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Tne Travis Perkins birch ply was the proper 'Wisa' type - watch out for inferior types with thin facing. Nothing wrong with this in the right situation but for structural applications you do not want thin facings that lack butt joint strength.

I found that Travis Perkins can supply birch ply - I was able to get 9mm sheets at a reasonable price to the depths of mid Wales. It was also well packed for transportation.

[quote name='bootsy666' timestamp='1430157620' post='2758505'] It won't let me upload any photos again? It says I've reached my limit before I've even selected a photo? [/quote] That's because it is a 'big' cabinet Boom Boom !

As far as I can ascertain the EMG 40J is an active set (website says they are J type in larger case) . I think you could achieve a passive tone control in addition to the BTC setup. It would need to be the 25K pot. I have one bass with EMG Js and find the passive 25K tone pot works remarkably well (usually I just run my basses with tone control at full but with with the EMG set-up I actually use the tone control). Now answered above while I was typing

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1430071411' post='2757726'] This is what I'm trying to achieve. A tone that suits the genre rather than trying to get the authentic tone of the original recording. Does anyone produce a 5 string P/J with switchable active/passive? [/quote] I would guess Warwick have such a thing. Easy solution is to find a 5 string bass P J configuration that you like and then add suitable pre-amp. We have not yet factored the room acoustics yet, if you are lucky they help or as is often the case, somewhat nullify any tonal subtleties . Then we have sound absorption units aka audience to factor in as well.

How long until NSD ? (new speakers day)

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1429900299' post='2756229'] Silicone sealant (neutral cure) is pretty effective at holding a plastic port tube in place if the joint is nice and tight and has plenty of surface area. [/quote] Alex has given you the solution to fixing. Abrade the pipe with rough sandpaper to get better keying. With the thickness of plywood you have, you could also additionally fix them in with some small screws from the inside of the pipe into the ply thickness. Hard to explain in words so here is a bad text sketch. plywood ( <----|| screw screw ||--> ) plywood. Brackets represent port wall aka drainpipe.

Good call with counter offer. For a bass of that price even with the suggested reduction they seem pretty big dents. Good luck.

[quote name='bootsy666' timestamp='1429884439' post='2755988'] I'm going to try four 2" ports on the front, one between each set of speakers. And four 3" on the rear panel across the bottom with long tubes. Or maybe they should be 4"? [/quote] From a pragmatic point of view, if you do decide to tune them 4" gives readily available drainpipe. This then makes changing the length a cheap proposition if 'bought' port tubes are not long enough. Marshall DBS 2 x 15 that I once had for a while had 2 x 4" ports on the back (from memory).

My diagnosis is heading towards filter capacitor - failed electrolytic. I have 2 x Tour 700s and really like them - got rid of VBA400 as I felt they were better for what I wanted. Am hoping nothing fails on mine now as I see they have surface mount components (as will most modern, non-retro amps). I like being able to DIY my electronics repairs but am feeling this will be increasingly less so.

Inserting jack plugs in and out a few times will fix that issue (if it is that issue), this will remove any oxide layer that has developed on the socket contacts. If you were keen you could put some contact cleaner (e.g. Servisol) on the jack plug before insertion.

Obvious advice - groundwound, half wound or flats will reduce fingerboard wear. Depending on what you paid , scarcity of FNA Jazzman fretless, what you think about FNA you have and the luthiers available to you, a new ebony fingerboard might be a better financial possibility than sell / trade and find another.

Stonking colour, great fun

Hopefully it is the send - return jack sockets suggested previously Is it a 50hz mains hum (if you do not know this hum, measure the hum frequency with a tuning meter or phone app). If it is 50hz it is could be a smoothing (filter) capacitor in the power supply circuit. These are usually easy to replace (and very cheap) if you are ok with the soldering iron. Peavey are good with support with circuit schematics - even for kit back into the 80s. Some very good images of the internals here [url="http://www.ajaudio.co.uk/PEAVY%20TOUR%20700%20%20AMPLIFIER%20REPAIR.htm"]http://www.ajaudio.c...ER%20REPAIR.htm[/url] Capacitors easily accessible and the pcb tracks and pads are substantial making diy repair easier.

