Merton

Merton's bass amps, a potted history: First amp: Vox Bass Escort. Sounded nice now I look back on those early days of playing, but very underpowered. Left to rust outside my parents house for a year or two back in about 1996. Second amp: Laney somethingy. Very punchy, very underpowered. Third amp (still got): Trace Elliot Commando 15 100W. Underpowered for rock gigs but a bloody good sound for jazz. First real rig: Trace AH300-12 into an Ashdown MAG410T. Loved that rig, it sounded really really good. Trouble is, then I discovered bassworld and GAS kicked in. Have since sold the MAG, bought a TE 1x15 and 2x10 and got the "real" TE sound. Bought a V-Type combo and found tonal nirvana. Then sold the 12-band head as I was getitng fed up with the EQ section, bought an Eden Nemesis which was fantastic but way too underpowered for my rock band. Sold the Nemesis and 2x10 cab and bought a 2nd V-Type combo and 4x8 extension cab. I have also used the following: Ampeg SVT somethingy through an 8x10 Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II through my old MAG410T Hartke HA3500 through Hartke 4x10 cabs Hartke HA3500 through Ashdown ABM 8x10 cab Onto the winnners: [b]Best live sound:[/b] Trace V-Type 1x15 combo and 1x15 cab (haven't used the 8x8 rig in anger yet so can't really compare) [b]Best looking rig:[/b] Trace V-Type 4x8 combo and 4x8 cab [b]Best for small gigs:[/b] Trace Commando 15 combo [b]Loudest:[/b] Trace AH300-12 into MAG410T, very closely followed by the 2x15 V-Type thing I have going at the mo. And the losers: Everyhting i've used that isn't mine...: Ampeg SVT somethingy through 8x10 - I found it ill defined, muddy and I hated it Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II - tied with the Ampeg for the same reason Hartke HA3500 through Ashdown ABM 8x10 cab - er, also tied with the Ampeg and EVO II, the ABM cab sucked all life and brightness from the Hartke. This may win loudest rig when i eventually get to use it all tho:

It's for new products only, it came into force in July 2006. Anything that's sold new in the EU from that date has to be compliant, no matter where it was built.

[quote name='BassManKev' post='191387' date='May 3 2008, 11:34 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300221136766&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=020"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=020[/url] cool or not cool? sexy or not sexy? overpriced or bang on? i cant decide they sounds great from what iv heard, and it seems like a rare beast, what do we think?[/quote] Cool Sexy Overpriced But I'd prefer a new status T-Bass with graphite neck thesedays!

Friday night was good, our usual stint at the Crow's nest in East Grinstead but there were lots of "muso" types in the audience looking thoroughly displeased with us by the end which i thought was amusing - probably becasue i dind't play the proper bassline to Freebird.... Last night was amazing. The hotel is a horrible set up with the bar almost in a different timezone from the reception room; last time we played there the first set was dead as everyone was still trying to get drunk. Last night, however, the dancefloor was packed from the first song in the first set to the last note of the 2nd encore. Everyone loved it, we were on damn fine form (even if I do say so myself) and my Retroactive sounded [i]gorgeous[/i] through my 2x15 V-Type rig Roll on Tuesday night and the mighty Lep now

[quote name='tauzero' post='184454' date='Apr 24 2008, 12:28 PM']Covers band - it's the singer who does that. But it's not just that, in two and a half years of playing exactly the same f***ing set in exactly the same f***ing order at every f***ing gig, he still hasn't learnt either the words or the arrangements, so we have to be alert to every occasion he might suddenly decide that there should be an extra chorus or one less verse or the vocals should come back in seven bars before the end of the solo (or three bars afterwards). Oh yes, and asking for requests, which we won't be able to play because we don't know them. And asking for guest singers, who will want to sing songs which we don't know in a random key very badly. And just not stopping rabbiting on between songs, when the guitarist is giving him the chord for him to start singing again and again.[/quote] Are you sure you're not playing in my covers band??!!! Our male singer still has to have the words on a music stand, 6 years after we started the sodding band. I know we're constantly adding new songs, but for the love of god, having the words for Alright Now is unforgiveable!! Last month he complained to our sound guy that he'd not put any lighting onto the stage and he couldn't see his lyrics. So he went and pinched a house uplighter thing from the hotel lounge and stuck it next to the music stand. Yeah, that looks good....

Dirty pots probably?

[quote name='ped' post='183137' date='Apr 22 2008, 08:01 PM']Aha thanks Merton. Interesting. I was about to upload the schematics and manuals for my pre-amp too. Does this head have the single gain stage?[/quote] Yep, single gain stage on the V-Type stuff, none of your fancy overdrive channels, we just have to turn up the gain

Oh, and yes, 2x 12AX7s or ECC83s.

If it's been looked after the valves will probably be fine. Preamp valves tend to have a longer life than power amp valves. If not, not sure the best place to go coz I got all mine in trades on here! Watford Valves have a good reputation tho... I'll reiterate, £100 for this is a fookin steal, do make sure you get it coz you won't regret it!

