ashevans09

[quote name='BossHog' timestamp='1337016621' post='1654093']
The fans on the 751 are quieter.
[/quote]

Have to say I hope so - the one I tried today was really loud! That said I don't think it's much of an issue - not going to make a difference at a gig.

I Tried one through an aguilar DB410 and an eden D series 210 and it sounded really good, though quite polite. I think it excelled when the gain was low and the master was giving most of the volume. Also found it was quite an unforgiving amp in terms of really showing up any mistakes. Probably a good thing though!

I own a 400+, and tonally I think it would be right up your street. I tried mine against an Aguilar DB750 today (not really comparable, though isn't the ampeg svt 4 a tube preamp and mosfet output like the aggie?), and I have to say I felt the Mesa had more balls. That's not to say the aguilar wasn't good - it was great - but comparing the two was like apples and oranges, and I feel you'd probably have the same issue.

For what it's worth, the aguilar was quite polite, and I felt it had more tonal variation potential to it. It was quite musical, and I think it would sound great in any setting.

The mesa on the other hand is just an absolute beast, and while others I think will probably argue with me over this I think it's limited. What it does it does brilliantly - a ballsy, punch you in the face tone - and I don't think any other amp can beat it in those situations. However, I think it would struggle in environments that weren't rock or metal. Also it weighs loads and as I'm finding out to my horror now retubing it costs a fortune.

As for reliability, I've mentioned the retubing aspect, but my Mesa seems pretty tank like.

Also, while I remember, it's worth thinking about the cab you pair it with - I thought the aguilar cab I messed around with today really took away from the rawness of the Mesa's sound.

So really, it's up to you, but I don't think it'll be easy to make a choice until you've tried both.

Hope that helps

EDIT - another point, again realise they're not directly comparable (the aggie and svt4) but the aggie couldn't touch the mesa for that tubey, high gain sound. It sounded good, but not as good. I think the aggie sounded better clean. So depending on how you like to run your tone that could be a factor

No idea how much this is worth... £15 sound reasonable + PnP?

Ta

Ash

I was just wondering what advantages would be had if I ran both my Mesa's channels simultaneously? Any neat things I can pull?

It's being serviced at the moment and I miss the thing, up to this point I'd just been running into a single input and fancied changing things up when it came back. Is it as simple as just running a Y cable into both inputs?

I just don't feel I'm getting the best out of this head and was wondering what I could do.

[quote name='GregHughes' timestamp='1336641240' post='1648681']
Just recieved an email this morning from Session music that my bass has arrived and is ready to ship! Photo's as soon as its arrives.
[/quote]

Awesome! Can't wait to see . My bass arrived on Friday, however I'm yet to lay my hands on it - had it delivered to my parents because I couldn't guarantee I'd be in. As a result it's in Oxford and I'm in Exeter! Going to be recording with it next week so I'll take photos when I see it .

I'll be up in Liverpool around the end of June. If this is still around then I'll take it

[quote name='longtimefred' timestamp='1336493738' post='1646414']
nice one dude, buying a Sandberg is the right choice! i fecking love mine, i bought it without trying it and it was just perfect. Good choice on the Haussel pickups, i got them and they are just incredible.

5 string PM for me next i reckon! yum yum
[/quote]

Thanks! I'm really excited about this, got some elements I've never had in a bass before! What do the Haussels sound like? I got them because they were already in the bass. Only description I've found is that they're quite vintage sounding? And haha, I'll give you feedback about mine , they're mighty looking basses.

Been tracking mine via UPS since Monday. It's been sitting in a warehouse near Stuttgart all day! Hoping it's just waiting for a night freight flight over here!

Ash

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1336400542' post='1645004']
I was in my local music shop recently on a possible impulse buy..I asked what Bass Effects they had.."sorry, we don't have any..there isn't a demand.." Now firstly there clearly is a demand otherwise firms wouldn't manufacture them and secondly,..err I'm standing here trying to give you money..suggests there might be a demand!!

