Dr M

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1360781306' post='1976466'] Could you not cut a sheet of thin plastic to shape, spray over it, remove the tuner bushes and string guide, affix to the headstock with low tack double-sided sticky tape (avoiding the existing logo) and replace the hardware? Is something like this called an overlay? Or would that be silly? [/quote] You could do this using a sheet of transparency for an overhead projector. Paint or print one side in the colour of your choice, and attach it to the headstock with the coloured side down (protects the colour, and gives a glossy finish.) This should then be easy to remove, and flexible enough to conform to the headstock shape.

Those look to be about the same size as the mini-humbuckers you find on a few basses - EB3 bridge, Ric neck, Ibanez semi-solids. I think Duncan make a Ric neck replacement, but I have no idea what it's like. I'll be interested to see other suggestions - I've got an Ibanez Iceman with pickups about the same size that I've been considering replacing.

That looks like a fairly standard toroidal power transformer. If it's an off-the-shelf item, it should have the spec printed on the side. If you can find a spec on it, check out RS, Farnell, Rapid Electronics and Maplin. Of course, if Ashdown are waiting for supplies, it might be a custom-wound jobby. In that case, you're best off waiting for them to get some more in.

If you're looking to overdrive the preamp valves, what about using a Tube Screamer (or clone)? It's exactly what they're designed for.

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1360677878' post='1974416'] I think the "sweet spot" thing is a bit of a myth to be honest, the sweet spot changes when you fret a note as you shorten the string length. [/quote] I know the whole 'sweet spot' idea is contentious at best - I simply meant that pickup location has a [i]huge[/i] impact on tone. The Jazz neck pickup isn't quite in the same location as the traditional Precision pickup, so you're never going to get quite the same sound out of them.

[quote name='NoirBass' timestamp='1360610233' post='1973375'] Discreet and Chrismuzz, I have spent some hours with my B3 and am getting some fantastic results. I know the purists will be upset but it can sound great. [/quote] If the B3's getting you close to the sound you want, have you considered running that into a power-amp and a decent cab?

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1360330548' post='1968720'] it now has 2 volume knobs ive wired both coils to different pots as it seems to make more sense than 2 tone controls one of which didnt influence the sound one jot! i know the coils are next to each other but at least the middle knob now has a job [/quote] I've always thought an interesting option with a passive 3-control stingray-style bass would be to use the 3rd knob as a rotary switch. Series, parallel, single coil, maybe?

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1360604035' post='1973193'] You'll never make a jazz sound like a precision, of that I'm certain. The bridge pup has a sound of it's own and there's twice as many magnets and twice as much coil. Actually no, there is nearly 4x the amount of coil. [/quote] I would imagine the pickup locations are also a factor in this. The two separate pickups would mean you're picking up two distinct areas of string vibration, neither of which matches the precision pickup 'sweet spot'.

Did the same on a Squier Jazz using a push-pull pot. As above, you'll find the output is a lot hotter and darker, but I personally didn't think it sounded very much like a precision. The series wiring didn't really give me the thick mids I associate with a precision sound. That being said, I was only using the stock Squier pickups that leave something to be desired, so your experience might be different.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1360591743' post='1972868'] I think I'm going to start a crusade against blunt kitchen knives. Every friend's home we've been to for dinner had no sharp knives in the kitchen except one, and she's an ex chef. Blunt knives are dangerous, people, sharpen those f***ers up! [/quote] The problem was more my own apple-slicing technique, rather than the sharpness of the knives. If the knife hadn't been as sharp, my thumb probably would have gotten off a lot more lightly.

Possibly not [i]quite[/i] as silly as picking a fight with a dining chair, but a few months back, my left thumb lost an argument with a carving knife. Cutting a cooking apple, and the blade slipped off, went diagonally down into the tip of my thumb, almost half-way through. Fortunately it closed up almost immediately, so I didn't need stitches, but it made the next day's practise quite interesting. Couldn't grip the neck with my thumb, so had to stick it into my palm. Good technique it did not encourage!

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1360586894' post='1972691'] Not that I'm aware of, there's a lot of young indie bands doing the faux working class schtick, which is at best annoying, and at worst insulting and patronizing. [/quote] The irony being that it's often middle-class performing-arts school graduates trying to seem raw and edgy, and ending up with a middle-class audience who are also trying to seem raw and edgy...

