bigjohn

How annoyed I get with dings is usually relative to how stupid I've been when I've dinged. There's a couple of minor dings on my Precision. I don't know I did them and they don't bother me. Normal wear and tear. I have a ding on my Jazz that's to do with me dropping and juggling my phone from the other side of the room and it ending up smashing right into it. that one gets on my tits a bit.

I have a bass called Harry Dagger. I found it's name scratched under it's scratch plate.

Am thinking about doing some upgrades to mine. First is a proper fret dress, so the strings are coming off. New set of Labella flats going on. Whilst I'm at it I might tinker with the bridge / tremolo and am thinking about putting some original Kluson tuners on it. So the tremolo... is the Fender one a proper upgrade? Stemtrem bridge? Has anyone used a Buzzstop to improve the break angle?

I'd be keeping an eye out for an Ampeg B100R. They're great for at home and loud enough to keep up with a drummer. Proper traditional tone. Valve pre. They look nice and are US made and relatively uncommon so will appreciate over time. Can be found under budget. You might even get a B200R. They're great amps, no compromise there.

Nice write up. Not all Ampegs are SVTs or b15s.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1443517414' post='2875365'] Thanks, that helps. Ive got a thread on here about replacing my 1212L with something else, and i did buy a BF Retro two10 but felt it was not quite what i was looking for, although definitely in the right direction away from the 1212L Do you find the Compact to be as pokey and loud as the 1212L (from memory of course), or at least able to keep up as the 1212L did. A super compact is top of my list at the moment. [/quote] The Compact is a great cab. Does what it's told Stick poke in, you'll get poke out. I EQ quite flat with a little accent on low mids. I roll off the treble completely on my P. No problem being heard with a 600W poweramp on relatively low. The Big One is a brilliant cab and I miss it, but it was too big for my boot with my amp in too so leaving my car anywhere with gear in was an issue.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1443511217' post='2875282'] What cab did you replace the 1212L with? [/quote] A barefaced big one, which I've subsequently replaced with a compact. I found both, the big one especially, are much easier to get what I expected from EQ. The compact is nearly as good but of course misses some of the low end.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1443293032' post='2873672'] I had two, and went off them eventually 'cos the build quality was dreadful, and the tone was tiring. [/quote] Yep. I had one, a 1212L special in orange. I really liked it to begin with but eventually I found the tone had too much honk. As soon as I noticed that I couldn't see to EQ it out. I have a better amp now but back then I had an Ampeg SVT-IIP into a poweramp, which was all a bit low middy to begin with.

I use the heavy set (not the Jameson's) and the tension is fine on a P bass. Have been thinking about giving the JJs a whirl.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1442767846' post='2869320'] Fixed [/quote] You say tomayto.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1442830965' post='2869722'] I don't know if modern basses following the fender shapes will become collectable... todays vintage Fenders will still be around and by then will be even older and pricier... despite which instruments are actually better. [/quote] Better for what though? Part of the Fender thing is that you know what you're getting, as does the fella running the desk. The rest is subjective.

So much nonsense in this thread. There's a reason Fenders are expensive. It's because people will pay that much for them. People trust the brand (whether that be for gigging, touring or recording) and are willing to pay for that, thus resale values are good. Everything else, relatively, is a copy of them, without the 60 years of trust building heritage. You want to compare a new brand with a fender on build and parts, go right ahead but you're not comparing the whole package. And before someone says "I don't care about the trust and the heritage", fine, loads more people do, which is why they're expensive duh.

[quote name='mazdah' timestamp='1442556328' post='2867698'] I really wanted them to have vintage, 2-band Bandaxall EQ. Pf50 looks like svt preamp, pf20 looks like pf350 preamp with tubes. I was never fan of pf350 (although I had one). Not for me, I have better and cheaper Ampegs in my rack case. :-( [/quote] Aye. I'd like to try one, but I can't help feeling they could have done much better with these.

Never seen the back of a power amp link that... A more usual set would be a poweramp in and a preamp out. I'd just try each and see that sounds best. If you think there's an earthing issue, get that sorted. Regarding the bsp, isn't there a blend control anyway? The clean output is marked mix. If you've got two cabs, is it worth trying using both channels? One clean, one overdriven?

I take it the genz is single channel? If so you can connect either the clean or the overdrive channel of the bsp to the poweramp in socket on the genz. You should also be able to run the overdrive channel on the bsp back through the clean fx loop on the bsp.

Id look at at an Ampeg SVP-pro pre with a power amp and a light cab. That's what I use except with an Alembic FX-1 as my my main pre with the SVP through the fx loop. It's not an SVT or a V4B but it's close and weighs nothing in comparison.

Aye. That's the way I'd do it to. Have done it before with a neck with screw holes that didn't quite line up.

[quote name='julietgreen' timestamp='1439811203' post='2845879'] The problem is that I'm not a soloist. I'm in a band, so it's a collective decision. If the other members of the band want to accept the gig, it puts me in an awkward position and potential conflict with the band, which I don't want. [/quote] Nah, it is, as you say, a band, which comprises of all of you. If you want, or feel the need to compromise and do the gig because the others want to, that's a separate thing from the "free beer". The venue will find a band that will play for whatever they offer. They'll invariably get what they pay for, but it's up to you, as individuals and as a band if what they're offering is enough. The problem isn't and never can be with the venue or what they're willing to pay. It's a free market. If you think you deserve more than the venue is offering, tell them so, just be prepared for them to hire someone else.

If the venue want to pay in beer, that's fair enough, that's their prerogative. As is yours to take the gig or not. It's also yours and their to negotiate. What's the problem?

I've done it before on a headstock with a string tree that sheared the screw flat. I used a very small drill bit around the screw, just enough to get some needle nose pliers in and grip the screw. I then drilled the mess out and filled it with hardwood dowling. It's easy enough, you just have to be patient.

We're playing the Flowerpot in Derby this Saturday. [b]FREE ENTRY[/b], which is good for the 'Pot, usually it's a tenner+ for a Saturday night gig, but they're doing the whole of August as free entry. Also will have some of my beer (I am an actual brewer!) on draught, along with about 10 other real ales and ciders. 'tis a good pub for those who've not been there. With a good venue / gig room attached and a beer garden. Cheers John

I'm lucky in that I grew up with mates who all learned guitar. We still see each other and still play a bit together. We all taught each other. Some of us now play bass, some of have done for 20 odd years.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1438281291' post='2833255'] I use the DI on the amp... it is good enough and that was I control it. [/quote] Try using hand gestures?

I have one of these. But it's a JJ instead of a PJ. Mines a bit knackered too, the neck's a bit bust (truss came through the back). Am definitely interested in your progress. Good Luck.