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VTypeV4

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Everything posted by VTypeV4

  1. I've weighed it using our trusty kitchen scales and it's just shy of 10lbs - certainly not a lightweight. 😃 Interesting, possibly a combination of both screws and plate depths - mine have slightly domed heads so possibly a perspective thing? As for the factories, the serial number suggests this one was made in the Cort Sammick factory.
  2. Ulitmately, I went back to the gold scratch plate. ❤️
  3. I'm leaving it on for a few days to see how I feel. It's funny, the original brushed metal one grew on me and felt it looked better in real life than in any of the promo pictures. I'd ordered the white / pearl plate about the same time that the bass was, convinced it would be an improvement although in reality, I'm now 50/50. Either way, it's a killer bass! ❤️
  4. So, I'm currently the trying the alternative scratchplate too.. I'm loving this look too..
  5. It looks like my Yamaha RBX765A has gone to a good home. 😃 Chris is an absolute asset to to this lovely community - you'll have no issues with this genuine basschat chap. 💯
  6. £290 delivered to UK mainland or £250 collected from Stoke-on-Trent. I love these things but I just can't justify holding on to this one anymore. I have Yamahas (jacked up 02Rs plus a DM1000 and DM2000) that are more capable so this has sadly seen very little use in the last 12 months. It's in good condition overall, it does have the odd mark but has no issues and everything works correctly including the flying faders. If you can use an analogue console then one of these won't be hard for you to pick up - 10 minutes and you'll be flying. Genuinely one of the easiest digital consoles to get to grips with. Spec: 16 mic / line channels - open, clean Soundcraft pre-amp stages 16 digital inputs on ADAT or TDIF format 2 stereo channels 8 audio subgroups 6 auxes 2 internal Lexicon multi effects units 3 band fully parametric EQ on all inputs Comprehensive dynamics (gate & compressor) on all inputs and subgroups Global phantom power Fixed 100Hz HPF Comprehensive I/O metering Additional assignable ADAT, SPDIF and AES I/O Direct outputs pre / post fader / EQ Flying faders Scene / snapshot settings and configuration storage MIDI I/O Not to be confused with the earlier Spirit 328 that had issues with the PSU which would corrupt the O/S and brick the machine - these XD consoles are very different inside and do not suffer the same problems. Collection very much preferred given the nature of the device plus this will give the oppotunity to demonstrate the console in action. Happy to give the buyer a ten minute tutorial on the desk if needed. Feel free to msg if you want any further pics or info. 😃
  7. Testing the new Squier out at the studio the other day with the SVT - I'm sure most of you can hear it from the picture!
  8. ^ That looks killer! I bought a pearloid white / off white for mine although it's not yet arrived - pix to follow when it does. 😀
  9. Very well, thanks. 😃 It's seen a fair few hours use at the studio now and pretty much everyone loves it - it's outright replaced the Fender Bassman (although I appreciate they're not the same thing) and sees just as much use if not more than the SMX Trace Elliot. On a personal level, I absolutely love the setup as I feel it exaggerates the character of whatever instrument you plug into it. Obviously, some EQ tweaks help with this too. With a passive Jazz, it's pretty oldskool but offers plenty of note definition and just enough 'ping' from the HF component without being overly harsh, the Warwick is instant anger and low-mid growl (think Rage Against the Machine) - it's almost a shame I'm not that sort of player! The biggest surprise for me is with the Status as it becomes thoroughly modern and surprisingly tight and is far from the one trick pony I expected. The only thing I would change (other than it's weight) would be to add a compressor although I sometimes use by Digitech Dual band compressor pedal when I feel it's needed. It was a purchase I'm genuinely pleased with and continues to earn it's keep so I'm very happy, overall. It's been 100% reliable too. ❤️ Absolutely!
