Paul S

For a while, whilst awaiting a Barefaced Compact to arrive, I used my TC Classic 450 through a Trace Elliot 18" cab and it sounded great... ... but not as great as through the Barefaced Compact.

I don't personally see any reason to hyperventilate about someone making an offer. And asking for postage to be included is, as far as I can see, the same as making an offer that is lower to the value of the postage. If you don't want to accept it, just say 'no' - with 17,000 registered members here anything will sell if it is priced realistically. Surely life is too short to worry about this.

'why not grabber bargain now'?

I have just (re-)bought a Westone Thunder Jet bass. Unlike it's heavier cousin the Thunder1A, this is made of alder and weighs just 8lbs, single split coil pup, passive. I just changed mine from passive to active but left alone as a passive with a pick up upgrade (the stock ones were pretty weak IMO) that would do P-Bass sounds. Look pretty cool, too - that stealth look always does it for me. Excellent value for money - I paid £77 for this one! - when they come up, but finding one might not be easy. Extremely well made instruments - fantastic neck, thinner than a P-Bass but not quite as skinny as a Jazz.

Here it is. Or she, I have called her 'Rosie' as in 'Whole Lotta Rosie'... to misquote - 'She ain't exactly pretty Ain't exactly small with an onboard preamp and high mass bridge You could say she's got it all! A wolf in sheeps clothing - the only tell-tale signs there is anything unusual going on in this tatty old girl are the stacked knobs, bridge and, round the back, a small LED in the middle of the control panel cover that lets you know the state of charging. New Kent Armstrong pickup is hiding under the original covers Rehearsal tonight - can't wait to put her through her paces.

Quote from the Hamsters website [quote]Zsa Zsa uses a modified Jim Dunlop thumb pick. The modification consists of a circular thumbpiece which is attached to the base of the trimmed pick. This then slips onto Zsa Zsa's thumb somewhat like a ring. This enables him to use the pick without actually having to grip it. The reason for this modification is that Zsa Zsa suffers from a nerve disease called Focal Dystonia, which, put simply, affects the ability of his hands to receive the control signals from his brain. After much hard work and determination he has over the last few years re-learned to play bass and guitar and is now pretty much up to 75% of his previous ability.[/quote]

[quote name='Norm' post='1314131' date='Jul 23 2011, 07:33 PM']Dude who plays for the Hamsters uses his thumb all the time.[/quote] He uses a modified thumb pick, which sort of looks like he is just using his thumb.

A very quick update on this, in case anyone is remotely interested I picked up the Washburn Thunder Jet last week and it was a mess - not seen a duster for maybe 20 yrs, the neck was bowed and filthy, the bridge saddles were lying flat on the body and to compensate the neck plate had been loosened to stop the buzzing ( ), the volume knob missing. But, apart from a few dings, nicks and scrapes, plus the inevitable buckle rash, it wasn't that bad. I took it to bits, gave a good clean and polish and have to say it has come out pretty well - a real diamond in the rough. As you would expect from a Westone, the neck is pretty damned good. More to the point, it weighs almost bang on 8lbs, so extremely lightweight (unlike the Thunder 1A) and very comfortable. Meanwhile, I used my Washburn Scavenger (11lbs +) for rehearsal last week and as expected found it too heavy to wear for long now that I have a dodgy back. This afternoon I did the transplant - removed the Kent Armstrong pickup and P-Retro pre-amp from the Scavenger and put them into the Thunder Jet. I was extremely nervous as I have never done anything like that before but was tempted by the solder-free transfer afforded by the East gear. Anyway, a little judicious use of the chisel allowed room to fit it all in the little existing cutaway, all secured and charged up, added a Gotoh-a-like high mass bridge and some new strings, set it all up as best I could and plugged it. All I need to do now is to fit the black stacked knobs (on their way). Anyway, just 'Wow'. I can hardly believe how great it sounds - it is immense at practice levels. Just huge, with a variety of tones you would never expect. Well, I wouldn't anyway. I can hardly wait to use it for rehearsal/gig to put it through it's paces. Westone are renowned for making superb quality instruments, the electrics on this model were always thought to let the side down - problem solved. And great to have another lightweight bass option with it's own identity - a quality instrument for not a lot of money (bass cost £77 on eBay, P-Retro £120 from here some while back, bridge £18, knobs £20). Once the knobs are on, I'll take a couple of pics.

