Naetharu

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1447779587' post='2910305'] Bass guitar use could be anywhere between the two - and if using piles of FX pedals and dirt and pushing amps into clipping it could be even harder on speakers than guitar use. [/quote] This is basically my issue - I'm playing with quite a bit of fuzz on some songs (just ordered myself a Zeus for this purpose) and so I want to be sensible and err on the side of caution. I've actually just purchased the cab - a 400-watt 8ohm GK cab. I know there is no surefire way to ensure you don't blow speakers but I'd certainly rather do my best to avoid upping the risk.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1447773699' post='2910217'] But how do you know how many watts your amp is putting out without using a meter to measure it? It's very doubtful that it'll be consistently putting out anywhere near what the manufacturer specified it as being. [/quote] All I know is that I've spoken to a technical support chap at Ashdown (they are about 5 mins down the road from me so I have the luxury of being able to pop in an ask) and I was told that at 8ohms I should expect around 240-watts so a 250-watt+ cab is needed for safe operation, more if possible. I do agree, that often due to the amp not being cranked to a crazy extent it may not come near this, but the measurement is designed as a safety buffer so I would rather keep within it. Also, from what I understand, the use of fuzz can also add additional stress to speakers so something that will be a little tougher is probably a good idea less I risk ending up with a dead cab halfway through a gig.

[quote name='BassManGraham' timestamp='1447756465' post='2909990'] I recently bought an MB500 head, reckon it would sound great thru that 4x10. [/quote] They look fantastic - they're on my short-list of heads to try before I upgrade from the Mi-Bass. How're you finding it so far? [quote name='gary mac'] You did well there it would seem. I think the same cab on the GAK site is £333 [/quote] Aye, I was not really going to get a cab yet - just browsing for ideas - but at that price it was just crackers.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1447584855' post='2908629'] A good reason to ignore the specified watts? [/quote] Is that not just going to be a road to disaster? I know watt ratings are dubious when used to estimate loudness, but is it not rather sensible to ensure that the speaker-cab you're running is at least able to match (and preferably exceed) the watts that the amp will be putting out?

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1447708404' post='2909728'] The 300 watt MAGS were from China. [/quote] My MAG-300 says make in the UK - probably one of those things where they have done some in both the UK and China through the amps lifetime. Also, I'd second the build quality of the Ashdown stuff. I have the Mi-Bass 2.0 head and it is a very solid unit. I'm not too thrilled with the EQ on it (personal taste issue) but I cannot fault it for build quality.

Hi folks, Just picked myself up a Gallien Krueger MEB-410 cab (the cheaper one rated at 400-watts) for £140 on Thomann. I thought I would pop a link and give you folks the heads up on the deal as it seems a cracking price for what it is. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/gallien_krueger_410mbe_ii_400_8_ohms.htm"]http://www.thomann.d..._400_8_ohms.htm[/url]

Having had a couple of days to experiment with it, I've come to appreciate the Scrambler section of the pedal a great deal more than I did at first. It's still not going to be my primary port of call for full blow fuzz but the gritty edge it offers is actually really nice. I had my first try with it alongside a band today (drummer and one guitar player) and it sounded pretty good in that context. We've not got much to do at band practice this week, just a bit of last min polishing before a couple of gigs, so I'll see if I can get the guys to do a quick recording of something at some point to give an example of it being used in the mix.

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1447627414' post='2909155'] Thanks for the review...think I'm still on the fence about getting hold of one. [/quote] What's holding you back? If you have any questions/ want any sound samples that might help make up your mind feel free to prod me

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1447680636' post='2909445'] I've got Nylons on my fretless and really like them on that. But that seems to be a "proper" use for them! [/quote] Hehe, I have them on my Maruszczyk Elwood fretted, and I use them to play metal/prog often with a good dose of drive/fuzz. Perhaps not what you would imagine nylons being used for but they sound awesome.

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1447663455' post='2909237'] Cant wait to get a hold of it. Heard so many good things about these heads. Been looking for something with a proper clean sound and plenty of punch. Ill be running it through my Ashdown ABM 4x8 and ABM 15. [/quote] Frank Bello of Anthrax uses a Hartke LH500 and it sounds fantastic. They're one of the heads of my list to try for sure - if you get the chance I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts once you've had a chance to use it for a few days.

