largo

Yes, AFAIK. Still no sign of the cab yet !

Nope, I was hoping to have it for last weekend but it didn't happen. I've got a gig this weekend in Edinburger, with PA support so fingers crossed will have it for then and will pass it on from there.

Got to agree with OldGit on this one dood.

[quote name='molan' post='842936' date='May 20 2010, 11:25 AM']I think I've seen SoundsLive listing them at £499 already[/quote] Hi Molan, think that's the MB2-500 which is the bigger version already available in the UK.

My intention was to replace my 410 and keep my rack amp. Would possibly look at installing side handles if I had to.

It's not ideal to lose my amp and then have to "take" one of the band monitors (we share 2 monitors between 5 of us, so it's not dedicated) as a bass amp isn't ideal. If the micro amp was small & cheap enough then I'm willing to look at that. The Gallien Krueger MB-200 looks like it might be the one regards price & size but keep 'em coming. Thanks.

I'm OK with that if eveyone else is. If it helps, if I get the cab before next weekend I've got 2 gigs over that weekend so will only keep hold of it for a week before passing it to Deek.

How much for the MB-200 crez5150 ? And scuppered with the 410 as they've gone and put a handle on the top, what's the point in that? I want my amp to rest on the top, especially with a 4x10.

Alex, are we ready to send this out on tour yet? My estimations are there's around 17 or 18 people on the list which will keep things going for at least 6 months !

[quote name='andyjingram' post='840507' date='May 18 2010, 08:39 AM']I find that the best route to long lasting strings is to wash your hands religiously before touching the bass, and not to handle too much stuff, scratch your head, or rub your face whilst playing. The less grease and that can be transfered to the strings, the longer they will remain bright and pliable. This, of course, works with any brand! [/quote] Best thing to do is buy a guitar stand with your strings and once you've put the new strings on, just rest your bass on the stand and don't touch it again. That way the strings will last a lifetime On a serious note, I use the DR Coated Strings and much prefer them to the Elixirs. They feel more like normal strings, not that slimy, fuzzy feel if that makes sense. I gig roughly twice a week for 3-4 hours a gig and get about 6 months out of a set.

anybody know who's stocking these in the UK ? Wouldn't mind seeing some pricing.

And a 410 at 41lbs, damn I'll have to rethink the Barefaced Compact route now ! bugga

Ok, so gigging last night and the guitarists amp goes up in smoke. Not that big a deal, fortunately as he can feed his effects into one of the powered Mackie monitors and gets by for the rest of the night. We do have PA support thankfully. However, it got me thinking that maybe I should have a backup plan. Maybe I should carry a spare amp and wondered what the smallest micro amp is ? Being honest, I don't really care what it sounds like it just has to get me through a gig if need be. It'll sit in my "spares" bag so needs to take up as little room as possible. The Gallien Krueger MB-500 seems to be the smallest amp I can find, but is there smaller? The MB-200 looks even smaller but I can't find it in the UK. Or maybe I just need a Sansamp and drive into a powered Mackie monitor? So, how small can I go?

In my opinion, every amp gives a different tone. After finding the tone I like, the next important factor to me is the reliability. Being honest I've had some high end gear that's been just as unreliable as low end. I've found my middle ground, using a high end bass and a decent, reliable amp but I wouldn't call it boutique. If my Markbass amp fails I can, at very worst buy another and have it here next day. It's high quality, gives me a tone I like but best of all it's reliable. Now, watch it fail on the gig tonight !!!!

I'd definitely like to try one, I think I was next on the list when the original Compact was returned .... Based in Fife, Scotland.

Surely by installing an ABS handle it then compromises the inside of the cabinet, deflecting sound waves differently to how a straight edge would?

Got to agree with the weight thing.... However, what I will suggest is buy the most expensive bass you can. If you get regular gigs in a function band you can justify the most expensive bass you like, offset it against tax and those "very few bassists in your audience" will be green with envy Maybe even buy a couple, just to sit in the spare guitar stand, a Wal, Alembic and a 60's Precision for starters !!!

Hi Alex, nice to hear from you and thanks for replying. Totally understand your reasons regards the custom cabs. but have to agree with Shockwave in that my 3u amp rack with Markbass SA450 & Korg tuner is way lighter and easier to carry than most cabs. The full flight case protects the amp from knocks & likes when it's "flung" into a trailer every week. If carrying your Compact using the side handle doesn't that make the depth not the width of the cab the important factor when trying to get through doorways etc ?

[quote name='obbm' post='827105' date='May 4 2010, 08:59 AM']Also why do cabs have to be made narrower than a typical rack case or valve head? This would go well with an Orange AD200 but the head will overhang the cab by a couple of inches either side. Looks daft.[/quote] Back to obbm's comment I completely agree, why not make a cab that an amped rack looks good on? I asked Alex about making a custom Compact but because of the physics that's gone into the design it can't really be done. Fair enough, but aesthetics do matter and I really wish he'd made the cab an inch or so wider.

You could try putting up the values of the EQ sliders, so they are nearer the top. The problem you have is you can't drive your gain any further without clipping the amp so can't see how a pedal "booster" would help? Being honest, I had a brief spell with one of these amps and I had the very same problem. My solution was to sell it. Now playing a Markbass SA450 which is way, way louder, but I still loved my Ashown ABM500 that I sold to buy the Ampeg. Has an Ampeg(ish) tone, only much better in my opinion and I would suggest you look at doing the same. Academy of Sound have these at £279 just now !!!!

I also thought Warwicks were 16.5mm and Stingrays at 17.5mm

I'm saving for the Ibanez Promethean P5110 combo as a home practice/backup amp. Not cheap, however it ticks all the boxes for me. Small dimensions, 13" x 13" x 14" or something close to that. It has a decent power handling so I can use it as backup amp should the worst happen, it has DI out for PA support if I need it, has headphones out and MP3/Aux input for playing along. The amp can actually be removed very easily (4 screws) and used standalone so if anything were to happen to my gigging amp I will either take the amp and have 500W into my 4x10 cab or take the whole combo and still have enough power to be heard over a drummer.

Maybe put that across a bit wrong. I have been in communication with Alex but as yet there's no "on tour" cab ready. Priorities, quite rightly have to go to paying customers.