neepheid

[quote name='cliffyspliff' post='1145617' date='Mar 1 2011, 12:26 PM']Hi all, I have an I banez BTB450 guitar(4 string) that I want to use as a back up guitar to an Ibanez srx7000 that I currently use in my band......The problem is the volume output on the BTB is so low, you would never be able to hear it in the band mix.....we play loud usually covering heavy rock or metal......couple of questions.....If I were to only change the pre amp would this bring the sound level of the guitar up??......If I change the pickups would I need to change the Pre amp as well??....pickups in the guitar are Bartolini mk-1 and a standard 18v preamp(not sure of the model no.).......I like this guitar plays nice, sounds nice, its just too quiet....... Thanks in advance for any replys. Sean.[/quote] Obvious stuff first, have you tried fresh battery/ies?

The T-bird arrived today. A quick check to see that all is well with the pickups before complete dismantling. There will be some repair work to be done - the holes left by the posts for the three way bridge will need filling with mahogany dowel. That'll be the first job. Plus I'll get to work raising some project funds by selling the bits I don't need. I took a wee photo of the body with the bridge resting on it: Chunky

[quote name='fryer' post='1144716' date='Feb 28 2011, 05:57 PM']Without driving to Aberdeen and buying you two pints, do you know where I could get some from ?[/quote] The only stuff I can see on eBay is this stuff in the States: [url="http://musical-instruments.shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=headless+bridge&_sacat=3858&_ssn=fastsale123&_odkw=headless&_osacat=3858&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313"]http://musical-instruments.shop.ebay.co.uk...6.c0.m270.l1313[/url] That's the same unit that I've got. There's also eyewateringly expensive ABM stuff (around £380 from Allparts!) which you can get for about £200 before tax from the States.

7.5" or 19cm if you prefer. I like chunky, wide necks. I dislike skinny necks (Jazz etc).

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1143644' date='Feb 27 2011, 06:28 PM']There was also the OLP which was the low end versions made by a different company but licensed by MM like Squier.[/quote] Slight bone of contention - Squier is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fender, so the designs are not licensed by Fender and Squier are "allowed" to make budget copies - Squier IS Fender making budget versions of their own designs, wherever in the far East it is most economically advantageous to do so. OLP is a completely separate entity from EBMM, that's why OLP needed EBMM's permission through licensing to copy the designs.

[quote name='fryer' post='1143630' date='Feb 27 2011, 06:17 PM']Where did you get the headless hardwear ?[/quote] A kind forumite gave the hardware to me for the price of a beer

Yes, I do have a note of these things, along with (some) photos.

I guess if there's one place my '81 Victory Artist deserves to be, it's here: I think enough has been said elsewhere, it's heavy, it's beautiful, it sounds assured and authoritative, it's a winner for me (until my back gives way ) Also I recently acquired Hutton's 1987 IV. I haven't taken any pics of my own yet, so I hope he doesn't mind if I pinch one he took: This is a great bass - a wonderful counterpoint to the Victory - much lighter, passive, simple, yet much more varied in tone than I expected from a passive twin humbucker bass.

I have been through approaching 20 basses in 3 years. In that time I have found that I absolutely must have the following: Wide/chunky neck Front markers (I think fretted basses without markers look unfinished, lazy) And of course having developed a rather strange taste for Gibson basses although it was always there - my first bass was an Epiphone EB-3. I've found myself working towards a nice collection of "keepers" - ones which I like playing, like being seen playing (there surely has to be an accepted amount of vanity in this business), all with their own story or reason to justify their stay. There isn't much more that I would like to achieve. I would love to get my hands on a later Gibson RD Artist (post '79 with 2 preamp mode switches), but I can't see that happening for a few years due to the prices they fetch and the majority of the ones in the wild being 1978 models with the single 3 way preamp switch. I can't see myself habitually spending thousands on individual instruments even if I could afford it because frankly speaking I will never reach the standards of playing where I can justify such expenditure on what will likely always be a hobby.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1137331' date='Feb 22 2011, 05:12 PM']Not the white one per chance??[/quote] Nah, an Epi Goth with bridge issues: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180627722045"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180627722045[/url]

