John-E-Retro

Neat idea, not immediately clear as to implementation, will have a think. (The LED is part of the charger circuit, so would need to borrow it in some way)

Apologies for poor response, Chris, I can't find anything from you since we spoke in 2017 apart from the beginning of July, I can see I didn't respond to that, really sorry! It was a huge struggle during the lock-down. I was doing everything, failing to keep up by quite some margin, even working 10-12 hours a day, Monday to Saturday, major intent - staying in business. (A lot of emails do seem to end up in the junk folder these days, mine as well as replies to enquiries and purchasers) I'm sure I can take care of your P-Retro BTW. As for the future of the P-Retro, I want to continue with it. We have lots on a wait list and I really like it as a product. The EQ circuit and circuit board design has been enhanced, we do have some stock of the audio circuits. The hold-up is the custom rechargeable system which required my time in terms of design and implementation. I've worked on several new schemes , settling on one that's compatible with the original but with a USB charger. Another important factor is getting the systems made. Previously we made virtually all ourselves in the UK, not easily viable at this point so we're looking to outsource the manufacture. We started talking to a supplier at the beginning of the year but C-19 put things on hold, back on again now. There's also the investment in various custom components, such as the special pots and battery cells which isn't entirely trivial. Another important point, before we put them out again, I wanted to ensure we have longevity of supply set up. I'd always wanted to do something a bit special for the P Bass, very close to my heart!

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1421063715' post='2656642'] I think there's a bit more to it than that Ian - there's loads of similar examples. A simple one is a John East pre-amp. Currently £195 direct from the manufacturer in the UK. Last time I checked it was readily available in the US for around £165. Obviously it wouldn't be worth re-importing one because the duties would take it up above the UK price but, if you live in the States you can buy a UK product for £30 less than it costs in the UK. Could just be differences in sales taxes but that would ignore any shipping costs and U.S. importation duties. [/quote] A bit of input on the J-Retro / pricing etc. The current list price of a J-Retro in the USA is $299 and with current exchange rates from XE 299 USD = ~ £198. Prices would normally be set roughly equivalent in order that potential buyers get the best deal more locally, but certainly a world market now, where fenced off sales territories don't work any more. It may be that with exchange rate fluctuations and or an outlet doing a deal, a J-Retro could be bought for the equivalent of £165. That could be beneficial if you just happened to be there with £s/$s in your pocket and you could bring it back. But if it was shipped, the VAT alone would take it to £198 without duty or shipping. Shipping is free with some dealers but some carriers charge a handling fee to collect VAT and duty, so as already pointed out, doesn't necessarily add up. Is a J-Retro cheaper to a player in the USA? If it's £165 deal, ie not $299, then yes in direct monetary comparison. But taking account of what a $ buys in general goods compared to a £, having been to the USA a few times, it seems their buying power is fairly close. So a J-Retro is deemed an expensive item comparatively, especially since a home grown Audere on a J plate is $150, I believe. One other point, it's my understanding is that each state has its own sales tax where the price listed, ie £299 is multiplied by the local sales tax ratio It's pretty shocking to me that a Marcus Retro on the Fender plate lists at $350, close to the price you'd pay for an old road-worthy car in the USA! (I appreciate they're far from cheap here too!)

[quote name='Kees_SoS' timestamp='1378762700' post='2204520'] Thanks, guys. I am indeed mega chuffed with it. I spent all of yesterday evening playing on it and just couldn't put it back in the case and go to bed ;-) Really pleased with how the specs have worked out, too, particularly the pickup configuration and Scott Devine circuit. [/quote] You guys may or may not know this, but I designed and produce what's called the Scott Devine Signature preamp. Laurence, at Overwater, asked if I could come up with something which has a flat response, so no change to to response going from passive to active when controls set in neutral as already mentioned, and with more of a US vibe. I already had something in my head which I mapped on to a U Retro 5 Knob Deluxe. If I had to coin some sort of description, I'd say Fodera style.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1371895262' post='2119221'] Treble and mids are boost and cut but bass is boost only (+15db at 50hz). There's a built-in contour when you switch in the active circuit but I'm not sure exactly what it's doing. [/quote] (A J-Retro for sure, as already pointed out) The pre-shape contour is a very gently aprrox. 3dBs at the low and high end. It's probably the pre-shape that's not working for the Alleva bass. We do supply units with or without the pre-shape now BTW. Nothing under the bonnet that can be adjusted apart from the pickup gains, a screwdriver adjustment for each pickup. The pickups toggle by the vol/blend stack is there to allow pickup selection in passive mode - bridge or both pickups. In active it gives active blend or passive mix of both.

[quote name='BluRay' timestamp='1364545635' post='2027868'] hmmmm yeah.....much as I love my ray (the build quality is simply first class), i've never been too happy with the eq. Its really challenging to get it to sit "naturally" in the mix and veres from too thin and clanky or too boomy. I think some more JE investigation is required! [/quote] I put a 3 band in a 4 string 1999 Stingray for Mike Brooks recently (Bass Guitar Mag Review & pro player). He loved the bass but wasn't getting the MM sound he was expecting compared other he's played previously. These were his comments 2 days later: Hi John, Used the bass on Thursday night and it sounded great, the bottom end was far more solid and powerful, the top end had some sizzle which it never had before. The mids are the icing on the cake and they make the bass far more flexible than it was before. A success I'd say Thank you so much, I'm much happier about this bass now. Speak soon, Mike In general, this thread is very heartening in terms of feedback, all comments greatly appreciated! John

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1363502302' post='2013355'] Victim of your own success John! [/quote] We'll have some more of that then!

