pete.young

If it's value you're after, take a look at the For Sale forum. There are a few options there for 2x10 combos, including Fender F400, Eden Nemesis and Markbass, and several other good alternatives with different speaker configurations.

Buy a 5-string.

The other thing to consider is that there are two kinds of MIJ/CIJ, those made for export and the not-for-export instruments which are only intended for the domestic market. The not-for-export have US hardware and pickups, although I couldn't say whether the build quality is any higher. I think consistency is the main point: Japanese quality control is world-famous for a reason.

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1323258023' post='1461057'] If EBS made a 250w - 300w classic combo, maybe with a 15" speaker then I would be first in line to grab one as it would be perfect for the bigger gigs I do.. [/quote] What about a Gorm 350? There's one for sale in the forum at a very good price: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/157847-ebs-gorm-350et-1x15-combo-for-sale/page__p__1471338__hl__gorm__fromsearch__1#entry1471338

Seems a bit optimistic to me - even not-for-export MIJ/CIJ stuff doesn't reach anything like that sort of figure.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1325185364' post='1480756'] I'm looking into introducing a switchable socket that would allow me to choose whether to run the amp through the on-board Rola Celestion 15" or into an external cab, most probably a Barefaced Compact. [/quote] I thought that the Barefaced Compact was a cabinet that requires loads of power to get the best out of it - is a 25W Wem amp really going to have enough power to drive it? What about close-miking it and running the result through your PA?

Roland MicroCube or Peavey Microbass are both very good, and probably a bit more realistically priced than the PJB stuff.

If OBBM is still reading this thread, I for one would like to know what he tried, and whether it worked or not.

It's very easy to set up a Roland V-Bass like this, slightly more difficult to split your brain into playing the guitar and bass parts at the same time. and probably more overkill for a one-off pub gig. Plus you can only get away with playing 'Peaches' so many times! If you have a tuner output or an effects loop on the amp you might be able to use that to split the signal, and then put it through a harmoniser or octave-up or both. I have a Behringer harmoniser you're welcome to borrow if we can work out a way of getting it to you. Alternatively, what are your programming skills like? You could use something like Logic 8 to play the bass lines on a laptop, as long as you didn't vary the order you'd be OK.

Don't suppose anyone has a 12mm nut from a dead pedal foot switch, or large jack socket, that they could part with? It's to replace a useless black plastic one off the footswitch on my lighting rig - it's bigger than an ordinary 6mm jack socket, same size as the nut that secures a footswitch to a pedal.

A Kay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-70s-Kay-Bass-Guitar-sunburst-Japan-1970s-short-scale-Lemmy-needs-TLC-/160703270808?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item256aa94f98

And Yamaha - a BBT500 and 4x10 just sold for £300 in the for sale section.

I have a Mk 1 TRB 5P, 34 inch scale length, and the string spacing at the nut is between 8.5 and 9 mm. It's 19mm at the bridge.

Check out the 'Recommended Amp Techs' thread from the Repairs forum for recommended techs in your area. Personally I'd take it to Dave Lunt in Stockport, but I don't know the area . http://basschat.co.uk/topic/198-recommended-amp-techs/

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1324678657' post='1477065'] . . . despite his crappy curly cable ;-) [/quote] Hah! I'll have you know that crappy curly cables were the state of the art in 1973. I still have one somewhere, plus one that was half curly half straight, the ultimate in cable chic.

Very nice playing. I am your student!

Some good bargains to be had in the for sale section of this site. For that budget, Peavey or Trace Elliot would be a good choice.

I'm not quite sure about this Strat - something doesn't seem quite right, but I can't put my finger on it. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160701233723&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNARL:GB:1123 This is a re-list - the same instrument sold last week for £485.

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1317042959' post='1385820'] That "luthier" who told you never to take the neck off... never have anything to do with him again. From his arse, he doth speak. [/quote] *applause* I'd put this into the 'quotes' thread if I could work out how.

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1319186156' post='1410860'] I have the BDDI and am quite happy with it. I also use their cable tester,which is superb [/quote] I have both of those too, and they are great value for money. So is the AD121 acoustic guitar pre-amp, which is really good for things like mandolins and bouzoukis with piezo transducers in. [quote] Hmmm I may have a look at their squidgy synthy thing, the one on my Boss is a little difficult to tease sounds from. [/quote] I had one of those and wasn't very impressed with it: the switch was rather dodgy, it has tracking issues and it's very similar to the Boss in operation. I couldn't get the sounds I wanted out of it either, and bought a Korg which was much better all round. I also have a harmoniser, which is quite fun and works pretty well. I'm not so impressed with the amps and cabs though. There are plenty of stories of cabs going wrong elsewhere in the forum, and we had a guitar combo which was nothing but trouble. The cheap construction methods don't help either: we have a pair of powered PA cabs which have to be treated with velvet gloves, because the heavy transformers are surface-mounted straight onto PCB and can fail catastrophically when dropped.

All that mul's brother? Sorry, no eye deer.

I have an EBS Neo 2x12 which isn't on your list but might be worth considering. It's the best all-round cab I've ever owned, gives great result with modern Markbass and ancient Burman valve heads. Slight mid-scoop, if you like that sort of thing, can be EQ'd back if you don't. It's also very light (24kg) and easy to carry. I bought mine second-hand on this forum, and it doesn't seem to have depreciated much since then. If you're anywhere near Ipswich you are welcome to come round and give it a go. As 51m0n says, there's lots of good options, just find something you like the sound of.