Marky L

40 minutes ago, TimR said:

The point is; the gates to the neutral and live will now remain open when you remove the transformer, until you remove the pencil. The original 'earth' pin would have been plastic and only there to open the gates.

 

You could then drop all sorts of metallic objects into the socket by accident. Or if your fingers are small enough they could be pushed in. 

 

Only needs for the transformer to be doslodged while you change a string, when one end of the string just happens to flick into the live, and you have the ideal recipie for a scene from Final Destination, or The Omen. 😆

 

 

Ah ok. To clarify, the pencil is used to poke in the earth socket to open the guards on the live and neutral sockets to allow the pins to enter. As soon as they start to slide in, I'd remove the pencil as it's not needed from then on.

2 hours ago, BillyBass said:

Any class 2 appliance will have a symbol.  A square in a square, which you can clearly see below the CE mark on Marky's plug.  Some pedal board psus use class 2 transformer/plugs, some just us a standard class 1 plug and have the transformer further down.

Thank you for the info in your replies.

3 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I think the PAT test sticker suggests this is a joke. 

Well I did use it for a number of gigs and then sat in the bag for a while (hence the six months). TBH, we used to do similar in a computer store I worked in years ago when we got euro plugs in on something. At least I wasn't using a screwdriver to stick in the earth socket 😆

Does anybody else have a dodgy temp fix that has become  semi-permanent? 

The earth pin somehow snapped off my pedal board power cube PSU whilst in its case. An IKEA pencil in the bottom of my gig bag pocket and a quick reshape with the multitool and voila! It's now fixed to the PSU with a hair tie and after six months is proving is efficacy 😃

12 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

The spring is free, but my fee is...also free.

Thank you, but I'm sure I can give you something (as I may need some assistance fitting it!) 😊

34 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

I have asked them to send the spring. 

Amazing! Thank you very much.

56 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

I had a reply from Tech21:

”

Do you know which specific unit your customer is referring to? It looks like it might be a Bass Driver Programmable or Deluxe. If you can provide the serial number that would be helpful. 

 

Something is up. The one spring appears too short and possibly the TACT switch separated from the PCB. It's easy enough to test the TACT switch by depressing it with your fingernail. If it functions, you can try to stretch the spring a bit so it comes in contact and or reattach the switch to the PCB. If you can't make the spring work let us know and I will have the office send you one.”

I

OK.

The spring does make contact when the switch is depressed but there isn't enough of it to activate the microswitch. I popped a nylon pick between the TACT and the spring, tried again and there is a definite click and the light activates and deactivates. So it's down to the spring.

The serial number is -

IMG_0880.HEIC IMG_0882.HEIC

Looking forward to the ton of gear head comments 😄 No, I actually am.

2 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

In this instance, any switch or contact cleaner will not work. Those tactile microsites are sealed and do not work in the same way as a traditional electro-mechanical switch. There may be a need for some lubricant in the actual stomp button to keep is moving freely. 

 

As @Phil Starr says, you can experiment with foam or felt pads between the springs and the switch, but be careful. Firstly, the switches themselves are not that robust and secondly, too much pressure may lead to the switch being activated permanently, as though your foot was always on the foot switch. Use the rubber end of a pencil or even a cotton buds to make sure that the switch itself is still operating correctly. 

I did wonder about trying that, I certainly would like to try and get a permanent fix though.

15 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

Ir looks like the foot switches just push a microswitch on the PCB below. After mechanical switches, microswitches are one of those components that are not that reliable. However, that fact that the spring is not con physically connected to the microswitch.

 

It looks like the spring has about 2 coils less on S1 than S3, although it does not look as though the sporing has broken. I have contacted Tech21 support for advice, but unless the PCB has moved away from the spring, it looks like a new spring may be all that is needed. 

Thank you. I appreciate your help 

@Chienmortbb Ok a bit more info.

The faulty switch does seem to make a click sound as per the other functioning pair. 
 

When turning the unit on, S1 is lit up and active automatically. It DOESN’T disengage when clicking it. If you click one of the others, they go active. If you then go back and click on S1 nothing happens. 
 

Hope that makes sense. 
 

12 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

I will admit to being ignorantly of the circuitry involved in the Sansamp BDDI, I will contact Tech 21 for more info.

 

Some questions, when working normally,  does the switch normally give a definite click when pushed? If not then they use some form or electronic switching. To stay true to their analogue circuitry, they are probably used IC based analogue switches. In the early days, these were frowned upon by the HiFi fraternity but they do allow simpler all along designs and the use of momentary switches rather than mechanically latched ones. This should improve reliability.

 

I am based in the Conurbation (Poole), so happy to have a look at it.

As I recall, on turning it on, switch 1 is active. It disengages if pushed but then won’t engage (I need to double check). I’m sure it does click but will confirm when I get home later. 

i had a quick look before going to work this morning and noticed the spring on S1 is too short and not in contact with the pad. S3 is in contact. Pics attached. 
 

I may well take you up on the offer 😃👍 Thanks. 
 

39 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

I opened mine up and gave the inside of the switches a good squirt of Servisol (switch cleaner) no further problems to date.