Probably explains why firms like Thomann are thriving and local shops (which I like to support) and dying..
[/quote]

Well that's balls, I've spent ages waiting for a particular pedal to come in to a shop only to have it snatched out from under me so there definitely IS demand. Most bassists I see on the circuit these days have at least an OD pedal.

And I honestly think that's true about Thomann and the like. I emailed them too about this and despite getting something like 105,000 emails a day (so there website says), they still emailed me back 2 days later with a note from Sandberg, so they'd obviously taken the time to look into it for me.

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1336401674' post='1645036']

Very lucky in Cornwall- Modern Music in Truro is just about the best for customer service I've ever encountered- although the shop is tiny. I will continue to spend as much money in there as physically possible.
[/quote]

Ah! Might give it a visit - I live in Exeter and have friends in Truro so when I visit them I'll drop in . Just out of interest did it used to be a chain? There was a Modern Music in Abingdon a few years back. It turned into a Dawsons and is now a pound shop unfortunately

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1336408803' post='1645198']
and we wonder why our economy is in freefall and germany's isn't....
[/quote]

I'll be honest that thought definitely crossed my mind too.

Basses owned (in order of purchase - I think!):

[b]Peavey International Series 4 string (first bass)[/b]
OLP MM3 - 5 string
Pedulla Rapture - 5 string Soapbar version
SGC Nanyo bass collection - 5 string, didn't dig it too much
Musicman Stingray - 3EQ, 4 string version
1978 Fender Precision - weighed a ton!
[b]Fender Geddy Lee Jazz[/b]
[b]MTD 535[/b]
[b]Double bass - Zeller 3/4 size [/b]
[b]Spector Euro 4LX[/b]
[b]Spector Euro 5LX[/b]
[b]Sandberg VM-5[/b]

Not as many as I anticipated tbh. In all honesty I've probably run through far more amps. Still own all the bolded ones.

Amps:

Peavey microbass
Behringer BX3000T -> Laney R115
Ashdown ABM500 evo II -> Ashdown ABM410/Laney R115
Ampeg SVT3 -> Ampeg SVT410 and SVT115
Mesa Big Block 750 -> 2x Epifani UL410s (2nd series) - very smooth sounding rig
Ampeg SVP preamp -> Mesa Strategy 400 -> SVT115
[b]Mesa 400+ -> Matamp 410 [/b]
Ampeg SVT810
Orange TerrorBass 500 -> Mesa powerhouse 210.

Jesus that's a lot of gear. And I'm thinking of moving on my current rig. Jeez. UPDATE: Not any longer, completely fallen in love with it again.

Really am wondering if this is just me finding this.

I recently put in an order for a sandberg. I wanted to go through a UK store (y'know, help the local economy and all that) so I called up my local PMT. They took my details, took down the specs of what I was looking for and said they'd call back. Week and a half later I've heard nothing, so I go into the store and tell them they never called back.

"Oh I thought we'd said you'll come in and we'll discuss options" was their response. Bollocks, Anyhow, I let it slide and have a started having a conversation with the bloke (it was the same guy from on the phone). At that point, a coworker then walks in to show the guys his newborn. The guy I'm talking to obviously wants to go over and congratulate the guy and meet his child (fair enough, have no problems with that), so I say it's ok if he goes over and says hi, I'll just wander around the shop. 40 minutes later I'm still waiting for the guy. I'm not hiding in the back of the store, I'm waiting by the till and playing with my phone so it's not like he thought I was trying basses and didn't want to be interrupted or the like. Anyhoo, my parking ticket is running out so I eventually walk over to ask if we can quickly wrap things up and he (again) writes down what I'd like and all my details and says he'll call and forward me any emails he gets from the supplier, A further week and a half passes without a word and I give up and try elsewhere.

I email Station Music in Germany about a bass they have, and within 20 minutes have an answer. After a six email back and forth that took approximately an hour, they have their money and I have a bass ready to be shipped. They promised they would email me the shipping details on Monday when it shipped, and they have.

