Adam.M

Got that 'fake' Fender Precision from Paul, great guy to deal with! Nice bass too... Cheers Adam

Welcome, from leeds also

I get this a fair bit too on basses, sometimes i just figure it's my pickup height being too close to the strings. Though thinking now, i think what Starvolt is saying could be very true too, i'm going to take that into account when i next play.

Man... i was going to go for that one too... The bass world is a small one, that's all I'll say. Good luck!

I vote for Leeds, anywhere near Kirkstall Road or Burley Road would be just fine... Hah, i'm lazy! Yeah last time i just couldn't get the day off...

Why hello, I'm from Leeds I wish i could have such fine equipment, i probably could if i sold my guitars!

Could this be an Intonation issue maybe? Does the note your playing sound somewhat out of tune to the guitarist?

[quote name='escholl' post='340461' date='Nov 29 2008, 02:09 PM']It does seem a bit of a valid point though; why is it that decent valve heads for guitar can be had new for about 300-ish pounds, even nice ones for about 500, and yet bass ones -- of less complexity, having only one channel and no reverb tank -- are at least twice as much, often much more?[/quote] Exactly - For £1,400 i could have the ULTIMATE guitar amp for me, a Cornford MK50H which is made, completely by hand, right here in the UK with great components. Properly Boutique. Though I'd be equally happy with a Laney GH50L which is £350 I could even get the king of over-inflated-import-price amps, a Mesa Boogie! Does this thing even have a full-valve preamp? For this price I'd want a second channel even though I'd rarely use it, the option of valve or solid state rectification, an all-valve effects loop, something SPECIAL. I'm not saying either Ashdowns gear is bad, i like Ashdowns MAG and ABM series and will most likely have one myself but i don't see why bass valve amps like this need to be so expencive and it just irk's me. They cost enough to keep running...

[quote name='tauzero' post='340692' date='Nov 29 2008, 06:45 PM']So if you were doing an 8 KT-88 head, the parts cost would be £450+. Would you want paying a bit to make them, by any chance? While I think it's an eye-watering amount and I wouldn't be in the slightest bit tempted, to compare the costs of 2/3 (by value) of the components with the complete product after it's had all its manufacturing costs added on plus the importer's markup, distributor's markup, retailer's markup, customs duty, VAT, transport costs etc is rather disingenuous. And it's £750 cheaper than the RRP on the Ampeg Classic Series SVT-VR which is a mere 300W.[/quote] I'm talking top quality components that are not bulk bought and i do not have a deal with a supplier either which would bring the cost down even further, and I'm also thinking custom hand wound transformers too which is where i think would be the biggest cost if i made one. Unless Ashdown have gone completely barmy, they'll be buying the components in bulk, and they won't be using very high quality components either. It'll cost them a lot less than what i could put one together for. They'll stick in rubbish Sovtek or even Unbranded valves in there too. Though there is a reason they put cheap valves in there, it's because they get damaged easily during shipping. And i guess, everyone has a personal flavor. Changing valves right away after getting an amp is something we're quite used to in guitar-amp-land. It's really got my curiosity, why are these so expensive? and bass valve amps in general... I'm going to do some research when i get some time and really try to figure it out. If it's made completely by hand, point-to-point AND sounds absolutely amazing then it might be worth what they're asking. I really hope i have a moment where i go 'Ah, so thats why they're expensive' but i don't see it happening.

It's simple, Gibson keep all the great Gibson's in America, they send the lumps of muck over to Europe. So if you want a good Gibson, you go to America for it. A friend of mine came back with a Gibson from the USA and it kicks the ass off every other one I've played, ever. Same with Japanese manufacturers, though what they send out is brilliant anyway - the absolutely exceptional stuff is sold in Japan. You have to remember, we're not really worth much for their income. Gibson make 85% of their cash from there American sales, we're pocket money.

