molan

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1416937408' post='2615271'] Doesn't really say much. They could have had a 60% failure rate and now it's only 40%... I had 2 die. Wouldn't trust them again. [/quote] My understanding is that they don't blow up any more. I can't say precisely when this was fixed but it does seem to be Ok now. Certainly any new models should be good. We're not an Ampeg dealer so this is not from direct first hand experience however we do deal with the distributor and they are the last people to want to promote a product that keeps coming back for repair and we've always found them to be very open and honest when there are issues with anything

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1414884772' post='2594446'] There are lots, and lots, of players whose technical skill really impresses me but every now & then I hear something that tonally just floors me (as per the OP question). The most recent has been Lee Sklar. I was in a pub and there was a music TV channel on in the background. Something came on and one of the very first things I heard was this lovely bass tone. Turned around to check who it was and there was Lee Sklar lurking at the back of the picture. I was with a few band mates and pointed him out and they all stopped to listen - one of them said 'you should buy one of those basses and try to get that sound'. I just gave him a rueful smile. . . I've since bought the album and some of his playing is just sublime, not a flash run in site, just classy playing with beautiful tone [/quote] So I went to see Mr Sklar in person on Sunday night and, by complete chance, we ended up sitting in the front row at floor level directly in front of him. Literally no more than 2-3 metres away. His tone live was even better than on the album. Just his Warwick Star Bass, a little Hartke head and an Ampeg 1x15". From where we were sitting we would mostly have just been hearing this setup rather than any PA reinforcement & his tone was just sublime. Beautiful playing right through every song, perfect arrangements, subtle flourishes here & there and, unsurprisingly, the interplay between him, Waddy Wachtel & Russ Kunkel was just great as well. First man to make me lust after a Warwick ever! Not that this would make me even remotely sound like him of course - his one just looked beautifully finished

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416919839' post='2614981'] Is that the general feeling that they problem has been cured..??? It would be good if true.. as I rather like that little amp. [/quote] I was told 'officially' that returns were much lower now but I'll do some more detailed checking. They were truly awful at one stage. I know someone who had three of them fail in a week! Some major Ampeg dealers refused to even stock them for a while because they simply couldn't trust them

There was a nasty period of PF500's going bang. Seems to have been cured now. 2 years warranty through the retailer (technically 6 but tough to claim after 2). The retailer may well go to Polar but it's their responsibility in the first instance.

Saw Lee Sklar last night - very possibly the best live bass sound I've ever heard. Not only that but, based on a beautifully produced album, he was note perfect all night. Right down to the subtlest touches

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1416842696' post='2614155'] OK, so I've veering WAY off topic again, but I do wonder if there's a correlation between ... erm ... how shall I phrase this ... ah yes! ... the Barefaced NON-[i]fanbois [/i]and using Markbass amps. I've played through a variety of BF cabs with very satisfactory (to my ears) results using heads by people like Eden, Orange and Matamp but I personally detest the uber-middy sound (to my ears) of a Markbass through a BF cab. Is it really as simple as that? People with Markbass amps don't like Barefaced cabs? [/quote] I do wonder if there's a 'clean vs warm' effect in terms of how BF cabs interact with various amps. The amps you've mentioned generally have an inherent warmer sound and should not be emphasising those 'aggressive' mids that BF are so famous for. Conversely I've only ever experienced BF cabs with brighter cleaner heads and it's this combination that has me reaching for the earplugs very rapidly

Ive bought Trace stuff like this before. Cabs were ok but amps were literally 50/50 working and not. Overall deal worked out ok but one amp required a lot of expensive repair work

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1416774006' post='2613485'] I had a look but for the life of me can't find that info. [/quote] It was definitely there on the main auction site when the first bread went up. I'm in the car now so can't go back and check easily

Are you using both instruments simultaneously?

