The fasting showman

Yeah, just your basic Maplin O level project guitar pedal DIY jobs. To suss it out you can just get a stereo jack plug wired to a 3 core mains lead and short out the connections to see how it works. There's nothing to it at all, it doesn't warrant spending much. If you're moderately handy it's easy. If I can knock a pedal together anybody can. All the best, Martin

Hi Jim, I DIY'd one when I had an ABM300 evo 2. I made it out of a Neutrik stereo jack plug I had kicking around, a length of 3 core standard mains cable, a project box from Maplin and 2 SPDT footswitches. I soldered the earth wire to the screen of the jack plug and at the other end in the switch box bridged to the centre pin of both of the foot switches, The brown and blue wires were soldered to the two contacts on the plug and at the box end to an outer tab on different switches respectively. Obviously as either brown or blue make contact (when the switch is pressed) with earth the effect is activated. That's what I did anyway, didn't cost much as I had all the parts as scrap and I only wanted it for the Sub / Valve effects. Shouldn't cost much for the bits, no more than a tenner. All the best, Martin

Had the pleasure of buying a great USA G&L from Graham yesterday, incredible deal. As I was buying a 5 string out of necessity rather than GAS I don't think I could have dropped on a better purchase, way better than described. Many thanks for the bass and the mug of tea from a rock'n'rolling ornithologist!

I've owned a few Bassman 135s and a 100 and I seem to remember from the circuit diagram that the '70s Fenders break from the convention of parallel outputs (tweeds etc) and are wired in series but with a switching jack on one of the outputs that switches the output transformer to an 8 ohm tap. That then enabled you to use two of the stock cabs (4 ohm pyramid 4x12s) with one head presenting an 8 ohm load overall. If you are going to use a single 4 ohm cab then you use the regular speaker output, hence why it says 4 ohm min over each output but states 4 ohm minimum overall. Having said that, back when I was a kid in the '80s I used an 8 ohm cab on the regular (not ext) output with no issues. It may be better in this instance though to use the ext jack with an 8 ohm cab if using a single 8 ohm cab as (I think! Please check the diagram) that the switching jack is on the ext output and would switch in the 8 ohm tap. Hope this helps, there will be better informed people doubtless but I'd check the circuit diagram. Don't want the output tranny getting fried because of my rambling! To add if you are using a 4 ohm cab on the regular (not ext speaker out) then all is fine. Martin

Interesting points made definitely. I'd always wondered whether it was Louis Satterfield playing bass at times (as he was in the ranks of EWF anyway) having heard how good his playing was on Electric Mud and the equivalent Howlin' Wolf Psychedelic album that he did for chess. Pure speculation though!

Received a GK speaker cable from Cliff, great deal and service. Many thanks mate, cheers for the Paypal tutorial too! All the best, Martin

I think I changed them to M4 Schallers on mine, would have been back in the mid '80s when it was obligatory to upgrade (and usually ruin in the process) your bass. Great sounding basses these, wish I still had mine. Martin

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452531095' post='2950873'] "All The Young Dudes" [/quote]Yes, both the Mott version and the one on 'David Live' When I heard the news 'Look back in anger' is the song that I needed to hear first. Ask me tomorrow and it could be totally different, so much incredible music to choose from.

Thought that would sort it. Just whack a short jumper lead in there permanently and forget it, I've done this with both my 700rb iis. I'm glad you actually tried it, usually people dismiss the suggestion! All the best, Martin

Hi, As many will advise, try and put a lead between the FX send and return. Also try using a contact cleaner on a jack then insert and reinsert into the input. If any of the volume or boost controls feel stiff maybe give them a few repeated turns until they feel free. These are some of the tricks I've done on GKs that have made some quite sinister quirks go away, I am a fan of their amps despite any gremlins. Pots and switching jacks seem to be their achilles heel(s). If these tricks fail, try a tech. Maybe Polar Audio can help. Good luck, Martin

Hi, It sounds like you've already been through more than I have with GK, the 4 I've had have been great (800rb, 400rb, mb200, 700rbii), I thought that the procedure was for GK to replace entire section boards. I know toroidals aren't cheap but there's ways around that, if you aren't bothered about warranty. I'd try the bloke on Talkbass, I'm hoping Gelfin, Nick or Cetera chime in! Have you managed to actually make contact with GK in the US? All the best, Martin

