BassBunny

The main issue is that MarkBass will not supply circuit diagrams and so repairing at component level becomes virtually impossible unless something is completely "fried" and obvious. When my SA450 developed a problem the repair cost with the authorised repairers was more than it was worth.

Just had a 5 string delivered and snagged it for £255 from GAK. It has a couple of finish flaws that I am struggling to really see. I wanted to try a medium scale bass as with advancing age and a bit of arthritis creeping in the finger joints I'm struggling a bit down the money end. I'm absolutely astonished at how good it is. I didn't want to spaff a fortune on what is just an experiment at this stage but I am truly impressed. Out of the box intonation was spot on. A small tweak of the truss rod and that was it. I was hoping to try it at a rehearsal during the week, but it was cancelled so a baptism of fire on Saturday. Saturdays gig was being videod, so the plan was to just have a fiddle while the rest of the band set up and then use something familiar for the gig. Well that plan didn't work. Plugged it in, all flat, amp flat, move the blend slightly towards the P pickup and it sounded awesome. My rather expensive ACG didn't get a look in. So easy to play, the "b" string was tight and rounded and the medium scale route is definitely the way to go. After the gig the sound engineer commented on my playing but I think he really meant the sound. Unless this bass really does make you play better. 🙂 Fire sale coming up I reckon.

Cheers, Will do. I did have a number for Andy Travis's mwv but he appears to have vanished.

Fellow BassChatters, I wonder if any of you can help in getting a bass from South Manchester to Evesham, West Midlands? I need to get it to Andrew, @bubinga5 , and as I don't have a case, only a gig bag, we are trying to avoid a courier. If anyone can help, that would be awesome.

PMT, as the retailer, are responsible for sorting it out as it's still under warranty. Whether that is repair/replace/refund is a discussion you need to have with them.

Bacchus?

Because it weighs 35Kg. Way, scuse my pun, over the top to drive a couple of monitors. Which Alto do you have?

This and have you locked it in place properly? There is an audible "click" when you twist it in the socket.

Take someone like Yolanda Charles who has an MBE for services to music. Not a household name and hardly in the same category as Paul McCartney or Mick Jagger for earnings, but an amazing teacher and has earned a few Bob on sessions and tours.

I believe the tube is permanently soldered to the pre-amp board so removing/replacement is not possible. @Phil Starr is correct in his summary as we've both been through trying to get MarkBass kit repaired. These are the costs from Real from a few years back. I suspect they will have increased now. £35 to diagnose the problem, which you get back if you go ahead. £69 fixed labour to repair, £18 courier fee to send it back + parts. The "parts" will be whatever boards need changing.

+1 for Ampband. You get free web hosting as well with them.

Mark Gooday mentioned this in a recent FB post. In his words, "the magic happens on the circuit board inside the pedal"

Saw them a few years back. Absolutely awesome band and Rob Thomas, also from Jamiraqui, is with them now.

So 14 guage is 2.0mm in our money. So bang in the middle of 1.5 and 2.5mm. Personally I'd go for 2.5mm and Speakon both ends, assuming the amp and cabinets can accommodate speakons. I may actually have some from clearing out a shed load of cables.

Definitely Switchcraft or Neutrik. The switch is a pretty standard pickup switch but if you were considering another vol why not a blend pot? Much easier to get a balance between the pickups and infinitely variable unlike the switch.

Similar. I bought an SWR triad from a basschatter in a petrol station forecourt in way to a gig. 45mins later it was on stage at soundcheck. Good job it was ok as I didn't take another cab with me.

+1 for contacting Ashdown. It's a crapshoot changing a speaker without modelling. Ashdown will suggest a suitable replacement.

I'll have a look and see if I've any pics. It turned out really well. I was very pleased with the end result.

Interesting anecdote. I played the first bass Ian Waller built. It was a Salmon Pink P Bass copy, weighed a ton and you could drive a bus under the strings. We went to the same school, although he was about 3-4 years ahead of me. In the early 60's he played in a local band, sorry "group" as they were called in those days, called The Wailers with Derek Leckenby and Barry Whitham and I was in the same class as Lek's brother Colin. As a teenager it was customary in those days to play guitar and Colin brought Wal's bass round to mine on a couple of occasions. Ian was very well known in Manchester and earned the handle "Big Wal" as he was rather chunky so when Derek Leckenby and Barry Whitham were asked to join the newly formed Herman's Hermits, who had just secured a recording contract, Big Wal was left out in the cold as he wasn't considered easy on the eye and svelte enough for HH. He went on to join Remo Sands and the Spinning Tops and I was in a band the borrowed their roadie and van quite a lot. He was a stonking bass player and he built various pedals for Spinning Tops, electronics being his love.

Sort of. There used to be an Abakhan branch locally and I went there first, hi but they didn't have any colours I wanted so I made a note of the type of vinyl I wanted and ordered online in the shade I wanted. When it came it was actually better quality than they had in the shop.

Yep, more of the same is the way to go.

Try fabric sellers like Abakhan. I got some beautiful burgundy vinyl from them to cover a cab. Very reasonable as well and great quality.