3below

Practise - is that the new name for sound check?

I also recall when Sound City were the poor man's choice. Having moved Hiwatt DR103, Hiwatt 200 and a Marshall Supa lead on a long long time ago (all before 1981) I now have a SC 120 lead. Bargain at £175 about 1/1/2 years ago - with a Fane loaded 2 x 12 as well . Downside, it needs some noise reduction. Upside, unmolested, in bedroom nick, seriously loud even on original Mullards. The wiring is superb, not far off the early Hiwatts I owned. They are still out there at sensible money if you get lucky. Sadly - I prefer my Peavey Tour 700 with Barefaced Big One to the SC 120 for bass.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1246311' date='May 26 2011, 09:54 PM']Apart from cocaine and Russian call girls, of course.[/quote] I am told that these also cost unless you are a German insurer - [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/19/sex-party-reward-german-salesmen"]Guardian[/url] Band all adds up these days, however most of the time it is fun. [edit - must proof read doh!]

Depending on how clued up on electronics you are: 1) Take it to a good guitar tech / electronics expert or 2) Get the multimeter and soldering iron out and start checking the circuit out First stage - are there any op amps that are 'push fit'. If so ease them out gently and push back in. Any push fit connectors, lift off and push back on. Oxidation of connectors can often cause problems. If not fixed then; Second stage - unsolder (unless you are lucky and there are push fit connectors) the two pickups from the pre amp board. Play the same string, measure the output voltage from each pickup. They should be [b]roughly[/b] the same. A seriously big difference suggests pickup problem. Third stage - If the pickups are OK you now know which channel on pre amp is faulty. Next remove the preamp from the guitar, visual inspection time Do any solder joints look dull / cracked or sharp & pointy (Ice cream cones) or just badly done. If they do just resolder them with a spot of new solder. Try bass again. . If not sorted then you need to borrow a signal generator, send a test tone between 80Hz to 2000 Hz into the good channel with the same voltage as the pickups. Measure the voltage at various points in the circuit and record [edited: write down the values] them. Repeat on the faulty channel. You should be able to identify the point and component that is the cause of the fault. The circuit is low voltage so it is unlikely to be a failed / overheated component. Yamaha might provide service engineer circuit diagrams and test voltages, useful if they do. Method 2) is cheaper, Method 1) is easier. YMMV

[quote name='eubassix' post='1243577' date='May 24 2011, 10:16 PM']Interesting! .. he bought this in March:- [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390294556498"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=390294556498[/url] and some 54 pots and amber shellac a bit later (his Selling profile is Private .. but not the Buying). Could it be the same bass?[/quote] Shame on you for bringing such things to our attention, you are risking a Super Injunction. Surely it must be 100% genuine, I would want to take it out and use it at gigs to get it 'reliced'. What risk would there be to it at the 'Stoat & Groat' blues night or the 'Spit & Snot' punk night or some clubs I have played in (sinking low here). The price is most reasonable, but then again I am a merchant banker. eubassix - the Kramer DMZ is just wonderful. Always wanted one, now have one and I am not a merchant banker - bad career choice in youth.

The whole $1 = £1 thing has been going on for a long time, even with software which is downloaded (I never pay for software now, this is written on a Linux box, I only use open source). It really hacks me off being 'ripped off'. I bought a set of DB strings from the USA then paid import and VAT. Still cheaper than direct from UK / EU. Mostly I have been lucky with import duty and VAT, have got many items in without it (all legally). Sometimes you get stiffed as well with handling charges by UPS/ PO etc. Factor in the import duty and VAT, what if it goes wrong and then make your choice.

I missed a 100W secondhand from Holland @ 500 Euros because I dithered. They really look the business and would last a lifetime.

Used Barefaced Big One - cheaper than the components it contained. Finally a bass cab that does the business for tone and volume. After that my G&L SB1, saved me a lot of money as it removed GAS for 20 years or so, until the object of my youth's desire appeared (bass, not other woman). Uber best bit of kit - a dishwasher, essential for any relationship

Fully agree with comments about getting a Physio. From 20 years young I have had on and off slight slipped upper discs. Too much desk bound work was the main culprit. Every time visit Physio - sorted in 20 mins, pain free and moving better than ever. Sadly she died young, so now its paid for not free.

Used to get mine in Nissan Micra with seats folded down..

Tried and tested. Seem to do the business on countless recordings & live performances. Simple controls. Easy to fix and maintain. Solid and robust. Neck can be replaced when worn out/broken/faulty - part of the original design criteria. Headstock does not snap off when dropped (in my experience). USA basses will not lose value in the long term. Anything more needed? the only excess is having a volume and tone control, I have always run them at full on. If the price is too rich look at the countless copies, some are crap/very good/exceed the original for less.

Very, very nice.

