, 11:41 AM']I bought, and still use, a pair of Thumper-built Omni 10.5s. These are great cabs - there is still a demand for them and a shortage of people with the ability and resources to build them. I don't think you'll have any shortage of orders - probably more than you can reasonably handle, which I think is why Thumper stopped being an authorized builder.[/quote] I'm not quite sure why you quoted me. I wouldn't dream of suggesting that any BCers could possibly be timewasters or tyrekickers.

I'd suggest you ask the same question on FinnBass. Thumper on there used to be a BFM builder and will tell you all about the timewasters that come out of the woodwork when attempting something like this.

I had one sometime back in the mid 1990s. To call it a Precision is a bit of a misnomer as it doesn't bear much resemblance to a standard P. It's active with a P/J pickup config and completely different neck and body shape. My memories of it are getting a bit hazy but I don't recall that it was very Precision like.

Blue Aran in Southampton has a lot of useful stuff

So according to him Crafted in Japan are nowhere near the same quality as Made in Japan. Seller's bullshit always makes me smile