Bottle

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1434232834' post='2797895'] I'm going to have to withdraw. I'm at my brother's place in Newark visiting my old mum, she has dementia now and is going down fast. She has done well up to now at 91 but I feel I should spend some time with her. She has gone down quickly since my wedding in March and my brother has not been keeping me updated on her health. I hope youal have a great day. [/quote] So sorry to hear this Sam Take care and God Bless Ian

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1433938313' post='2795236'] I've just finalised the schedule and info sheet for the day - download, print and/or share here: [url="https://goo.gl/dlJ9kS"]https://goo.gl/dlJ9kS[/url] See you there! [/quote] Looks grand Sylvia Looking forward to catching up with everyone Car is now loaded. Quick pitstop to fill up with fuel and I'll be on my way see you all in a couple of hours ATB, Ian

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1433842567' post='2794392'] It IS surprising how loud a small amp can be, especially if you run it through an efficient speaker. If you want something tiny that can be used for playing out then try a Ragin Cajun speaker (eminence) - it's very efficient for a 10" speaker, and sounds great too, though it will make the amp heavy. Alternatively for home use look at a Jensen, because they are often low-efficiency and sound good when not pushed too hard. [/quote] I'm making a head case first, but have plans for a 2x2 square cab so was thinking 4x8, 4x10 or 4x12. One vertical side would be fully sealed with two drivers in it and the other half open-backed. I've found a schematic for the Marshall-style switchplate so I can have all speakers connected for 4- or 16-Ohms or switched and split for stereo 8-Ohm operation. Just need to find the right drivers for sealed and open cabs. Any thoughts? CHeers, Ian

[quote name='Kirky' timestamp='1433763433' post='2793676'] I thought the WF55 only had a volume know...have you modified it to add the tone control? [/quote] Yes, you're correct. As stock it only comes with a volume control after the first gain stage, but there are numerous modifications which Barry has posted on the Ampmaker website detailing various modifications. One of them is to add a passive tone stack in parallel with the volume pot. It's a nice little addendum to a well-thought-out kit. It does sound quite useable and the kit responds well to overdrive pedals in front of the amp. Ian

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1433617557' post='2792590'] How does the WF55 sound - do you like it? [/quote] Sounds amazing very happy with the result. Have now got the Valve Amp building bug hehehe Someone else asked me how it sounds. This is what I posted [i]"Ear-bleedingly loud through a 12" PA cab (all I had to hand that was the right impedance). [/i] [i]TBH it wasn't the best cab to put it through as the two-way design goes too high and too low - [/i] [i]a proper guitar cab will no doubt let me push it into real breakup without it sounding unduly harsh. [/i] [i]Having said that, 4W is frighteningly loud guess that's down to a super efficient PA cab hehehehe"[/i]

[quote name='Pentode' timestamp='1433601049' post='2792444'] Very nice work Sir! Loving the dovetail joint as well [/quote] Thanks! Still a work in progress - hopefully have all the wood routed next weekend. Needed to extend the foot and fence on my Dad's router. Have opted for a sliding or French dovetail join on the two side pieces as it'll make the assembly quicker and easier. Had considered 'proper' dovetails but too much chance of ballsing that one up. Briefly considered making a basic finger joint but that would have required making an accurate template too and I couldn't be arsed for this build. Wood is Piranha pine - 25x200mm shelving board Coming together nicely ATB, Ian

Few pictures of the build so far...... [attachment=193673:IMG_0142.JPG] Chassis completed [attachment=193674:IMG_0143.JPG] Gut shot. EDIT: Have now wired the Tone stack up too [attachment=193675:IMG_0146.JPG] Dry fit of Headcase wood, sourced and cut to roughly the right size.... [attachment=193676:IMG_0147.JPG] Back of the amp [attachment=193677:IMG_0148.JPG] Front view [attachment=193678:IMG_0160.JPG] Test fit of scrap wood after using the dovetail router bit for the first time! Surprisingly held together without glue...

[quote name='tonewheels' timestamp='1432335813' post='2780707'] I've been building and modifying valve guitar amps for the last 20 years. Not enamoured of most of the UK DIY kit firms because they tend to concentrate (quite understandably) on Bassman architecture amps with British (EL84 or EL34) valves. Fine for heavy metal and weedy as hell for bass (ironically) but not really for me. I've just moved from a '70s SVT/8x10 rig to a Barefaced/GK setup but would still like to have a pure valve option. So I'm looking to a 200W, 4 x 6550 design, passive high impedance tone stack (not that horrid CF Bassman/Marshall thing - don't know quite why but it seems to suck bottom end) in a 17" cabinet so It doesn't look dumb on top of a 1x12". The most expensive part is going to be the iron. Unfortunately the market is populated by chancers. Hammonds are expensive to import. The major UK firms take the piss because they're ripping off the Hi-fi gullible. I used to use Ripley Transformers who were fantastic, doing custom iron to any spec for less than half the price of the UK's leading off the shelf brand. Unfortunately they seem to have retired. And, of course, you needed to know how to spec the transformers (download the Radiotron Designer's Handbook for this). So, anyone know a decent transformer supplier? Anyone interested in a joint project? [/quote] Hi Tonewheels Barry from Ampmaker sources his power and output transformers from Danbury Electronics - may be worth a look at if you're after a custom-wound trafo. Barry also sells the transformers for his kits as seperate items as well - can't compare how well-priced they are but I though my kit was very reasonably priced and good value for the money Ian