  10. It looks very clean - nice purchase. 😀 I agree with the above comments with being early / mid eighties although I couldn't be specific as I'm not sure how the old serial numbering system worked. Hope you enjoy it. 😀
  11. £280 including UK mainland delivery or £250 if you prefer to collect from Stoke-on-Trent. Yes, I'm asking the higher end of what these tend go for but it really is one of the nicest examples I've played. It has zero issues, fresh strings and other than a little evidence of use (remember it's 24 years old) with slightly tarnished gold hardware, is in very good condition throughout. If you collect in person, you're welcome to try it through any of the amps at the studio - I'm confident you'll not be disappointed. https://flic.kr/p/2nuF4VB A truly lovely example of one of these Taiwanese built, Yamaha basses that's clearly been well cared for during it's life. Some claim these are better built and spec'd than their newer replacements, the RBX775 although I've no experience with those models - YMMV. Translucent red finish Maple neck Rosewood fret board Bolt on neck design Gold look hardware / controls 5-strings currently tuned low B to high G Fender-ish neck size and feel Fender-ish string spacing Accurate intonation and very low action Active EQ with Bass and Treble controls Master volume and pan controls Hum cancelling Yamaha pickups https://flic.kr/p/2nuFBm7 I bought this from our lovely online community just over 12 months ago and whilst it's a great guitar, a few months later, I managed to bag a 5-string Status from a local music shop. I couldn't resist the Status as they're such a distinct and incredible instrument not to mention, I really missed my old one. As such, the Yamaha has sadly seen very little use since. 😐 https://flic.kr/p/2mJ4Fie Feel free to message on here with any questions or if you need any more info or pictures. You're welcome to check my feedback, too - I've been on the forum for well over 10 years. https://flic.kr/p/2mJarYs For some reason, Flickr seems to be misbehaving not allowing the images to work on the post so please click to view.
  12. Thanks, man ❤️ I feel the off-white and gold combination are just pure class. I always fancied another Warwick Streamer in this colour combo but never came accross one when I could afford it! I know they're famous last words (I know, I know!!) but I really can't see me wanting or needing any more basses now - I may even thin the collection a little. Between the Status, the Warwick and of course, the Squier, I feel I'm very much covered. 😃
  13. I'd say it's at least as well made as any of the Mex, US or Japanese models I've owned over the years.. The best Fender I had was an early '96 Jazz Deluxe in a semi sparkly blue burst with a 50th anniversary marker - that thing was killer and I do regret letting it go back in 2006. Other than that, I feel this Squier out performs the rest with some really nice basses coming and going including a US '92 Jazz Plus, a mid-nineties Japanese '75 reissue and a 2004 Mexican Deluxe V - Squier have absolutely out-done themselves (and the competition!) with this particular line. 💯 @TommyK Glad your findings are much the same! 😃
  14. Given that I've recently passed significant milestone and have owned many (many!) examples of Jazz Basses, the Mrs saw it fitting and appropriate to get me one of these lovely anniversary basses. It's an absolute beauty with it's gold hardware, block inlays, binding and flawless olympic white finish. It would happily sit in the company of guitars costing three-times as much and, in terms of build quality and sound - it may well take the crown of 'best passive Jazz I've ever owned' from the long serving VM model - time will tell! ❤️ I've spent a bit of ime setting it up and allowing it to settle these last few days as it's the first brand-new, unplayed bass I've had since I bought my Warwick (22!) years ago in 2001. Now tweaked to my personal tastes, it's a fantastic piece of kit - can't wait to take to rehearsal. 😃
  15. VTypeV4

    Jazz

    Can't believe I missed that, thank you! 😃
  16. VTypeV4

    Jazz

    Since April, it's all been about the Status but this Squier Jazz never fails to impress. ❤️ Thanks to Bunion for the heads up.
