The fasting showman

I was very relieved to see that the dates on neck or body didn't happen to be 17/11/68! It would have been a blow the family war-chest job. It's much nicer than my 3x2 slab of a mudbucker '72.

Yeah Nick, I can't see why GK themselves couldn't be contacted via email, I gave up despite getting various contacts off Talkbass. I hope they don't lose interest in the RB series, they're fantastic amps. As I've ranted elsewhere they should do a reissue 'heritage' 400rb and 800rb, just like somebody should do a reissue Acoustic 370!

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1375908177' post='2167390'] Be very wary of getting it from polar audio. I did last year for a 2000RB. They sent one with the wrong electrical values and it blew the amp main board. GK were very helpful and basically supplied all the internal electronics required to fix it "free of charge" Check the spec of any transformer with GK before you fit it. [/quote]Good advice. How did you manage to contact GK in the US? I just kept getting my emails bounced back to me; I figured that Polar were the only contact if you are in the UK as far as GK are concerned. Cheers, Martin

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1375863794' post='2166513'] The story that I have seen in at least two different interviews with people involved with recording of Frankie Goes To Hollywood and have had confirmed by a friend with inside information, is that The Blockheads including NWR were asked to play on one of the early versions of "Relax". These recordings weren't used as they didn't have the feel that Trevor Horn was looking for. By the time that both "Relax" and "Two Tribes" were released they had gone through multiple recordings and mixes. In the end the majority of the rhythm tracks had been created on the Fairlight CMI using individual note sampling and the Page R sequencer to create the actual performance. It my have been that some of those individual bass notes came from the NWR recordings, but by the time the tracks were completed but no-one knows or was willing at the time to admit to that. Besides having individual notes sampled and then re-sequenced into a new performance hardly counts as having played on the track. Remember this is in the days when sample memory was very limited and even on a very expensive state of the art instrument like the Fairlight, sampling was all about getting the most out of the shortest sample possible. Sampling a whole musical phrase was completely unheard of at the time. The basslines for Relax and Two Tribes could have been covered with 2-3 individual note samples and some clever programming. The recordings for the first Frankie Goes To Holywood album were so much the product of the studio that TBH whose performances were used other than the vocals was largely irrelevant. The important part was the songwriting which shows in the strength of the singles and the relative weakness of the other tracks on the album where no amount of flash production can disguise the fact that some of the songs simply aren't very good. Frankie Goes To Hollywood also played Two Tribes on The Tube a couple of weeks after their debut performance of Relax. The version aired had pretty much the same instrumental parts as the final recording that was released. All that was added to the recorded version was a tightening up of the arrangement and the big Trevor Horn production. [/quote]I think that summarises what happened on the record well. There's very good interviews with Trevor Horn and Steve Lipson in Howard Massey's 'Behind the glass vol 2' that give good insight. Also good interviews with Trevor Horn and Paul Morley in Simon Reynolds' 'Totally Wired' and 'Rip it up and start again'. Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere.

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1375859527' post='2166455'] If it is a standard voltage [url="http://www.rapidonline.com/Electrical-Power/115-230V-Toroidal-Transformers-Dual-Primary-82719"]http://www.rapidonli...l-Primary-82719[/url] [/quote]The 800va ones look like a good deal on Phil's list. Can't believe that I got mine from Polar this time last year for £88! Just be very precise with the measurements, Nick. Fitting the toroid into the space between the power amp PCB and the amp sides is a bit tricky, it takes a bit of rotating around the M8 bolt to get it right. PM me if you want me to take the top cover of my 400rb and check anything, Nick. Martin

...maybe try and drop on one the GK combos at the right price and pull the head out of the combo box for louder situations? Could be a good compromise Mick.

Hi Mick, I've got a Mk1 400rb whereas the one on ebay is a Mk3; not sure if the Mkiv came about due to fan issues on the Mk3. I could be wrong, so have a look on the net, I bet it sounds great. If there's a circuit update maybe Polar audio could advise. My lower powered Mk1 is very potent through a ballsy cab, even drives an 8x10 well. On the 400rb front there's a Mkiv combo on Gumtree for £350. As to the combo(1x15 or otherwise) cutting it I guess it's down to how your bandmates play and how under control their sound is; sorry to be vague but I've played in many bands where it's a volume war. All the best, Martin

Hi Mick, Yonks ago I had a Line 6 bass pod, and if I recall correctly there was a setting on there that replicated a GK800RB into a Hartke 410xl ( setting named 80's? or similar). At the time I had an Ampeg SVT valve setup and I was very sniffy about non valve gear; I remember though that the GK/Hartke setting, along with the Fliptop setting, was my favourite stock sound in there! Then I eventually dropped on a GK head and I don't hanker after valve gear at all now. As I said if all works well you'll have a great sounding setup mate. Martin

I think providing that the head and cab are in good working order, they'll make a good combination. A GK head partnered with Hartke cabs was one of the most popular set ups 20 years ago. Given how bright and punchy GKs are, I think you'll be better off without a tweeter; on the newer amps (mine are the old 400 and 800rbs so others will know better than me) I believe that the 'boost' circuit only works on the low end part of the bi-amp setup. I'd guess that the grit comes from high mids rather than scratch treble.

