RhysP

You don't mention where you are. If you let us know where you are maybe somebody local to you could have a look at it for you before you do anything drastic.

Damp them with your left hand.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1343753869' post='1754688'] Find a retired tech... most amps faults we've had have been £35 and simple fixes... for him..!! A write-off for the likes of me.. [/quote] I had an ask around & I've been recommended an amp tech. I've sent him an email so now I'll just have to wait & see what happens.

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1343747551' post='1754557'] ...the fix in itself could be a relatively simple job (I remember getting some advice on repeatedly inserting a jack in and out of the effects loop or headphone socket and it fixed a similar problem, saved me virtually binning a good amp as I had no funds to fix) [/quote] Now you mention it, I think the problem only started when I used the "Tuner Out" socket a few weeks ago. Might be worth f***ing about with that for a bit - I can't make it any worse.......

[quote name='Sandmann' timestamp='1343748992' post='1754591'] i´d recommend that you contact the technical service department of ebs, at least here in Germany they have a great customer service and are very helpful. maybe it is just a minor fault. [/quote] I contacted the UK distributor who say that there is only a one year warranty on the amp (despite the EBS website saying two), and that as it was bought as "New old stock" the warranty would not be valid anyway (which again is not what EBS told me when I registered the amp after buying it but there you go....). The figures they quoted me for repairing the amp are far more than I can afford to pay (£75 per hour + parts + VAT + courier both ways), and would end up costing more than the poxy thing cost in the first place.

My EBS Gorm combo has crapped out on me & I have neither the time or the money to try & get it repaired. The cabinet, speaker & tweeter all appear to be fine so I was going to put it up for sale for "spares or repair". The amp does work, but the sound is quite distorted at low levels, especially on lower notes & the gain control doesn't seem to work as it should as the clip light doesn't come on until it's almost at full. Also even with the master volume turned completely off there is still a low level intermittent distorted signal coming through the speaker. I have absolutely no idea what sort of price I could realistically ask for it in this condition - anyone have any idea?

It has to be Peregrine "Kettledrum" Henderson for me - probably wouldn't be playing if it wasn't for him.

[quote name='debwilliams' timestamp='1343645401' post='1752960'] Ooooooh, what might you be getting rid of Rhys? Just wondering if I could help in any way... [/quote] Zon Legacy Elite fretless four string (the one on the right of my avatar) - £1500 & it's yours.....

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1343646200' post='1752981'] If you play your "fretted" repertoire on a fretless, but play it just as you would on a fretted, you may be surprised! [/quote] I do that & I far prefer the sound of my fretted basses to be honest.

I'm actually about to do the opposite - I'm probably getting rid of my fretless because I just cannot seem to get away from all the cliches inherent to the instrument & I'm just really bored of that sound.

I have a slightly different approach to the ones already mentioned - if I can't play something after about 10 minutes I just give up & don't bother with it ever again.

Try a normal battery, not a rechargable one.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1343549691' post='1751856'] I often buy from this site. Does not do DR's though. [url="http://www.lordofthestrings.com/"]http://www.lordofthestrings.com/[/url] [/quote] Thanks for this link - I've been looking everywhere for somewhere that does Dean Markley Blue Steels that didn't involve ordering from the USA.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1343134959' post='1745808'] I've got an EBS Gorm 350et 1x15 combo if you're interested..... [/quote] Ignore this - it crapped out on me this afternoon.

Your frets are wearing down after three months? What are they made of - butter?

I'll delete my post if you like, then you can just wait until all of the Stingray lovers come along & tell you what you REALLY want to hear.

Definitely try before you buy - I picked up a mint condition Stingray 5 for a great price & after spending a week with it I'd never been so disappointed with a bass in my life.

Martin Mendez from Opeth occasionally uses them.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1343303996' post='1748551'] Stick that in your pipes and smoke it, Fender-knockers! [/quote] For the sort of price those basses cost there shouldn't have been a "manufacturing defect" in the first place.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343176231' post='1746696'] I just realised tonight how much Sting has influenced my approach to writing bass lines. His sense of drive, groove, timing, and space is wonderful. I forgot how much of an influence he's been on my playing and writing, and in a sense I have transcended his influence and developed my own approach. .....I can't deny Sting's influence has been huge, I almost feel like a copyist, but he's never in my mind when I write or play. [/quote] I think the influence of all three members of The Police was gigantic for a whole generation of players. I was certainly influenced by Sting & Andy Summers as a bass/guitar player, and I can't really think of a guitarist, bass player or drummer who I knew at the time who didn't take something from them regardless of genre played.

[quote name='slobluesine' timestamp='1342878702' post='1742285'] ....a gig is about music not shifting beer, or maybe i've got it all wrong [/quote] If you're playing in a pub, whether you're being paid or not, the only reason you are there is to (hopefully) increase the bar takings - most landlords couldn't give a f*** about the music. If you don't bring the punters in & keep the tills ringing all night you won't be playing there again, paid or unpaid.

[quote name='EmmettC' timestamp='1340992350' post='1712637'] If anyone wants to swap me for an EBS combo though........... [/quote] I've got an EBS Gorm 350et 1x15 combo if you're interested..... I've never got on with Markbass stuff either - I find it anything but transparent. I used one for some session work I did in Switzerland a few years ago & while it was OK it just didn't impress me in any way. Used various combos & head/cab set ups since then but always felt the same. The fact that the colour scheme makes them look like Fisher Price "My First Bass Amp" toys doesn't help either IMO.

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1343078065' post='1745004'] Gretsch Pro - jet [/quote] Good point - there should be a Gretsch in your poll. I'd take a Gretsch 6120 over any of the others & it's certainly a classic.

Well, SG's are horrendously ugly, the worst guitar I ever owned was a Gibson Les Paul, & I don't get on with Strats because the control layout drives me nuts as I keep accidentally turning the volume down when I'm playing. Telecaster it is then.