Prime_BASS

I made a very stupid choice in trading a my beloved old Stingray for a rare-ish recent-ish Fender US P-bass. The one time I had GAS but subsequently I sold the P-bass, then took a road to get the same sound back. One stupid decision made me take a hard one in selling a bunch of stuff I loved, including the only sterling bass I think I could ever own (used by some one I like before, old style bridge etc) plus a bit of saving and I got my Sandberg. There are a few things I would like to try, but that's it, I'd up trying and even if I spent saving to get them I know deep down I would end up moving it on. All the previous trouble and heart ache to get me the stuff I love now puts me off a great deal. A lot of emotion has gone into the 'Berg and so I wouldn't want to loose that. If you have the chance to try the thumb bass and in your band's setting then you'll know a bit better, if you should go through with it. I'd pay attention to your emotions while being as realistic as possible.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1355079827' post='1893810'] I simply couldn't comment [/quote] Having had a fair share of EBMM basses I know that they are top notch stuff, not had a bad one as such, and only ever falling out with them because of my own taste, and one that I let go of and shouldn't. One that I will continue to regret I think for a good long time. Even more so as now it's been refinished and will never quiet be the same bass. The Sandberg is a lovely instrument though and I would dare say a better tool than my old Stingray, although the old stingray had a bit more character.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1355055105' post='1893339'] The other point to note is that most bassists in the UK probably don't spend much time on here, if at all. We are, in my mind, in a bit of a bubble when it comes to trends and prices. I don't refer to eBay prices because eBay is a joke with everything! [/quote] True, I find it hard to talk to any bassist about anything that isn't mainstream. My best conversations about gear and stuff have been with people I've met on here. Although I do think prices on eBay are similar to those on here. Although I sold my markbass cabs for £300 each posted and on eBay one went for nearly £400 colleceted. I lost out no big deal, but the knock on effect of my fairly low priced item is that when others sell theirs for more they might not shift as easily as the market is clever and would know they can be had for less, so why pay more? even if you really want it? Buying anything as personal as a bass or equipment is always different for every case. I picked up one of my cabs used for £190, I brought the second, exactly the same brand new for £262 just because I really wanted my full rig for a gig.

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1355055119' post='1893340'] I don't when they enabled bass in polyphonic mode, but I know that the big one didn't support bass polyphonic tuning originally. If you have an older one though, you can apparently download a software upgrade from the website. [/quote] I did update mine but it just didn't want to do it with any real accuracy, and by the time I've tuned one string I had to strum all of them again to go onto the next. So just doing them individually became to as quick and more accurate. And like I say, my board only has three pedal, a filter and a power supply and it's still a squeeze.

Everyone knows I play bass, it's how I great people I meet for the first time. Although I don't say I'm in a band..... Plus I'm always claiming my greatness on facebook about it.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1354959657' post='1892319'] I was going to start a thread about the big one as I'm about to get one, nearly went for the mini until I realised (was told) it only works off a power supply! Looks like everyone is happy with their big ones though? If so Santa best pop one in his sack! [/quote] If you were going to use it on a board anyway the smaller one makes sense as. still just as bright and accurate, still mutes sound when it's on. And the polyphonic tuning is really difficult to grasp(personally) I can see why you'd go for the bigger one if you just want a pedal tuner and that's it. But then I'd go for the boss one as it's easier to get the battery in and out without a screwdriver.

I had the big one and can't say I used the polyphonic-ness to any great effect, for whatever reason just was all over the place, so would end up tuning individually anyway. Plus my board is tiny so space is at a premium.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1354978540' post='1892555'] That`s the power of increased mids, methinks. [/quote] true. Regardless of what I do with the amp at home (usually flat, with cut bass) I nearly always find myself adding mids at gigs. I always have the mids on the bass a little past the centre detent too anyway.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1354554364' post='1887301'] 1975 qualifies as vintage, so any modification will automatically devalue the bass. 1999 won't hit vintage status for a while, so upgrading the pickups or fitting an after-market pickguard shouldn't do any damage and might actually add value. [/quote] I've added new and better pickups to basses before, pickups that cost £60 used at least, and it didn't add value to the bass. For some reason(more so on here) people are a bit anal, anything you sell, even if it's a squire standard, people ask if it has the orginial parts available etc etc. if not people don't seem interested. Bits-a-basses even if all parts are from fenders made in the same place they don't seem to sell for what a complete as standard fender would.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1354975772' post='1892513'] That and their marketing is just a bit odd. Like from what folk say- quality wise there is little that touches them in their price bracket - but they don't themselves tell you that! The stuff that looks like fenders are always going to be half popular - but looking at the range the basic stuff looks the most interesting - and from my guestimation the pups are in the MM sweet spot - but they don't say that - or tell you much. [/quote] I think the basic is their best bass personally(although I may be biased, and I don't like fender stuff too much) You'd be right in the pickup placement, although I don't think they are allowed to say out right that is it is that sweetspot position. I think they had to change all the J and P's to V and T's for some legal reason too. And BTW it does sound like a Stingray, and a Warwick in it's articulation of notes, although it is a lot easier to coax out jazz bridge sounds and P bass sounds as the preamp is very un-coloured, the difference between active and passive is the active has extended top and bottom, and the passive sounds like a very open bass, yet still sounds passive with that nice saturation in sound. Also about Sandbergs marketing. They have recently (as what it looks) gave that davidsinsrocks dude over on YouTube an endorsement, seen a few vids with a weird jazz sandberg with the mm pickup in the middle position, sounded crap to me, but he has a few on now with a custom Sandberg basic 4M and sounds lovely. Also MarloweDK on YouTube has a signature model sandberg, both have a very impressive amount of views on any given video they upload.

off topic but I just read through your sig.... Where do you keep all that stuff?

