nick

Lovely looking [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/El-Maya-EB-2200-Bass_W0QQitemZ290336204846QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item439962e82e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]El Maya EB-2200[/url]

[quote name='Silent Fly' post='556347' date='Jul 30 2009, 05:15 PM']If you look for a nice warm overdrive that can go from mild saturation to solid distortion, I recommend you the Digitech Bad Monkey.[/quote] +1. Great pedal, modded mine for bass, but TBH some find stock version copes OK with low end anyway. Cheap as chips - you should be able to pick one up for £20 or less. So definitely wont break the bank.

[quote name='alexharvay' post='549871' date='Jul 24 2009, 10:29 AM']Thanks for the links guys.[/quote] What are thinking of building mate?

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='548361' date='Jul 22 2009, 10:43 PM']I don't know, it's a difficult topic. I sort-of know Al off other bits of the internets and I know he's a good guy, I'm not trying to paint anybody as a crook. Thing is though, if - for example - I bought one of Alex's Barefaced cabs, took it apart to see how it was constructed, then made my own and one for my mate without making a profit, and called it a "Bear-faced Compote", is that OK?[/quote] I would have to say yeah....sorry. You've already bought one. *IF you could easily, without requiring particularly advanced skills, make another one for a fraction of the price of a Barefaced cab. Your mate's not got a lot of money, & not in the forseeable future ever going to be able to afford an original anyway, whilst also helping him improve on his rubbish rig. You could call it what you like really, it doesn't matter - it's only between you & your friend.

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='548321' date='Jul 22 2009, 10:15 PM']Nope he ain't. (making any money that is...) The above one is my own personal test kit version to play around with R & C values. This thread has sparked off a lot of interesting debate though - far more than I imagined![/quote] Thinking away from actual pedal cloning.... Lets say someone saw (for the sake of argument) a lovely ornate handmade table in one of those posh shops for a ridiculous sum of money, and wanted it for their house. If the person had the required carpentry skills, cheap materials & the ability to make one in a small amount of time - I think most people wouldn't be surprised if the carpenter made one for himself, regardless of whether or not he could afford the expensive table in the shop.

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='548276' date='Jul 22 2009, 09:40 PM'] You will see from the extensive custom graphics i have emulated that "decorated by a 10 year old" feel of the original Zvex boutique pedals but adopted a more post-renaissance feel to the art-deco felt pen work, altogether more contemporary and yet strangely tasteless.[/quote] Like it Al, you should copyright that design. Those garish finger daubed finishes done by a primary school art class that other manufacturers do are [i]so[/i] 'yesterday'

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='547239' date='Jul 22 2009, 05:05 AM']Well... I think if you want to clone a Mammoth for yourself, nobody's going to know are they? But making money out of cloning it for other people is poor form.[/quote] From all the posts in this thread, it's pretty evident that no one here is cloning pedals for profit. With all due respect, I think what you're saying in the context of is this thread is not relevant & universally agreed upon. [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='547239' date='Jul 22 2009, 05:05 AM']You can say "It's a Fuzz Face" all day, but a fuzz face doesn't have four knobs. Why aren't you producing a two-knob fuzz if you're just using the Fuzz Face circuit? Because you're not, you're cloning a ZVex pedal.[/quote] Ive cloned a Zvex pedal, a Fuzz Face,... and will do pretty much anything else I fancy, so long as it's cost effective; because I can [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='547239' date='Jul 22 2009, 05:05 AM']Nobody here who's producing Woolly Mammoth clones would be doing it if the Woolly Mammoth didn't exist, clearly. So saying it's based on a Fuzz Face fuzz doesn't make reproducing the Mammoth OK. IMHO.[/quote] True, but I don't think anybody's really using 'derivative of Fuzz Face' as a justification to build a Woolly Mammoth. Think we all just want to see if it lives up to the hype. Oh and BTW, Al you're not morally corrupt, at least no more than a lot of us. Possibly some may be a little peeved at not being able to do it themselves(?) Afterall £200+ as opposed to to about £15 is lot of wonga

