four/five

Thanks for the replies. Having already got and used Ashdown amps certainly steers me to the RM500 Evo11 and especially as the “legendary service” is in house. I assume Orange being UK also so their own in house service if the “magic smoke “ ever appears. Ive now found a couple of Evo11’s but they do seem in short supply even at the larger retailers.

Time to start saving my back, my existing equipment consists of Trace,ABM 500 or Ashdown MK 12 band graphics heads plus either a Markbass STD original 2*10 or Hartke 4*10. Trying to stay with a UK company (yes I know they’re all made in China). So it’s Ashdown or Orange. The Orange LBT is seemingly easily available but the Ashdown RM500 is rather scarce. In fact there are one or two sites saying “not available and one saying discontinued “ which seems odd. Unless Ashdown have a new one in the pipe line. Has anyone out there used either of these amps or switched from one to the other? As regard to speakers the Markbass is just about manageable but the Hartke has to go. Thinking of replacing it with an Orange OCB112 for use at smaller gigs(if there are any) Music played is general covers mostly from the 60’s to 80’s.

Not sure if this should be in the BB forum or here. Has anyone changed the output jack socket on these basses? Mine has got to the point that the slightest cable movement and the jack plug (Neutrik) just falls out. I realise you can loop the cable through the strap etc but are there any other types of sockets that would be more of a direct fit ie: switchcraft. Or perhaps a new Yamaha type would have a better grip on the plug. Changing it is no problem but need to find one with having to “bodge” the body work. And while we’re at it, anyone swapped out the PU switch for a second volume pot, as per the new 43* series. If so can you get a more varied blend between the PU’s as per Jazz bass?

Thank you for the reply but the SMX send and return sockets don’t act like SM7’s unfortunately. Theres a component ,looks like a triac on the main output board which even though it has a large heat sink you could fry eggs on it after the amps been on for a few hours. Been looking for dry joints on this board.

I thought it must be , as the sockets don’t do a make and break on the circuit board. Thanks for confirming this.

I’ve not had the opportunity to try the bass at serious volume through it as yet. I was using my GB Spitfire 5 string. The bass certainly sounds OK through mixing desk into headphones. Looks like I’ll have to take it to a rehearsal and thrash the living daylights out of it but with backup amp and bass. Certainly wouldn’t trust it at a gig.

Thank you for the reply. It would appear on this head the send and return jacks don’t break a circuit when jack is inserted . Though the foot switch jack does break circuits so I’ve cleaned them. Still the blasted original won’t appear.

Trace Elliot 250/300w SMX head fitted with the updated Clive Button mosfet output module.(1999). Now I must admit I haven’t gigged this amp for a couple of years but at a couple of rehearsals all was well, but. Theres always the “but” , at a gig on the weekend, during the second half I suddenly found all the bottom end had gone from the Markbass 210 and the bass just about still there with a popping crackling along with it. Then without a chance to “waddle” (tech term) any plugs etc back it came unfortunately this continued to the end of the night. Luckily it happened only a few songs from the end. Having now had it on soak with a cd running through it all day, of course it won’t go wrong, no noise even when bass shoved through it. Now checking for dry joints on the main output board. Anyone had this intermittent problem with a Trace? I can’t see it being a speaker problem as once they go they tend not to bounce back but stay popping and *arting. A repair man’s nightmare,intermittent fault. Is it time for its retirement if so what to replace it with I do like the Trace sound, it works well with my GB and Yamaha basses?

You’re right 3/16. Now things go from bad to worse. On putting new strings identical to the original D’Addario’s , the nut has broken on the B side. Perhaps a difference in diameter of nickel and steel, seems odd. New nut or glue.

Thanks for reply, now where's my 4mm gone?

Not sure whether post here or in "tecnical". Whats the truss rod allen key size on bb425, i e tried a couple of 5mm but they appear a tad too big. An old imperial 5/16" works but its loose fit. Surely Yamaha would not have their own size ? As far as im aware its the original rod ie: two way adjustment. Thanks in advance.

