krispn

Depends what you're after I suppose but then you could contact Wizard p/u and have one custom wound for your spec. I like the Hanson-Lakland pick up tht came with my BG Pbass and I know that they now do the Neo Punch which is their take on the 'modern hot' P bass p/u The list goes of for custom and replacement builders

I'd a long chat with Dave from Matamp about valves and he says its a nonsense - yes you'll get less or more output volume but nothing really that different. I'have recently tried out some old valves in my pre amp and while I think it sounds better I'd be hard pushed to tell you if someone crept in and switched them back while I was out of the room. Changing strings will have a more immediate effect but thats probably as expensive as buying 2 or 3 pre amp valves depending on which strings you buy. Flat wounds will give a huge change in tone from what you might be used to and the DR String review by Ed Friedland gives an interesting overview of the finer differences between strings within one brand - I don't have the link but type Ed Friedland dr string review into google and it should turn it up. I'll pm ya with so info..

Done a deal with Rob today and it was all smooth. Thanks for driving over else I'd have been humping across on the train. Hope you enjoy Thumpy as much as I have. Gavin

Thanks guys I think they were ECC83 but one of them has the majority of the printed info on the valve worn off. It still has the mullard emblem part intact but I can't be sure. The other is an ECC83. I knew the other valves gave less gain but as little as 19% !!!! I guess with only two valves in the preamp the effect is quite noticeable. I'll get back to the guy and see if I can try two ECC83's I have to say the tone was great - warm and round and with more extreme settings on the EQ I could get many great sounds or at least great to my ear. Thanks again guys very helpful gavin

So I had a chance to test out some old mullards today in my Aguilar DB659 preamp. I have to say that initially I was a little surprised as I tried my normal settings and i could barely hear anything - power amp was up full, volume around 1 pm and master volume/output at 9am on the preamp I had to really push the preamp volume to around 3pm amd drivd the output to around 3 or 4pm to get sufficient volume for what would be gig levels. The sound i was getting was a good one and i was half expecting I'd have too push the valves more to get the sound i was after. What i'd like to know is what other ppl's experience is with vintage or old vavles. Is it normally to have push them so much to get the tone or even the actual output volume or does it sound like the valves are past their best? Its my first time really trying out different valves in this preamp.

dia duit! I too am another interloper from Ireland living in Scotland, Edinburgh to be precise. I'd agree to find a bargain it means trawling the 2nd hand places evry few weeks and take the occasional trip West and do the same there. Always a bargain to be found and I've had a few first hand experiences of them - Rickenbacker guitar that the guy thought was a fake for £140. I sh*t you not! Welcome and good luck with the studies. gavin

Hi just to clarify I said the bass was dated I meant it was via the serial number. Thanks for all the advice so far. I was guessing that the woods were different but wasn't sure if that was just a supply thing or a specific run. I'll try and get a chance to play them through an amp and hear if there is any difference.

Any idea on the wood types ? Would they both be the same or did MM change or do different types? Cheers

A local shop has two stingrays in at the minute. Played them both (unplugged) yesterday and while one of them was quite nice the other felt much heavier. The guy in the shop claims the lighter model is a '99 model, has a 4 bolt neck and I guess he's right. The 2nd one was admittedly beat to hell with lumps out of the neck, chips in thr paint buckle rash and some very noticable damage to the g side of the fret board - like its been repeatedly dropped or gnawed by a big rat! Its also very evident on the left hand and Im not sure anything could be done to repair it other than a 'new' neck. Anyhow the point is this 2nd beat up bass felt considerably heavier and had a 6 bolt neck, metal battery cover etc and it was dated 89/90. The bridge appeared to have mounts for the mutes as well but they we long gone. Would the woods have been different in these two models? I am tempted but the cost of the new neck is putting me off as I cant get the guy to budge from about £550 - not a good deal considering the damage to the neck Cheers for any help

Hey folks, Seen lots of decent press and reviews about the Sad pre/di. For some tunes in my bands I'd like to 'stand out' more at certain times to really drive a certain part of the song or add emphasis. I use a couple of dirt pedals to add some colour to my tone but I don't always feel that dirt is suitable on every occasion. I've been looking at other options for added variety including the P retro and the Sadowsky pre/di Am I correct in saying the Sadowsky basically make Jazz style basses and if so would the pre/di be better suited to a jazz or equally at home on a p bass? It seems like such a silly question as any effect can be paired with any instrument (within reason) but just a consideration The foot switching ability is what attracts me to the Sad plus the di out so when Im not playing my own rig I can be sure of a decent tone going to the foh. Any advice is appreciated.

Tube amp pushed, compression, MM SR, and hit it like you love it but its gone done you wrong!