  17. New bottles ahoy! Beavis has had a pair of JJ KT77 valves in for the last few years and they've been absolutely fine but I fancied a change. This morning, a box from Hotrox in Nottingham safely arrived containing two, slightly bigger bottle JJ 6CA7s. I've only had them running for ten minutes but they sound solid so I'll take the amp to rehearsal next time and see how it goes. Apparently, they're somewhere between an EL34, a 6L6 and a 6550 so hopefully, they'll do that saturated squashy thing very nicely. 😃
  18. A bit of a minor hiccup this week with a rogue 'dimmer' button - frustratingly mid live album mix. 😬 Oddly, it'd been previously modded so the actual dimmer switch was removed from the PCB so I have no idea how it was activated..? Anyways, shorting the location of where the switch should have been seems to have resolved the issue..
  19. A few snaps of some slightly lower key gigs I've been involved with recently.. DM1000 on recording and live sound duty alongside the 02R at The Rigger a few weeks back.. DM1000 at the school before sound-check.. Testing the MY16-AT and MY4-DA cards at home.. My home 02R is currently being used to review a live multi-track recording from a few weeks back where I recorded a friends disco / Chic tribute band at the Fenton Ball Room - it was a lovely afternoon. The DM has frustratingly gone for repair as one of the mic pre-amps has failed with no A/D conversion although I expect to have it back within a few weeks. 😬
  20. When you find it, you find it! ❤️ I'm the same with my beloved Trace V4 but even if it weighed twice as much, it's still the one. Thanks, man - it's awesome. 😃 As can be seen in the fourth pic, it lived in my living room for the first week or so. I'm sure a similar setup would look (and sound great!) in your bass room too! Ha. 🤣
  21. The 4 ohm thing won't make any difference - if it's designed properly (and I'm sure it will be) then it'll make it's rated power at 2, 4 or 8 ohms.. 😃 I don't play in a rock band but I expect the CTM would have enough power through the cab(s) you mention - my slightly anemic Fender Bassman 135 is giggable with it's JBL loaded 2x15 and would think the CTM is more ballsy than my old Fender..
  22. When it comes the world of bass amplification, aguably few others have the lineage and accolade of the legendary Ampeg Company -Stanley Micheal and Everett Hull's first bass amplifiers even pre-dated Leo Fender's electric 'Precision bass'. By the mid sixties, the distinctive 'Portaflex' series (most notably the B15) were (and still are, possibly?) the standard by which most other 'bass' amplifiers were measured - there were few products that were designed specifically for electric bass back then. Early examples such as the Fender Bassman 4x10 combo, the VOX AC50 / Foundation 1x18 and the Marshall JTM 45 with it associated 4x12 all worked but each had their own short comings. By the mid / late sixties, musicians were asking for more power and volume so in response, a number of manufacturers, notably Marshall amongst others had designed and built 100w amplifiers but Ampeg ripped up the rule book and presented a 300w amplifier at the 1969 NAMM show. Designed by Bill Hughes and Roger Cox, it was capable of playing clean and loud, had a reasonably comprehensive EQ that actually worked and was to be ordered with two(!) 8x10 cabinets tuned to roll the low end off a little earlier and at a smoother rate than the competion - there was no bump or percieved 'hole' at the bottom anymore. This was almost certainly the first high power, real bass amplfier and so, SVT rig had arrived.. Early examples (known as 'Blue line' due to the print on the control panel) seemingly had some reliability problems when they first went on tour with the Rolling Stones in US; a design issue in the driver stage caused the control grids of the 6146B output valves to be driven positive when pushed very hard. Prolonged use at high levels would eventually result in failed valves so during the tour, SVT amplifiers were occasionally swapped mid-show to keep the music going. Within a year, however, the SVT had been re-designed to use 6550 output valves with changes to the mains transformer spec and power supply rails which seemed to all but eliminate these faults - the Ampeg was to become a solid and reliable performer. The SVT Classic (or CL) was introduced in 1994 as an up to date version of that original 'blue line' amplifier but with some useful modern additions. Most notably, a single input channel design with an improved EQ, sporting a 5 (up from three) position mid frequency control, user adjustable bias, and a balanced DI