machinehead

Well, I can tell you that the UK voltage has been harmonised with Europe at a nominal 230V.. Check your own area with a meter though because, in practice, voltage can vary. You should be OK though. Frank.

My own opinion? Get a good keyboard player. He/ she can do brass, strings, sax etc and it keeps it real live music. Piano players are rarely that useful on the keyboard in my experience so don't fall for that one. Still, it does devide the money more and you might not want that. Frank. PS> Coming to Strandhill on 28 August for the weekend. Are you gigging?

[quote name='Finbar' post='565969' date='Aug 11 2009, 03:16 PM']I used to use one battery in my old wireless, and it would last me about two months. This new one eats batteries in about 2 gigs.[/quote] Change it every gig then... simple. Frank

Rechargeable batteries are fine but the main problem is that they die with very little warning. If you compare the voltage over time graphs you will see that the voltage value drops more gradually in non-rechargeable types. This gives you time to change before they die completely. The answer is to keep fully charged spares and change them before the ones in use die. You'll have to work out for yourself how long they will last in your own gear though.. Take a note of how long they are lasting and change them at 75% of that time. Frank PS. I can't remember the exact figure but it's something like this : non-rechargeable batteries are about 500 times more expensive.

I have just bought a bass off Dangee. The whole deal went very smoothly. Negotiations were polite and responses were quick. The bass shipping packaging was properly done and the delivery time was excellent. I would fully recommend dealing with Dan. Frank

I would certainly say go for a Compact. Light weight, good shape to carry and reasonably priced when compared to Markbass cabs. I also love the LMII and I had the LMI before that. For your £1000 you could easily buy a new compact and LMII. Other light weight amps are out there but I have no experience of them. Frank

Thinking about this light weight and large or small box sizes got me thinking. Is anyone aware of a cabinet manufacturer making a cabinet that slides out in a telescope fashion? I realise there are issues to be overcome in such a design such as airtightness, rigidity and so forth. However, the advantage would be that it could be light in weight and small for transproting/ storing, but, when extended, big enough to go loud and low? Should I patent this idea? Frank

[quote name='alexclaber' post='558722' date='Aug 2 2009, 08:17 PM']Indeed I do. It's a very nice height so easier to hear plus the Midget is quite a lot more midrangey and less deep in the lows, and the two together sound really thick and punchy. Just assembling the first tweeter crossover right now so I can tell you how the Midget T plus Compact sound tomorrow! Alex[/quote] I'm looking forward to the appearance of these Midgets. I like the idea of having the choice of using one or two cabs and in this case, maybe either on their own depending on the gig. Very useful methinks. Frank.

I feel all left out. Frank

Is it possible that the seller got his money as well, and ebay are swallowing all the costs? I have no ebay experience so.......... Frank

Musicman20. Of the cabs you mention I've owned a 1212L, a pair of Markbass 210 traveller, a Markbass 151 traveller and a Barefaced Compact. I also have a Markbass cmd121 combo. (The smallest one, 1 x 12) I also have a Markbass LM II. I am in a minority who like the sound of the Markbass cabs and a single 2 x 10 traveller is good for small pub gigs as is the combo. I just received my Compact a couple of weeks back and we don't gig in July due to holidays so I've only tried the Compact at home with the LM II. I have no doubt that the 1212L will easily do the job for you but I really think the sound of the Compact is more versitile and seems as loud or close to it as the 1212L. Although the Compact is a tiny bit bigger than the 1212L it's about 10 lbs lighter and a better shape to carry. I'm looking forward to gigging the Compact but I already feel confident that it will be a brilliant cab. When I consider weight, portabilty, sound, volume and price I am bound to say I think the Compact is the best allround cab of those you mentioned. Hope this ramble is of some help. Frank

There's a couple of shops in Belfast stocking Warwick gear. With the current strength of the euro, a trip to Belfast could more than pay for itself when you compare Dublin prices. If I can help just ask. Frank PS. You could also try my new Barefaced Compact........

I tried the Suitcase (I think it was the Suitcase, 4 front-firing speakers, 300 wattts) Lovely sound, looked extremely well engineered. Very clear sound. The reason I didn't buy was because it simply wasn't loud enough for even pub gigs. (IMO of course, others will disagree) Frank.

My American deluxe jazz has a smaller body than a standard jazz which I much prefer. It is active only. The general quality is very high and it's a sturdy workhorse of a bass. Frank

[quote name='Bigwan' post='497997' date='May 26 2009, 02:12 PM']I'm in the North too - Where's the cab heading Alex? Shipping to Norn Iron is typically more expensive than shipping to, say, the highlands. Shipping to Eire will probably be more expensive again...[/quote] It's heading my way Ian...... Shipping to/ from N Ireland is the same cost as shipping within mainland UK. I 've posted 2 cabs to England for less than £20 insured for up to £500 and they were a little heavier than a Compact IIRC. Go on, you know you want a Compact and we only live 40 mins apart. I'm going to have mine shipped to Bangor to the shop my daughter works in so if you like...... I can help. Frank EDIT. Shipping to Eire isn't as expensive as you might expect - certainly worth researching IMO.