4x15 or 4x12 with 'cross firing' drivers ? Something the size of 2 dubsters would head into behemoth territory.

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1429560557' post='2752690'] +1 to Warwicks. They are a bit unfashionable at the moment for no apparent reason whatsoever...thus the second hand price makes them a steal. [/quote] Understatement alert The German Corvette that went for £375 on here was just incredible. Makes quite a few basses look seriously overpriced. Makes the buy once, buy right, buy for life much more straightforward.

Spooky - I found Natalie Prass on youtube yesterday through chance (did not see Jools). Just how many excellent musicians are out there that are relatively unknown? I was impressed.

Corvette gets my vote at the moment. Just seems able to do most things - have had mine doing the Gibson EB3 thing through to (and this surprised me) upright bass type sounds. Great thing about corvettes is the J size pickups - alternatives e.g. EMG, DiMarzio are straightforward.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1429553938' post='2752566'] Raise the pickups nearer the strings. That usually gives a bass a bit of ooooomff! [/quote] Good advice. If that fails, in no particular order[list] [*]Change string type [*]Humbucking J type pickups e.g. DiMarzio DP123 [*]ten band graphic eq might be possible solutions. [/list]

Highly rated in the 80s at the time.

[quote name='bootsy666' timestamp='1429469807' post='2751693'] Besides technical stuff, I've brought some good quality black leatherette, I used the same stuff to wrap my vba400 in and it came out quite nice. I did plan on using it on the front baffles only before the speakers go in, but I'm having second thoughts now. I guess I could always remove it if it doesn't look right. [/quote] Tuffcab is your friend (or even black paint on the baffle).

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1429374085' post='2750942'] The 360 is a 40 plus year old cab and even back then I don't recall them being usable without a 412 linked up..? Certainly the one I had in the late 80's needed something like that. [/quote] Seemed OK to me at the time, then again I was 18/19 and what seemed ok to me in the very late 70s would not now. Have just done some Google and found / remembered the cab was a 361. Quite popular at the time [url="http://www.bassplayer.com/amps/1166/full-circle-360-degrees-of-the-acoustic-360/26984"]http://www.bassplaye...ustic-360/26984[/url] it seems. I saw Ricky Cool circa 1977 - bass player was using one and I just thought - yep got to have one.

[quote name='bootsy666' timestamp='1429350869' post='2750638'] .....I did do my homework before starting, and decided against the modern designs that computer programs claim are the best, instead I went with the same idea as the early sunn cabs that have been very successful. [/quote] [quote name='bootsy666' timestamp='1429367323' post='2750848'] I've made 8 ports of 2 inches each, one for each speaker, if this ends up being too much then I will block some off? [/quote] I suspect some classic cabinets would probably be sub-optimal when subjected to computer aided design - I am particularly thinking of the Acoustic 360 that I once owned. Blocking off is a good pragmatic solution. If you find you need larger ports they can always be put in the back of the cabinet.

[quote name='throwoff' timestamp='1429286357' post='2750083'] Nothing in the instrument makes a single bit of difference to the tone other than pickups and electronics. [/quote] You need Unobtanium. It is the only material to have the frets, bridge, machine heads and nut made from. From the first moment my bass had Unobtanium components fitted random strangers have said to me - what a tone, how much more sustain, how quick the notes decay, what attack and growl, what smoothness and bloom. Choose description for target market In serious mode, I both mostly agree with this and slightly disagree. The only bass I have where I think (note lack of objective quantifiable measurable evidence) there is a significant effect other than pickups, electronics and strings is my aluminium neck Kramer. Given it has DiMarzio pickup and maple body as do some of my other basses, it has a greater hifi / clarity to the tone than my equivalent basses. It also has another effect which I can only best describe as 'playing itself', the strings respond very dynamically to playing, it has a great tactile feel. No other solid body bass I own does this (despite having the same strings / same scale length). I can reduce most of my basses sounding to sounding the same.