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1362843736' post='2005227'] As some of you may have guessed, we are having no end of problems posting my blog on Basschat's system: no matter what we try, it never seems to work. So, while we wait to see if, in the end, we'll be able to add it to Basschat's entries under the Blog tab, feel free to have a look at it here - before we move on, forget the LBGS even happened, and the blog becomes obsolete. The blog basically gathers together most of the photos I've scattered round here and on FB, and adds a few, together with some names. [url="http://wp.me/p2ZbyY-1g"]http://wp.me/p2ZbyY-1g[/url] The layout is deliberately very basic and no-frills (I kept it simple with a view of converting it to Basschat's layout). You can click on photos to enlarge them. I hope the blog can stay on this site in some guise, to help us remember that awesome weekend \m/ \m/ [/quote] Two basschatters missing? No little piccy of ACG & me, boo-hoo!!

[quote name='Raggy' timestamp='1325875495' post='1489304'] Thank you very much. Am now looking forward to getting one of those. [/quote] Since walbassist's sound demo was a fretless, thought it worth linking to the youtube demo with a fretted bass: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRKwHe5ZkZc[/media]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1325512203' post='1483752'] I was looking up options of filter based preamps, out of interest more than a pressing need for one.... Quick thread asking if anyone had tried the BassXX preamp- [url="http://www.bassxx.de/preamps1.html"]http://www.bassxx.de/preamps1.html[/url] Anyone tried both? I find it interesting that while the ACG/East EQ-2 has variable bass and treble points and no mid that BassXX goes the other way and has fixed bass and treble points and a variable mid filter. Both seem to be very differently designed in how they would be used. Any thoughts? I would have thought the BassXX would be easier to use, but the ACG more flexible. Ideally I guess you would have something similar to the (unavailable) EQ-1 which would have different low end filters for each pup. [/quote] In truth all EQs use filters. Briefly, the difference between those termed filter based EQs compared to what we think of as conventional: CONVENTIONAL: Tends to be based on a straight line flat frequency response, where the controls allow it be bent away from that flat line, in order to contour the desired response. FILTER BASED: More a case of opening up filters to allow the desired parts of the frequency spectrum through, and where a reference flat setting does not really exist, as such. GreenKing's take makes sense - I've said this before but with a 2 or 3 EQ you tweak your tone, with a filter pre you create it. Looking at the published curves, the Basslab falls into the conventional category. I believe there's quite a lot more detail on Alan's website about the use and operation of the 'filter based type'.

[quote name='lojo' post='1139552' date='Feb 24 2011, 08:28 AM']Does anyone know any samples or links that show of the P bass version ?[/quote] In the process of creating a YouTube demo video for the J & P-Retro, not before time! Will let you know the link when it's done.

[size=2][b]Huge thanks for your very kind words guys, really very much appreciated![/b][/size] [size=2][b]But I was only doin my job guv, honest!![/b][/size]

[quote name='sshorepunk' post='978181' date='Oct 5 2010, 11:56 AM']great review! I've got my buttercream ray coming back soon, may try the East MMSR 4 knob circuit, I've heard good things about this! Based on 2 band eq from the late seventies, but not a copy! Intresting Tony[/quote] My intention was to mimic the EQ curves of the pre EB 2 band but the circuit is designed so that it's easier to tweak the settings. For example, the bass works in a similar range but I gave it some additional boost, beyond the original pre EB, if you want to dial it in. The 3 band has a mid sweep, which is neutral when the boost/cut knob is central, leaving you with just the 2 band. During the design, I set up a switch to A/B between original electronics in my 76 Stingray, and my new design. It literally switched the pickup and the output jack between the old and the new allowing a true A/B test.

[quote name='danweb22' post='934153' date='Aug 23 2010, 08:42 PM']A little help please I practice through a Line 6 Studio 110 and have noticed a regular clicking sound (one click every couple of seconds) coming from the combo! This problem only seems to be with my ACG and not my Cort Fretless so I am thinking a possible earth problem?? So I think I will try it through my Pro Tools M Box audio interface into my Mac and Ableton Live (no combo, just DI in) and the same thing!!! I have tried the combo in a different room in the house and this hasn't made a difference. Any ideas what could be causing this? Sound clip now added (ACG) [url="http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=1401485718.wav"]Click Sound[/url] and my Cort fretless (no clicking noise) [url="http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=523440765.wav"]Cort Fretless[/url][/quote] I've come across a few instances like this, and the problem has never been the bass electronics itself, so far. It's always been electrical interference. It often seems that it must be the bass when one bass exhibits a problem and another doesn't. Had one recently where all had been fine for a number of years and suddenly a similar problem began. The player tried it with a battery headphone amplifier and found that it was down to the environment, and only occurred at home. I'll see if I can dig out what the cause actually was, had a quick search but unable to find detail. So my advice would be to try the bass in different environments to confirm whether it is the bass, or not, for sure, first. If it is the electronics, happy to look at it, and nail the cause. If not, need a way to track down where it's coming from. John