out to name a few. Several opinions over on the 'other bass forum' suggest some struggle to tell the difference between the 70's and more recently built units. Personally, I've never played through a vintage example although it seems even today, in the era of the modern and lightweight amplifier, the heavy iron, 6550s and useable EQ are still very much a winning formula. Despite being in production since the '90s, the CL is still available as a new product with very few changes throughout that time. Original Classics were built at St Louis Music in the US although production has also been in Vietnam, Korea and most recently China. Spec: All valve design 300w RMS at two or four ohms from 6x 6550 Baxendall style EQ with semi-parametric mid range Additional 'Ultra Lo' and 'Ultra Hi' EQ switches Active (-15dB) and passive jack inputs Master volume Patch points for pre-amp and power amplifier Balanced DI (XLR) output User adjustable bias Front Panel: There's nothing fancy on the largely black and white front panel, it's straight forward and un-cluttered - very much what you see is what you get here. Two jacks, two buttons, six knobs, an LED and two switches. Thats it! Dual jack inputs on the far left are then followed by an input gain control - there's no indicator to show input level so judging it by ear is required. Two vertically stacked buttons engage the 'Ultra Lo' and 'Ultra Hi' which add a degree of 'boom' and 'ping' respectively. The active, three-band EQ is controlled by the following four rotary controls with bass, mid, mid-centre frequency (which changes the character of the sound) and treble controls. The final control is the master volume to control the output and DI level. On the front, there's little else of note other than a slightly noisy, centrally located cooling fan. At the far right are the mains and standby switches with an LED indicator showing the power or a fault status. Rear Panel: The Ampeg has an equally simple rear panel with an IEC connector for power, a polarity switch (which can help with hum - I've never had an issue) and the user adjustable bias controls for the power tubes. Arranged as a pair of controls, LED indicators show the status of each bank allowing the user to keep the 6550s within their ideal operating range over the lifetime of the set. In the middle is an unbalanced (jack socket) slave output (post master) for use as a line out. Further to the right is an XLR socket which is a balanced DI output allowing connection to a mixer or interface for both recording or reinforced live use. Patch points follow the DI with vertically positioned jack sockets for pre-amp out and power amp in connections. Towards the end of the panel, a recessed switch flicks between the 2 and 4 ohm taps on the output transformer with speaker connections at the far right sporting both conventional jack sockets and Speakon outputs. Above the panel, a grille protects the heavy transformers, driver and output valves - all engine room components are clearly visible. Sound: I have to admit, I expected it to be something of a 'one trick pony' simply doing 'the grunty Ampeg rock thing' but was actually very impressed with the scope and power of the straight forward EQ. That 5-position mid frequency control is the jewel in the crown of the SVT allowing significant character changes without altering the other controls. The Ultra Hi and Lo buttons are also very useful for character changes too - the Lo button seems to be more of a low-mid cut than any kind of boost and would suit those looking for a softer, warmer sound - by contrast, the Hi switch brings about a degree of bite and really seems to get the HF unit singing. Personally, I prefer to keep the lo switched out and the hi, in as I particularly like the influence it has on the sound. The big CL is very much a plug and play amp given it's straight forward presentation so even if a player is unfamiliar with it, a good sound shouldn't take too long to dial in. As can be seen in the pictures, my example is used (pretty much exclusively) through the Ampeg cabs, namely a 410HE and 115E so any references to how it sounds (always difficult with words, I appreciate) are with influence of them, too. Whilst the basic identity of setup is quite low-mid heavy which works well for my tonal preferences, I would imagine the EQ has enough control to get most users in the ball park of their own sound. Personally, I use a bit of cut on the bass and mid-range with it on position 5 and leave the treble flat with the Ultra Hi in - it seems to work well enough with most of my basses. There's definitely some natural compression that