Sounds great. I've moved over to using Nylons myself and I love the slap sound with them too. I guess the issue is more one of convention - often people are after a certain sound characteristic of some record or player. But if it sounds good to you then go for it. I might have to try some steel flats soon

[quote name='Bradwell' timestamp='1443517336' post='2875362'] Blackstar are well worth looking at too. [/quote] +1 to this - they have a lot of detractors for some reason but my personal experience with them has been fantastic. I picked up a HT1 and an HT1M last year, which are their micro all valve 1-watt combos and they were stunning. The build quality was the best I have ever come across on any factory production amp full stop. They sounded great and were able to offer clear, crisp tones right up to full volume. We were using them for jam-nights at Uni in York and they really did serve us well. I've not used the other stuff they do save for a quick mess around with them in store, but if the HT1/HT1M is anything to go by then you'll do well to take them into consideration. The price is very good too.

Hi folks, I picked up an Ampeg SCR-DI this week and I thought that given they are quite new on the market some of you might appreciate a few sound samples. Here's a link to a brief Sound-Cloud hosted MP3. Please excuse the bass playing, it's just me doing the basic riff from the Arctic Monkeys 'R U Mine' but it should serve to give a clear idea of the tones on offer. Signal Chain: Maruszczyk Elwood strung with LaBella Black Nylon 'Perfect Tension' strings -> Delano MM humbucker/Jazz 9.5mm pickups -> Delano 2-eq pre-amp in active mode (set flat) -> Ampeg SCR-DI -> Cheap Audio-Interface -> Reaper (no special plug-in settings or anything like that - all the tone comes from the bass/DI box). The settings are as follows: (1) DI only - just my bass as it sounds on its own (2) DI engaged and set flat (3) DI engaged and set flat with the ultra-hi/low engaged (4) DI engaged and set flat with small blend of scrambler for some gritty sound (5) DI engaged and set flat with a good mix of scrambler for a properly 'driven' sound (6) DI engaged and set flat with the scrambler maxed out and fully blended. [url="https://soundcloud.com/james-bridge-99946900/ampeg-scr-di-sound-sample"]http://soundcloud.c...di-sound-sample[/url] Hopefully that should be enough to at least give you a basic idea of the sound of the Pre-amp/scrambler sections on the pedal. If anyone would like to hear samples of other settings/combos please feel free to let me know and I'll pop some up. I'll also post a proper track with the DI being used later so that you can get a feel for how it sounds in a mix. All the best James

Well slight change of plans...went to the store to get the amp and came across a demo-model of the Red Witch Zeus pedal. Tried it out just out of interest really after liking the video demo they did and wow...best fuzz ever (to my ears at least). So, looks like the Orange is out - going to stick with my current amp with a Red Witch slapped in front of it. [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1447358927' post='2907102'] This. I use a vertical stack of two Ampeg SVT210AV cabs, which is too narrow for that amp, but just right for my Terror Bass! [/quote] The ampeg cabs look great but they are not quite powerful enough - they say the RMS rating is 200-watts @ 8ohms and I need a minimum of 250-watts according to Ashdown. Alas, they would have been great for the Orange amp...oh things are never simple

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1447526275' post='2908380'] Why not just buy a different cab? If you botch it up then you've got a worthless cab and possibly a broken amp. [/quote] Lack of cash if I can get away with making what I have work for me that would be grand. If not then sure, another cab will be on the order books, but right now I'm going to need to work with what I have. @Phil Starr: A massive thanks to you bud, your instructions are just what I was needing. I'm going to have a crack at it later today.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1447520963' post='2908311'] It's not. Depending on the crossover configuration doing so could cause high frequency oscillation in the amp, leading to amp failure. If it has a crossover it should be removed or bypassed. [/quote] Thank you for taking the time to give me the heads up!

Hi folks, I've got an Ashdown 112 MiBass cab that is fine, save for the tweeter. Since I play with some 'nasty' fuzz the tweeter is no good. Alas, these cabs don't offer any form of attenuation/switching and so I am thinking that I might just open it up and give it the snip. Is there anything I should know before doing so or is it safe to just cut the connection to the tweeter and have done with it?

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1447248824' post='2906090'] Think you'll be well impressed with the B3, I know I am. [/quote] Alas it went straight back. Way too much background noise for my tolerance. I did think the SVT model sounded great mind, but the hiss was terrible when used at volume. I thought perhaps it was me setting it up wrong but the audio engineer in the studio we practiced at gave it a once over for me and also came to the conclusion that it was just noisy. Perhaps I got a dud? Either way, I swapped it for a Ampeg SCR-DI since that was basically the model that I liked anyhow and all is well. Shame though as there was some nice stuff on the B3 for a great price otherwise.

