Bridgehouse

Matsumoku did quite a few unbranded guitars and basses for catalogues - you know, Sears and all that lot - so it’s highly likely it’s one of those.

I bet the chassis and parts similarity is pretty high between a guitar and bass head - specially at low power. I agree to an extent about economy of scale - but it’s no where near the difference you’d think... Over in the guitar world there are guitarists aplenty with crippled backs looking on in envy at the availbility of superlight bass amps and cabs and having to shuffle around with a 40+ kg valve combo instead... If there’s enough economy of scale to make unique bass class d amps at that price point then why not valve heads? Is it because we, as players wouldn’t buy them? If a bass amp manufacturer made a sub £250 lunchbox valve head with gain, 3eq and master and a single speaker out (and nowt else) at around 20w or so - which sounded fab and gave a really nice gritty tube sound with the gain up, how many of us would think “yeah, I’ll get one for recording” ?

I don’t get it. It’s a discussion about strings - it’s not a traditionally earth shattering life changing gasp-out-loud “he said what??!!” topic.. Yet you’ve piped up twice with a passive aggressive tone which suggests you are really narked about it. I don’t understand. I thought the recommendation for half wounds was odd given the OP’s brief - but within 1.5 seconds I’d moved on. Now you’ve gone and made me pipe up!!

Whoah! Some pretty far out stuff there.. more research needed! Not sure it meets the “simple” brief tho 😂

@Happy Jack yes.. but.. you’ve not addressed the original point tho Ignore looks. Ignore weight. Ignore practicality. Ignore anything boutique or custom. Ignore gigging and using outside a studio. Why have the major manufacturers of amps made lots and lots of lunchbox style simple and cheap valve amps for guitar but not for bass? Is it because bass players don’t want them, or because it’s percieved to not be a sound we want or some other reason? I would say that classic sound is just as desirable for bass as it is for guitar - if it isn’t why are there so many amps, preamps and DI’s advertised with that “classic tone” being emulated?

If there was a way to do it simply, then I’d like to try that - make it repeatable and accessible as a partscaster solution..

And re multi pole - I could get a custom wind done.. but where would you carefully place it?

I know what you are saying.. and yes def. a la grabber - but I’d be tempted to make it with a bit more movement range. Dunno how tho! Might have to be a big swimming pool rout and some slidy bars...

I did have a conversation with someone about the prospect of a partscaster with a moveable pickup........

I’d have to up the budget to make sure I have legal protection...

Body shape? SG? Something wacky?

Now that the 51P Semi Hollow is finished I’m moving on to thinking about the next project. I want to avoid a P or a J or a PJ.. I’d like to do something wacky and different like the frankenhollowcaster What do you think I should consider?

@discreet - now known as “Big Funk in Japan”

I agree. I have tried some really good Class D’s and have an EICH head which is exceptional. Live I tend to use a Preamp/DI with an FRFR and so very non-traditional. But a lot of these choices are around weight, portability, setup time, reliability and flexibility. In the studio this doesn’t apply anywhere near as much - I really would like to have the option to have some real valve tone available in the studio - and lower watts are better for this if I want it cranked.

In ears are just a much smaller way of killing rock and roll...

I wonder if the Class D revolution stunted the possibilities because bass players think "valve tone" = "Ampeg grind" and nothing more? It's a shame - I totally get the whole small size and weight heads and cabs for live use - but they can (to my ears) sound a bit sterile for recording. I like the idea of a bit of warm tube tone for studio use.

I've got some of it in the semi-hollow but not done one for the solid yet. The other issue is it's a bass overdub on a track from our latest album and it's not released yet - so I can't post publicly yet. I'll PM you.

I've just moved the Oil City pickup into my surf green partscaster.. and it sure looks purty!

One of these HB’s would be a great candidate for the Oil City single coil Ric-o-pic I just got hold of...

My original point is kinda being borne out by all the suggestions - large, pricey amps at the more “boutique” end of the market. My original question was around the lack of low end valve offerings for bass - where’s the vox night train and other lunchbox style no-effects less-than-50-watt offerings from mainstream manufacturers? Ashdown seem to have had a go - but discontinued theirs - is it just that bassists today just don’t want that sort of sound for recording any more?

There’s a big thread on them that’s been going for some time as well - they can be quite an emotive topic

That would make the missus really happy.... I suspect that might count as a negative 😂

Lol, I'm not sure that Traynor meets the small wattage or price criteria

6/6 is mighty light weight!