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='546342' date='Jul 21 2009, 12:53 PM']It's like thinking you will have the same level of build quality with a home-made clone as an original/boutique pedal costing 3 times as much, if it shares a similar name - well that clearly isn't going to happen.[/quote] Understand where you're coming from there, but don't totally agree. Have you seen the guts of some of these so-called 'boutique' pedals! Not for a second am I saying any of my clone builds are better than the originals, I don't spend enough time on the aesthetics, sometimes the wires are a bit long, holes slightly off centre etc....but at least they work & have never conked out. However, if I was building one for someone else, at even half the price of certain pedals....... [quote name='Musky' post='546356' date='Jul 21 2009, 01:01 PM']....but I have seen pedals clearly linking themselves to Zvex designs with rather Myrold-like hand painted finishes - a step too far IMHO.[/quote] Am I the only one who thinks those handpainted efforts look a bit naff?

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='545748' date='Jul 20 2009, 09:31 PM']Appreciate that Nick, had to order some more stuff anyway so I got a couple. Be interested to drive this thread o/t a little and ask where you go to buy your components (pots, resistors, caps, transistors, etc.) I tend to get a lot from bobs bits box, he has an online and an ebay shop.Good prices and very fast turnround.[/quote] Yeah can't fault [url="http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.html"]Bitsbox[/url], for all the same reasons - they are good. Used to to go to a small local shop, until it was put out of business by the big boys. Gave up on Maplins a while ago [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?act=Search&CODE=show&searchid=9beccc49c3e5859b3a604d7efd77ed33&search_in=posts&result_type=posts&highlite=%2Bmaplins"]Maplins 'Electronics Specialists'[/url] For audio transformers 42TM018 etc, tend to use Banzai as I not been able to find them in the UK. My old man also gets me a lot of stuff from radio fairs with being a radio amatueur. I've had NOS Mullards, germanium transistors/diodes, tropical fish capacitors....all sorts.

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='545688' date='Jul 20 2009, 08:08 PM']Heres the little stripboard layout for the mini blend - not tried it yet, need to find out about alternative/equivalent transistors to use[/quote] Cheers for that Al 2N5484,2N5952,MPF102,J201,....etc May have something of the above knocking around in my box - PM me if you get stuck.

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='545472' date='Jul 20 2009, 04:54 PM']I've made a little mod to try out on the Elephant Fuzz, it's a tiny blend circuit on a postage-stamp sized piece of stripboard, consisting of 3 resistors, 2 capacitors, a transistor and a 50k pot. This sits between the input jack and the output of the effects board in parallel with the effect, and should allow a degree of control to mix in the wet and dry sound together in order to take off some of the harshness of the fuzz. I will try it out tonight and report back if it seems a useful addition to an already knob-filled pedal.[/quote] Hi Al, Nice looking build there. Would be interested to hear results of your mod. Keep meaning to add a mini-blend to mine, but the box is too small, there's just too much crammed in that tiny thing! [attachment=29271:068___Copy.JPG] Looks like you're improving on the original - cool!

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='544477' date='Jul 19 2009, 04:02 AM']I'm surprised people are doing stuff like this. Maybe I'm naive. Al - knowing you from elsewhere I'm surprised that you'd be doing this.[/quote] You shouldn't be. There are loads of us doing it & several forums out there dedicated not only to those who clone, but also to people who share their own ideas & improvements on established models like the Fuzz Face If someone has the ability to do it (for themselves) - then why not? I built a few of this type of bass fuzz myself now. First one was entirely out of curiousity, to see if it lived up to the hype. Didn't have the oppurtunity to try one out or £200 spare in my pocket to buy one. Found the schematic, was a ridiculously easy build & probably cost £15 in total. Since I've had a chance to compare it with the 'real McCoy', mine for some reason seems to have a bit more low end I would never have spent £200, on what is a basic fuzz, in the first place, so the manufacturer IMO has not lost a sale from me building a copy.

Another recommendation for the Bad Monkey - think Tubescreamer with a more versatile EQ section. Should get you in the ballpark of the bass tone on 'Should I stay...'

