Big_Stu

Thanks guys, [quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1442700567' post='2868915'] Not sure if the oxidation is the cause of the innitial problem.[/quote] Neither am I, just trying a process of elimination for now. [quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1442700567' post='2868915']Contact cleaner is good. put it on the rca plug then make and break the connection a couple of times, plug in and unplug. This cleans the inner and outer surfaces of the connectors. Also check out your speaker connections, both on the amp and the speakers. [/quote] That's what I hoped someone would say, I'll give it a very careful go. I'm relatively happy that the speaker connections are OK, they're all gold plated and the fault moved when I switched the speakers connections over. [quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1442700732' post='2868918'] Not necessarily a comment on your situation, but I'm pretty sure oxidation inhibits electrical current. If it's as bad as it sounds they may need to be replaced. Not a difficult job if you're handy with a soldering iron.[/quote] It's just that I can see where they looked highly polished before but are now a very dull grey, no corrosion though. I spoke with Pioneer's own recommended out of warranty repair place and they didn't want to touch it as "Pioneer are notoriously bad to get spares off". The connections are on a solid block of 12 so I wouldn't want to try to build a new one.

For the first time in 20+ years I'm having trouble with my hi-fi, it's one of them annoying occasional faults that I can't pin down. Every so often on only some sources (usually the CD, occasionally the radio) the right speaker volume drops, not while playing but when changing sources. In trying to check that it was the amp at fault I broke the whole system down to try various options. On putting it back together i had a hell of a problem getting most of the plugs back into the amp. The plugs are all gold plated, but the amp (Pioneer A400) has only steel connections, which are oxidised. Neither Pioneer or Richer Sounds (where I bought it) wanted to commit to commenting but I'm wondering whether Switch-cleaner like I'd use on my guitar pots would work in cleaning and helping the plugs back on (if I was very careful in squirting it into the plug with not too much so it could short to the other connector). If the oxidisation is so bad I'm also wondering whether it could be the cause of the original problem? All thoughts appreciated.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1442587475' post='2868038'] It was run by this guy: [url="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/feb/15/drugsandalcohol.ukcrime"]http://www.theguardi...alcohol.ukcrime[/url] [/quote] I was stunned at the time; I'd always got on well with Roddy Jnr. but only saw his Dad a couple of times. He knew a fair bit about gear & guitars and told me he looked forward to stuff coming in. It was the same at that shop as some CCs on a Monday morning, desperate, ill looking guys with bulky carrier bags waiting for the door to open, but I had no idea of the reach they had. I saw Roddy Jnr in Chambers St. 10+ years later, jail-time had really taken it's toll.

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1442450289' post='2867112'] I mind Mev Taylor's in Morrison St and the bar was Bentley's not Bennett's. Easy mistake, can only be 100 yards apart.[/quote] Bentleys Bar was/is excellent - has it still got the little brass water pumps set into the bar for the whisky drinkers?

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1442438770' post='2867053'] Live Music (before the last move) was next door to Bennets bar, two doors up from the Kings. It's the Purple Pig cafe at the moment. Mev Taylors was on Brougham Street towards the Meadows for a couple of years - are you thinking of that? [/quote] Mev Taylors was a cracking shop when it was on Morrison St, turned to crap when they moved in with Sound Control. Rikki's was usually over-priced, one of them with about 20 guitars all the same apart from colour.

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1442433826' post='2866993'] I remember Bostons well,assorted gear and weaponry. Was no surprised when the court case happened. What was the shop in Tollcross ? same side and just before the Kings. [/quote] Live Music, linked to Scayles, it's moved back to West Crosscauseway now, great shop - gets some excellent vintage gear in on occasion.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3khTntOxX-k[/media]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1442338932' post='2866214'] Ah yes, I bought my first amp from Boston's. Those shops were much more fun when I was a naive teenager with no idea where they got the gear from! I think reading the news articles about the proprietor later on soured it for me slightly - every now and again I wonder where that amp might have been nicked from.[/quote] Yeah, I too didn't know how dodgy they were until the big court case. I remember they had a full Laney stack in a corner for years, right next to the stuffed bear and the bazooka! [quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1442339732' post='2866231'] I remember when I was at university in Cardiff in the mid 80s, a junk shop on Broadway in Splott had a Gibson EB3 hanging up on the wall, stickered at £100. I had a play and I didn't get on with the bass. I reckon it probably needed a good setup; the action was awful.[/quote] My first bass was an EB3, or rather a 1969 EB0 converted in a semi-decent way. I sold it when I needed the cash to a shop called Mel's Music in Edinburgh and saw it again in the afore-mentioned Boston's many years later. It hadn't faired well in-between times, but I recognised the scars and alts it had. Even then they wanted twice as much for it as I was paid.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1442317346' post='2865969'] I've heard from other folk that they typically offer around 25% of their final selling price when items are brought in to them. So probably about £50-60? Selling stuff to Cash Converters is usually an act of desperation. [/quote] Before Cash Converters it was much more fun checking out gear in "proper junk shops" like Roddy Boston's on Leith Walk, or the one briefly on Montgomery Street and there was another on Elm Row.