[center]Edit: Added a few additional thoughts after a weeks use and a chance to get the unit working in a band situation[/center] [center][b]Ampeg SCR-DI review[/b][/center] [b]Introduction: [/b]I’ve just picked up one of the new Ampeg SCR-DI pedals and thought that it might be nice to share some of my thoughts about it. Also, here is a link to a quick demo of the tones on offer: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/273203-ampeg-scr-di-sound-samples/"]http://basschat.co.u...-sound-samples/[/url] [b]First Impressions: [/b]Upon getting the pedal the first thing that struck me was the weight of the unit. This is one solid brick of steel. I’d guess it’s around a kilo, so pretty hefty as far as pedals go. It’s also pretty large. I’d say it would easily take up the space of three to four standard pedals on a board once you allow for connections. The control knobs all feel good quality with a nice amount of resistance to them. The buttons for the ultra-hi/low feel pretty cheap. They’re made of plastic and wobble a little when pressed. I doubt it’s much of an issue as they’re well away from the foot-switches, but it would have been nice to have had something a little better quality in there. The underside of the pedal is nice too, with four good sized rubber feet. Again the quality feels good and given the weight of the unit it should sit still on stage if you prefer not to Velcro it onto a board. Finally, the LEDs used for the two parts of the pedal are great. They are both bright enough for it to be clearly visible when they are turned on in daylight, and under dim settings as will no doubt often be the case live, they show up a treat. [b]Pre-amp Section: [/b]The pre-amp section of the pedal is pretty much the same as you’ll find on most of Ampeg’s amps. It’s got a three-band active EQ and the ultra-hi/low switches. With everything set flat there is still a little colouration of the sound. It seems to give a little more clarity to notes, with a subtle ‘zing’ on the highs. The three EQ knobs offer a nice range of cut and boost. It’s not so extreme as to produce un-usable sounds but enough that you can tweak the tones quite a bit. The middle control is a little disappointing with only a 4db boost on offer. It sounds good, but it would have been nice to have a little more on tap for cutting through against a noisy Marshall amp. The ultra-switches are great and offer sound that screams classic rock when engaged. The sound can end up a little scooped so I will hold judgement until I can try it at band practice next week, but it certainly sound nice when played solo. [b]Scrambler Drive Section: [/b]The over-drive section of the pedal offers a simple ‘gain’ and ‘blend’ control. The drive itself is quite tube-like, fat and warm with a raspy edge to it. I’m not completely sold on the tone of the drive however. It’d be nice if it was a little smoother sounding, and I would have liked it to have been just a bit more aggressive. As it stands, I’ve just ordered myself a Red Witch Zeus to deal with the drive side of things. Perhaps the Scrambler will come into use sometime but right now I can see this part of the pedal being left most of the time. Saying that, on balance the drive might be just what you are looking for if you’re after a bit of valve-like bite. My disappointment is more due to my love affair with full blown crazy fuzz – it would have been great if the pedal could pull it off but then it’s not really Ampeg territory I guess. [b]Other Stuff it does: [/b]A really nice little feature of this pedal (and the one that pushed me toward this rather than the M80-DI+) is that it doubles up as a headphone amp with an aux input with a dedicated volume control. The pedal drives my 250-ohm cans very well so no worries about the power there. The aux input seems to be great with plenty of volume on offer. Ampeg do suggest you can use this feature for the purpose of on-stage monitoring, however, there does seem to be some noticeable noise when the aux is used, so I’d be cautious if you intend to use this. I’ll try and test out a few different audio sources this week (so far I’ve only used it with my MP3/Phone and PC) and I’ll update the review accordingly. Finally, there is also the obvious DI connection which seems to be good. I’ve only given it a brief try but all seems well. It was nice and clean with no noticeable background noise or hum. It has a ground-lift too which is nice. No option to pre/post the EQ which is a bit of a shame but not a major issue for me personally. [b]Conclusion: [/b]Overall I am very pleased with the pedal. The EQ alone is just what I was after – it makes all the difference to my MiBass amp, turning it from sounding mushy to clear, crisp and deep. The Scrambler is not quite to my taste, but useable all the same. The pedal is built like a tank, and I can see no reason that it will not withstand years of gigging. The added bonus of it doubling up as a headphone amp was the kicker for me, and pushed it ahead of its competition. However, even without this it stands as a great option for those looking for a classic Ampeg tone. [b]Additional Thoughts following Band Use: [/b]Well I have had the unit for a little over a week now, and I finally got a chance to use it at band practice last night. Here are some additional/updated thoughts following that: (1) The DI is very good - I had the unit going into a good quality mixing desk, then out into a full PA (i.e. standard monitors and subs) and it sounded really nice. There was no issue with background noise - just good clear bass tone. (2) It's a one-trick pony, but a great one. The EQ is the kind you use to compensate for the room you play in. It lacks the range (especially in the mids) to be used to sculpt your dream tone - if that is what you are looking for then perhaps a Sans-Amp/Bass-Bone is what you should consider. However, the basic tone is clear, clean and deep. My band-mates all commented that they could hear the bass in the mix far easier than before (when I was running direct into an Ashdown Mi-Bass). The tone also holds up well at gig volumes which is worth mentioning I guess. (3) Despite my reservations I have come to love the scrambler. Used as a subtle bit of grit it just sounds great in the mix. It seems to add a nice bit of bite the sound and makes the bass stand out well amid the over-driven guitar sound. I'd still grab a dedicated unit for full on fuzz stuff but this overdrive is really nice when used as intended, and certainly holds up very well in band situations. All things considered I am very happy with the pedal having now had a chance to get familiar with it. It holds up for use with my band very well and turns my otherwise underwhelming amp into a perfectly usable bit of kit. I guess the biggest competition would simply be the Ampeg Portaflex-500 head, and to be honest I am not sure which is the better option. The head comes with a semi-parametric mid control for a bit of added tonal flex, but lacks the scrambler. In the end though, if you're after an Ampeg SVT-type sound in a pedal/pre-amp format this really hits the mark. I imagine I'll be using it for many years to come.