Why is this such a difficult thing for UK companies to do? I'm not asking for the world, I'd just like them to do what they say they're going to do. Every overseas retailer I've used has literally tripped over themselves to make my buying experience a good one yet UK companies don't seem to care. I felt throughout that they felt they were doing me a favor by even considering getting me a quote. Jesus, I want to support your business, give me a sodding quote.

I can't say all UK music stores are bad - I've had great experiences with the gallery in Camden and Mansons and have heard great things about bass direct - but they really feel like the exception rather than the rule.

Am I expecting too much?

Gah, rant over.

[quote name='TheG' timestamp='1336345085' post='1644411']
I would be interested in the breakdown of the costs to be honest ie original cost, postage, import duty etc to see how the import thing works.

I've got a fretless with an ebony fingerboard. John Diggins replaced the maple fingerboard and it sounds Great. It will give it a nice punch. Not as bright as maple.
[/quote]

Fair enough, I'll PM you when I know

I'm really excited! I've heard great things about them and you're certainly making me even more like a kid on christmas eve . I too kind of only bumped into them when I heard someone playing one. Heard one at a gig and it sounded brilliant, think he was playing through an EBS if memory serves. Great sounding things. This is my first ever ebony board though so I'll be interested to see what it brings to the table. I've heard it's very bright.

And that's really cool how they do it, I guess having it predone takes the agony away when you ding a bass for the first time. It's really weird, I hate it when I ding a bass but I love the look of roadworn/relic'd basses! Guess I like the end result but not the process of getting there.

I'll definitely keep you posted! I'll put up pics in this thread when I get it . It's being shipped on Monday, hopefully customs won't hold on to it for too long! Am I going to get walloped on import duty? Hoping that because Germany and the UK are in Europe I might get a bye...

It's this one in fact

http://www.station-music.de/images/bass/instrumente/sand_calvm5tbsunbrw.jpg

[quote name='TheG' timestamp='1336319882' post='1643948']
Which one and where are you getting it from?
[/quote]

It's a VM5, tobacco burst, ebony FB, haeussel PUs, 35" scale . Went through station music. Really excited about it!

Been looking at yours more, that ageing is really nice. Always wondered though, is it still laquered over? Don't know if I'm getting across what I mean properly... do they paint it normally then sand it down/do whatever to it after that?

Thanks!

Ash

[quote name='TheG' timestamp='1335003880' post='1624553']
I really wanted a particular Sandberg but didn't have the cash at the time at all. Well not a new one, even though I was tempted to just stick one on a 0% interest credit card and worry about it later. (I was SO tempted). Anyway I saw them coming up on eBay and put a saved search in. I noticed Sandberg basses did come up regularly and even close(ish) to matching the bass that I wanted. A California, 4 string, tobacco, hardcore aged, JM model.

I persevered and waited to see if the exact model came up. They did come up but were 5 strings, different colours, etc, etc, etc. I also had a price that I really didn't want to go over because I didn't have the money.

In the end "MY" bass came up on eBay the right model, colour, price and location. The guy put it up on the Sunday and I was round his house with the cash on the Monday.

It did take 8 months so I understand people may not want to wait that long but if you haven't got the money its a waiting game. In my experience second hand Sandberg basses came up on average every 1-3 weeks.

I collected it within 15 miles of my house and it cost £650. The only compromise was that it was soft aged and not hardcore aged. No problem. Wicked bass!


[attachment=105642:P1050273.JPG]
[/quote]

Awesome! Glad you like yours . Really excited, I found one that worked for me and it should be here sometime this week!

Serious need of photos! That's unbelievable!

[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1336159472' post='1642028']
Sounds like an ideal job for one of those Harley Benton heads? 500W for like £150 if memory serves, they get great reviews too.
[/quote]

Really? I just assumed they'd be cheap tat. Definitely will have a look, thanks

Really nice looking bass you've got there. What's it sound like with the dimarzios?

