BassBod

PMT site now showing the Ashdown 1x12 at £389...😜. I’ve heard one briefly, and was impressed.

A Basschat Bitser - ex-Beedster 70's neck on a stripped 90-'s re-issue body, with DiMarzios. Luverly...

Not just SWR - my favourite preamps from many years of playing. The Alembic is from around 1976, Trace is 1984/5 and SWR Studio 220 early 90’s (although I think the design is 1986?).

It would be fine for a lot of my work - small jazz gigs and functions where I’m hired to be background. If they have to listen..I’m too loud, and not doing my job 😳. It’s a game of stealth, so a tiny amp that weighs nothing fits the bill, and pays the bills..

And another 😎

Been a while...

It hurts to admit this, but the combination of an old AH150 and a bitser P bass is very very hard to beat....

It just needs an AGS off switch, like the ToneHammer pedal preamp does...

From memory, the front preamp is a self contained shallow metal box, but the power amp and power transformer is not enclosed, just bolted to the back plate (one cable assembly links the two). Could be done, but some sort of top/bottom plates could be necessary.

My favourite is "music power" - can't remember who used it, but utterly meaningless...unless you work in the marketing dept.

There is no AGS off option on the TH500. The only reason I sold mine! It really is designed to flavour the sound away from “class D” to something warmer and “tubey” and it does that very well. I just prefer to have an off switch. My solution is a Retroglide 800 and Sansamp pedal....same idea 😎

For me, the need for lighter more portable gear is partly age (not just health wise, but I’ve been shifting gear for a long time now, it gets dull!) but also the increasing hassle of getting a vehicle close to venues, loading out through drunk crowds etc. I’m self employed, work for a lot of different people, so I’m expected to be there on time, set up and ready...however much city traffic/motorway problems/parking restrictions get in the way. Lighter and smaller gear gets the job done a lot easier most of the time. If I was always arriving in a van with a band, I would use heavier stuff 😜

It must be your inner bass player, reminding you that sound is always more important than logistics. It’s a life-long struggle 😳

I’ve been using one or two TKS S112s for a few years now - still very happy with them. The performance/ portability/ cost combination is impressive. Not the deepest sounding cabs, but two provides plenty of sound. The surprise for me in just how good they are with the older generation of “small” amps. The TE AH150 or SWR Bass 350 etc all produce really nice noises, but are quite easy to cart about.

Yes, the TE manual is very comprehensive. I remember years ago, with a Series VI and a Wal (!) it was a struggle to get a good stage sound in hurried sound checks, and it was made harder by not having many decent PA’s. The amp had to cover the room, so it usually seemed way too much on stage. These days, with an old(er) AH150 it seems much easier. Pick a bass that sounds good, turn off the pre-shape and use the graphic eq very sparingly, usually just a slight low boost and some upper mid cut. DI into PA if the room needs it. 😎

On my old bass (ply with solid top) I found that Spiro E and A, with Innovation black Rockabilly D and G worked surprisingly well. I’m still tempted to try it again..

Yes, I’ve run more “voiced ” preamps into it (Sansamp VT, Sadowsky) but I assume it would overload with a line level input unless you were able to keep it very low.

Doesn't sound like the problem is nylon, but more string diameter - there are some black nylons like the D'Addario set that are almost "normal sizes". I use these on acoustic bass guitars (with acoustic guitar type under saddle piezo strips) and they work perfectly well.

You could try Jon Godsland at Orchid Electronics in Exeter....look him up and give him a call?

They (Hiscox) have a tougher ProII spec for their acoustic guitar cases, which is essentially a thicker outer skin. Might be worth asking about that - I’ve never seen one. But, I have had a Hiscox get battered about on a couple of flights to the point where it barely closed (edges and hinges all knocked out of shape). Bass was fine 😎

Nice to meet you yesterday Raymondo, hope you got some sleep eventually! 😎