A nice old [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-1960s-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR-COMMODORE-JAPANESE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1688Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem35a2493b38QQitemZ230355974968QQptZUKQ5fMusicalQ5fInstrumentsQ5fGuitarsQ5fCVQQsalenotsupported"]Commodore Semi[/url] & what I think is overpriced, considering what looks like a below par refinish [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-MAYA-PRECISION-BASS-Fend-r-copy-70s-Japan_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1688Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem19b4ffa97fQQitemZ110410836351QQptZUKQ5fMusicalQ5fInstrumentsQ5fGuitarsQ5fCVQQsalenotsupported"]Maya Precision copy[/url]

Hi, Could I please add to the order 1 x medium nickel (4 string), if still possible. BTW, their guitar strings; electric & acoustic are pretty good too. Thanks

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' post='536784' date='Jul 9 2009, 08:48 PM']Can you mix and match types in a bulk order? I'd chip in for a couple of sets of flatwounds if you're including any in the order...[/quote] I use their flats (50-110), really rate them - nice feel & tension. They settle down relatively quickly too, giving a nice thump.

[quote name='dangerboy' post='531790' date='Jul 3 2009, 03:49 PM']I have dipped my toe into the world of valve amps by buying one of these: [url="http://acoustic.homeunix.net/twiki/bin/view/Acoustic/GuitarTubeCombo164and165"]http://acoustic.homeunix.net/twiki/bin/vie...eCombo164and165[/url] It's primarily for guitar, but also sounds great on bass when run into a 15" cab. At the moment it's quite noisy, even from the pre-amp out, and the seller suggested it could do with new pre-amp tubes. It takes 3 12aX7s and 1 12aT7. Do any of you have good recommendations for high-quality, cheap replacements? I've never dealth with valves before.[/quote] I've got JJ Tesla ECC83-S in my Trace , sound nice to me for not much £, but it's worth getting opinions from others who know more than me.

[quote name='Musky' post='531850' date='Jul 3 2009, 05:21 PM']Hi Steve. Someone was asking a very similar question the other day and I pointed them to Brycebites [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=42"]preamp valve comparison.[/url] Obviously the thread's not what it was, but if you're a member you could checkout the updated list at [url="http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=22"]finnbass[/url].[/quote] Beat me to it. +1 for the preamp valve comparison on Finnbass, very informative & objective. There's also a chap over there 'Oxblood', who knows his valves, & I found to be very helpful in the past.

Difficult question there's so many!

If it is one of RB924's /RB950's etc...than as Jon says that's a good price. Buy it!!!! I've got an '81 RB920 cherry sunburst single pickup version. It's a lovely bass, quite a fast neck & good range of tones. *Edit: recall another member getting one of these last year [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=29000&hl=ibanez%20roadstar&st=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...adstar&st=0[/url]

[quote name='Apex' post='520092' date='Jun 21 2009, 05:31 PM']Chris-b you ask a fair question. In my head I don't [u]think[/u] I'm trying to be Pino (as if ) or any one of a dozen professional players who will always be way beyond my standard, but I [u]do[/u] think that I'm trying to put the song across to the audience with an overall sound that they will recognise. Even that's probably a stupid sort of nirvana - we certainly ain't a trubute band! - but it's something to aim for! So you're probably also right in that the pedals are for me.[/quote] +1 , With you on this. Certain songs can be enhanced by tasteful use of effects, & if you're doing that, it's no bad thing for the band's overall projection to the audience. Admittedly most songs can be played without any fx, but if you can add something & give them another dimension, then why not? For me a nice P-Bass with flats is a tone in itself, as much as a bass with rounds going through fuzz & an envelope filter.

Love the look of them, but unfortunately they don't agree with my playing technique I like to pluck directly above the pickup, & when playing with a pick sometimes dampen on the bridge.

I think it depends on what material or covers the band's doing, being the decider on whether to use effects or not. The band I'm in, do one set of fairly soul/motown-ish songs. For that I wouldn't (need to) use anything other than my P-Bass with flats straight. However, the second set is more contemporary; B. Spears Toxic, Killers, U2 etc... For that sort of stuff I use fuzz, octaver, envelope filter,OD. This is probably also partly due to the absence of a keyboard player, which harks to the other thread you mentioned. I prefer the use of pedals myself, rather than a multi thing as I don't really change my settings that much once set up.

There is a forum on Antoria, you may have already found it. It's relatively new, but has potential [url="http://antoriaguitarsite.co.uk/"]Antoria site[/url]