I'm amazed at his technique but iirc his tone in later years was at least in part due to his hearing being knacked. I remember seeing one prog where he said that in later gigs he was lost if Townsend turned his back to him as he couldn't hear enough to slot in. There's a 25 min i'view with him and Gordon Giltrap on YT. Two thing stand out in it, JAE's damn awful tone in all the demos of his basses and amps that he does - and GG being shown two historic guitars of John's and Gordon manages to clunk the headstocks of both of them while perusing them. [url="https://youtu.be/YLq0_ZK6AW8"]https://youtu.be/YLq0_ZK6AW8[/url]

The Goodies Rule OK - 1975. I loved their version of "Wild Thing" when I first heard it watching this show. I still prefer it to the Troggs version, though obviously the sound is more down to whoever the sessionists were on it. This track was the B-side to their novelty hit "Nappy Love" on Bradley Records (don't ask me how I know that ) Bill Oddie was apparently one of the most successful UK songwriters of the late 70s, due to record sales and the greatest hits album they made. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tdx5p1ftNI"]http://www.youtube....h?v=1tdx5p1ftNI[/url]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1440335030' post='2849867'] Hi there, I'm getting into playing my Harley Benton Deco Progressiv bass, (only the best quality gear is used here at Grangur Towers). The sound it good and the pre-amp gives a good variation in tone. The problem comes when I switch from passive to active. Each time, if it's not been switched for a while, there is a loud "click" that comes through the amp. No question it would wake up the audience in a gig situation.[/quote] I know exactly what you mean, I also wondered whether that crack was damaging my speakers it was so sudden and intense. Long story short (I hope) I had John Birch build me a custom EB3 about 16 years ago. I wanted it to have an active onboard overdrive like Jimmy Lea's from Slade. Sadly John died before doing that part. His business partner had a go at making the circuit which had the fault you have. I was told this was down to the switch (iirc) not being self shorting, so that the connection was lost immediately prior to you making the switch passive>active. So the crack is the power surge hitting the circuit. If you had a switch that cuts before the switch over the "crack" is lost in that split second between the contacts. [i](I might have that the wrong way around - but that was the gist of it, it was a long time ago)[/i] Another guitar tech had a go at it, with the correct switch and as you say a cap somewhere. This got rid of the crack BUT created a massive boost in static and was such a complicated switch system it drank the batteries (I'm talking a new Duracell 9v every gig). Step in Mr John (JayDee) Diggins, actual builder of Jimmy Lea's bass who had worked for years with John Birch. JD volunteered to duplicate Jimmy's circuit exactly, but as others have said already (as did John) it's only going to work perfectly by going fully active. The circuit he made is tiny, it would fit on a postage stamp - but by God it works - very well - and batteries last for ages - as long as I remember to unjack it after use. Gratuitous pic of my baby.

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1441791873' post='2861739'] I don't know how to! There's a 'show details' option and when I hit that it said [email protected] was the sender. [/quote] Address looks legit to me and I was in touch with senior Fender bods for quite a few months a while ago, though that's still no guarantee these days. I was going to say if you right click on the email in your inbox it gives you the option to "view message source" which will show you the actual email it came from but it looks like you got there a different way. However, recently I got a scam email from my own email address recently, so it looks like emails can be spoofed same as phone numbers now. I'd say a not really very hesitant at all "Congraulations!!"

[quote name='JJW' timestamp='1441724290' post='2861224'] I wanted to do it from other specific guitar, i wanted to take a picture of a guitar I like and be able to make a template like the template in the picture (just the outline) I dont mind having them on mulitple sheets but they are now printing the correct size. [/quote] Depends how much access to the guitar you do want you have. If it's easy to see, then take a picture square on from the front, including the twelfth fret. Get the scale length of the guitar so you know how big to enlarge your picture by and have it printed out on one sheet by a good print company as per previous posts, then trace it, also as previous posts.

It's been mentioned elsewhere that it could be some form of COPD. With his previous lifestyle it would figure out and was the cause of Dan McCafferty's leaving Nazareth. Dan was still hitting the same notes and had the same power up until the last tour I saw him out, though he was doing a lot of onstage spitting. I just hope Lemmy's able to perform well enough as to not damage his image, which as Spongebob just said, took a knock at Glasto.