[size=4][font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif][color=#282828]Added mine in too:[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif][color=#282828]Grangur - Warwick Streamers - with and without frets. Westone Thunder 1a - active P[/color] [color=#282828]Lozz196 - [i]1978 Precision (ash/maple) Aguilar Tonehammer, Barefaced Super 12T[/i][/color] [color=#282828]Sibob [/color][color=#282828]- [/color][i]'71 P-Bass / Fender Japan Medium Scale Jazz / Fodera Matt Garrison Standard / Fender USA-Japanese Precision [/i] [color=#282828]Seashell[/color] [color=#282828]Bassface2k10[/color][color=#282828] - [/color][i]MM Ray with Maple board[/i] [color=#282828]Ratman(?)[/color] [color=#282828]Bottle - [i]Ibanez 4-string, various f/x pedals, couple of 12" cabs, maybe my 4W Valve Amp if I can finish the head case in time[/i][/color] [color=#282828]Happy Jack - [i]Mike Lull Thunderbird + 1965 Mosrite 'The Ventures'[/i][/color] [color=#282828]Bluejay[/color][color=#282828] - [/color][i]Lefty fretless Warwick Corvette Pro 5[/i] [color=#282828]Jazzneck - [i]pre EB MM Stingray with Rosewood board[/i][/color] [color=#282828]Gary Mac[/color] [color=#282828]Sharkfinger[/color] [color=#282828]theyellowcar[/color] [color=#282828]such - [/color][i]Marcus jazz with Sadowsky preamp. Maple fretboard [/i][color=#282828](and friend with 5-string Maruszczyk jazz)[/color] [color=#282828]Bikenbass -[/color][i] Ibanez fretless and Dingwall Combustion[/i] [color=#282828]Barkin (?)[/color] [color=#282828]Ordep - [/color][i]zon sonus 5, and possibly a modulus VJ.[/i][color=#282828] (and a couple of bassist friends [?])[/color] [color=#282828]timhiggins (?)[/color] [color=#282828]hertsbass - [/color][i]maple neck Fender P[/i] [color=#282828]EliasMooseblaster - [/color][i]Hagstrom 8-string[/i] [color=#282828]Macdaddy - [/color][i]Iceni custom 4 string[/i] [color=#282828]Chimike - [/color][i]Acoustic 220 rig if space allows[/i][color=#282828] [/color] ChunkyMunky - Musicman Bongo 5Hs, GenzBenz Shuttle 3.0-10T (providing it hasn't sold, already)[/font][/size] [size=4][font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif][color=#282828]Wrongfingers - [/color][/font][/size]

EBS used to do a 4x12 in a staggered format in the same footprint as their 8x10 cab. I think a vertical-ish aligned 4x12 with the bottom two speakers low-passed could be cool. Plus make it splittable (like the Ampeg fridge) so the cab is bi-amp-able. Ian

OK, now I'm offically blown away good find!

Hi Guys I've just ordered a valve amplifier kit from www.ampmaker.com (there was a thread about in the Amps & Cabs section). What I'm after is some recorded electric guitar tracks I can use for testing the amp clean and also pushing it hard. I don't have access to a guitar at the moment. Here's the skinny: Guitar will need to be recorded direct to an interface, no mic'ing, amplification, effects or processing. Ideally recorded clean to an uncompressed file format with no post-processing (other than to normalize the track level), at a suitable bit depth and sampling rate. I'd also like some different playing styles and really digging in as well as clean, mix of single-coils and humbuckers etc. Maybe a couple of minutes worth. If it's possible to upload to a SoundCloud account I can grab it from there otherwise I can see about setting up a DropBox account or file-sharing platform somewhere. Really appreciate the help. Ta Muchly, Ian

Well, that's thorough. Top marks to the Rode distributor. Bet that's Focusrite shaving some pennies off of the costs and buying in cheap SMPS bricks? Ian

Looks good Mick, I'm in [b]Attending:[/b] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]TheGreek[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Grangur[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Lozz196[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Sibob [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Seashell[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Bassface2k10[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Ratman(?)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Bottle[/font][/color]

[quote name='b7l4s' timestamp='1426693821' post='2720908'] Another +1 for Ampmaker from me. I built an SE-5a a couple of years ago and it was a really well thought out kit, plus it sounds better than it has any right to given my level of skill with a soldering iron. I was only thinking recently that if Barry did bass amp kit I'd definitely be looking to buy it. Doing the build did lead me to a lot of reading and research about the science (or black art) of valve amp design, which I also got a lot out of. Whatever way you choose to go, you do get a lot of satisfaction from playing though something you built yourself. Just make sure (twice at least) that you have got everything right before pluggint it on to the mains for the first time - like people have already mentioned there are dangerous amounts of electricity involved. [/quote] Got in touch with Barry as he'd been on holiday for the whole of March. He's been very helpful and we discussed all the options I wanted to add on to the basic kit. Went ahead and ordered the WF-55 so it should be ready on Monday! Woohoo! I'll update this thread with a Build thread once I have the kit and all the gubbins to go round it. Cheers to everyone for their input into my decision-making process Ian

