Musky

[quote name='john the pond' timestamp='1332093686' post='1583129'] There is a technical term to describe the condition of an amp that makes magic smoke; its f***ed. Changing the speaker wont help! [/quote] The amp's working though - he continued the gig with 4x10. Andy, you could put a 300w 4 ohm speaker in there, but it won't make a whole heap of difference volume-wise. Most of the extra volume comes from having extra speakers to shift more air. It also means you won't be able to add that extra cab should you want to do so in the future. [quote]I'm not an Ashdown fan but, in fairness, their designs aren't radically different from many other manufacturers so the production of magic smoke is probably no more prevalent than a lot of other manufacturers.[/quote] I think the stories of Ashdown amps going up in flames (sometimes literally) stems from a faulty batch of transformers they used around 2006. They should have all been fixed or toasted by now.

You'll probably be better off posting this in the For Sale forum. http://basschat.co.uk/forum/19-for-sale-basses/ If you PM one of the mods I'm sure they'll move it for you. Might be an idea to add your location as well.

Pricey! I think I paid £33 new for mine. They were originally being sold over here by Watford Valves (IIRC) and I remember the price hike when they got a new distributor.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1332030972' post='1582449'] Someone not yet acquainted with subtlety: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RICKENBACKER-COPY-BASS-GUITAR-FIREGLO-/280846884920?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4163c76038"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4163c76038[/url] [/quote] Looks to be a Rockinbetter, or perhaps one of the Bass Collection 'fakers which seem to be the same thing anyway. Pricey.

This soundcloud clip has recently come to my attention - short, fast and unfettered by mainstream conventions of musicality. [url="http://soundcloud.com/pj-crittenden/fast-songs-by-ryan-from"]http://soundcloud.com/pj-crittenden/fast-songs-by-ryan-from[/url] Untutored, yes. Naive, yes. Mentally unstable, possibly. But that never stopped Wild Man Fischer or GG Allin. Track 7 might be my favourite.

Congratulations Clarky! They seem to be gigging a lot more regularly than Rattlin Bone as well - result.

Check the wiring against a schematic. Check for cold solder joints. Desolder the pickups and put a multimeter/continuity tester on them. Ditto the pots.

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1331758097' post='1578522'] Made in Japan is pre-1997. Are you sure it's a Geddy? [/quote] Fender Japan are using MIJ again, rather than CIJ. They're using mixed case lettering rather than upper case (or italicised) lettering.

[quote name='CBbass' timestamp='1331549109' post='1574401'] It's a nice idea but isn't it a little libellous? Anyway, see if you have a case in a small clams court... if not then go there, rack up a bill of the amount due and say it was awful service + food and refuse to pay . [/quote] +1 Did this at a works beano last Saturday night, where the restaurant had consistently bounced cheques on us. They were just presented with an invoice to cover our bill at the end of the night. It's not a criminal matter so the police won't be interested. You just have to leave your name and address.

I seem to remember Dave saying that if you use a switching PSU you should plug into the effect before switching on the power, Apparently it can cause noise issues if you don't.

Weird one. You could always click on the links at the top and bottom of the page (just below the tabs at the top of the page and the corresponding spot at the bottom).

I've no idea about the B410 HLF, but the SVT equivalent is a very different beast to the 810. The 810 uses speakers with a pretty low xmax and uses lots of them to get away producing bass. The SVT HLF is much better in that respect, but tonally is nothing like the 810. The SVT HE is, but having half the number of speakers will run out of excursion much sooner - that means less volume before it starts crapping out. I think you'd have to seriously audition the cabs (at volume!) before making a purchase, and you may be better off looking at other cabs if you want to replicate the sound of the 810.

[quote name='clarkpegasus4001' timestamp='1331341307' post='1571784'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wplM94jTI3s[/media] Ha, a man after my own heart obviously! [/quote] Yep. I'm waiting patiently for your band to make it down to the smoke.

[quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1331377020' post='1572017'] This is from the 80's era...... We may look at these units again if there is interest [/quote] As I've mentioned, I still have my old Bass Machine which is still going strong after 30 odd years. I've hung onto it because it's a great sounding amp. If there is a decision to reissue these HH might want to revise the frequencies of the graphic EQ though. The review in International Musician mentioned the frequencies were chosen as something of a compromise as the amps were intended for use by guitarists as well. Edit: Very strange. Just looking on Youtube at Stereolab playing French Disko on the Word and the bass player is using a Bass Machine. Synchronicity! [quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1331377750' post='1572033'] Indeed.... there were some ropey products apparently. BassBaby I think could be a winner..... have to make it a lot lighter though.... [/quote] Is this the Studio 60 you're talking about, or the 150w version. The Studio 60 was a really nice sounding amp, if only really suitable for practice or very quiet gigs. I used to play in a three bass player band, so when we booked into a studio and I was assured they had enough bass amps, I groaned when I got lumped with the Studio 60. Plugged in, sounded really good without having to touch the EQ. I went right out and bought one.