occurs through the pre-amp stages allied to bit of the valve saturation in the sound too - niether are a bad thing in my book. If the gain control is turned fully clockwise, the drive isn't the sweetest - I find it a little 'edgy' and generally prefer the clean / saturated character. As a player, I'm more Stuart Zender than Lemmy. I do like to use my Digitech Dual Bass Squeeze with the setup (when I'm playing, at least) but feel it's not absolutley essential and for recording a rock sound with a player using a plectrum at the studio. Using the DI and / or miking one of the cabs gives super results with nothing being lost in translation. It's funny, whilst the SVT does exactly what I thought it would, I'm genuinely impressed with just how flexible it is and how convincingly it turns it's hand to any number of other sounds. The other thing these big-bottled-beasts are known for is their grunt and power. It's not lacking! The claimed 300w seems pretty genuine as the EHX branded 6550s play plenty loud enough before breaking up - by the time they do, it's a bit much, frankly. Even on a festival stage or the loudest of rooms, I can't really see the Ampeg running out of steam. I haven't gigged it yet but it's done plenty of sessions at the studio with most players loving it in an instant. Build Quality and Reliability: According to many online reviews over the last fifteen years or so, Ampeg seems to have gone through phases of questionable build quality and QC even before the bulk of production was moved out of the US. Made from all Chinese examples built within the last five years, I bought 'the stack' from a chap who'd bought it all new but simply found it too heavy and bulky to move around. He'd clearly looked after it very well as it still looks new. There's very little to be critical of and irrespective of it's country of origin, both the cabs and amplifier are very well built throughout. Both wood-work and metal chassis / panels feel solid, all upholstery is cleanly and accurately finished along with quality fittings and hardware. All of the jack connectors, the XLR and Speakon all feel solid with a positive 'clunk' when plugging in; the rotary controls on the amplifier are firm without feeling stiff and all the switches have a heavy feel to them which is reassuring. Looking inside, JJ and EHX valves allied with (exceptionally!) heavy transformers are usual hall marks of a well engineered amplifier plus a sneaky peek behind the (removeable) front panel where the fan is mounted exposes heavy looking wires, chunky connector blocks and reasonably thick PCBs. It's probably fair to say the finish is less glamourous than that of my Trace Elliot V4 with it's ceramic sockets, gold-plated jacks, enamled panels plus it's fancy black, silver and green livery - the Ampeg doesn't have quite the same standard although it is no worse made than my other GP12-SMX based Trace amplifiers and associated cabinets. Arguably the difference between an '80s Mesa and a Marshall. My only slight criticism of the setup day-to-day is that front mounted fan as it's a bit noisy. I understand that air flow through the amp is essential given the heat given off by those big tubes but I'd prefer one larger fan running at lower speed on the rear panel like vintage SVT models although, it's far from a deal breaker. Inside the cabs reside Eminence drivers - no complaints here. I've had no need to pull them apart but the 15" driver housed in the 115E is apparently based on a Delta Pro with a cast frame albeit de-rated to 200w whilst the 10" units within the 410HE are slightly less impressive pressed-steel frame drivers, probably variations on the standard range (also possibly Deltas?) with a 2" voice coil and a 125w rating - 500w for the complete cab. The 410HE also has the Fotex high frequency unit used by nearly all the other manufacturers and, much like my SWR cabs, it is well implemeted and adds a lovely sizzle. Having owned it since July 2022, it has been so far 100% reliable. It has done plenty of hours in service at the studio but arguably has had an easier life than most not being lumped in and out of sweaty venues or being stored in cold vans. Time will tell but it's currently not giving me any cause for concern. Other thoughts and observations: As I've hinted at previously, this particular range of gear doesn't fit into the 'lightweight' category - quite the opposite. The SVT head is by far the heaviest amplifier I've ever owned at the best part of 40Kg (90lbs). Oddly, the cabs don't feel quite so bad and are roughly what would be expected for traditional boxes of their size loaded with conventional ceramic