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1310724' date='Jul 20 2011, 07:33 PM']Yes it would. A cheap alternative. Maplin do a system for £24.99 ([url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/power-bank-31292"]here[/url])[/quote] Ah, good. I like cheap alternatives. I'll buy these then - thanks again. Does having a line selector and multi-effect unit qualify as a 'pedal board' or do I have to mount them onto something first?

OK - canvassing opinions here. Had a look on eBay - [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150559888401"]this here[/url] is a replacement Boss power supply that will take 1000mA. And [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-4-5-WAY-PEDAL-DAISY-CHAIN-POWER-SUPPLY-SPLITTER-CABLE-/150559989960?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item230e1320c8"]this here[/url], from the same seller, is a daisy chain lead. Presumably the fact that is has more than I require doesn't matter for now and means I could add effects as and when the time comes when I want to branch out from just the Zoom multi? - it is cheap enough. Would this work?

Ah. This is exactly why I shouldn't be trusted to do this stuff on my own Thanks for that.

Thanks for that. Is it worth checking the consumption of both units? I am thinking that it can't be too tricky and that mixing and matching stuff is perfectly ok as you can buy all these daisy chain leads for using many pedals together. Johnnyshredfreak is closed for summer hols - every topic on search came up with this link! Maybe I should wait until he is back up for business.

I am sure this is a simple question with a simple answer but I wouldn't know where to start looking other than Basschat! I have a Zoom B2.1u multi-effect pedal that I use with it's AC adapter - with an output of 9v DC 300mv. I have a Boss LS-2 line selector that I currently use with batteries, which seems daft, given that I have an AC adapter on the go for the Zoom unit. According to the manual it uses a PSA series AC Adapter - I have no idea what this means. I just plugged the Zoom adapter into the Boss unit, and it seems to work (in that the lights came on when I stomped on it). Is this adapter ok to use? Then, hooking the two up, the Boss unit has an AC output for daisy chaining and, again, the manual says it needs to be a PCS-20A power cable. I Googled this and it seems an 8 way lead is all you can get - can you get a double only? Ta.

[quote name='solo4652' post='1308805' date='Jul 19 2011, 09:14 AM']I have the Classic 450 and a Barefaced Compact.[/quote] I also have this set up as a replacement for a vintage Trace Elliot rig - the TC head came the closest to this TE sound of those I tried. In fact it surpassed it. I played the TC head through an old Trace 18" cab for a a while and thought 'this sounds pretty good - a decent replacement for the AH300 head'. Then the BF compact came along - suddenly a whole range of tones I wasn't getting before opened up, a clarity that was missing before.

Good stuff. A pretty good price, too - hope it is a good 'un. Although I have mixed feelings about this as I have now lost my dead-cert market, should I want to sell.

I agree. If I hadn't rushed out and bought the first one to come along I would have had yours, no question.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Red-Fender-Precision-Bass-LYTE-Case-/220815948285?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3369a7f9fd"]Bargain![/url]

well......?

Good stuff - please do report back as I am very interested to hear how this works out.

I was playing at an all weekend festival last weekend (not Sonisphere) and one of the bands had a lefty bassist who used a right handed bass and, as Stingray Pete mentioned, was playing it strung as a right handed bass so the bottom E was at the bottom. That's the first time I have seen that in the flesh, had a quick double take when I noticed it. And he was singing. And they were pretty good, too.

Two spring to mind that haven't been mentioned and come well inside budget, leaving enough to hot up the pups/fir high mass bridge etc. Fender Jazz Bass Special or Power Jazz Bass Special - 38mm necks, precision bodies, PJ pups. My Power Jazz Bass Special had been fitted with Seymour Duncans at some stage, now sporting a Gotoh bridge and Hipshot detuner and is a superlative instrument. Fender Precision Lyte, although the body is smaller (like a strat) is is P-Bass shaped. Stock pups and bridge are actually fine.