I don't think it's weird. I use my LittleMark Tube with every cab I can get my hand onto. At our usual space I have an Ampeg SVT806HE, at the other I use a Ampeg 810, and my own rig for gigs I have to Ampeg 210's. Markbass stuff always sounds good through humungo ampeg cabs.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1354840460' post='1891244'] I was going to actually say that Sandberg basses seem to lose a LOT of money. [/quote] The basics don't do so well, neither do the custom ones people have ordered then try to pass on. But I've seen some California fetch decent enough prices, but it always takes the right buyer for the right bass. Every bass is only worth what some one is willing to pay, unfortunately a lot of people will pay a lot less for something and a lot more for something else. Unfortunately that is effected by the economy as well as the market, if you've seen one US jazz standard go for less that £600 why would someone else expect to sell theirs for £800. I struggle to part more than £600 on any given bass regardless of brand or whatever, new or secondhand. Infact I've only ever had one bass that was more than that.

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1354729794' post='1889732'] Prime Bass, we mostly gig around Nottingham so come and see/hear it for yourself (if you like reggae) [/quote] Who is this 'we' i'll try and keep an eye out for dates when I'm free etc. What amp are you using? The website suggests it's made for valve jobbies, so I wonder if using something like a class D power amp would have any negative effects on the amp or the cab.

Personally I feel it a sign of the times. Nothing seems to be fetching prices they could have fetched a year or so ago. Although the Stingrays have fluctuated between 600-900£ in the last 2 or so years. Also the warwick joke is a bit poor, I know that the double $ corvettes don't seem to be fetching a great deal, but until bolt on thumb 4's are under £600 used then Ithink a lot of the Warwick stuff is selling at greater prices than EBMM. Sandberg's California series seem to hold their value at the minute.

[quote name='Jigster' timestamp='1341001560' post='1712828'] ah, some experts online! I know it's pretty self explanatory, but occurs to me that in passive the Basic has no eq - does any of the knobs do tone control? [/quote] Personally I don't think it needs one, the passive mode does give that nice passive 'sheen' to the sound, but it has a lot more top end than most passive basses, probably because it by passes everything else. I would try one before hand though as always. I'm not a fan of passive sounds on any bass but this is pretty nice, I think a tone control would just get in the way. The active sound is too nice though. I just wish the bass band's Q wasn't that wide as it does effect a lot of the frequency range, compared to EBMM standard preamp.

love to see a pic of a 69'er

To me an item is only worth what some one will buy it for. To some that's less and to others it's more. deal with it. Personally I am a bit rude, if I do get offers that are totally no where near the mark, then I won't reply. Which is bad, but at the same time I have only recently got my laptop back so it's been a bit of a ballache reading and replying to messages.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1354658056' post='1888920'] is bumping such a problem? I haven't paid much attention, and I am sure some bump a lot... but I never had the feeling that it was a problem. Some forums like "basses for sale" get a lot of traffic, and there's only so much space on the first page, so you're not going to stay there long. I don't know. It never bothered me so far. [/quote] I haven't really noticed a problem, for me there are just a lot of the passers by, not users, who have only registered to put their item for sale from Europe or where ever. I like both the forum style and the 'eBay' style of the classifieds section, and I'm sure with some refinement it will be a lot better and easier to use. Although the furom way feels a lot more friendly, with conversations about items as such happening. The classifieds section is a bit formal. The yearly subscription? It would stop a lot of the passers by from Europe (or even the UK) adding there threads with a few lines and some contact details. Also it might reinforce a stronger standard of thread i.e price, pictures, info etc. Although, I have sold a lot on here, I don't sell and buy stuff all year round on here, so a £20 yearly fee would be unreasonable. I appreciate the forum no end, I have had some great gear come through there. It may be better to have an 'donation' which grants access to the marketplace forums which has a base rate.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1354378682' post='1885382'] Agreed. But does that include the amp's EQ? [/quote] It does essential effect the sound, even the pre-amp and power amp effect the signal in some way. There are plenty of EQ pedals out there, that are very diffinate effects, so it would be wrong to say an amps EQ isn't . Although I would say having amp is essential regardless(unless you are definitely just doing acoustic wityh an acoustic or upright bass) so you can really argue that point.

[quote name='paulie' timestamp='1354458660' post='1886127'] I have tried tons of comp pedals. I rate Ovni Lab as a good reference point. [/quote] This! Compression in a pedal form is a very personal thing I find. The T-rex(one I've had an kept) is the best I've had, very transparent and can be both subtle and squashing, although mine is a bit noisy, but that doesn't bother me too much. It runs on silly power though so I got an adapter to run it on my diago power station, which was fair bit of money but still worth it. I'd the Markbass and T-rex compressor are both very similar and only differ really in terms of enclosure design. I'd like the markbass cause the knobs have less tendency to move around, but it's huge. And if you have OCD like me you check knobs and such before you start playing anyway. I use my comp mainly to bring everything inline frequency wise, and smooth out a lot of the unwanted dynamics, although subtle playing still sounds very subtle, but just louder. Also it's great for amp shares, when other people are using my amp I make them use my board as the comp brings down or up their input gain so the amp settings don't have to be change and reducing the risk of cooking something in the process.