Sparky Mark

Another fantastic StingRay Special. A check of the Musicman serial number database shows a birthday in 2018 and confirms a beautiful black ebony fingerboard.

Does it come with the original case and any candy?

I had a bass collected by Lenspeed when I sold it on here. The purchaser arranged it, and everything went to plan. The chap that collected was really nice and explained they do a lot of moving of expensive guitars for an auction house. If you go on their website I believe it explains prices for fully insured shipping. Probably the only company I would consider for £800 +++ instruments. 

Single Guitar Delivery from just £55 - Lenspeed Logistics https://share.google/qkd6eyxpC2fGs5uhX

9 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

He died so long ago... his influence is fading.

Also true.

38 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

Why? All that Hooky said about Ian Curtis was that he died - in fact, IIRC, he said that they lost him. Ditto Nate Mendel about Taylor Hawkins.

True, maybe Cozy just wasn't considered innovative enough to be included?

What a stunningly beautiful bass!

Having tried LM2 and SA450 heads in dealerships in 2008 a couple times I just didn't hear what all the fuss was about. However, the first time I played through an LM2 was at an open jam night at The Square, Harlow. It was driving an old Laney (or Peavey, the memory fades) 410 and sounded amazing in the mix, with the trademark MB punch. From that point onwards I've gigged MB ten times more often than my other amps.

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

 

Apologies - I saw my drummer friend last night and we were talking about both the drum and bass series’ that Sky produced.

I mentioned about the Neil Peart thing and he said it wasn’t Neil Peart after all, it was Cozy Powell that wasn’t mentioned.

A slightly less glaring omission, but as we know from the bass series, only a small percentage of known players get mentioned.

I guess it could've been difficult to include Cozy without some of the circumstances surrounding his tragic premature death? 

On 05/12/2025 at 09:58, uk_lefty said:

I have an irrational desire for a Markbass amp. I've got a Fender Bassman, Ash down ABM 600 rig and two separate multi effects pedals with good quality amp Sims. Yet when I hear someone playing through a Markbass rig there's a quality to the sound I am struggling to replicate: the punch. Is this baked in to Markbass amps? Or, is this something I can recreate with EQ and compression or something else?  Unfortunately my multis (Headrush MX5 and Boss ME-90B) do not have a Markbass SIM.

 

If I bought a third amp, would I even use it? I've gone in-ears now and my amps are becoming less and less used for gigs.

I'm definitely a fan and have bought way too many cheapish secondhand so I'll never need to use a Markbass authorised repair service. I gigged an SA450 and TRV102P last night in a large pub to decent effect. I was on the limit however, so really should've taken my pair of NY121P cabs, but just about got way with it. I also use a Markbass Compressore and Rafferty HPF to reduce wasted low end amp power. The Compressore also adds a nice 12ax7 warmth.

Since feeling a little disappointed by the lack of imagination shown in this series, I've restored my fascination with bass by rediscovering Graham Maby's brilliant playing on Joe Jackson's first two albums, Look Sharp! and I'm the Man, both from 1979.

A change in my circumstances has enabled me to retrieve my teenage vinyl collection after decades in storage, and these were there, unplayed this century. 

I was 16 when I bought these albums and was inspired then, and even more impressed 46 years later. At only 26, Graham had pretty much mastered what he was doing. Every track on these albums is worth listening to in my opinion, for his catchy, skillful, melodic basslines that are front and centre in the mix.

Each album is under 40 minutes long, with influences from new wave, reggae, rock, blues and probably more, so if you've never done so, have a listen, Graham is one of the best IMO.

SOLD?

28 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

IMO the series 6 is Trace Elliot at its best...gear didn't get better it just got lighter. 

Agreed Mick,

Whilst the SMX series added some useful bells and whistles such as compression and a blendable valve/solid state preamp, the Series 6 has a certain immediate clarity with clout never bettered by Trace Elliot. 

I remember the Art of Drumming series featured more than just rock drummers and was really interesting. Although I am glad it's been made, I think the heavy bias towards rock a bit unimaginative. 

Only seen episodes 1 and 2 so far. I found episode 2 pretty boring with mostly "agricultural" Grade 1 level playing. Maybe that's why they shoehorned in Larry Graham and Mark King, to counter the impression it was giving that bass can be mastered in a couple of hours?

I did appreciate confirmation of my excuse for not singing anything more than oohs and aahs backing however; it's bloody difficult!

I've just watched the first episode. Not a massive PH fan, but enjoyed all the contributions. Definitely worth watching because it covers all styles, not just PH.

1 hour ago, Cliff Edge said:

This is voodoo magic. But I might give it a try next full moon. Thanks. 

You're welcome. It only takes about 5 to 10 minutes and saves a fortune unless you have to start each gig with super bright zingy strings.

4 hours ago, Cliff Edge said:

I’m quite old but the old loosen them off and twang them routine is not something I’m familiar with? 

Loosen each dull string, one at a time, until you can pull it up from the fretboard about an inch to an inch and a half. Let it slap hard back down on to the fretboard, repeat this moving your lifting position up and down the fretboard about 20 times or more. Then retune that string. It will then be brighter than before. Compare to the brightness of the other strings before moving to the next string.

I think it has nothing to do with removing dust/grime, it's more to do with relaxing the outer roundwound wire from the central core.

Then repeat for the other strings.

Deleted. Didn't read the first post correctly. Doh!

I loved TI flats on my Pino P but disliked them greatly on my MM USA Sterling, on which they sounded way too high mid forward.

I'm an old roundwounds fan; although I do frequently brighten them up with the loosen them off and twang them routine.

10 hours ago, Deedee said:

Oh that’s a gorgeous rig. Can’t remember the last time I saw one of the shallower 1x15 cabs, let alone one up for sale. 😍

Cheers. Rare indeed; in fact it took me a couple of years constant searching to find that version of the cab loaded with a Fane 15 driver to match with my Series 6 1215 combo.

2 hours ago, Beedster said:

Reason for my original enquiry, latest bitsa project to land….

 

I'm guessing that's an old passive DiMarzio pickup? I haven't played one since the 80's, but I imagine it's close to perfect here. 

I bought a scratchplate and pup cover for my MM Sterling from Dave. Arrived in quick time, as new and superbly packaged. Great price too.

Thanks Dave.

Deleted.

Very good condition Trace Elliot Series 6 GP12 AH200 head and Classic compact 1153 ported single 15" cabinet. 

Everything works exactly as it should and delivers the classic Trace Elliot tones in a lightweight (by TE standards) package. Also does just about every modern tone with its extremely flexible twelve band graphic equalizer section.

This would also make a great studio set up due to no cooling fan background noise.

£350 collected from Bury St Edmunds or localish meet up, including Roqsolid covers, Jack to XLR Klotz speaker cable and mains lead.

Thanks for looking.

6 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

Mo once offered me a fretless lesson. Wish I’d taken him up on it!

Mo Foster – A History of His Fender Jazz Fretless Bass – FretlessBass.com https://share.google/3o3Q4mBuGEY8oYkqg