 

I run mine on batteries, I find that if the batteries are getting close to dead the switches don't work as they should. Remember these aren't actual swiches, which are in the electronics, they just send a signal that you want to change something and if the batteries need changing then you don't have enough power for the programmable to work

 

Paging @Chienmortbb

 

 

Thanks

I am a klutz when it comes to electronics and was a little concerned that I'd end up making things worse. I have Servisol, I have screwdrivers.. maybe I'll have another look. 😬🤞

I run mine on mains BTW.

Hi

I have a Sansamp BDDI and one of the selector buttons (the first one) won't engage any more. I did contact Tech 21 to see if there was an official repair centre in the UK, but no. Therefore.. does anyone know a good electronic engineer/repairer more versed in music equipment that could fix it? (I'm in the Bournemouth area if there is anyone local.)

Thanks

14 hours ago, Buddster said:

Not really a review, rather a shout out to RightOn. 

I've got 3 of them and find them excellent. 

However, the reason for the post is my most recent purchase. 

I emailed them late Sunday evening regarding a custom strap design. Nothing too elaborate, but they don't sell one I wanted. 

Had a reply 1st thing Monday morning saying that they could make it, no problem. 

Payed, and had an email confirming. 

 

It arrived this afternoon. From Spain!! 

In a lovely box, and purple tissue paper. 

 

Thats what I call good service.

Many thanks RightOn. 

Let's see it!

Thanks for the input folks. I guess I'm stuck in the "a bunch of notes in the hand" after the gig school, but I do like the idea of adding a percentage to the gig fee to cover their fees 😃

Ok so, covers band world here. Playing the usual mix of pubs and clubs and have always gone home with cash in my pocket for the night. 

But now it really seems to have swung to online payment. I can understand that many of the establishments take payments for booze etc via card and phone so there's less cash on the premises, but for and old skool oldie like me, it sucks.

As an example, we played a pub last Saturday (which I think is Greene King) and they informed us that we'd be payed online via whatever app it is that we are signed up to already. What bugs me is they quote payment for ten days after the event.. which is an arse pain BUT.. if you don't want to wait you can forego 2.5% of your fee for immediate payment.. even ruder! We play a few of this chain's pubs so it's becoming more of a regular occurrence for us.

So do you dump 2.5% (not much but it's the principle)? Also you either need a trustworthy designated banker (chortle) or a group bank account, the management of which is an arse pain too.

I don't like the way this modern world is going. Guess I'm very out of date now. 😔

Moan over. 😁

On 29/05/2025 at 17:39, Musicman20 said:

Just checking in on this - I am also interested in a ahem...RIC....Andy gave me some info but says he isn't an official dealer. Which has confused me....any info?

is it a 1980 4001? If so, you can hear it here!

Intrepid bass.. sorry behs goblin Danny Sapko did a vid recently featuring a bunch of basses at Andy Baxter's

4 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

....and ashtrays! I might get the configurator onto that later today @Marky L 👍

Ooooh yes!.. I mean no! No! 🤣

I've been trying not to look.. new full front brakes have to take precedence sadly (and another small cab).. but the combo that has got me all a quiver would be -

Neck 4 with body 5 with a black scratch plate for that classic 80's black and maple look but as a FL 😍

I doubt all this gorgeous gear will hang about long.

I'm in good company then 🤣 

Would be interesting to hear that amplified and see if it is just a clusterf**k of twiddly twaddle.

Fretless with a pick.. uhmmm.. well..

On 29/03/2025 at 16:30, BassApprentice said:

https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/17348909/bax-music-vraagt-uitstel-van-betaling-aan-ontslagen-broer-wil-bedrijf-terugkopen

 

Need to translate from Dutch obviously....

 

Real shame if they both go in the space of a week, but there might be a whole load of stock going through auctions in the near future.

 

Using Google translate.. so expect some wonkiness -

Bax Music has requested a deferment of payment today, Jochanan Bax confirms following reports from the PZC. The company is in financial trouble due to a combination of a decline in turnover and millions in debt to the tax authorities.

Things have gone wrong since corona," says co-founder and shareholder Jochanan Bax. "Professionals stopped taking action then. We then received corona support, but it still had to be repaid, of course." Then there was a fire in 2023. "As a result, there was little focus on commerce," says Bax. Discussion then arose about the future of the company. A number of shareholders wanted to sell it. “I wanted to grow,” says Bax.

Dismissal The disagreement escalated earlier this year. Jochanan Bax was fired by the other shareholders - his brother Nathanaël, father-in-law Hans van Deursen and investor Rabo Participaties.

An interim management was subsequently appointed. He tried to help the company out of its financial dire straits. But the debts turned out to have risen too high, writes the PZC. There is talk of excessive investments and failure to pay tax debts.

Receiver An administrator has now been appointed who, together with the management, is investigating options for a restart. Jochanan Bax says that he will certainly announce himself as the buyer of the remaining shares. Nathanaël Bax could not be reached for a response this afternoon.

Bax Music Bax Music is one of the largest online music stores in Europe. It was founded in 2003 by brothers Nathanaël and Jochanan Bax with a store in Goes. The company has stores in Goes, Apeldoorn, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Antwerp and Bruges.

That's very very similar to my tone. I use a Sansamp.

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

If this was due to their political views, that really is disgusting, especially with Trump and his goons going on about free speech all the time.

Ahh, "Free speech!" The clarion call of the right wing moron.