There's a lot of strange behaviour on ebay. I was selling a something a while ago - someone places a high bid. The next day they contact ebay and have the bid removed citing 'made the bid by mistake' or something. They then re-bid just before the item ended with an even higher amount. Seriously bizarre. Still, I got about 3 times what I was expecting, so not gonna complain.

As soon as you start getting into the 'but so-and-so did it first' the entire discussion dies. There is [i]always[/i] an obscure example of someone who came up with an idea before the individual who popularised it.

[quote name='stoker' timestamp='1360342082' post='1969042'] As a last resort I've emailed PedalmodsUK to see what that say about it. [/quote] It might be worth bearing in mind that it's a pretty cheap pedal. The parts and labour to repair it might be more expensive than simply buying a new one.

I think a big part of the problem is the lack of guitar-based music in the mainstream at the moment. There certainly are innovators around, but it seems to me they're struggling to get any real interest. Record companies seem reluctant to take risks on anything with a basis in rock at the moment (or blues, jazz, metal, etc.) An earlier post mentioned DAW and associated technology. Bands certainly are using this to create some very interesting effects: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuunY8BTqNs[/media] Maybe not to everyone's taste, but certainly innovative!

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1360248263' post='1967340'] Nope, it's a V15 (look them up, the amp that killed Vox's reputation) and an old kitchen cabinet thing that is stronger than a bookcase. Equally, the V15 can be lifted with one hand (it's a 2x10) and is fairly indestructible. [/quote] Ah, I'd not heard of the V15. "Unfortunately, as the circuits were in development for the V15, someone at Vox forgot what makes a Vox sound like a Vox." (http://www.voxshowroom.com/uk/amp/v15.html) Oh dear!

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1360265333' post='1967834'] Series is +3db louder in the low mids than parallel , as far as I'm aware that is the only real difference. Anyone know how the pickup in the sandberg basic is wired??? [/quote] I believe you're thinking of a rule regarding series / parallel wiring of speakers. I don't think it applies in the same way to the two coils of a guitar pickup.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1360167541' post='1966031'] And here she is, while briefly wearing a set of Dimarzio humbuckers. They were nice too.... [/quote] Is that an AC30 in the background? Christ, sitting it on top of a bookcase - that's brave!

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1360158403' post='1965774'] It depends on which wires you use from the pickup. The SD diagram you had should be a good reference. For a humbucker you need to wire the two in series, but out of phase. But you don't need to worry about this. [/quote] Not wanting to confuse matters, but I was always under the impression part of the MM sound was due to the fact the two coils in the humbucker are wired in parallel? You still get the humbucking effect, but a cooler output that is then boosted by the active pre-amp?

Hmm... I was really keen on the original MiBass, but to be honest, the 2.0 is leaving me slightly underwhelmed. I think it's mainly the £399 price tag (as listed by GAK and Dolphin.) I quite like the simplicity, but I do wonder if they've stripped out [i]too[/i] much. At that price point, it's got a lot of competition, and I'm not sure there's much that puts it ahead (if you'll excuse the pun...)

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1359994100' post='1963157'] My attention is turning to the MiBass 2.0 head now, the Youtube video for it eluded that there's a distortion curcuit built into the gain structure so you can actually dial some proper distortion out of it without getting the harsh solidstate/digital clipping you usually get in on there kinds of amps when you push them too hard. [/quote] http://ashdownmusic.com/products/1/Bass-Amplification/5/MiBass/43/MiBass-20/ Plenty more details there, and the gain control offers 'tube emultated overdrive' according to the manual. On the subject of the manual, it's got bleeding graphs in the back! First time I've seen that for a bass amp.

Wow, after all of Gibson's rage with other companies ripping off their designs, I'm surprised to see them ripping off Line 6. That thing looks just like the original Variax!

Thread revival, but now that NAMM's been and gone, has anyone found out anything more about this? Doesn't appear to be on their website yet.

Not a bass, but I do have a guitar that I'm in two minds about parting with. My first 'proper' guitar - a Burns Bison Reissue from about '04. Bought for me by my Dad at the London Guitar Show (when it still existed.) Looks amazing, but it's huge, and I'm not a big guy. I've also come to find I'm more of a fan of Les Paul style 6-strings. I really feel it could do with a good home, but they're just intensely unpopular - you can't give them away at the moment!