This was the house bass amp at a gig I played recently. Its a great amp and I recall thinking during the set that the bass sounded pretty good. Bear in mind that it was my only time playing it and someone did have a TE V4 head and I thought it sounded less good than the LH500 but maybe he didn't set it up to my liking. Oh an on the passive tone stack thing - I always try new to me bass amps with the classic Fender passive settings and with everything at noon just to be sure they are not passive stacks.Wise advice for you cats playing with other peoples gear.

This was the house bass amp at a gig I played recently. Its a great amp and I recall thinking during the set that the bass sounded pretty good. Bear in mind that it was my only time playing it and someone did have a TE V4 head and I thought it sounded less good than the LH500 but maybe he didn't set it up to my liking. Oh an on the passive tone stack thing - I always try new to me bass amps with the classic Fender passive settings and with everything at noon just to be sure they are not passive stacks.Wise advice for you cats playing with other peoples gear.

Its great to see someone do the actual leg work and find out the facts instead of just assuming what they read is correct about a bass product. Great work Davidak. There are a couple of spector basses in a shop near me which I'll test drive now for sure. It also shows how important it is to understand how something works before giving a negative opinion. Just think how osme of the more complex gear works or the tone you might get out if a classic Fender tone stack in a Bassman type amp. Its an interesting point how word of mouth can influence opinion or trends.

Done a deal which was quick and trouble free. Easy as pie!

So I was at the local TK Maxx in the search for a cover for my bike and happened upon a JBL Duet 200 stereo speaker. Been eyeing these up before for the ipod - Tthese retail up to and around £99 or there abouts. TK Maxx had them at £50 a while ago but I never had the extra funds for them until today I saw it at £25. Took it home hooked it up to one of my pedals for a little signal boost and boom there you have it - mini practice rig for my front room or any room for that matter. Now if I get the little iRig adapter for my iPod Touch I got the ideal minirig. I was doing something similar but the JBL speaker sounds pretty good and would be plenty loud for wee acoustic jams - wondering what it might sound like mic'd Good day!

No surprise when I say its been a smooth transaction. Great guy and as others have said a top rate BassChatter. The bits and bob's will be in the post Monday! Gavin

tried to put up a simple tab but the note spacing came out all sh*tty I've PM'd ya hope it works in the PM but you should be able to pick it apart easily enough * a wee note its a C note on the e string not C sharp as thats what i accidentally put in - oops not used to trying to write tab

Glasgow but its not listed on their site hence Im not sure if it s or m 210

OK so the real issue is that........ A - they sent a group text and didn't tell you personally or tell the 'band' first. You expected more from your friendship and rightly so but we all hve, or had, friends who are dating or in a relationship and as such they tend to share this info among themselves first and in many cases its only their decision to make regardless of the wider picture. Best friends, oldest friends etc often get relegated to the 2nd or 3rd wave of info and unfortunately that now means the net. The internet and facebook in particular has this bad habit of giving people an immediate forum to release 'big' life changes or news about their lives before its had a chance to sink in and require any thought. So what happens is.. "Would you like a gig abroad in the sun, paid every day and no bills?" turns into a facebook update of OMG we are going to (insert sunny destination here) for a holiday and getting paid to sing too. Bets. Job. Ever! Most of us would say that an offer like that is too good to be true and in this case it looks like it was but you get given an offer like that and some ppl are all over facebook saying they are playing a summer gig all expenses covered blah blah. If nothing it shows an element of childish impulsivity but we're all guilty of that beit in our words or actions. B - Your still hanging onto a whole heap of stuff over the last time your friend backed down on a good musical opportunity and once that bad taste comes back its hard to shake. No amount of minty sweeties will shift it. Clearly you and your mate got over it in the past but if you can't let bad feelings like that go your gonna find yourself with a tumour my friend! I'm a tumour I'm a tumour..I'm a tumour (Family Guy) C - She did it before she'll do it again I play in a couple of bands and one is doing better than the others right now. Its good. The other band our singer is off to S.Africa possibly for a few years maybe only a few months. Good luck to him. We have great songs and it could have turned out ok with the right gigs and a bit of effort...but who knows he might have been a prick on the road, I might have been a prick on the road, the drummer...well you know drummers You have history with this chick - best mates or not. Hititing the road will only see old problems resurface plus you're already bringing up those bad experiences in light of this last holiday decision. So in summary Sit down, behave like adults, hold your tongue be calm and clear, concise even. Don't bitch about the past concentrate on the feelings that came up when you got the group text and then the facebook updates thing- talking about the FEELINGS and not the anger - makes it much more about the relationship and importantly the friendship and not petty sh*te. Im Irish I know we don't do feelings but its the 21st century and we're all europeans so get over it Keep us posted but you gotta talk it out instead of a rash decision. A decision made after thought and deliberation is a decision one can live with - just look at the for sale ad Good luck