As a newcomer to the BB range. I've had a new 435 which is according to Yamaha blurb fitted with XL170SL nickel strings. I personally didn't like the sound and the "B" felt like a rubber band. I am used to a 35" scale bass which even though fitted at the mo with a 125 Mark Bass string is a lot tighter. I sent the 435 back but then purchased a secondhand 425. I changed the strings on it to a set of D'Addario XL 135. The 135 "B" is a lot better than the 130 supplied with the XL 130 set on the 435. The tone of the 425 is also different to the 435 and in my opinion better. But unfortunately the tone is always relevant to the owner. Ceramic PU's as against Alnico on the 435. The 425 just seems a bit more edgy but still has a fat low end. If weight is important the 435 is the lighter. Those with more experience of the BB range will surely throw another spanner in the works. My 425 is a keeper.

After chatting to D'Addario, they state that Yamaha BB425 bass recommends the EXL170-5 Super Long string due to the through body design. They seemed to think that the taper of the string would be on the wrong side of the nut and not give the string a decent sound with the EXL165. I pointed out that even with strings through the body the taper of the EXL165-5 is past the nut. I would therefore have thought by using a Super Long string that the main outer string winding would then be wrapped around the post. This usually normal for A, D and G and sometimes an E string. But wrapping a B string outer layer around the post? Is this what people do on BB range 5 stringers. Perhaps I should have tried to post this in the Mega BB section. Thanks to those that have answered.

I've just become a proud owner of a BB425 in very good condition. The strings I thought needed changing so with it being a 34" scale I thought I'd try a set of D'Addario EXL165-5. This set has a 135 B string going to a 45 G. Normally I use Elixer or a steel string on other basses. I decided to try a nickel wound instead. At the moment they sound like as if the strings have been the bass for months, dull and lifeless even compared to a set of Elixir coated. The "box blurb" states "Experience the amazingly Bright Tone". Well I must be missing something somewhere because the old strings I took off had a better tone than these. Surely Nickels are not this bad? They sound more like a set of flats. On the upside the BB425 for a passive bass has some great sounds, well with the old strings on. The previous owner not sure what they were though but do have coloured ball ends but no silk wraps.

Any recommendations for strings on a bb435. The B original fitted on this bass is like an elastic band and no amount of neck relief etc seems to stop rattles all over the string length. The string is strung through the body but I can’t see that through body stringing can make any difference as the scale is still from the nut to the saddle 34”. Is an elastic B normal on BB basses. My main bass is a 35” scale GB Bass and even with 120 gauge on the B it can be adjusted for no rattles etc. I realise there is a scale length difference and also a price difference between those two but is this how the B string is on a 435? So before it gets rejected any suggestions ?

Somewhere in one of the forum answers was a “hint” of Fender 70’s Jazz Bass Pu’s could be a bit dodgy sound wise. My bass certainly doesn’t have that “scooped” tone that I hear on other Jazz’s no matter what strings I’ve put on them. In fact the only way to get it sounding like a Jazz is to seriously tweak the Trace GMX12 preamp. I have recently found that whilst the coils on both PU’s give readings of about 7k ohms. There are shorts between the coil windings and the magnets. So it looks like having them rewound or replacing them. Though with what?

I currently own a 70’s Fender Jazz, GB 5 string Spitfire and a Vintage P Bass. I’m looking for a 5 string bass to use in pub gigs that consist of only having a square yard to stand in otherwise the drummers cymbals etc take either your hand off or put yet another ding in your guitars neck,body.(I apologies to any drummers) Ive been eyeing up either one of the Marcus Miller Sire basses or a Yamaha BB 425/435. I realise the Sire has more bells and whistles but having owned a BBNE years go I know the quality in Yamahas. The PBass would be OK but it’s only got that one sound and I’m tempted to put in an EMG PJ set into it I’ve got lying around doing nothing. I’ ll have to get the bridge position routed out but it may turn out to be a bit more versatile. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the reply. I’ll get a rotary sw and have a play with the different combinations and tones out.

