Beedster

And BTW, I can't hear a difference with flats, only rounds.
C

[quote name='henry norton' post='708822' date='Jan 11 2010, 01:54 PM']I've no doubt whatsoever [i]you[/i] could tell the difference between a stock Fender bridge and a high mass replacement Chris, (even with the thumpy flats you like to use ), but I still believe the majority wouldn't really notice a significant difference.

This is coming from someone who's fitted Schaller 3D's to every Fender I've ever owned. It makes intonation and string positioning easier but if I had 50 quid to spend on improving a stock Fender's sound a bridge would be fairly low down on the list.

By the way, is the Hipshot Ric bridge you fitted the ali or brass version?[/quote]

Fair points Henry

The Hipshot is the brass version. Weighs a ton. Cost me around £100 to buy and around the same to have it flown over from the USA by Hercules

Guys

Many many thanks for all the advice above. I've taken it, the responses from the dealer and from PJB on board, and have arranged to return the Flightcase in exchange for a Super Flightcase (with a bit of cash from me as well). There's a number of reasons for this, one of which is the consistency between a lot of the explanations as to the problems I was experiencing - perhaps best put by Martin and MIJ above - that is, Class D is an emerging technology, and even PJB have acknowledged problems with noise from the Flightcase which are not present in the Super Flightcase. I spent a lot of time reading amp comparisons and reviews on here, Talkbass, Harmony Central and the like in deciding to buy Phil Jones in the first place, and I've also had to deal with some pragmatics re size - my Mesa, despite it's awesome tone at high volumes, is simply too big and powerful for most gigs I play, and that reduces it's useful tonal range somewhat.

I've been pulling my hair out over the Flightcase for one reason and one reason only; the tone is EXCEPTIONAL, at both low and high volumes. My Precision sounds quite stunning through it, the tone is sweet and soulful without too much coluring, which is what I need at present. Having said that, the tonal options are still impressive, if needs be I can produce some lovely effects. To my mind the tone is someway beyond comparable Markbass equipment (remember tone is a subjective phenomenon so I'm not passing judgement here), or I would have gone back to the Italians. OK, perhaps with a small Markbass combo and a decent para, I might get exactly the same, but I'm really trying to keep to a simple gigging protocol now, bass in one hand, amp in the other, and I've never liked anything sitting between bass and amp anyway. On top of all this is the upward facing speakers, which really do make a hell of a lot of difference when like me you have to stand very close to your amp on a small stage (in fact, it's interesting that it was the almost 'surround sound' effect of these speakers that made the whistling so irritating in the first place, I'm sure had the speakers been conventionally arranged in space and I had stood next to the amp, I wouldn't have been so bothered by it). The UK suppliers are apparently going to give the FSC the once over before it's sent out, just to be sure!

I have to say I've learned a lot during this process, and can't thank all of you enough for your time and input (both above and on the previous 'Wanted' and 'Amps/Cabs' threads). The SFC should be with me for a full volume rehearsal on Wednesday evening and a gig this Friday so I'll keep you all posted

C

[quote name='Stacker' post='708476' date='Jan 11 2010, 07:57 AM']You're charged import duty on the value of the goods and VAT on the freight PLUS a £13:50 handling charge by Parcelforce Worldwide for paying your fees to HMRC upfront! It's a rip-off.[/quote]

Mmm, not really a rip-off, they're not only offering a service but taking the risk that they're going to get the money back - I wonder how many items get sent from overseas and never claimed? It's also a service that saves you having to deal with Customs and Excise directly and then either collect yourself or arrange a courier. £13.50 seems OK t o me?

Re Customs, not only are they wise to the whole gift thing, they have a guitar expert at Heathrow who knows his stuff re dealers, manufacturers, values etc (I had a very interesting chat with a well-known dealer about it recently). They can cause quite a lot of grief if they small a rat

C

Warmoth make extremely good stuff, which seems to never attract the kudos (or price) it deserves. As a manufacturer they are head and shoulders above the other 'Fender Licensed' parts manufacturers.

C

[quote name='MIJ-VI' post='708736' date='Jan 11 2010, 12:44 PM']If the issue is as martinbass7750 has described that it might be, then it is worth noting that the Super Flightcase BG-300 employs an SMPS + a Class A/B power amp.[/quote]

Thanks MIJ, could you put that in words a non-tech dude will understand In short, is that a better thing or a worse thing?

Cheers

Chris

[quote name='MIJ-VI' post='708697' date='Jan 11 2010, 12:04 PM']Most informative martinbass7750. [/quote]

+1, thanks Martin. I'll mention that when, or if, PJB's technical department get back to me

C

[quote name='girya32' post='708628' date='Jan 11 2010, 10:47 AM']thanks - so thats where the ebay questions get answered..[/quote]

Strangely enough, yes! That particular bass has been the subject of way too many threads already!