[quote name='ped' post='183014' date='Apr 22 2008, 06:10 PM']Hi Golder, I have never played one of the hybrid V-types but I have an all valve V type which I think has the same pre-amp? If it has 7 valves in it then it is the same anyway... Mine is called the V4 because it has the V pre and 4 power valves. Kiwi has a V8, with 8 power valves. Always wants more, that boy. I have never heard a sweeter sounding amplifier in all my dayz. Regarding cabinets, they come up every now and then on eBay to match this head. I am always looking for a cloth grilled and vinyl sided cab to match my V type so I will keep an eye out for your perfect cab too.[/quote] The V4 / V8 preamp is a different beasty altogether, redesigned for that series. The V-Type series is a dual 12AX7 preamp.

[quote name='danlea' post='182754' date='Apr 22 2008, 01:37 PM']Ah! I spent too long on getting the text and you beat me to the answer! Ok, so I have two people suggesting the 2x2x10 option now. This does intrigue me because I have the 2x10, and have tried it, and I don't prefer it's bottom end to my 1x15 combo (and I can't imagine that the larger 1x15 cabinet is going to be worse than the combo). Perhaps we just have different ideas of what constitutes a 'nice' bottom end. I love the sound of fifteens, at least with my precision sound. I can imagine preferring all tens for a jazz sound (which I shall have soon, thanks to Champion Badger), but of course it's all speculation, and as bass ferret rightly noted, theory is useful, but it's what you hear that matters. All in all I'm looking for a warm rounded tone more than I am a really punchy one, so the 1153T seems a good option for now. It's also the safest option given that I do love my current tone, and this step is essentially that of least difference. I'd also like to at least try out the bi-amping facility on the new head, and the fifteen really should be more suitable for that (the Trace Elliot manual actually suggests this configuration for bi-amping, specifically in stereo, but it also applies to mono). Dan.[/quote] Hehe. Whereabouts in London are you? Do you wanna come try my 1153 before you buy the one you've seen? I'm about 30mins from central London on the train...

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='182717' date='Apr 22 2008, 12:48 PM']Why on earth would you want to block the ports?[/quote] The USP of the old TRrace range! Both unplugged for xHz, one plugged for yHz and both plugged for sealed. Never bothered plugging mine, mind. Dan, I think you'll be surprised about the 1153 cab (that's the one you're looking at getting). IME the 2x10 had a better bottom end than the 1x15. It's a nice Trace-sounding cab, don't get me wrong, but the 2x10 is "nicer" and kinda support bass_ferret's argument that another 2x10 offers the best solution.

[quote name='mav' post='181610' date='Apr 21 2008, 10:31 AM']Really, that easy? I'm googling to see if there avaliable in Aus. Edit, and they are, $141 each. Is it a simple job to replace? i'm pretty handy with a soldering iron.[/quote] Yup [quote name='mr pablo' post='181650' date='Apr 21 2008, 11:27 AM']Yup it does sound nice [/quote] Good good (I'd go as far to say it sounds BETTER with the Eminences...) Sorry I never saw ya last time you were in London, hopefully next time!

[quote name='obbm' post='181604' date='Apr 21 2008, 10:24 AM']Personally I think it would be great with a BFC. [/quote] That's a mighty fine idea

I used an Ashdown MAG410T with mine or a TE 1153. Personally I didn't like the Ashdown with it but the 1x15 was nice. My current rig is any combination of 1x15, 2x15, 4x8, 8x8, 4x8 and 1x15... But any speakers will be OK, just make sure they make the sound you want!

I put 2 Eminence Beta 10s in my old TE 2x10 cab, that's 500W @ 8 ohms handling. Sounded nice!

Rare-ish, yes. I sold one a few years ago for over £300, so £100 is a bloody bargain. I have two of the combos now, and love 'em to bits

[quote name='obbm' post='179039' date='Apr 17 2008, 05:14 PM']This is the place for Trace: [url="http://www.britishaudioservice.com/trace_manuals_bass.shtml"]http://www.britishaudioservice.com/trace_manuals_bass.shtml[/url] Go fetch!![/quote] Hmm, last time I looked there it wasn't on the list Cheers!

[quote name='obbm' post='179012' date='Apr 17 2008, 04:45 PM']Correct about the F1-X. I have the schematics for the F1-X, Trace V-series, Fender Bassman, BBE-BMAX-T, Trace V8(yes it's different) and they are all much the same component for component. I'm just about to have a look into a Peavey Max pre-amp valve section which at a glance again looks very similar. The Alembic F2-B is quite different.[/quote] Dave, could I be cheeky and ask you to send me a copy of the V-Type schematic? I had it years ago but carelessly lost it when moving computers... Cheers!

[quote name='Machines' post='177955' date='Apr 16 2008, 03:35 PM']The topic of 2x8 Cabinet implies it is the cabinet. I've seen them in a couple of shops but not dared to ask to plug into one... maybe I will soon, am curious as to how such a small cab will perform.[/quote] Same here, so much so that I'm thinking of building a 2x8 combo later this year... Whoop

It's all about Status neck with Alder body. At least it is for my Retroactive.

[quote name='Shaggy' post='176276' date='Apr 14 2008, 02:04 PM']I seem to remember the V-series TE's are based on the Bassman circuitry, at least the pre-amp.[/quote] Indeed the pre-amp is based on the Bassman circuit, a nice simple passive tone stack. Mmm. I like.

We have a massive flightcase formerly owned by T'Pau. What do I win?