ossyrocks

Having just spent a few days playing around with my vintage Fender Bassman 50, my interest in valve heads has increased, and I'm being drawn to the PF-50T specifically, as it just seems to tick all my boxes. But, I have never even seen one, let alone tried one! I'm listening to whatever I can find, and have spent too much time dreaming about vintage B15's, which may in fact turn out to be an expensive minefield. My Bassman is ok, but it's HEAVY. I expect it's actually heavier than the V-4B Reissue, and I can't envisage me actually gigging it regularly. My band isn't overly loud, not relative to my experience anyway, and at the moment a GK 400RB is doing a great job, whilst just barely ticking over. Having said that, we do seem to be in a constant negotiation with the drummer about acceptable levels regarding his drums. He does love to hit them when he thinks he can get away with it. I would be running it, if I got one, through a Barefaced Three10, with a P bass with flats, playing blues and more funky/greasy 70's blues too. Fire away! Cheers, Rob

I could get used to the feel Tony, in fact I had really, but I just couldn't get on with the tone. They just didn't sound like me. Anyway, they're sold already! Rob

Well, I've tried, but the honeymoon is over. They just aren't for me.

So, this topic has caused me to venture into the workshop and sift through my stash of valves. It's resulted in the Bassman getting a bit of TLC, and a few new valves. However, I have also realised that I have more valves than I will ever need in my lifetime (what remains of it), some of which I've hoarded for decades. I'm going to start selling some off, and have put a few on Reverb already. Mods - if the following link is not allowed, please let me know, and I'll remove it and try to create an ad here in the Accessories section. Discount available for Basschatters. Also feel free to ask if you're looking for anything in particular, I also have a lot of pre-amp valves which I'm wading through now. https://reverb.com/uk/shop/robs-house-3 Rob

To be fair, the scales are old and not to be relied upon. It does feel more like 26kg than 14.5kg. Plus, it has a bigger output transformer than was fitted as standard, so that will add to the weight too.

You made me curious, so I just weighed it on our ancient bathroom scale which only reads in stones and pounds. It's 2 stone four pounds, which is about 14.5kg

Ha ha, yes it is, and you carried it in! It is a bit of lump.

As they say up here in Lancashire....."It takes all sorts...." I think that's at least £12000 overpriced. I watched the videos from the first auction, and the provenance was fairly tenuous by their own admission wasn't it? I don't doubt someone will buy it eventually though!

This one is a little heavier than standard as it has a big upgraded output transformer, but yes, still manageable....just.

I'm going to start gigging this one soon. I haven't done yet, even though it's been around for a while, and there have been a few reasons for that, not least having a hernia! But I got that sorted in July and I feel sufficiently recovered to start carrying this around. I spent a few hours yesterday trying different pre-amp valves in it. Martin Garton had put a Mullard ECC81 in the V1 position when he built it, he said he did this to keep it clean. However, having spent some time swapping things around, I've settled on an RCA 7025 in V1 now, and the amp is much more immediate and responsive, as well as being louder. It hasn't really affected how soon it breaks up either. I also worked my way through the rest of the pre-amp, and I think I've settled on the best set of valves which are all good vintage RCA, Amperex, Mullard and Philips. The other key element I have added is an HPF. The one I'm using is a Rafferty clone of the Fdeck HPF. I'm rolling off everything below about 60hz I think (there are no markings on the knob!), which really tightens the whole thing up. Without it, the amp tends to be over bassy and flubby, and lacks the punch I would like. The HPF totally transforms the amp in a very good way. I now just have to overcome my aversion to amp head overhang, which is proving a little difficult. Rob

It looks great, and I'm sure it plays and sounds great too. Thanks for taking us on your journey with you, I have enjoyed it ! Rob

I had a Rumble 100 V3 for a while which I used for small gigs. I liked it a lot, and since I sold it, I've regretted it, but I have other nice amps too. I use an older model Rumble with the front facing controls at the rehearsal room during band practice. The amp isn't mine, it's just there to use, but I don't think it's anywhere near as good as my old Rumble V3. Rob

I've been told a former employee that he did a LOT of work for the Harrisons.

I've bottled it. I'm taking a Jazz with LaBella flats on it. One of the guys who comes to the jam likes to do a bit of Jaco, and I can't get that tone out of a P. The P with rounds is now hung in the lounge, so it's going to get played every day until I feel it's right......or not.

I'm off out being the house bass player at a funk jam tonight. I had toyed with the idea of taking a P bass with recently installed rounds (which I don't normally use), but have settled on a Jazz with LaBella flats, just because I don't get to play the jazz live so much, and it just sounds great with these strings on it. I agree with @Misdee too, amps have much more influence/affect over tone than they used to. Tonight I will be using a GK Legacy 800 into a Barefaced cab, and I'm very much looking forward to it.

There's a socket tester in that link for £5.00. Is that the kind of thing you mean, if so, I'll get one?

Pete bought a gig bag off me this week. Paid promptly, good comms, a pleasure sir! Deal with confidence. Cheers, Rob

Well, they're on the bass now ('73 Precision). They are going to take some getting used to after playing flats for a long time! Also had to have the neck off and tweak the truss rod, as well as action and intonation. I've stuck a bit of foam under the strings by the bridge to lessen the difference until I get used to them. I got a message last night asking if I was free to be house bass at a funk jam tonight, so I'm thinking of taking this bass. Nothing like being dropped in at the deep end! This is potentially 2 hours of playing, so that should give me some idea. Rob

I have LaBella Low Tension Flats on my jazz basses. They sound great.

I was talking to Jon about having my '73 Jazz refretted, I just need to get it to him, and I haven't passed that way in some time!. Someone else on here (maybe it was you) had an early 70's Jazz bass refretted by him and the work looked spectacular. Rob

I've not heard of anyone doing this before! One of the reasons I like the Labellas is for how smooth they feel. I've had a few sets of Thomastiks too, which have a wider gap and feel less smooth, but I don't like the sound of them as much. The LaBellas are just DEEP. I'm going to fit the rounds to the mellowest of my P basses, it really is a very mellow sounding bass, so I'm hoping they will still work for me. We'll see very soon! Rob

Hmm. Did G4M buy out all the PMT stock? I bought a used RM-500 Evo (first gen) from PMT, which arrived similarly poorly packaged and not working. I returned it for a refund. I wonder if this is the exact same one they are attempting to sell again? Rob

That's just it, I love the sound of LaBella flats, and most of the time I love playing them. It's just occasionally they get sticky the experience gets difficult. Rounds just may not work for me tonally, I'll just have to see.

I'm using D'Addario XLR8 for lube....ooo err, but sometimes it's just not enough. I have three early 70's P basses, so I figured it's no big deal to string one of them up with rounds. Given that you seem to prefer flats, how do you deal with the rounds?