Cheers

Chris

Should mention that my Ric sounds a lot better to my ear with the original very lightweight and almost impossible to adjust bridge compared to the ultra heavy and very expensive Hipshot on it at present

C

Welcome back Dave, haven't seen you around for a while. Fair points as well, if we were talking women, 'adequate' would never do!

C

[quote name='Buzz' post='708432' date='Jan 11 2010, 01:37 AM']I've found thicker and stronger bridges do affect tone and sustain. I can definitely feel that the bass is more resonant with a Badass II compared to the BBOT on my Squier VMJ, and that the tone sounds a bit more substantial. Thicker if you will.

The increase in sustain isn't helpful though for my style of playing.[/quote]

On a PBass, agreed, but I tend to prefer a Badass II on a Jazz


[quote name='henry norton' post='708550' date='Jan 11 2010, 09:22 AM']I'm pretty sure most people would fail a blind test between the BBOT and a high mass bridge. When players have mods done to their basses they 'want' to hear the difference their hard earned cash has cost them.[/quote]

I see your point but don't agree. I've found, for example, far greater sustain and easier to hear harmonics, and have found that basses with, for example a Badass II, are easier to intone and set up (my tuner seems to 'prefer' to work with a Badass).

However, on a Precision it's the old Fender bridge for me every time. As was pointed out above, what a high mass bridge provides doesn't necessarily improve the tone as far as the song is concerned

Chris

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='708509' date='Jan 11 2010, 08:36 AM']I know how you feel... I had a Genz head that sounded great but buzzed like a swine. It's incredibly frustrating...[/quote]

BTW, did you keep it?

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='708509' date='Jan 11 2010, 08:36 AM']I know how you feel... I had a Genz head that sounded great but buzzed like a swine. It's incredibly frustrating...[/quote]

Cheers Michael

Yes, it's odd, but some amp noise deson't bother me at all (e.g., fans and hiss), but the noise from this PJB bugs the hell out of me. The closest I can get is that it's like having a mosquito in the room when you're trying to sleep; it's not loud, but it's constant and, well kinda insistent.

In terms of identifying the cause, when I turn off the power, the pitch of the noise rises fro about a second until the power dies. Anyone got any ideas?

C

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='708484' date='Jan 11 2010, 08:12 AM']I stand to be correctet, but I'm pretty sure that was back in the days of Bassworld. Assuming it was Mr. Jones, it was pretty entertaining approach to making friends and influencing people...[/quote]

Thanks Michael, that's a shame. I'm trying to decide whether to stick with PJB, either by upgrading to the allegedly less noisy Super Flightcase, or even a replacement Flightcase should the noise on mine prove to be a fault after all, or to go back to Markbass (for my small gig amp anyway). TBH I'm not feeling all that well disposed towards the former at present. Shame, because the tone when it's loud enough to get above the noise, is extremely good.

Chris

[quote name='Le Chat Noir' post='708213' date='Jan 10 2010, 09:24 PM']OK Chris, will try to get a quick sale on the Ashdown... will get back to you if/when I have the funds![/quote]


[quote name='MB1' post='708232' date='Jan 10 2010, 09:43 PM']MB1.
....That looks like a serious piece of kit! Chris... Nice!
BUMP![/quote]

Thanks guys. Martin, it is indeed, perhaps a bit too serious for me!

Chris

[quote name='lonestar' post='708354' date='Jan 10 2010, 11:18 PM']Elsewhere on this forum a while back I remember that there were some very nasty exchanges between Phil Jones and someone else on here regarding his products.
Good luck Beedster![/quote]


[quote name='MIJ-VI' post='708447' date='Jan 11 2010, 04:48 AM']Is this the e-mail address that you used?:
[email protected]

If so, then perhaps this one might be a better bet:
[email protected]

With the impending NAMM show I'd imagine that everyone in the industry has their hands full.

But even so...

Good CS on the previous sale is what helps to groom the next.[/quote]


Thanks guys

After sending a mail to his personal email addresss I received a brief reply saying pretty much ""speak to the dealer", and confirming that the noise is usual on this model. There seem to be a few guys on various forums with issues with PJB, Lonestar, could you (or anyone else) direct me to the previous disscussion here?

Cheers

Chris

[quote name='Le Chat Noir' post='708142' date='Jan 10 2010, 08:33 PM']Would you consider some sort of swap deal involving cash and an Ashdown ABM EVO-III 500, possibly with cabs (I have ABM 410T and 115 which have been loaded with Eminence Deltalite II 2510 and a Kappalite 3015LF in the 15)?

