Shaggy

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='430400' date='Mar 10 2009, 12:52 PM']It looks like a bad throw-back to the dark period of 80s guitar design...[/quote]

[size=4]Hey - you talkin' 'bout the golden age of bass, fool! [/size]

PM'd re amp stand

+1 "Don't come close" and "Sheena...." my faves.
I had tickets to see them (Liverpool Uni) and they cancelled last minute to play "Baby I love you" on TOTP. Gutted

uh-oh - watch out for the impending lawsuit!..........

Now sold

Fan on my QSC RMX-850 decidedly noisy, noticable at home (but not to the pooint of being a distraction) but inaudible at even very quiet gigging levels.

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='426839' date='Mar 6 2009, 01:05 AM']PM'd[/quote]
replied

A couple of trade offers but nothing definite - so still available folks!

Everyone knows these - not boutique - but tough, dependable, great power-to-weight ratio, punchy clear sound, and very cool looking with the aluminium cones (never fails to wow guitarists for some reason!) 8 ohm, 300W, ported, [b]very[/b] light and compact.
Had this from new nearly a couple of years and only used it for rehearsals, as a monitor cab when DI-ing, and a couple of small pub gigs so never thrashed; still virtually as new.
Too much gear so just looking to shift it quickly for £70, otherwise I'll keep it as back-up. Not worth shipping at that price so collected from South Wales (Swansea or Bridgend) or as mentioned in my Gibson RD Artist sale I'll be driving over to Cambridge next month if that goes close to anyone interested.

Would consider swap for Mesa Diesel 2x 15 EV, 800 watts, 4 ohm (also stereo option 2 x 8 ohm) road-ready (flightcase) version
Well gigged, but absolutely no issues and sounds wonderful. Love it, but I have a 1516BE to use as a "big" cab, and yours would make a great "small" one.
Ampeg heads with Mesa cabs are the pefect combination IMO! PM if interested.

Thanks guys!
Forgot to mention-
- Unlike Thunderbirds these [b]don't [/b]suffer from neck dive; nicely balanced.
- construction and xtra long scale makes them ideal for drop-tuning malarky such as BEAD

This is Woolleydick’s old RD Artist, which has been my main stage weapon for the last year or so. With a change in band material I’m playing my Gordon Smith and fretless rather more, plus I’ve recently acquired another RD Artist in the sunburst finish that I’m a sucker for.

This is an ’81 model, in clear nitro finish natural maple which has aged to a nice pale honey tone all over. The woodwork, finish, Gibson-branded Schaller tuners, and 3-point bridge are original. As you can probably see the pick-ups are not; the original black series V humbuckers were replaced 2 owners ago with chrome EB-3 type units (Japanese made, Allparts supplied), and the original Moog preamp replaced by what I was informed is a Bartolini 2-band EQ one. The brass nut and generic Gibson truss-rod cover are also not original, and rear battery cover is missing (NOS ones available on t’bay). RD Artists have the classiest headstock on any bass ever I reckon, the Gibson logo and “flying note” inlay are real mother-of-pearl.

The controls are; vol / vol / treble boost-cut / bass boost-cut, p/u select (neck/both/bridge), with micro-switches for active/passive (wish every active bass had one!), and phase invert.

Quite simply there is nothing that looks like these basses, or sounds like this one. They are heavy – a big solid chunk of maple, but really ergonomic – if you play fingerstyle (as I mostly do) you can rest your palm on the upper body cut-out whilst doodling away on the strings; so comfortable. Set neck, body-through stringing, extra-long scale (34.5”), and dense maple body means it sustains for ever. Versatile: you can get the muscular EB-3 sound (think Jack Bruce, Jim Lea, Andy Fraser….) but with more punch and top end available, rather more Fender P. The preamp is very effective and hum free but I almost invariably use it passive – just such a rich, growly, ringing tone. I reckon the chrome p/ups look so much more right on an old Gibson too.

However, the mods have obviously devalued it as a collector’s bass, so I’d only be after what I paid for this; a firm £550 collected, shipping on top. I’m based in South Wales, fairly near Swansea, but drive over to Cambridge now and again to see family – next time Easter, if that’s near to anyone interested.

[quote name='mrcrow' post='422381' date='Mar 1 2009, 02:21 PM']so do rickenbacker...[/quote]
separate [b]amps[/b] per pick-up in stereo mode.... (Ovation Magnum 1 & 3 too)
Brilliant if you can be arsed to lug 2 rigs around!

[quote name='dangerboy' post='420103' date='Feb 26 2009, 02:38 PM']I'd get a new scratchplate made with 4 holes for knobs and one for a 3-way switch, then de-solder the existing electronics from the pickups, and remove the whole control assembly in one go, including scratchplate. Then wire up the new scratchplate with new pots. That way returning the bass to stock would be easy.[/quote]
This is what you'd want: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OVATION-MAGNUM-BASS-PICKGUARD_W0QQitemZ310124484030QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item310124484030"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OVATION-MAGNUM-BASS-...tem310124484030[/url]
Seems a bit on the pricey side; I'd be happy to make a template of mine if it helps! Awesome basses.