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1441668719' post='2860811']Now I'm not even a fan of the Fab 4, but to deny their influence or importance is just daft... [/quote] For the life of me I can't see where anyone has suggested such a thing on this thread. It's such strawman statements as this that are keeping this dead end going.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1441667142' post='2860805'] I see what you mean and you're right. If the OP had caved in to pressure from certain individuals he wouldn't have been subject to personal abuse ... er ... doesn't sound so good when we put it like that But it still comes down to the fact that some peoples' self esteem is so fragile that they perceive a politely expressed general observation as a specifically personal attack to which they respond with ad-hominem insults.[/quote] Personally I see comments such as this....... [quote name='blue' timestamp='1438210594' post='2832654']It's considered a work of art by many historians and movie critics. If you think it was awful it just means you didn't get it.[/quote] [quote name='blue' timestamp='1438306447' post='2833479'] You have to be kidding, right, a joke right?[/quote] [quote name='blue' timestamp='1440707170' post='2853220']................. I won't even give you an answer on why I think they were. It's just silly to think they weren't. LOL[/quote] .......... as borderline abusive within the context of this thread. He's got back what he's given. Your client seems incapable of respecting other peoples opinions when they don't agree with him. Which is what's the annoying part of this thread. BTW and quite separately - in comparison to just two or three years ago where people were banned or suspended for disagreeing with particular mods or admins personal opinions or preferences I'd say the moderation of this forum has improved beyond the scale since.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1441660900' post='2860753']Notwithstanding whatever the OP may still have to say that may be offered as a polite observation but perceived by a vocal minority as a dire insult, it's probably best to kill this thread before anyone else decides to get their cosh out. [/quote] The OP could have easily accomplished that if he'd conceded this point made days ago............ [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1438533631' post='2835226'] Maybe it would be less of a curse and just accepted that what was earth shattering to you was different to others, and stop trying to make the point to people who disagree![/quote]

[quote name='Wonky2' timestamp='1441498437' post='2859368'] Saw this thread and it grabbed my attention........ I have a condition called ankylosing spondylitis , in short it gives me a wicked time with my back and also, my energy levels. This makes playing and being reliable gig wise very tricky............ Any one else have this kind of issue ? In the same kind of issue, I'm having to think about selling one of my fenders as it's just a little on the heavy side...probably fine for most guys but when your up against it, you need every advantage. A new musicman sterling has brought me this as it's far smaller and lighter..... Back issues are crap [/quote] I don't, but I worked for a few years in the late 90s with a guy who had it. I do deeply sympathise and hope treatment techniques have improved since then. I had years of back trouble after a cycling accident but a really good physio in Edinburgh cleared it up about 95%.

Obviously I'm all for people having opinions. It's when you get responses along the lines of that if you don't agree you don't "get it", which I see as an insult personally. Also, flashing statements such as [quote name='blue' timestamp='1438210464' post='2832653']If you hear the sound of an electric guitar your hearing The Beatles in one way or the other.[/quote] should quite rightly be challenged to the point of ridicule, regardless of ones respect to any forum user to have an opinion.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441587724' post='2860090'] Isn't that kind of in the days before you could put a full band through a PA, so every band playing to more than a couple of hundred needed a wall of amps completely cranked just so everyone could hear them? I wouldn't be surprised if they failed. A lot of bands still like the "wall of amps" look, but use rack mounted amps for handiness, so then they just use replica heads and cabs on the stage that are actually hollow. [/quote] That was 1980 (Reading festival), but even then and on their tours for the next three years everything went through the PA as well via a DI mod in the back of each amp. I used to own the Hiwatt 200 on the far right, and by complete chance a guy I know acquired Jimmy Lea's old bass case & in it was a note from Nod to his tech for his amp settings. The 200 was nowhere near cranked, and then went through the 100w slave that's sat on top of it. Between the two amps they then powered four cabs each for him and Dave Hill.

[quote name='JJW' timestamp='1441539940' post='2859598'] I was wondering how to make a template like the one in the picture?[/quote] Depends how big your original drawing is. Kind of place you'd be looking for is one that reproduces artwork and architects plans etc. Problem is if your drawing isn't fairly big to start with the outlines will go hairy as hell and inaccurate by the time it's blown up to full size. They can then print it out on a wide format printer on thick card. You'll still need to stick that onto a sheet of mdf and cut around it though, which goes back to the skills and tools thing. Off the top of my head the only other thing I can think of is you do your enlargement roughly in patches as you have - and then get to a decent art supplies shop & get a few sheets of large tracing paper or drafting film and a set of French Curves. Then redraw it by tracing through onto the film using the curves. It's worth a go for the sheer hell of it, but in all honesty it's why custom shapes are either a fortune done well as a one-off, or comparatively cheap and mass produced in the far east.

Simply because I like looking at so many Hiwatts in one place at a time. Behind Nod and H only half of those heads are working; in case one of them blows up. It did happen once. All of the cabs are firing though. Jimmy's rig? All of it is going - and one of his Acoustic pre-amps set on fire once..........

For collectability (though it's still a limited market) the Greco. For playing and ease of upgrading or replacing parts in the future, the Mex.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1441554034' post='2859744'] ................ it's like - er - being on a bus and you can see what's happening ............. I can see how that might give one a kind of perspective. And wisdom. [/quote] I wasn't allowed to go on a bus alone when I was 9. Does this explain my lack of wisdom and perspective?