Welcome back! Being single is AWESOME. Freeedooooooom! Cool tat's too.

£1600 for that... what rubbish. I'm currently working with a friend on R&D on starting a small Guitar amplifier company (though we may just make them for friends and ourselves) and i could make something better for £300 parts costs (not counting valves, kt-88's are extremely expencive) with more versatility. I find the bass-valve amp market very strange indeed, the amps that I'm seeing aren't nearly worth what they're asking in my opinion. Except the Marshall VBA, but that's ugly as sin.

After a while with no bass, i just signed up to my mates band and looks like another buddy of mine will be starting something with me. Wahey! Got myself an OLP MM32 which other than the ugly plain headstock is exactly what I've always wanted! Now to get myself a head and cab and I'll be one happy bunny. Hopefully I'll be frequenting here again, it's always very friendly here So, hello again!

I'm doing an audition tomorrow, and for once i really care about gettin in! and not only because i could warrant getting an 8x10 either... So does anyone have any general tips and advice? what to do, what not to do etc? Cheers! Adam

Maybe i should just get something cheap and cheery, and save up for a Gallien Krueger GT2001RB...

What about Warwick amp heads? they look good for the money... the pro fet V, but will it not deliver the tone im after? i could dirty it up a bit with pedals, i just got a fulltone fat boost which may help...

Thanks for the replies guys I think i may go for the GK GT400RBIV or an Ashdown MAG 300 EVO II... my two favourite bassists use GK though, but the big big GK, i hope i can get some of that vibe out of a lower wattage unit... now to find a 4ohm 4x10, marshall do one...

My experience in the amp field when it comes to guitars is massive, but on bass, well, i've never needed an amp before! and now i do... At first i was thinking an Ashdown MAG300 head with a 4x10T cab, would be good for what i want? I use a Squire VMJ with Marcus Miller fat beams btw, getting a great sound through my stealth plug/guitar rig 3 set up. I want low end, but not too boomy, with a nice growl and a good top end when the bass is on its own. An inbuilt compressor is probably a must, i use one in my stealthplug set-up. The only bass amp i ever tried was a Ashdown MAG300 4x10T combo, which i think had the sound, but you know that was a long time ago and memories sometimes shift for the better... (im off work sick today so if i make little sence, well, im really ill ) Oh and do ashdown still make the MAG 414T 4ohm cab? we have little space in the van and only having one cab would be massively benificial. financially it'd help too! thomann say they have them but ashdowns own website has no mention... marshall do a massively powerful 4ohm cab but it's ugly as sin.

I also have a Stealth Plug and at first i was annoyed that i couldnt set it to be my main windows soundcard BUT, after playing for a while i remember that all the error beeps or any noises the computer makes would just be a distraction and because of that im glad that i can't. I use Guitar Rig 3 software with mine though, i prefer it to the Amplitube. I really like my stealh plug and guitar rig 3, its made bass playing enjoyable! i could never get a good tone before...

Im transforming my Squire VMJ into my 'rock' jazzer and i'll get this as my 'funk' jazzer... these look kick ass! Though watch me get one, and the Squire turns into the back up jazzer and i then have to get another MIM for my more rock sound... (different strings/pickups etc)

Thanks the the replies guys I think i'll be buying the cab having the left half with bass speakers and the right half with Celestion Vintage 30's or Hot 100's for guitar... seperate inputs for each, that'll be the home rig sorted then or a versatile 'small gig' cab.

Well, i've been offered a marshall JCM900 series 4x12 cabinet for £100 Now, i also decided to leave guitar playing behind because bass is far FAR more fun. Would putting some neo-mag speakers in here, say the celestion ones, be a good idea? under 3kg a speaker! I LOVE the look of a marhsall 4x12 over any other cab i've ever seen, and with four neo-mag speakers it wouldnt be all [i]that[/i] heavy! But sonically, would the shape of this slanted cab just make it sound terrible? Cheers! Adam