Hi Chaps I was looking at purchasing an Akai Headrush E2, but neither Amazon or Andertons etc are currently stocking it - has it been discontinued? If it has, does anyone know if it is being replaced with a newer version? It would be a real pity if it's no longer available. One or two pop up for sale second-hand occasionally, so maybe that would be the best means of getting one? So I guess the question is, can I also get equivalent pedal(s) that will give me the Delay and Tape Echo modes (not so fussed about the Looping function TBH)? Cheers Ian

Voted! Indeed, tough ckoices this month - all very good, and picking out the three 'best' entries just keeps getting harder and harder Still, managed to whittle it down Ian PS noticed that Bilbo's entry had fallen off the bottom of the playlist. Still opens OK from the original link though

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1420984633' post='2655777'] Cheers Cameron glad you like it Thanks Rubis, not really got as far as lectrics yet, i did like the EMG HZ's passive humbuckers i used the last time though, i was thinking about using them again but with coil tap switches, i do like their sound but found them mibbies a bit 'bassey' so using a single coil might extend the range a wee bit. -- need to do a little research but there's no rush (thoughts/suggestions/comments/recommendations welcome ) , quite fancy a 'proper' active set of EMG's too (save the bother) but this could all change Ian [/quote] Lookin' good, ace I recall seeing an ACG bass with a single-coil in the bridge position and a humbucker in the neck position with some sort of coil tapping going on - maybe worth a look if I can find the thread? EDIT: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/9623-acg-build-progress/page__view__findpost__p__1737036"]Here[/url] it is!

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1426764117' post='2721641'] It may have been prediction rather than desire. [/quote] I agree. Not what you want to have happen in any case. More the sort of thing that happens at Reading, or so I'm informed

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1426683185' post='2720693'] This is precisely why I have nothing to contribute here... [/quote] Yep, the only thing that bothered me was the (apparent) desire for people to see him being bottled. My guess is that if that happened, he'd pull a Morrissey and flounce off the stage. No great loss, but not the way I would prefer it to happen. Can't see the organisers of Reading/Leeds, VFest or any other festival extending him an invite though. If people stopped buying his records and going to his shows this would be a non-problem, but no accounting for taste.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1426620053' post='2719978'] this one from [b][url="http://newsthump.com/2015/03/17/glastonbury-fans-begin-preparing-bottles-of-piss-for-kanye-west/"]NEWSTHUMP[/url][/b] wins the internet (as they say) [url="http://newsthump.com/2015/03/17/glastonbury-fans-begin-preparing-bottles-of-piss-for-kanye-west/"][/url] [/quote] Oh dear. I don't know whether to be alarmed or ashamed. And before anyone starts, yes I know it's posted on a satirical website That doesn't mean it's not gonna happen (<disclaimer> and I'll add that I would never condone bottling someone off of a stage for any reason</disclaimer>). I know that Glasto has recently diversified to appeal to a larger audience (Beyonce, JayZ and Dolly Parton etc) so I'm not arguing for the set to be pulled, but I guess that the spirit behind the festival has be replaced in favour of big name acts to draw in a larger audience and increase commercial revenues etc. Whatever I think of Kanye as a person (and I think plenty - massive tool for starters), his music is [i]popular[/i] and people obviously go to see his shows and buy his music. That doesn't mean the music is any good - it just means its popular... Not my cup of tea, but then I guess it's somebody elses so I couldn't give a toss - I'm not gonna buy his records or go to see his show so whether he plays Glasto or not bothers me not

I'm leaning towards the 4W WN55 build and I'll get some help from my Dad to build the head casing. I'm thinking of adding the passive tone stack as well. Looks like Barry is off on his holidays until the beginning of April anyway (and I have no money until the end of the month too!) So I'll report back once the kit is in my hands thanks for all the advice so far - it's all been very informative! Cheers!

Reaper is a very powerful DAW, and is chock-full of features, especially for how much (I.e how little) it costs for a licence I did find that you have to trim any track items absolutely precisely if you are creating loops (drag the handles to create loops) and make sure the 'snap to grid' is turned on. IIRC you can set the grid lines as a time unit or as a division of the overall tempo. I normally keep it set to bars and beats within a bar (it defaults to 4:4 but can be changed in the preferences if you're working in other time signatures). The piano roll is a very handy feature for writing out some melody lines and there's a great selection of free VST's available for everything else. Most of all don't be afraid to make mistakes!

A definite possibility that I'll be able to make this one. Will be able to sign up once a date has been confirmed. Is it likely to be a Sunday in June still?

Oh, that's mighty purty