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1416738422' post='2612976'] Who knows for sure these are returns/seconds stock? As for not being bargains; if you get it for 50% of the new price (factoring in the 41% premium/tax) then how can it not be a bargain? [size=4] [/size] [/quote] I think the auction listing says somewhere that all the instruments and amps are returned, B, or ex-demo stock. I think all the pristine gear will have been offloaded to dealers cheap. There have been some killer deals kicking around on Peavey gear all year.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1416737662' post='2612961'] I've got the M80 single case. For protecting your bass it's good as you are going to get without buying a proper hard case like a Hiscox. As a gig bag I find it very uncomfortable to wear for more than a few minutes, so IMO completely useless. [/quote] I lug mine all over the place and always found it really comfortable. I guess partly because we sell them, we get a lot of customers that turn up at the store with a Mono as their everyday gig bag. A lot of these get the train from London and use their bags all over the city and I've never heard anyone complain about them being uncomfortable. However I have read about other people who haven't got on with them so maybe it's just a 'horses for courses' thing

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1416697222' post='2612802'] Not exactly sure who it was I spoke to but you guys also made sure they would fit my Dingwall! And even measured strings for me. great service. edit to answer Ambient : Mine is still as it came from Bass Gear. [/quote] Probably Vic at the store - he's generally the 'go to' guy for anything Dingwall

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1416658451' post='2612361'] I don't need to sell anything but having read Molan's gig review I'm very tempted to put an order in. Just get Christmas out of the way and then maybe, just maybe I'll treat myself [/quote] I was going to say not to take my word for it but then realised you've heard them at decent volume anyway

[quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1416672351' post='2612545'] dual vertigo?? i didn't know they manufactured it [/quote] They don't!

[quote name='winterfire666' timestamp='1416670960' post='2612530'] I really want to try a vertigo out for size before buying as my xylem has unusual proportions, our guitarist uses em and they are great quality, compact and lightweight. Definitely worth the cash in my opinion. I just don't wanna fork out for one if it might not fit my bass. [/quote] If you send us exact measurements we can try and set up a bass as close as possible to the same size and measure for you Edit - we did this recently for someone with an extended Alembic and discovered that the only thing that worked was a Hiscox abs case.

That's what we're here for 5 new cabs into production this week, should be a fun Xmas/ New Year for a few people!

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1416558091' post='2611372'] I've always preferred the John East preamps, or if you have an interest in something a bit different the filter preamps are very cool. These are a good introduction to the breed: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/[/url] [/quote] Just goes to show how different we all are I think John East is a lovely guy but I don't get on with his pre-amps at all. I've had a few and have stripped them out of each bass very quickly. In fact, I'm pleased I read this thread because I've got one kicking around that I need to stick up for sale! Personally I much prefer the Aguilar tone. I've had all three at some point or another. I rarely fiddle with mids on a bass (tend to do this on the amp instead) so I don't really need the 3 band option. Even the simple OBP1 can make a big difference to a bass - actually, I'm pretty sure I have a spare one of those somewhere too, plus I've got just the bass to fit it in. Even more pleased I read this now

Orders coming in thick and fast now Looking forward to all the different combinations coming in!

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1416341979' post='2609268'] To be fair, that's just Vic performing at a gear show, probably for a bunch of fawning bass players I imagine. He's the first person to state that it's just 'fireworks', and whilst it partly pays his bills, he's perfectly aware if what it is (or isn't) Si [/quote] I think this was just a random bit of filming on small camera whilst Vic was noodling for his own amusement. I've seen him a shows before and when he's on the stand he pretty much can't keep his hands off a bass and just plays & plays and sits in a world of his own whilst people wander around him He just loves to play!

You can get a used MarkBass NY112 for £280. It'll handle smaller gigs and partners the LMIII well. That might see you through with £120 to spare and then you'd just need to find another at a later date.

I got a chance to try a pair of basses last night - first was a Bass Collection Bruce Thomas strung with La Bella LT's and the second was a '78P with TI's. LT's had been gigged once and the TI's were brand new. The TI's felt lighter tension to the extent of feeling like thinner gauges but they are identical other then a 42 vs 43 G string. LT's felt smoother and more how I generally think of flats. TI's had a bit of an 'edge' to them but still very slinky. I found it easier to bend notes on the TI's and enjoyed how they felt to play. Although both were P basses I'm not sure it's fair to compare them tonally because they were such different core tones (I'm one of those stubborn people that believe you can hear the differences between woods, age and pickups and that all P basses do not sound the same as each other!). For reference I also had another Fender P on hand strung with much heavier tension flats. Both the LT's and TI's were easier for me to play and I preferred both but there was something quit refreshingly 'vintage' feeling about the higher tension ones and they immediately had me reaching for the tone control and winding it all the way off. My net feeling was that I'm going to sling an old set of TI's I have on my Lull P again to remind myself how they sound on a bass I know well

I used one of these as my main gigging bass for a while. Really enjoyed playing it and so versatile for use in a functions band setting