EDIT: If I manage to sell that stack separately, I'm willing to meet your valuation of a grand - would you be up for couriering it if I did get the cash together?[/quote]

Hello mate, thanks for the reply. I'm not really into the Ashdown TBH. I can look into a courier, although it would likely be expensive. I could also meet half way (I'm in Canterbury, so somewhere on the M4/M5)

Cheers

Chris

'The Night' by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, great driving bassline

Thanks guys. Well I've emailed Phil Jones' support twice and have had no response - not the great customer service I'd heard about. I'll keep you posted

C

[quote name='Musicman20' post='707306' date='Jan 10 2010, 12:45 AM']Mmmm that looks awesome.[/quote]

It is


[quote name='paulie' post='707812' date='Jan 10 2010, 04:20 PM']I like that amp Chris.

And good value at a grand also.

Have an auld bump![/quote]

Cheers Paulie, did the Briefcase go?


[quote name='MythSte' post='707817' date='Jan 10 2010, 04:24 PM']Gulp...[/quote]

Indeed

[quote name='walbassist' post='707852' date='Jan 10 2010, 04:50 PM']Mmm, tempting. How heavy is it?[/quote]

Heavy but not too hard to get around. The combination of side handles, top handle and wheels make it easy to move, but all the same, it's as reassuringly heavy as Stella Artois is expensive

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='707917' date='Jan 10 2010, 05:43 PM']Looks like a great piece of kit.. Good luck with it Chris![/quote]

Cheers mate

[quote name='alexisonfire' post='707579' date='Jan 10 2010, 12:43 PM']Forum rules stipulate that each classified listing must have a price associated.

Name your price! Or do you have a trade in mind? I have a mint condition B, I could put forward as a trade, obviously with cash your way![/quote]

If skidmissouri's not interested in trading his k, perhaps we could do a deal, you'r B for my R?

My R is also up for grabs if the deal works. Collection only

[quote name='Clarky' post='703357' date='Jan 6 2010, 07:54 PM']B*gger

Think I will keep looking for an early 70s Jazz and hope that someone on eBay puts the wrong price as a B-I-N! Either that or Sibob will crack under the relentless pressure of my irritating PMs and say, "OK, Clarky I'll sell you mine, now will you please leave me alone?" [/quote]

Dude, patience, took me close to five years to find my Precision. 'Nuff said

C

Well I guess this is a feeler, albeit a strong one. I traded this with Big D on here several months back, and he got a Markbass R500 and 151HF cab in return. I guess in some respects I've gone from one extreme to the other, from the clinical and almost hi-fi precision of the Italians to the ballsy all-out grunt of the yanks, and unfortunately I feel I really need to be somewhere in the middle. On top of that, although I'd like to think I'm doing gigs that require this sort of volume, I'm not, and it's not gone above 4 on master since I've had it (and that caused some gastric issues for the soundguy).

The tone is everything I expected of Mesa Boogie, pure valvey goodness, and volume by the truckload. It's certainly an amp that you have to be a standing a good few feet away from to fully appreciate just how powerful and sweet the tone is, it's certainly a crowd pleaser. I tends to drive quite easily, which I guess for many is a real bonus, but for me it's proving a bit of a negative, hence this post. Having said that, I would trade for a 12" Walkabout and cash as there's certainly a place for this tone in our sound, just not sufficient justification for having quite so much cash invested in it.

It's in perfect condition, Dale didn't use it too often and neither have I. Dale was offering this at a ludicrous price, around a grand IIRC. It's worth a whole lot more than that, I certainly think the Markbass gear I traded was worth more, but i think in the current climate a grand's a fair price for it (they retail at well over £2000). Alternatively, hit me with offers of amplification that might suit, it will need to be at least 300w and of similar quality. Given I'm trying to get my finances in order following the purchase of the '64 Precision, a deal with cash my way would be preferable. PX option at [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=73943&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=73943&hl=[/url]

Cover and footswitch included.

Details are here [url="http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Bass_Amps/Venture/Venture.htm"]http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Bas...ure/Venture.htm[/url]

Reviews (head, M-Pulse 600) here [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Bass+Amp/product/Mesa%2FBoogie/M-Pulse+600/10/1"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...-Pulse+600/10/1[/url]

Pic below was taken to sell my Ric, I'll take more tomorrow.

Chris

[attachment=39823:Image0163.jpg]

[quote name='Paul_C' post='707124' date='Jan 9 2010, 09:36 PM']it's going to make one hell of a whistle ![/quote]

Don't talk to me about PJB and whistles