Maple necks - love them, Rosewood necks - love them. Good basses sound good, bad basses sound XXTTY. Both have a different feel, the tone controls on the amp have a significant effect, the speaker cab even more. For some reason I sound like 'me' whatever neck / bass / guitar I use. I no longer worry about it, my current bit of fun is getting good tone out of real cheap kit - £30 peavey milestone III bass, weak pickups but nice otherwise. It's only the cost of a few drinks

[quote name='mashup' post='1232468' date='May 15 2011, 09:31 PM']True. This is always another option.....Maybe im just getting a case of GAS right now. Im trawling the internet looking at Basses when i should just probably be playing! Just out of curiosity, is your G & L light in weight? I need a 2nd/backup bass regardless. Can the G & L L2000 really do it all? Should i just be looking at getting another, maybe a tribute? Or is there an inexpensive something out there that can fulfill additional tonal requirements?[/quote] I have never weighed it... but I am 5'3" and it has never bothered me. I feel it is 'heavyish' - think it is a maple body but not sure. My Kramer is noticeably 'heavy' but the string clarity is something else. Before you get the wallet out, try someone else's bass with different strings - the biggest tone changer for me is roundwound, but I prefer flats. If string type is significant them Yamaha and Ibanez P/J types are real bargains at the moment. This [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=134083&hl=ibanez"]Ibanez[/url] was £230 - gorgeous IMO - I have/had no connection with it. I bought a Hiscox case for £70 recently - with a Peavey Milestone Jazz type bass included. There are some real deals around at present. I will get the scales out and investigate.

Might be difficult to find tones outside / beyond your G&L. I have had my 85 SB1 for over 20 years, for a one pickup PB style bass it is incredibly versatile. . I did not feel the need for a backup / second bass until GAS attack for the Kramer - had always wanted one when younger. Why not get another G&L (apart from cost) and try the 'opposite' strings flats / rounds. Reliability from my G&L - 100%, had it setup and then nothing, it just works and stays in tune. I would buy another early SB1 for roundwounds - if wife would not divorce me (and I could find one at sane money).

[quote name='Clarky' post='1231328' date='May 14 2011, 08:05 PM']So I only have to wait 31 years for them to soften up and become matte - thats alright then![/quote] But think of the savings... whilst the 71 P bass will become even more vintage I wonder if they have any lubricant / residue on them from the manufacturing process, both sets of TI flats I have put on had a slick 'plasticky' feel to them. The newest set has lost it after about 6 months. You could try wiping them with meths, fairly mild solvent, try a small section away from playing area, could try washing up liquid / Cif/Jif, small amount, with damp paper towel, slightly abrasive in latter case. I do recall them being 'slippy' when new as were those on someone else's bass I tried.

They do change, mine have become matte and rather good on my acoustic bass. However it is early days since they have only been on the bass from about 1980. They will also save you a fortune - they are still nice and elastic / springy / responsive. Do not seem to have become lifeless like some roundwounds do.

Just hope some poor unknowing unfortunate does not click the expensive mistake - sorry, buy it now button. I remember these from youth, the memory is not a good one.

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='1224094' date='May 8 2011, 01:26 PM']The Big one had a voracious capacity to absorb watts[/quote] Mine certainly likes feeding plenty of Watts, 500 @ 8 Ohms is adequate, more would be nice. Great tone, best speaker I have ever owned. If you are into DIY have a look at fEARful designs.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1223523' date='May 7 2011, 06:34 PM']You can just about see two of the cracks on the back of the head stock in the ebay. Some nice photography to keep them from showing up. Knew exactly what he was at. Don't need shits like that selling stuff.[/quote] Agree, really good photography, they are barely noticeable and might be mistaken for the stress cracks that some finishes get from screws / machine heads - the sort that are nothing to worry about. Pity there were no images of the back of the neck, was there something amiss? He may have bought it from someone else, but no need to 'stiff' others, there are ways to get legal redress. If it was from new he needs to get it back to Overwater, it may be a one off, are there more like this?

Try, try and try as they all seem different. My 77 bought new was excellent once set up correctly. Look beyond having Fender on the headstock. My longest keeper of 20+ years has been a G&L SB1, a precision on steroids? (with made by Leo on the headstock). However the Kramer DMZ4001 I acquired recently - another 'precision' -is better still. This [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=134083"]Ibanez[/url] would also be the business and is a 'vintage' bass at a super price. Leaves plenty of change to try alternate pickups if it is not quite to taste. I have no connection with it, I would buy it, but I would also get a divorce for the price. Recently bought a Yamaha BB for not much from here, yet another good 'precision' type bass.

Happy (I got away), Sad (It could have been good), Relieved(no more crises / egos to fix), Strong (I work in the same place and line manage several of them - broken the cardinal rule - never mix pleasure and business), P***d off (Good friendships forged over several years seemed to have broken down) - however all now sorted and playing again. At the same time guitar player and self got binned from another band - no reasons, no pack drill etc. At a loss on that one as we played well, were really professional, did the business (we were on fire), have no idea at all. C'est la vie. so how did I feel, confused, but move on. One day, One day....