magnet drivers at about 30Kg (70lbs) and 40Kg (90lbs) for the 115 and 410 respectively. When lifting them, the balance of both the amp and cabs is generally pretty good with no arkward 'all the weight on one side' issues, handles in unuseable places or anything frustrating like that, thankfully. Since I started playing, I've pretty much only used Trace Elliot amplifiers in various shapes and sizes as they (give or take) do the sound I want without fuss. The V-Type needs a bit of help with an additional EQ unit but it really hits the nail on the head tone wise and is always my go-to. Being satisfied with my sound for the most part, I've never hugely lusted after an SVT or indeed anything else but as the owner of a studio, having an Ampeg option in addition to my existing Trace and Fender setups is pretty useful. Originally, I was looking for a V4BH as the pre-amp is identical to that of the CL so figured tonally, they wouldn't be a million miles apart with the added bonus of not having the monsterous weight or expensive replacement 6550 valves of the SVT. Sadly, I looked for a few months to no avail - here, eBay and Facebook turned up nothing. Eventually, I gave up on the V4BH and looked a bit wider deciding that an SVT was also an option. Having spotted this lot on FB, I hashed a deal out with the seller who was reasonably local (a lovely chap from Southport) plus the charm of the matching cabs proved to be irresistable. I spent twice what I was intending to but it's earning it's keep and is proving to be a hit so I guess it's money well spent. The history of Ampeg is well documented, so much so, there's even been a book written on the subject (which is a great read, btw) so there's no need for me to re-tell the story here. What is worth mentioning is that Ampeg is now owned by one of the largest music companies in the world - Yamaha. Whether they'll feel the need to reinvent the brand with a new line of products in the coming years or will simply leave Ampeg to do their own thing remains to be seen but the all valve flagship models (SVT-CL and SVT-II) seem to still be firm favourites in post-pandemic 2022 - even against their own line of smaller and lighter PF series of amps and cabs. It's unavoidable to point out that both have been in production for a long while now with the original non-pro version of the SVT-II even pre-dating the CL and going all the way back to 1990. There's not many products in the industry that have managed sustain that level of popularity over such a long period of time so in my humble opinion, the SVT deserves legendary status alongside other classics such as the Fender Strat and Jazz Basses and the Vox AC30 amplifier - all time proven. 😃 It looks great, sounds great, is far more useable and versatile (assuming I don't have to move it!) than I would have ever given it credit for - a superb tool. 😃
  23. Good luck, hope it works out for you. 😀
  24. It's been a while since I've owned a 7-band Trace but the SM pre-amp is pretty useable, just don't get sucked into putting a 'smily face' on the graphic! The pre-shapes are quite handy for a change in core tone but personally, I find them both a bit too harsh and boomy without help from the graphic so I use it to EQ a bit of the '80s out. 😀 My advice with these (and the twelve band series) is to know your frequencies - set the EQ flat, switch the pre-shapes out and set the amp for a low to moderate volume then play fully boosting (be careful!) and fully cutting each band returning to the zero point before moving to the next slider - listen carefully. Do the same again but with the pre-shapes switched in this time - see what works for you and what doesn't. Be careful with the 50Hz slider as this will eat power and increase driver displacement costing you potential headroom and percieved volume. The setup pictured should be pretty loud and sound great - the 1153 cab is a great sounding single-fifteen. The BLX combo with the ten-inch driver will play reasonably loudly without complaint plus that HF component will give a bit of 'zing' too. It won't be Ampeg 8x10 loud plus I doubt it'd compete with 100w Marshalls and multiple 4x12s on eleven but, still, it should be eneough for most situations. As stated previously, build quality is generally good with tidy wiring and chunky components, decent wood-work and well finished upholstery. Most techs will happily repair them if they do fail as they're reasonably traditional and straight forward inside. The cost of them being oldskool is of course they're pretty heavy by today's standards. Hope that helps. 😀
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