Muzz

Just back from rehearsing with this, and it plays just fine - neck dive is gone (strap button moved) and the weight is just under 9lbs, so it's comfortable to wear for a time. Pickups will have to go, though - my Wizard-equipped FrankenP puts it to shame. I need a Hipshot Detuner, too (see my BT1 For Trade topic if you've got one). The Lull ones would cost several times what the bass stands me at now, so possibly not, although I do like the chrome thing. We'll see what Andy at Wizard comes up with, otherwise it might be EMGs. Very, very pleased with it, tho

While I was photographing the new Fenderbird, it occurred that I haven't photographed my main squeeze, the FrankenP. SX PJ body, MM Jazz neck, Hipshot Detuner, Schaller 463 bridge, CTS pots and a Wizard PJ Big set, with a pull-serial pot. Had this for a while now, and I still haven't found a 'real' P which I'd swap it for. DR Sunbeams on it, and I'm good to go. Just sounds so, so good, and plays effortlessly. Edit: Oh, and a good thick layer of dust... [attachment=89627:DSCF0462.JPG]

OK, so I've been well and truly bitten by the modding bug, and escalating from pickup/bridge replcement to neck swaps, so I guess a Fenderbird was always on the cards Anyway, I picked up a Roadworn/Mojo'd/Reliced* Korean Epi Thunderbird, and spent, ooh, all of a day playing it before I decided to Fenderbird it. I had a Mighty Mite P neck lying around (OK, it was bolted to my Ryder-P, but that's a long-termer), so I took them both to Steve at PMT, who routed the neck pocket of the Epi (I didn't want the neck modding - it's been on four different basses now, and may well end up on another) to fit. He's done a fantastic job, the fit's pretty much airtight - don't know how much you can see from the pics, but it's better than some very expensive basses I've had. Anyway, it's fantastic, can't believe it's taken me so long to get one of these. The pickups will need replacing at some point, but I'm talking to Andy at Wizard about that, and the bridge may even change, but for now I love it as it is. Rawk n Roll... [attachment=89623:DSCF0458.JPG] [attachment=89625:DSCF0461.JPG] [attachment=89624:DSCF0459.JPG] * Delete as appropriate

I've got a laptop rucksack - plenty of room for cables, tools, spares, etc, plus a slot which fits the RH450 perfectly. Rucksack on back, double guitar case in one hand, cab in the other, one trip load-in. Then I get collared to help bring in the pointlessly massive PA...

[quote name='BassBunny' post='1373177' date='Sep 14 2011, 01:19 PM']Just my 10penneth, but try as many as you can first. My first liughtweight amp was a MarkBass LMII. I tried TC, Genz, EA, etc.etc, (never sold the LMII), and am back with MarkBass again. Now have an SA450 and the LMII. You will have your own idea of what if right for you. Maybe a trip to Bass Direct or The Bass Merchant would be an idea even though it is a bit of a schlep.[/quote] This ^ - I've tried all sorts of heads before, during and after I moved from my LMIII to my RH450, and it's all about your ears. Even better would be hanging on till you've got your Super12 and taking it with you to somewhere like Bass Direct (other bass shops are available ) or somewhere they have a good selection of heads where you can A-B (and C and D) till you're blue in the face. Actually, if you wanted to try my RH450, you're welcome to pop over to mine.

Back in the day (mid-80s) we drove from Manchester to Stirling to play for 3 people, and Nottingham for 2. The second one was the worst, we were on 10% of the bar. 2 pints of lager = £1.50, we cleared 15p. We made sure we got the friggin 15p, tho. Largest recently was possibly 5-600 in Montrose Town Hall, played a few big clubs years ago when there could have been more, but to be honest I was having too good a time to really notice, or indeed care.

OK, so aftyer a mini-epic struggle following a very easy couple of weeks in Gracielands studio in Rochdale, the album's finished and now on iTunes: [url="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/this-uneven-sky/id464095170"]http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/this-uneven-sky/id464095170[/url] Not that I'm expecting a waves of sales, but I thought you might like a quick nosey at the samples. It's a fairly eclectic album, so if you don't like the first track...try another. I thank you.

I've lurked in plenty of music shops, but rarely seen anything I fancied buying either amp or bass-wise. If they've got my choice of strings in I might buy, and I'll buy some Jim Dunlop 88s if they've got them, too. I know a few people who work in the Manchester stores, so it's more a social call than anything, and I fade into the background if another punter requires anything. If I had any substantial money burning a hole in my pocket, I'd be back to Mark at Bass Direct for a fun day out. Now [i]there's[/i] a bass store. I've had maybe a couple of dozen basses over the last few years, but the last one I bought from a music shop was my BB3000A in 1987; all the rest have either been through here, EBay, Gumtree or local contacts. I've had some great basses (and amps), and a couple of stinkers. I've moved most of them on, and rarely lost any money at all for the privilege.