I got the idea off, ahem, Talkbass. There's seems to be a school of thought that if you buy an old GK, jumper the FX loop as a matter of routine. Our local tech says that other amps suffer from this also. With both of my amps the onset of the problems( cut outs, very scratchy pots, all sorts of heartstoppers) was all very sinister, the patch lead sorted it all out. At the very least it sounded like problem was with the gain or master pot, the more you turned the dials the worse it manifested itself. Lo and behold the jumper cured it. They are great sounding amps, I'm sure the 200mb is also. If it isn't cured by the solution I've given try and have a word with Polar Audio, their distributors. I've found them very helpful, I had to source a hard to get UK mains transformer to convert mine from 120v and they sorted it.

As a fan of GK amps (mine are old though) I'll give my stock answer; try putting a jumper patch lead between the FX send and return jack. It's cured both of mine doing funny intermittent splutters, cut outs etc. Like many people with these amps the patch lead just becomes a permanent fixture. It's worth a try with a spare lead just in case, might save you visiting an amp tech. Admittedly, it's older amps that get quirky in this area, there's a switching jack on the return socket; a Switchcraft on the old 400/800RBs. Good luck!

I'd leave it as it is, it's identical to the one I had about 6 years ago, the 1st Stingray I ever owned. I've owned 3 normal Stingrays since and none of them has bettered it despite looking fancier. I didn't check to see if the pickup on mine was wired in series. Is it worth trying this mod on a stock Stingray? After years of butchering and tinkering with basses I err on the side of leaving them alone now other than setups or repair, I had always wondered why the Sub sounded less scooped though. Maybe I like the look because I wish I still had my old one!

Nice amps, made in Cheshire back in the '80s. I seem to remember the session bassist Paul Westwood used one of these.

Yes to all of the above but also to say that I'd just shove a jumper lead between the FX in and out jacks permanently. My old GK 400rb did exactly the same and the jumper lead in the loop has sorted the problem for cost of a few quid; a very common problem and according to our local amp tech many other brands have the same issue. It's always the first thing I go to with cutting out problems.

I had the Armstrong Hot ceramic P bass pickup in my de-mudbuckered (reckon this term will catch on?) Tele bass until last year. I only changed due to needing my 2 basses to sound more alike;swapped it out for a USA Fender job to match the 2008 P bass I then owned, long story. Trying to get them to sound more alike was a complete folly, when will I learn? I was impressed with the Kent Armstrong, very bright and growly, though I prefer the Fender for what I want as I'm doing rootsier music now. The higher resistance didn't equate to less fidelity at all I found.

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1367920837' post='2070927'] EVRE20's are really expensive! [/quote]Yeah, I was off on a tangent there; I was thinking about something that would get away from the SM58/ 57 low cut thing and get depth in the voice. A bit posh and bulky for gigging though...I should have read Phil's question. I've seen them secondhand nudging £300 at times. A few home demo songwriter types i know have been buying up mics of late, it's funny what sometimes turns up in that £200 + price bracket. The £200 limit seems to be where everybody I know stops, another ton and you'd get something really special sometimes; Beyer ribbon mics, SM7s and so on. Back to Phil's question, high end Audio Technica stuff has always impressed me.

Sorry Phil, I should have read the original post in more detail...an RE20 looks like a beer can on a mike stand, not great visuals for live use! A left field suggestion but what about the more robust Beyer ribbon mics like the M500? I know they do get some live use, crooners etc, and I've seen them secondhand in the mid £200s. I've seen Bowie use one, I think Sinatra did too. It's not taken seriously enough at all finding the optimum mic for a singer's style, particularly when you consider all the chopping and changing us bass players go through with gear.

What about either an EV RE20 or Shure SM7 secondhand? Both top notch dynamics and will have a blue book value if you want to re-sell?

I think there's the cab for this head on ebay right now, sorry I can't attach the link, the ubiquitous 'bass cab' search brought it up. I remember them as nice amps, Colin Moulding from XTC used the combo of the same amp chassis at one point. I've heard them in action coping quite well in rock bands, I think it will be fine with an efficient cab.

Just sold my smartest TE 1153 to Gray; wish my rat fur one looked as good as the one I sold! A pleasure to deal with, positive and decisive throughout. Keep me posted if you gig in Lichfield again. Cheers, Martin

I think a very thin plectrum was all that was needed, in answer to the thickness of shim.

Just remembered who recommended the shim in that position; Buzz Feiten. Hope it works!

I'm not saying this will work, but it may be worth a try...I remember a guitar repairer (name forgotten) saying that shimming necks can break the interaction of resonance between a body and neck in a way to improve the tone. He even advocated putting a thin plectrum to ramp up the neck at the front edge of the neck pocket (edge furthest away from body) and then tightening the neck screws. Obviously this then throws your bridge action out so it will need readjusting. I've carried this out myself due to a bridge's height screws being at the end of their travel, i.e. chasing a different problem, but it does change the sound. I'm a firm believer in neck material and mass making a big difference in sound. Might be worth looking into? Won't cost much to try...

The last time I lined a cab with damping wadding it was a ply cab so I was able to use a staple gun.This time it's an MDF cab; has anybody got any suggestions for an adhesive to fix it in place? Thanks.