SimonH

Hi - still relatively new to the bass game after 30 years on guitars, but having a great time. Need some advice: I just acquired a 5-string to avoid having to detune to a drop D for a couple of songs in my band's set... but we de-tune by a semi-tone to give the vocals and harmonies an easier time and the B string (now A sharp) flaps all over the place, and intonation and tonal definition isn't great. What would be the best string choice to keep it as tight as I can? I've just ordered some DR Drop Down Tuning in a 5-string set, 45 to 125... or is this just life and I should put up and shut up? All advice gratefully received... thanks! Simon

Until recently I ran a 350 watt head into a 400w 4x10 and a 150w 1x15... and yup, all you could hear was the 15 struggling. The 4x10 was louder and clearer on its own. Then I parked the 15 and ran another 4x10, this time 800w, alongside the 400w 4x10 and... now I can't even hear the 400w cab. So the solution is to find an 800w 15, I guess. Or turn it all down a bit (not an option). Oh, and recently I blew up a 4 ohm 300w 2x10 (Skytronic speakers... are they supposed to be rubbish?) using a 400w head. Maybe I should turn it down after all...

Ah, thanks, that's crystal clear. I suspected as much, just wanted to double check. Good. I've got a load of cables someone gave me, including 1/4in to Speakon, but I'm not sure of their integrity so I think I'll just stick with the 1/4in cables I know are speaker cables... until I get a MB head, then it'll be Speakon - Speakon... Thanks again!

Apologies for the blindingly obvious question, but if you don't know you don't know! I just bought a MB 104HF cab which has a pair of Speakon ins. I assume, since they aren't labelled, it doesn't matter which is used as the input and which is the extension for another cab? Just checking before I blow it up! But that's not the stupid question (although it is pretty dumb). The question is this: the output from the amp (Hartke 3500, with its preamp bypassed using an ADA MB1 preamp which is rather lovely) is a 1/4in jack. Can I just connect the amp to the cab with the usual 1/4in jack speaker cable, slotting the cab end into the Speakon socket on the cab? I just spent loadsa money on the cab and for the want of being really stupid I don't want to cock it up. I'm also guessing I should make all connections before switching anything on. Rather obviously too. I did look on the Google before posting this, but I think the question is SO novice even Google can't be bothered to answer it!

Merci, clear as. If every amp went to 2 ohms, we wouldn't have this problem... :-)

Hi - stupid question time: is the difference in the ohm rating between a 4 ohm and 8 ohm version of a 4x10 cab simply down to their wiring order? Or are there other differences, not just series or parallel wiring? Ie can you whip out a soldering iron and convert a 4 ohm 4 x 10 cab to an 8 ohm? I'm thinking specifically of the Markbass HF cabs... Thanks!

Brilliant, helps a lot thanks. This forum is cool. Now I'm going to go on the basses for sale and buy something :-) Thanks!

Hi - relatively new to this game (long time guitarist, now wishes he took up the bass years ago). Anyway, mate of a mate has this - Trace Elliot GP11 combo and I think that's an 18in cab - in his garage and wants to sell it. I might want to buy it, but he thinks it's worth £450 and I think it's worth considerably less, supposing it actually still works. I've scanned this forum as much as I can, and checked Fleabay archive... but this forum is the source of all that is wise. I haven't seen the rig in the flesh, but it looks pretty rusty and dusty to me. Can anyone help with id and value? All help much appreciated, all merciless ribbing and the like tolerated with a smile. Thanks! Simon H [attachment=79512:YPVS_bits_024sss.jpg]