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='496379' date='May 23 2009, 10:43 PM']As a full-time bass player with a selection of Markbass gear (four different cabs, a head and a 2 x 10 combo to choose from/mix and match) I find it interesting to hear that some players don't like the cabs! I personally love 'em! Just my opinion of course! In fact I'm tending to use my 2 x 10" Traveller cab on its own with the Little Mark head on a lot of gigs and it sounds fantastic (with my trusty Vigier!). Lovely, pure, transparent tone - just what I like.[/quote] Must say I agree. I love the cabs and I've done lots of gigs with the LMII and a 2 x 10 traveller. For bigger gigs I've added a second 2 x 10 stacked 4 high and the sound was superb. Only sold the cabs due to a smaller car and I've often regretted it. I also have a 1 x 12 combo and it's perfectly adequate for small pubs and rehearsals. I even used it last week in a 200 person room and it (just about) coped. Impressive for such a small box as long as you realise it has its limits in terms of low end but the volume is fine. Frank

Looking forward to my Compact arriving later this month. But to stay on topic, I'll add my approval of the LMII. I've had one for a few years and a 121 combo which has the same amp. Perhaps interestingly to the OP, I decided to buy a Compact before buying the traveller 121 extension cab because I reckon it will sound better all round. OK, the Compact is bigger than the MB 121 cab but the weight is only a couple of pounds more!! Alex... I'm not giving up my place in the queue this month. haha. Frank

The 1212L ( 4 ohms) combined with a LMII is very loud indeed. I never go through the PA. We play clubs, hotel rooms and small pubs and the 1212L can handle it all.. I can't even begin to imagine how loud a pair would be!!! I know I would never need more than a single 1212L. Frank

Thanks for taking the time to write a very detailed reply Stevie. I will try to identify the speaker in the Markbass. My guess was right that I would be best to buy a speaker as close to the Markbass one as possible. I want to buy the best speaker for the job rather than save money so I'll research it well before buying. Just a thought, is it possible to buy a speaker that is too good for the Markbass one and overpower it giving a worse result? I'm in a fortunate position of being able to get decent plywood free so I would plan to build the box as close to the Markbass box, to a decent standard and as professional looking as I can manage on my first attempt. Alex. I am certain that the Midget will be far superior to anything I build but I want to get the box dimensions and general appearance the same as the combo. Also, I quite fancy this project just to hear the results and maybe learn something in the process. Still, I might end up with a Midget if I make a total balls of building a cab myself,which is a real possibilty. Frank

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this? Maybe technical? Anyway....I've ordered one of Alex's Compact cabs which I will use with my LMII. For rehearsals and small pub gigs I've been using my Markbass 121 combo. It has it's obvious limitations due I think, to the small box size. Before I ordered the Compact I was planning to buy a Markbass 121 extension cab and use it paired to the MB combo for medium gigs. These little cabs now cost around the £500 mark which is too painful for me for what it is and I much prefer to go with the Compact. So now I'm thinking about just building a 12" cab to match the MB combo. This is as much about me learning how to build a cab as it is about saving money. And really, if I have the Compact I might never gig the Markbass combo again other than in a very tiny pub where even the compact is taking up too much space. I can think of only one pub we play where this applies. It is perfect for rehearsals though because I have to carry my gear up steep stairs to the room. So, after that long-winded introduction here are my questions: 1. What speaker should I buy to best match the Markbass B&C speaker in the combo? 2. Would this be successful if I simply copied the dimensions of the combo, including the rear port? (By this I mean would the two similar sized boxes be a decent balanced match?) 3. Roughly what sort of results should I expect by adding another 12", similar sized cab to the 121 combo? More volume? Deeper sound? That is what I am hoping for. 4. Finally, would building this cab be worth the effort based on the expected returns, sound and volume wise bearing in mind I will also have a Compact cab. I'm hoping the responses to this thread will help me decide this. Thanks for any advice offered and please don't limit replies to answering my questions. All other relevent points will be listened too very carefully. Tell me it's a waste of time and money if you think so. Frank

Even better Ian, Try the Empire Bar every Thursday (Belfast) Rab McCullough Band. They won "Best Band" at some blues festival in the US a few years ago. The real deal. Warrenpoint Blues Festival. Big River Blues and Jazz festival in Belfast every August. Was in St Georges Market last year. fantastic. I'll be there again this year. First Tuesday every month in Bangor. Blues jam. Google The Pontiacs for details. There's a decent website. It's an open jam too if you fancy it. And don't forget Roy Fulton (Who Dave from Newtownards/Carradore plays bass for) There's loads of live blues right here in norn irun. I think most people would agree that blues is best appreciated live. Frank.

Saw them in Belfast a few months ago. They did a stunning set. The young guitarist is well up to the Jan Akkerman guitar parts. Well worth a look. Frank

G&L L2500 perhaps?