BassBod

I posted one to Mr Beedster last week - send him a PM and maybe he could email you a photo of the wiring? It was a humbucker, but I've no idea if it was wired in series or parallel (I'd guess series from the sound).

My experience is that the series sound (darker and more powerful) is significantly stronger/louder than the parallel (brighter, more single coil-like upper mid and treble). Depends what you like...both are perfectly good. I guess the volume difference could be adjusted with a resistor on the series setting, but I'm not clever enough to do that!

Where was that...bit shocking!? Bristol was something like £22 when I looked, and I thought that was pretty pricey for a venue like the Colston Hall.

Just noticed that Jack is playing in Bristol (Colston Hall) on Friday - great to see he's out and about. I can't make it due to a gig, but thought it was worth mentioning.

I don't know the details, but if I had to have three switches, it would be a pickup selector and a series parallel for each pickup. Probably wouldn't use them...but fun to have if I had holes to fill.

Before you melt anything, look at the SWR site under the old products section - there may be a user manual that will tell you about an internal re-wire option for the transformer. Your amp is labelled "SWR Engineering", which is the older name for the original company. There is a good chance of a cheap and safe fix for this.

I've always thought about it when I see those old Hellborgs going on Evilbay. If it isn't for you, do get in touch!

Go digging around the SWR site, and try and get an estimate of the age - looks like an oldish one to me. It may well have a multi tap transformer...meaning it can be correctly wired internally by switching a few connections. Later, they changed things so you had to replace the transformer for European voltage. Its a good amp, so worth some time researching, and it will be worth a lot more if it is correctly modified and safe to use in the UK.

I'll be there...its really not far from Bristol....even though the M5 doesn't go straight past!

Hows about the Clifton.... [attachment=74445:DSCN0850.JPG] [attachment=74450:DSCN0857.JPG] Mo Clifton calls this the Downright (instead of his more usual electric uprights). 36" scale, mahogany/bubinga body, maple/bubinga neck and Kent Armstrong pickups. Like a cross-bread Status/Thumb bass!

You haven't got time to be a pop star as well......but I guess its ok on a Friday night!

Hi Chris, Yes, I've got one here, and its no use to me as I use nylon strings! PM me and we can sort .....

Welcome! You'll find a few Brissle Bassers about...I even found one of 'emjust round the corner....although he's really one of them northerners, just lurking, like....seems to like it round here. (hello Nick!)

Sorry..I haven't seen the bass for a year or two. He understands it. Just doesn't use anything but one sound! If you're getting distortion then I'd think something is wrong...probably with a component in the active preamp. I'm sure its repairable, but if it was my bass I'd consider a simpler set up..but with the MM character. Have a look at John Easts MM type replacements? Adding just a pickup selector to one could do the trick? good luck - and don't your kids find some great sounds when you're not looking!

For potential replacement I'd talk to John East (East UK). May be worth replacing the control plate and losing some of the switches? A friend has one of these and I've never worked out all the possible sounds..or ever been certain what they all did!

What BB said - lovely pickups for a fretless, but still made and available..and I doubt many people would recognize Dill's name. I certainly remember his fantastic fretless sound (with Barbara Thompson), and would love to hear it again. I wouldn't sell. I paid £60 -70 for a used set last year (and pretty certain I could have got some for less if I'd waited longer).

Umm...for a few weeks I had a Brandoni fretted Jbass neck on that bass. Worked well, but felt soooo wrong! I won't mention the EMG, Schaller or badass stuff either. And sorry about the cavity in the back...it was about 1989 and it just didn't seem to matter at the time.

I can't look....sniff again. I know I wasn't always kind to that bass...but it doesn't deserve that.

One thing that has surprised me about the "Jaco tone" is simply how consistent he was...despite everything that was going on in his life. Some examples. The DCI video (made in 85/86) shows him playing a bitser (60's J body with maple Pbass fretted neck) but it sounds like him. The Birelli Lagrene tour recordings from the same time sound a bit harsher, but he was playing Jbasses with DiMarzio pickups (I assume his own basses were gone by then?). The only instance where I can hear a difference is the fretless section of the DCI video where he plays Jerry Jemmott's hollow body bass..but even then within a few seconds his personality is there. There is also a YouTube clip of him playing a JD. Sounds like him...not Jaco sounding like Mark King. I've always taken this as evidence that your sound is yours...what instrument you play (plus strings, pickups etc etc) is only a part of your music.

Anyway..its the weight thats important.

Takes all sorts, but I've had generally excellent experiences buying and selling here. I would expect a minority of wafflers and tyre kickers in any transaction..but BC is pretty much hassle free. Its worth using the feedback threads..and looking people up for some background. There are some sellers I would avoid. Nuff said.

Yes, that was the plan for this gig...there was a roll of stickers ready (allegedly, of course) but the singer forgot to tell anyone, and got there late...by which time jobsworth had been lurking around during load in and spied no stickers. Plan B got complicated.

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1130770' date='Feb 17 2011, 11:23 AM']I'm thinking specifically bands, or maybe if enough people in an area want their gear testing to make it worthwhile. My cousins husband (as of today, they get married this afternoon ), has his own company doing PAT testing, and other electrical testing too. He actually has a contract for doing a couple of large chain stores. He recently did my gear, and that belonging to one of the bands I play for. He's an ex musician and is very reasonable with his prices, and will give a discount if you mention basschat. He charged the band £50 for doing a load of gear including amps, PA, lighting, lasers etc. He's based in Birmingham, but will travel around the Midlands area. His name's James, and his number is 07599 356864.[/quote] But best not call him tonight???? I had a well paid gig almost cancelled on the night last summer due to jobsworth venue staff and PAT testing, so worth thinking about.

I've been lucky recently, and managed to set up, side by side the nearest to a new/old comparison I could imagine. Old - Alembic preamp, SWR power amp and Bag End 1x15. New - Euphonic Audio Micro, Barefaced Midget 1x12. Both are twin channel..portable..excellent (neutral-ish) sounding amps. Not loud rigs for rock gigs, but very capable for most situations. The old rig wins for sound, but weighs about 65lbs...the newer lacks some of the impact and warmth but weighs about 24lbs. I can use either very happily, and sound like me. But the portability (and compactness) of the newer set up just makes my life a lot easier for the work I do at the moment.