Lovely looking basses, there was a guy who had a blue one at the first ever gig I played. I was young (only 11 or something) and he saw me staring at it in awe and he was nice enough to pick it out of its hardcase and hand it to me saying "would you like a go?". Lovely memory. Awesome basses, would love to own one in the future . Post pics!

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1335999911' post='1639488']
If you take a Sansamp as a backup you've got to ensure that you can easily switch it into the system if the main amp fails. Your cabs will be silent so most of your monitoring will have gone west. Will the fold back you’ve been given be enough?
[/quote]

Very good question. I'll look into that. I'd imagine it would be - venues are predominantly o2 academies or similar.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1335999911' post='1639488']
I’d take a backup amp and replug it into the system in the event of failure. You will waste 1 min replugging but everything else stays the same.

And don’t forget to sound check the back up source in the FOH and foldback.
[/quote]

Good idea, again, thank you I would never have thought of all this stuff!

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1335981648' post='1639107']
Firstly im jealous you are on tour - i wish iwas asking this question lol.

There has to be space for a spare head in the van, surely?

Yes, get a backup. Anything SS around 500 watts will be better than no sound if the worse happens on the night.

Dont get caught out - it takes less than 5 mins to swap heads. Ive had to before.
[/quote]

Thanks , and yeah they'll definitely be room. It's going to be horribly cramped anyway, might as well fit in another head! . And I guess you're right, better safe than sorry. Being honest the old behringer head I had was pretty good for what it was actually, ended up selling it for £20 (it was a BX3000T or something like that) so if I can pick something up like that I'll be set. Again though, would love to pick up a Hartke - all the heads I've used of theirs have sounded great and frankly if the LH range is good enough for Nathan Watts they're good enough for me

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1335983083' post='1639153']
I'm with Lozz on this - taking a Sansamp or similar is a no-brainer, and it'll fit in your gig-bag as well.

If you want an actual head, then obviously it's all about the budget. If you can afford it, the Gallien Kruger MB500 is an excellent option.
[/quote]
[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1335985109' post='1639199']
If you want a spare head, you could always get a micro head. GK do the MB200 which is a nice little head, has a DI, it's tiny and weighs nothing so you could keep it in your gig bag. Also pretty cheap. I'm sure there's other similar products that are available if you don't fancy the GK. Failing that, a DI pedal never hurts.
[/quote]

Duly noted, will get a sansamp or the like. Never really considered GK before, as mentioned I'm learning towards a Hartke. What do they sound like?

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1335997475' post='1639449']
When on tour I always took a back up, just because you never know and its good to be prepared. Just find a half-decent solid state head for £200 or so (Trace Elliot/Ashdown/Hartke/Peavey etc). Also I found it handy to loan out when headlining and every other band didn't bring any amps. Rather that than my good amp!
[/quote]

Fair shout actually, I hated lending my heads to other bands - always dicked about with the tone settings and put beers on top of it etc .

Again, thank all of you for taking the time to give advice, really appreciate it . Seems something lightweight, reasonably powerful and hopefully great sounding is on the cards! Anyone selling?

Visually, I love the maple necked one. Your choice though, also I remember some annoyances regarding the new Fender American PUs IIRC?

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1335980466' post='1639067']
A back-up head is worth having, as is, assuming you`re playing venues with a house pa, a DI Pedal, such as a Sansamp/MXR M80/Behringer BDI21 in the chain. Amp goes, swap the DI lead from the amp to the pedal, you still have front of house for the rest of the night, then the next day to resource an amp if needed.
[/quote]

Good shout, hadn't actually thought of including one in my chain! Thank you for the advice . Ash

Heya,

Thanks for all the good advice guys , seems pretty reasonable. I guess I'll hold off then (unless a stupidly cheap Hartke LH500 comes up, love those things and would keep it anyway!) .Also anyone know a decent and reasonably priced place I can get a flight case for it? It's currently in an enclosure built by matamp and I'd like to keep it there rather than racking it.