I’ve just acquired a pair of dual coil pu’s which I was going to fit on a jazz or p bass look a like. The pu’s have come from bass that had a preamp and I was wondering if they could be used just in passive mode. The coils measured in series are 6.8k ohms and in parallel 1.7k ohms. Each coil 3.4k ohms. The output wires are marked in pairs with each pair having a + and - mark. They are not active ie battery fed. If wired in parallel would the + be joined together or + and - joined to make the circuit ie reversing one coil. I was wondering due the low coil resistance whether it was necessary to have a preamp. The pu’s came originally from a GB bass and looking at the cct in my own GB Spitfire it’s virtually impossible to see how the pu’s interact in the cct. Suggestions please.

Just fitted an Advanced, 5 string set 40-120 stainless on my GB Spitfire. They sound very “raspy” “growly” compared to the Elixir set that came off. The B and E string sound “dead” compared to the others. I’m not a slap player but they don’t seem to have the scoop sound I can get from the Elixir and seem too choke on the pluck. Perhaps a higher action would be better suited. I think the tension is a bit lower as well. Full price for this Advanced set puts them almost in the Elixir price range. Would buy them again? I don’t think I would to be honest. I’ve also got a set of Energy stainless for a 4 string.I’ll experiment with those on the Spitfire and see what they sound like. Cant win them all.

I’ve been asked if I could give some lessons to a young and upcoming Bass player online. I did him some lessons face to face before lockdown. I’ve tried using “Skype and FaceTime” linking my Mac to my iPad just to try. There seems to be an awful latency between me actually fingering the note and the audio signal arriving. I’m using just a mixing desk to get the bass signal into the Mac without any Di or signal interface. Is this where it’s going wrong trying to send an analogue signal . What are other people using or doing? If I’ve posted in the wrong area would the “Mods” please send it in the correct direction.

The output on my late 70’s Jazz Bass seems to have been decreasing over the years. I fitted a MEC pre-amp to it years ago but the output still seems low. So I decided to put it back to standard Jazz condition. On testing the pups I’ve found the coils of both pups are shorting to the pole pieces. Is it worth having them rewound and if so where’s the best place to have them done or is it best to just purchase new ones? I see from another thread re some Entwistle pups seem good value for money. Whether Enwistle pups would have a too modern sound for a 70’s Jazz for their price could be worth a punt.

Thanks for the reply. It would seem by the lack of replies this mix and match build it yourself , these days is not an option for many. In the 60’s when I started we were always doing this out of necessity . A Vox AC 15/30 or nothing. After playing support to bands like Johnny Kid and the Pirates,Sounds Incorporate etc. I always pounced on the bass players and quizzed them re their gear. They were usually using American speakers by Altec Lansing or Gause. Their amps came from suppliers of Cinema sound equipment. Rows of KT88 valves which by the end of the night you could fry your breakfast on from the heat they gave off. So my first serious bass setup used a Leak Slope Hifi preamp into a 100watt leak mono amp with KT88’s,weighing a ton. Two Goodmans 15” speakers,again weighing a ton. The Sumo amp certainly looks like a serious option. I’ve not heard of the Hypex modules and they seem an option. Pity there’s not a British firm doing these units. It would appear reading between the lines, amp manufactures seem to be outsourcing their output section and only designing the pre amp sections. Peter Thanks again for the Sumo info

Having reached a “certain” age all of my amps are also from an era of weight. Trace Elliot 250 SMX combo with 15”, still sounds good, but not light. Hartke 5000 BiAmp head, a lot lighter than above but ! Mark King Ashdown 500 head as above ! And last maybe the saviour. Trace Elliot GP12 SMX pre amp. Has anyone put together a pre amp with any of the Class D modules now available? One module keeps cropping up is the Ice power 700ASC/X. It would seem this module is appearing beneath the “hood” in quite a few of the top Bass Amp manufactures. Unfortunately it would also appear that this module is not easy to get ones hands on. Other Icepower modules especially a 1000 watt unit seems available for DIY. I could go down the “power amp” route but most would have to be bridged for single cab use and they can be restricted to their ohm output restrictions. Anyone tried DIY ?