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RickyV

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Posts posted by RickyV

    No sound - dodgy electrics help

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    Ok. Took delivery of a new bass yesterday, one of the famed 'deko' items from Thomann for only £27. It's a standard Harley Benton jazz, very nice as it goes, but unfortunately there seems to be some problems with the electrics and/or pick-ups. When I plug it in, the bridge pup is completely dead and with the neck pup there seems to be some output but I can only hear it very faintly through an amp with the volume up full! There is some buzz when I touch the magnets on the neck pup but nothing on the bridge. Obviously I have made sure the volume pots for each pick up are rolled fully on.

    Now, long term this isn't a major problem as I was planning to swap out the pups for better ones anyway considering what I paid, but it would be nice to get some noise out of it as it is.

    My question is then, how do I check that this is a pick up problem or a problem with the pots or both. I understand I will probably need a multimeter for this but exactly what do I do then? Or could this just be a connection issue and resoldering everything could work? There are currently no loose connections that I can see. I am a complete electronics numpty so detailed descriptions or diagrams would be awesome. Any other advice or pointers would be most welcome.

    Many thanks in advance.

    Oh, and it definitely isn't the lead or the amp as these work fine with other basses.

    Thomann selling Harley Benton basses as 'Decoration only'

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    Oh dear. Spoke to soon. Plugged in the jazz and getting virtually no noise from it at all! The bridge pick up appears to be dead and I am getting something from the neck pup but that is barely audible and with my amp turned right up. All the wiring appears to be in place but I am no expert on this sort of thing. Sure it is fixable but at the moment it is pretty much deko only. Any advice welcome.

    Thomann selling Harley Benton basses as 'Decoration only'

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    Well, happy new deko bass day to me! Jazz arrived this evening and the only thing I can find wrong with it (apart from the D's stamped into the back of the neck and the body!) is a slight discolouration of the wood under the lacquer, about the size of a 2 pence piece, just above the bridge pup. Straight neck, not a fret out of place and no other dings or marks. Couldn't be happier!
    Just need to adjust the truss rod as there is little relief in the neck at the mo so too much buzzing going on and all will be sorted. Will post a picture or two when I get round to it.
    Want an acoustic deko now!!

    Ashdown B Social - really?

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    [quote name='Samfordia' timestamp='1424703820' post='2699354']
    Does VU meter have a purpose? Sometimes I can have my amp at a very low volume yet the meter can bounce up into the red zone. I was a little perturbed by it at first because at the end of this red zone is a red cross. I was worried that I had entered the no go zone and then the thing would blow up.
    [/quote]

    My understanding is that the VU meter measures the input rather than the output so you can have the volume (output) right down but if your input levels are high then these will read on the VU meter. The manual for mine say that average playing dynamics would have the VU reading at 0 (just shy of the red zone) with occasional peaks into the red so as long as you are not permanently in the red then all should be fine. I think!

    What have you got GAS for at the mo?

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    If I had a spare £2500, which I havent, it would be this Celinder Vintage fretless. A thing of beauty. Currently for sale on this site, http://basschat.co.uk/topic/255910-fsft-celinder-j4-vintage-fretless/, - a page that I have visited more than once over the last few days just to gaze and admire!!

    Confused about ohms and watts!

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    [quote name='BassBunny' timestamp='1423952189' post='2690921']
    If you want to add an RS210 to your combo then YES YOU CAN. It will be perfectly safe and if you like the sound, it's your right to spend your money how you wish. In fact any 8 Ohm cab will do but I would stick to 10" speakers. Mixing speakers can have varying results.
    [/quote]

    Ok, last question(s) from me. Is the statement above about speaker sizes a generally held view or is it more down to personal taste? My Ashdown combo has a 12" speaker so would, say, a 2 x 12 or another single 12 extension cab give me the best results or would a single 15 or possibly a 4 x 10 work just as well (assuming it is an 8ohm cab as established earlier)? I guess the tone that I am after comes in to the equation?

    Confused about ohms and watts!

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1423943662' post='2690758']
    Most combos run 4 ohms min load and an 8 ohm built in speaker (unlike the unusual one the OP has), so you can add another 8 ohm cab underneath to get a 4 ohm load (2 8s divided by 2 cabs equals 4) that will give you the full 180 watts the amp can produce hence you get more power and more driver area, double whammy upgrade! If the head can be unplugged from the combo cab you could run any combination of cabs as long as they combine to a total of at least 4 ohms (4 x 16 ohm 2x10 cabs all wired in parallel, 2 x 8 ohm 4x10 cabs, a single high quality 4 ohm 2x12, etc etc
    [/quote]

    Ok, thanks for that. I think that makes sense now. The head can be unplugged so that makes it more flexible than I thought. Cheers for your help.

    Confused about ohms and watts!

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1423943662' post='2690758']
    Most combos run 4 ohms min load and an 8 ohm built in speaker (unlike the unusual one the OP has), so you can add another 8 ohm cab underneath to get a 4 ohm load (2 8s divided by 2 cabs equals 4) that will give you the full 180 watts the amp can produce hence you get more power and more driver area, double whammy upgrade! If the head can be unplugged from the combo cab you could run any combination of cabs as long as they combine to a total of at least 4 ohms (4 x 16 ohm 2x10 cabs all wired in parallel, 2 x 8 ohm 4x10 cabs, a single high quality 4 ohm 2x12, etc etc
    [/quote]

    Confused about ohms and watts!

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    Hi, as an equal electronics numpty, new to the wonders of bass amps can I jump into this thread and ask a similar question as I am still confused with my own personal situation.
    I have an Ashdown Combo, an EB Evo ii 180. This states on the back of the unit 180 Watts RMS and 300 watts peak. Speaker output is stated as 4 ohms load. The spec in the booklet says [b]minimum [/b]impedanceof 4 ohms if that makes any difference. My main question being what are my options/limitations for adding an extension cab in terms of watts and ohms? Any specific Ashdown recommendations also welcomed. Cheers

    Your musical ambitions, plans & goals for 2015?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='RickyV' timestamp='1419868666' post='2643348']
    As a relative newbie, to continue practicing and making the progress I have in the 12 months since I first picked up a bass and most importantly to start playing with other musicians. I am hooking up with a guitarist in the new year and hoping to persuade a drummer mate of mine to come out of retirement and join us and we will then see where that takes us.
    [/quote]

    Well things are coming along quicker than I expected. Me, lead guitarist and singer/rhythm guitar have been meeting up for about a month and a drummer joins us for the first time this week. All by the magic of 'Joinmyband'!! Time to start rehearsing in earnest now. Exciting stuff!

    Iconic

    in Feedback

    Posted

    Just bought an amp from Richard. Picked up from his house and he couldn't have been more accommodating. Let me try a number of his basses with the amp and I just wish I could have stayed longer. Loved the Yammy RBX A2! Cheers Richard - top bloke.

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