Hi, I'm far from a guru on anything, all I know with GKs is the old patch lead in the FX loop trick; seems to cure a vast range of ills. There's a bloke on Talkbass (B-string) who is a good contact. Polar Audio, as you will know, are the distributors, I've mixed feelings about them but they may help. When I swapped the mains tranny in my 400rb the local amp tech thought the insides of the amp looked pretty straightforward. Good luck, Martin

I think the intention with the P bass pickup was to obtain a humbucking design with an absence of phase cancellation in the sound given that that the two parts of the humbucker operate on different pairs of strings. That's not to criticize basses like the Stingray where phase cancellation is part of the sound (i.e a dip in the mids from having 2 coils on at the same time, like position 2 and 4 on a strat pickup switch) or a Jazz bass with both pickups turned on full. All great sounds in their own way. Martin

Many thanks to Wayne for a great deal, highly recommended.

That's really helpful David, the s2010 is what I'll be ordering. Many thanks again for the help and the clarity of info. Martin

Smart job David, good woodworking. Thanks for the info. Martin

Hello, I'd be grateful for some help regarding a replacement speaker for my SWR Workingman's Ten, I'm chasing durability over any other goals as despite me buying the amp on a whim off this forum it's turned out to be a very useful little amp. I must add that the amp is in great nick (purchased from Ricksterphil) and the speaker might get pushed to it's limits given the age of the amp in some applications, I'd rather box up the original speaker. I've managed to use the amp at a full band rehearsal playing '50s stuff and it did well in a smallish room, it's main uses will be as a back up amp for gigs with a full PA or for guitar/ bass duet stuff. My basses are a Fender tele / P bass hybrid, TI flats with a pick, for '50s music and a 3 band 'Ray for general purpose. I'm not doing dub or similar. The internal volume I'm getting is 1.3 cubic foot with a slot port(divided by a 2cm x12mm x 31cm batten) of 2cmx37cm with a 7cm shelf. The amp chassis isn't boxed in and occupies some area of the enclosure, sadly it isn't a measurable size as it's essentially a PCB and tranny on an L shaped piece of metal, the back draft from the speaker helps to cool the amp. I'm aware you can't get a quart out of a pint pot but a new speaker will help a great little amp, that doesn't owe me much, to keep working. I'm thinking that my budget would push to around £100. I'd be very happy for very general /ballpark answers on this, I don't want anybody to go to great lengths with software etc. Many thanks in anticipation, Martin

And a welcome too from me, also from Lichfield.

Back in my '20s I got a fair amount of compliments regarding my playing that in hindsight I really didn't deserve. I'm a lot better a player now (relatively OK I think) but as I am in my '40s I find that I am practically invisible at gigs. So to quote a wise man: 'If they like me, I like them!' Be glad of any compliments whatsoever. Martin

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1430247400' post='2759530'] I found that Travis Perkins can supply birch ply - I was able to get 9mm sheets at a reasonable price to the depths of mid Wales. It was also well packed for transportation. [/quote]I found Travis Perkins very helpful too, the branch near me had a circular saw with fence unlike the vertical saws at the big DIY sheds; the cutting was bang on accurate and barely cost anything. Made the build very easy! Good luck, Martin

Just bought an amp from Phil, good communication throughout, happy with transaction. All good, many thanks.

[quote name='nick' timestamp='1429472309' post='2751740'] They are unfortunately a waste of time IME. Overpriced spares, and at the time I attempted to deal with them, didn't have a clue on technical advice for my 400RB that I needed. Shame as such great amps deserve a better distributor IMHO. [/quote]Well said Nick. There's a Talkbass contributor called Bstring who is very useful regarding GK tech info. I think if I'm ever fortunate to own one of these amps again (why did I sell mine?) and if I had to convert it to UK from US voltage I'd only bother to run the 300 watt section full range as most people do I suspect. This would make a replacement tranny easier to source as I'd leave the 100 watt unpowered. All the best, Martin

I'm from Lichfield, PM'ing you an amp techs number. Martin

How about 2 off Sgt Pepper? Lovely Rita and Good Morning are interesting lines at the front of the mix. Dear Prudence is a great line too.