Shame, that just near my parents' place where I grew up ! (Cherry Hinton)
My son's a lefty - if I take him, can I go? ( he plays guit*r mind! )

[quote name='Buzz' post='418062' date='Feb 24 2009, 01:03 AM']EDIT: The 3 point bridge on the standard Epi and Gibson is crap as well, the Tokai and the new T-Bird Pro have much better bridges. I've actually got a Hipshot SuperTone replacement bridge in black sitting in my draw, bought to correct the problems with mine, sadly it wasn't enough to cure it, but if you or anyone else wants it, I'd be willing to part with it for £50, which is pretty much half of what I paid in Decemeber. Sadly lacking the large allen key as I was never given one, so that needs to be sourced as well.[/quote]

Damn, if that'd been chrome I'd have had it for my RD!
Have to say when I recently tried out an Epi T'bird recently I was far more impressed with the sound than I thought I''d be - rather more Fender-ish than Gibson, but very rock

Been playing fretless for pretty much 30 yrs now, and I really only have 2 “must-have” criteria:
- Fingerboard as hard and level as possible; nothing softer than ebony (ie; not rosewood or maple), my custom “Sabre” has a board in African Blackwood which is the hardest and most even I’ve found. Haven’t tried synthetic or coated ones mind.
- 2 pickups; it’s the combined setting that usually gets that slightly hollow sound.

The most critical factor IMO is the set-up; nut slots filed down to a nano-whisker and action “postage-stamp” low!
The rest is down to personal taste really. Having used actives through the ‘80’s and ‘90’s I’ve definitely come around to preferring passives; more of a natural, woody, acoustic quality, especially through a valve amp set clean; the tone configuration on modern amps is so good anyway. Haven’t tried piezos, would like to!

I'm [b]still [/b]looking for a Travis Bean! :ph34r:

Mine has given up on me as a hopeless case, although it keeps her happy if I stick to the rule; buy something - get rid of something else (and any fool knows that 1 vintage bass equates to 1 plectrum, and 1 full rig equates to one speaker cable ….. )

2 guitarist sons and 1 drummer daughter so it’s a noisy, gear-filled house.

I’m sure doctor-of-the-bass holds the record here (59 basses?)

Martin's a top guy - was really helpful giving advice with a Schack pre-amp I was wiring up
Hope this gets resolved, a shame as I've only ever heard good things about The Gallery

[quote name='bumnote' post='413559' date='Feb 18 2009, 08:06 PM']Weight is not everything, its ease of movement that counts, My acoustic 2x15 and its predecessor eden 215xlt both have floor mounted tilt back castors.
Pull the handle at the top and pull it behind you as a trolley. No lifting and carrying. Tilt and slide into the back of an estate.
Ive has 4x10s,2x10, 1x15s, ashdown minis and I rather move the 2x15.

Stairs and High stages are a problem I would agree.[/quote]
+1
Never quite understood this emphasis on weight either. I tend to use a Mesa 2x15 EV in preference to my other cabs mainly because of its extra headroom of 800W - easily transported single handed except for the dreaded stairs (when you know how a Dalek must feel! )

See [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=41685"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=41685[/url]

NB; Deal not definite on the 4x10 yet, so if anyone else is after it; go ahead - no problem!

PM'd re 4x10

Just as an update to previous post, here’s the Trace / QSC budget lightweight head (“The Bomber”), unfortunately ended up paying new for the rack case (£55) so total - £295 all in.
Will be trying it out in anger next weekend; initial impression is of a huge-sounding, crystal-clear Fender Bassman.
Of course it may blow up!

Gutted this wasn't on offer a month or so back when I was after a case for my Gordon Smith semi - this would have fitted a treat. Ended up getting a "large" size Hiscox (same shape) - good case, but this would have been a bit classier!

I try modern top end basses now and again - Statuses (Statii?) included - and whilst I admire them hugely I'm never drawn to them enough to own one. I guess I go more for vintage gear as (1) I tend to play more retro material (punk, classic rock and funk, R& for which an old Rick or Gibson just feels so "right", and (2) I tend to want the basses I wanted during my formative bass years - same goes for cars and motorbikes. That's a personal choice, and I know there are guys older than me who would never change their modern Foderas and Vigiers and Statuses etc; likewise for amplification.
What I wouldn't argue with is that used to be far more utter dross about say 20 years ago there is now, but only the best and collectable tend to survive. Also modern pick-ups and circuitry are undeniably better; my '73 Precision loaded with modern P & J Lindy Fralins is to me the best of both worlds, and I have yet to try a fretless of ANY age or price range that compares for tone or sheer playability.
To get back to the OP; remember the MM Stingray was really the first ever mass produced active bass, and a huge leap forward (although not an improvement on the Precision - just different). As such it was a fairly crude bass with definite limitations, but think of the classic tracks laid down by players like Bernard Edwards, John Deacon, and of course Pino - just unimprovable.
My 30 year old Ovation has a partially graphite neck - but not enough to spoil the tone of the wood