Another happy chap here - just received a great Shuker bass from Jack, he certainly does look after them. A pleasure to deal with, and delivery was spot on. Cheers! Muzz

Different Strokes? Wha choo talkin bout WoT?

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1352068' date='Aug 26 2011, 10:00 AM']Nail -> Head. IME.[/quote] That'd be it, then...sounds good to me: compressed, low mids, what's not to like?

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1352033' date='Aug 26 2011, 09:32 AM']*raises hand*[/quote] OK, [i]apart from WoT[/i], has anyone complained about lack of power? I feel a Monty Python Romans sketch coming on here...

I lived with an Ampeg 810 for a few years back (pre-castors) when I was young, keen, and had decent lower back strength. It was fantastic for the time I was on stage, and a pain in the arse for the rest. I literally couldn't move it on my own. I left one band after a storming row, they flounced out of the rehearsal room, I packed up, then I had to sheepishly ask them to give me a hand with the cab into the car...

Never felt my RH450 lacked for anything: it's very loud, and it's also very, very loud with the right cabs, and that's what the problem with focusing on the numbers is about: the amp's only half the story. I can see why, in a number-obsessed market, simply trying to convince people that 250 or so watts from one amp is actually as loud as 500 watts from another would fall on its arse. Bottom line is it's a great amp, and there isn't a drummer born who can compete with it without a PA, which is really where the headroom thing ends (tone considerations excluded, as WoT says, tho I must be picking the right tone for volume ). Any louder than that, and you're doing something wrong... IME, IMHO, YMMV, etc, etc,

Soooo, the album's all but finished (covers and CDs ordered, should be a couple of weeks max) and we need to get it out there for review on the most influential sites we can. Does anyone have any tips/pointers for good review sites out there? There seem to be zillions, so I'd like to hit the biggies first. Cheers, Muzz

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' post='1349432' date='Aug 23 2011, 08:42 PM']That sounds dangerously close to Entwistle bashing, we don't take kindly to that round these parts... [/quote] Would I? Naah, just pointing out some possibly dual standards, but hey, it was the 70s, it was rock, roll and excess all round...it's like they only invented volume controls which went anti-clockwise in 80s... The thread does contrast nicely with the one about ear protection, though: "Me, use Etymotics? Nope, I just move to the other side of the stage when he picks up the 8-string..."

"I know this guitard, his guitars are high output so they push his amps harder. I can't imagine him turning down. He's gone deaf now, so his tone's rubbish." Doesn't that sound good?

I wouldn't change any of the early/crappy Hondo/Satellite types which got me going, but I wouldn't have bought the brand new 4001 Jetglo from The Guitar Player in Rochdale in 1980, I'd have bought the black and maple Precision next to it. Then, a couple of years later, I'd have passed on the Aria ZZB Custom, and bought the pre-EB black and maple Ray next to that... Oh, and instead of selling them for peanuts when I stopped gigging a lot, I'd have held on to the SVT and the B15, and stashed them. Somewhere. Though I'm not sure where...

I've just been reading that page, when one of the stupidest things I've seen in a while jumped out at me: "The bass was so loud on stage The Who and their road crew used to vacate my side of the stage whenever I played it." A. It's the amp, not the bass, John. B. Turn it down a bit, John. If that had come from a guitarist, I know what I'd be calling him...

There's a jumper on the board of the LMIII which can set 240/110 volts. It's even helpfully labelled "240/110". Other models may vary, natch. Not that it's possible/advisable/will invalidate your warranty, etc, etc. Markbass quoted me £100+ to change the voltage - "It'll need a new power supply, sir." Fibs. I know somebody (very well indeed) who bought a LMIII in the US on holiday, brought it here, changed the jumper and fuse and it worked juuust fine. I'm not saying it wasn't a bit of a buttock-clenching moment turning it on the first time, but...

[quote name='AttitudeCastle' post='1343408' date='Aug 17 2011, 05:22 PM']A 42 year old kid? [/quote] Aren't we all?

+1 for the TC Classic/RH450 - with the advent of the RH750, the 450's a lot nearer the Classic in price now, so if the extras (presets, tuner, rear connectors, etc) are what interest you, it's worth a look. I don't like the LM Tube/Rocker, either, tho I expected I would, because I really liked the LMIII - just goes to illustrate how you really, really, need to try them out first. A day trip to Bass Direct would be a great idea - Mark has most of the Class D stuff in, so you can A-B till you're blue in the face.