[quote name='Townes1992' timestamp='1331390053' post='1572239'] Thanks for the advice thus far, yeah i think measuring yourself against people you know or artists you hear is a big problem of it, its difficult to escape i guess, what with some less considerate people judging styles and sounds and [b]gear[/b] etc [/quote] Anyone who's judging you on your gear is a shallow, dimwitted tw@t and should be ignored. On everything.

Start here - http://www.eminence.com/support/understanding-loudspeaker-data/- and then work your way through this lot - http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=219617 Go for a speaker with an xmax above 4mm. WinISD will take a lot of the legwork out of the design.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1331333934' post='1571715'] All GK gear is being made in the USA now. [/quote] Very curious - I wonder what their rationale is for that, given that so much is produced (very cheaply) in the Far East nowadays. I don't remember reading about QC issues with the current stuff (although I haven't really looked) so it seems strange that they'd want to produce with more expensive US labour unless they figure consumers will be happy with a higher price. And I'm just assuming this will mean a higher price here.

As you've noticed trace weren't awfully forthcoming about the wattage on the front panel of their amps - the 'GP11 Mk V' bit just refers to the preamp, which was mated to different power amps. Try taking a look at the guts of the amp, as the power boards were usually marked. If not, the speakers will give a clue. If their wattage is marked, multiply that by the number of speakers. That'll give you the maximum output they can handle at 8 ohms (which will probably be very close to the combo's output without an extension cab) and add about 50% to find the full wattage at 4 ohms. And if all that fails, wait for someone who knows what they're talking about to answer. Merton is a bit of a Trace aficionado, but a bit more info about your combo might be needed. As for the speakers, unless there's a problem with them, don't worry. There's an art (or more precisely, a science) to matching speakers to the cab they're in. if there are issues with the speakers I've still got an old Celestion catalogue from the late eighties about somewhere, which might give a clue as to current speakers that might be suitable.

[quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1331285466' post='1570674'] The point a lot of you are missing is that they don't just supply the UK market. Some products sell well in other parts of the world than they do in the UK. [/quote] Good point, especially as the Ibanez website is showing both versions available. So if the 500w version is being discontinued in the UK (but available elsewhere) it'll be down to the UK distributors, who are going to be responding to disappointing sales. [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1331287329' post='1570719'] GK will take the crown for the tiny low powered amp with the MB200, which is now being manufactured in the USA instead of being outsourced. [/quote] Interesting change of policy. I wonder if we'll see an increase in price or whether they'll offset it elsewhere. Any idea if the MB500 is going to be US made (or is it already - I really don't know)???

One of the guys that made me want to play bass - Burke Shelley. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wplM94jTI3s[/youtube] And Dave Sims. I just love that tone and rhythmic playing. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoxXKKQYJYQ[/youtube]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1331317615' post='1571397'] My first amp in 1980 was a Carlsboro. It was total sh*te!!!! [/quote] Ditto that! My second one was a HH Bass Machine like Crez has pictured above. I've still got that one.

I used to see lots of Marshalls on stage as well. Marshall isn't the most popular brand of amp for bassists nowadays, and I think they tend to get overlooked when people talk about old bass amps.

Gordon Smith and Patrick Eggle. And Laney, Carlsbro, HH Electronic, Hiwatt, Orange and Marshall for the amps category. Edit: You're missing Status as well.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1331070418' post='1567310'] Just leave it alone, unless you want to spend loads of time matching the quality and colour of the original finish with what looks like a satin lacquer.!Time and money could be best spent on a new set of strings, no-one's bothered if it says "Squier" and when you come to sell it a no-name could be worth less..... [/quote] I'd just finish the face of the headstock with a nitro lacquer, like a 70's fender - nitro face to the headstock with poly elsewhere on the neck. It'll age differently and ends up looking cool. As long as you don't sell it first.

[quote name='john the pond' timestamp='1331063872' post='1567160'] I can't recall Marshall and Vox making bass combo's so its the Marshall Superbass 100 or Vox Foundation stacks. Fender did bass combo's and the Bassman 4x10 combo is probably closest to a Twin. You dont need all the power modern amps put out and volume is not measured in watts [/quote] +1 The Ampeg B15 is a classic bass combo that comes to mind as well, though that is no good live. And you'll need to remortgage to buy a reissue. By and large there's a good reason why old combos aren't in vogue amongst bass players in the same way they are with guitarists - they simply weren't capable of producing decent bass, and mostly couldn't achieve a usable volume either. The simple fact that getting decent bass output used to mean large cabinets, amps with big transformers capable of producing a high wattage and heavy speakers capable of handling that wattage. Which is why there aren't many classic combos still available for bassists - certainly not ones that fancy keeping there spines intact. If you're set on a combo then maybe the Mesa Boogie Walkabout might hit the spot: if not check out some of the suggestions above for small, light and loud rigs.