TRBboy

Well, this was a fun project!😁 I fancied a cheap 1x15" to go with my Markbass LMII and Ashdown ABM Mini 15 practice rig, so kept my eyes peeled. I came across what was once a Trace Elliot combo in a very sorry state, but it was only £20, and I do LOVE a project! I trimmed off the section where the amp used to be, flipped it on its side, plugged the old handle routs and speakon hole (installed by the previous owner), and sanded it all up. Painted with Tuff Cab, new corners and handles, painted the grille with satin black Hammerite, and created a new location for the speakon connector. Et Voila! Really pleased with how it's come out, probably cost me about £70 all in. 👌 Just waiting on replacement port rings now, which @SamIAm is kindly 3D printing for me. One original was missing and the other was cracked.

Yeah, on further reflection this morning, I think I might give it a good polish up and leave it as is. Might put gold hardware on it at some point, I've always liked black and gold 👌

No, unusually it was a tone toggle. One way direct to the jack, one went to a resistor, and the other went to a 0.1uV capacitor. This meant basically you had one 'okay' sound, one very bright and one very dark. Unfortunately the pickup only has two conductor wiring, otherwise I would've installed a series/split/parallel DPDT mini toggle. 🤷

I reckon 3 ply black would look killer! ❤️👌🔥💥

Been doing a bit more tinkering, got rid of the 'tone toggle' switch and installed a regular tone control with orange drop. Much better for my tastes! Easier to dial in a sweet spot and not have all or nothing. Just used since knobs I had spare from my 5 string build recently. YES that is a massive washer underneath! 🤣 Turns out the toggle hole was pretty big, so found a washer in the shed the right size. 😏🤌 In terms of refinish, current favourites are: a) leave it as it is b) the Manilla light green pictured above c)... Let my 11y/o arty son go at it with his Posco markers! 🤷

I think it looks great mate! Personally, I'd be tempted to make a new pickguard for it though. I've always fancied a YOB Blazer or Yamaha BB (1981). ❤️👌 Is your neck alignment a touch off or is it just the photo angle? Congrats anyway, it looks superb!

Yeah I did think about that, but then boards are quite expensive, and I guess it's not too small as such, just awkward as you rightly say. Maybe my next DIY project.... 😏

That's stunning, congrats! ❤️👌🔥

Yeah very true, I like using the wah with other effects too. Think I'm going to have another re-jig with what I've got this weekend and see where I end up. I could take the power bar off there to make some space, although it irritates me having it separate. Thanks for all the help 🙏

That's a good shout, but I do also have a tendency to click effects on as the mood takes me. I could easily put my few most common ones on consecutive patches though. Our set list tends to vary regularly (often during a set 😅), so I don't think I could be arsed with that.

No, but it means I could get rid of the wah, so I'll save that space 😊👌

@Al Krow ah I see you can, there is a 'stomp mode'. The only downside is that you have to cycle through the effects in the patch to turn different ones on and off.... Looking at the B1X-four also now, as I could use the wah on that... 👌

Thanks Al, that was also on my radar! I wasn't sure again about switching between effects though, would I just have to up/down through patches? I know you can use up to 5 effects in each patch, but can you trigger them individually whilst performing?

Hey folks! 😊 I have a Zoom B3 on my pedal board, which I've had for donkeys years. I mainly use it for 'occasional' effects that I might only use for the odd song during a set, like chorus, octave, fuzz or envelope, and I just use it in stompbox mode, i.e. I use one patch, with three different effects on. I have standalone pedals for the effects I use more, like comp, a light drive on the MXR (and clean boost), and heavier drive on the Boss. I've recently reintroduced the wah, and although I don't use it much, I do enjoy it! 😊 The problem is, the zoom takes up a lot of space and although I've played around with configurations, it's all a bit.... Awkward. I had to ditch my tuner pedal and use the one on the zoom instead. So, I'm thinking about space saving, and wondered if the zoom MS-60b is worth looking at? My only reservation is I don't understand whether I could switch through effects whilst playing, or trigger individual or multiple effects? Other options include; ditch the boss and use a drive on the zoom (I don't use heavier drive for many songs), ditch the wah and buy a compact expression pedal to use a wah on the zoom (is the pedal wah on the zoom any good?), or ditch the zoom altogether and get a cheap chorus pedal. I do like having the zoom though for it's flexibility, and if I suddenly need a different effect, I can find it. Any thoughts or opinions much appreciated! 🙏 Thanks EDIT: I should add, I'm looking to spend as little as possible on any changes! 😅

Good shout, series/split/parallel mini toggle would be well easy to do. That MM humbucker at the bridge can be a bit overpowering

Exactly right, there is one locking screw in each saddle you need to loosen off before you can adjust the saddle. 👌 @Hausbass if you have successfully lowered the saddles and it's still high, does it need some relief taking out of the neck? I've had 9 Sandbergs (I think 🤔), 4 of them were custom builds direct from Sandberg and they all arrived perfectly set up.

I'd try a pickup change first. I'm a big Sandberg fan, and the neck feel and playability are like nothing else. However, the standard large pole piece pickups leave me a bit cold.... Conversely, their Alnico V pickups in my TT5 passive are absolutely killer, really toneful and organic.

Definitely worth trying if you can, you'll never be able to form your own opinion otherwise. As we all know, whether a bass is 'good' or not is entirely subjective and personal. However, I guess what I was trying to say in a roundabout way before, is that I always prioritise feel. Pickups can be changed very easily, but unless you fancy taking a rasp and sandpaper to your new pride and joy, there's nothing you can do easily about the neck feel. I really liked the BB435 I had before, but on a gig it was a bit on the heavy side, and there was something about the neck that felt a little 'clumsy' compared to Sandberg. However, I LOVE the neck on my BBN5, which is entirely different to the newer BB's.

Huge Sandberg fan here too! And it was the necks I fell in love with also. I've had various BB's, although not any of these P series. They're great basses, and obviously will be superb quality, but the neck profile isn't the same (comfortable, but a bit 'fuller' in my experience). The BB would also likely be heavier. If you really like the Sandberg necks, but want something more like a BB, I'd be looking at a California VT or something, with Alnico V pickups. The Alnicos in my TT5 passive are so much more toneful than the Delano style pickups from Sandberg.

Which ironically became a mainstream genre in the 90's 😅 @BigRedX has the origin story nailed, but at some point 'Indie' seems to have become a cover-all for guitar band pop/soft rock.

You can apply it smooth, the stuff I've got is satin/matte kind of finish. If you use the textured roller it's much more.... Textured! 😅 Just kinda wondered if that would look cool on a bass, or just rubbish? 🤣🤔

Great to see you here Stuart! Sorry to ask an idiot question right of the bat (someone's got to do it, right?), but do you have any ideas where I might find a pair of port rings for an old TE cab I'm refurbing? Thanks 🙏

Other options... Also, having just refinished a speaker cab, I'm wondering if anyone's ever repainted a bass with Tuff Cab! 😅 Amazing stuff😏👌

I think the pickups in the 43X series are a huge improvement on the 41X and 42X series (unpopular opinion I know), wish I hadn't sold my 435. Personally I have a soft spot for the late 90's/early 2000's BB's, here's my BBN5 I customised

That's stunning man, congrats! ❤️🔥👌