That's giving me gas, but not the wallet-destroying kind

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1136126' date='Feb 21 2011, 08:07 PM']good ideas. a lot of these old basses had major fret access problems. especially the fenders with the huge body/uncarved heel thing. kudos to you. wouldn't it be cheaper to make the body from scratch tho?[/quote] Possibly, but not at the price I have won a donor T-bird today

[quote name='Wil' post='1135675' date='Feb 21 2011, 04:00 PM']Why not get the bridge and headless nut anodised black?[/quote] I could probably find the exact same hardware in black, eventually. I've seen those bridges around on quite a few things. However, I've got a satin/not black one in my hand right now to mess about with so I'll go with it for now and worry about aesthetics later.

More GIMPery: Yes, I know the brushed/satin/not black hardware doesn't really go with white, but hey ho, what can you do? Make it black?

Components update: Donor T-bird located and (hopefully) secured. Headless hardware obtained (thanks to Dave Perry). Black pickguard with T-bird logo from USA (thanks to a kind user on bassoutpost).

Measuring the DC resistance of the coil only tells you how much wire is wrapped around there. There are many other factors which govern "output" - strength/type of magnet(s), physical distance from string are two off the top of my head.

Welcome to the forum

[quote name='Roland Rock' post='1134875' date='Feb 20 2011, 10:11 PM']Some entire sections such as Off Topic had disappeared[/quote] Cool, sounds like they're fixing things then

I bought Hutton's Gibson IV. Being a mere hour's drive away I went to see him last night and do the deal in person. What a gent, a fine cup of tea and richt good yap about basses and more. The bass is lovely and I promise that I'll take good care of it. Deal with confidence - a good guy who clearly takes care of his gear.

Nothing to add to the above correct information except the spacing on a Precision is correct and the spacing on a Jazz is incorrect* * for me.

Welcome to the forum

Whereabouts in Aberdeen? Original link not working, perhaps you scared him off?

[quote name='Quoth'd' post='1130930' date='Feb 17 2011, 01:03 PM']I have a Hartke 3500 (with corners and rack ears) . . . Now after doing a good turn for (now ex-guitarist) and offering to fix some of his PA cabs for him I made the mistake of using my beloved amp as to test for faults. After a quick turn of very quiet sound level quickly getting fainter - the amp went pop, wiz, bang and then silent [the day of a gig too] So after disassembling the speaker I quickly found out that the crossover had gone and went short as it warmed up (cause of blown amp established). That left me with my amp to fix. I pulled it apart & did all the usual checks then found that the output transistors had blown. So after a quick hunt round, I found a set of compatible replacements for the 4x pairs of output transistors which I fitted and checked again. Good signal with tone source when quiet but as I turned the gain up - a distortion creped in (on the scope it looked like a saw wave on the negative signwave - top half fine / bottom half jagged). The louder the output gain the more distorted the output. Now my dilemma is this - I have replaced amp with a lovely Gallien Krueger backline which I am loving & looking forward to cranking when am back in a band again. I have a semi-working Hartke 3500 which I don't need so am wondering if it would be better to call Samson & order the replacement output (loaded) PCB then sell it as refurbished [u]or[/u] to sell it as non-working [u]or[/u] to break it and sell individual bits (case / front panel / transformer / pre-amp-board / send-return board / output board / heatsink etc). Any advice gratefully received as am loathed to flebay it and walk away with a miserable £20. Thanks Si[/quote] I'd fix it, mine was bought faulty (valve preamp section not working). Turns out a resistor had burned out on the board. Replaced all the nearby caps (one of which might have caused the failure) and the burned resistor. Broke the stupid bit which goes to the compressor control on the front panel and had to repair that by running some wires instead of relying on PCB tracks. That was 2 1/2 years ago now and it's been working great ever since.

Far be it from me to stand in the way of progress, but yuck, no thanks.