Anyone tried one of these yet? I just put in my order from Thomman and will try and post a video / sound samples up here once it arrives.

The Ampeg Porta-Flex is pretty nice - well worth looking at. The practice studio we use has them for people to use and they're neat little amps. I'd steer you toward the PF-500 mind, since you get the semi-parametric mid control and the ultra bright/deep switches making it a lot more tonally flexible than its little brother.

If it is a stunt it's an odd one since it seems to give the venue a really bad name...can't imagine someone who runs a venue willing to go on record pretending to be a total jerk in this manner.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1447323814' post='2906645'] I play with the cleanest tone I can get, but it seems to me that if you're relying on the sound of the cab and amp for the "dirt", your sound will change by the room, stage and how you feel like playing on any particular day. Even when you don't want it to change. Pedals will get you your sound more consistently and will be more flexible. [/quote] Its not that I am after a cab to make the amp sound driven/dirty. It was just wondering if there were any features/makes/models that I should know about given that this is the kind of sound I was after. The drive is coming from the pre-amp section as mentioned by Alex above. From what I understand this is the same principle as using a pedal - the power-amp on the OB1 is actually really clean - I made sure to test the amp for headroom in that respect and was really impressed with it. But anyhow, it seems that there is no clear answer to my question. I'll just have to have a bit of a hunt around until I find something that works for me. I just thought it worth asking as in the past I have found advice on here pointing me in the direction of gear that I would never have otherwise heard of. Namely, Maruszczyk basses which turned out to be exactly what I was looking for and I am 100% I would never have come across them had it not been for a suggestion on here

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1447265533' post='2906297'] Did you try the amp through a different cab? I would. That way you know that you liked the amp's sound & not a mix of the two. I like MarkBass cabs, but only you can decide if it sounds good with that amp. [/quote]] I appreciate the advice. I have had a chance to test it out via a TC-Electronic 210 too, since they also had one of them in the store at the time. I'm 100% I love the amp - I really like the dirty drive, the blend function and I found the EQ really well voiced. There is no question in my mind at all as to that. I was just wondering about which cab/cabs might be good to look at but could only find information on here regarding cabs that were good for clean tones. I know its a case of needing to try it for myself but I am hoping that a little advice might narrow the list down a bit

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1447260580' post='2906237'] So on that, why not buy the cab that you heard it through? That way you're gonna get that sound that you heard & liked. [/quote] Basically because I liked the amp but not the cab. The amp voicing, the EQ range and the bendable drive are perfect for what I am after. The matching cab, which is the Orange Smart-Power, is way over-priced and while it sounds good its nothing stunning. I just thought I would ask on here to see what people thought since most of the discussion I have read about cabs has been looking for stuff to use with a clean bass tone.