spaners

Ok so here's an update on my new amp ( CTM15 ) So I finely got to hook the new toy up to a my RS112 and chose my pawn shop mustang to try first. To be honest I was a little disappointed couldn't get it to sound as sweat as the one in the shop and cranking up the gain gave a lot of background noise. spent about an hour fidling around with the EQ trying to get the sound just right but it just seamed harsh n flat. Went to bed thinking is it just a bad match to the speaker, is the mustang pickup a bit to hot for the amp ? is it a dodgy amp ? Anyway had another go this morning . Tried it into a couple of other cabs and with a couple of other basses. still couldn't get what I wanted. As I have a few spare vales kicking around I thought well, lets try a valve swap n see what happens before I send it back. After a rummage through a couple of junk boxes I had found one new JJ EL84 and a selection of preamp valves. A short drive to my local guitar shop and I had procured a second JJ EL84 tested and matched to the one I had (thanks Oasis music) I fitted my two new output tubes and decided to go with a GT 5751 (about 30% les gain than a 12AX7) In the pre . Big BIG difference Still quiet noise with the gain cranked up but not as loud a hiss as before (acceptable I would say) The tone is now much more to my liking the harsh brittle sound now replaced with a smoother more mellow tone. So my fist recommendation, change them nasty valves. Ok so now I have a tone n what a tone, so I'm guessing you wana know how loud n could you gig with it ? Ok so I live in a smallish flat. Between 10 n 12 on volume with the gain on 0 for max clean is about as loud as I would wana go (mustang volume on half) That is going to be enough to get the neighbours complaining. Between 12 n 3 it starts to get a little hair n the neighbours are guna be nocking on my door 3 to 5 (fully cranked) don't make a lot of difference. Now the gain this is what dose it for me its what this amp is all about, If you love the fuzz your guna love this amp wind in the gain and it gets much louder and much hairier beating the pants off all of my distortion pedals (just a shame you cant switch it on and off) As for is it giggable ? well I doubt it after all it is only 15w. That said in a small venue or acoustic set it might be useable with the right set of speakers, but gigging is not what this amp was built for! Conclusions thus far, If you can afford the price tag for a home/recording head id say its a good choice as nothing sounds quiet like a tube amp. If you want something to gig with then look elsewhere. For me its a keeper

Nice one on the LB Badboy. To be honest I was a little disappointed with my CTM15, bit to noise n a bit harsh sounding . I have just re tubed it with a set of matched JJ EL84 output tubes (highest grade number I could find for extra clean headroom) and replaced the 12AX7 in the pre with a GT 5751 (about 30% less gain than a 12AX7) what a difference. Sounds sweeeeeeeeet as a nut now . I'm definatly guna be selling my BH250 now! Just makes me wunder why they cant just fit good valves to begin with? I have read a lot of posts about the LB saying that a valve swap makes a big change to its sound so id def recommend the ones I put in my CTM 15

I just got my CTM 15, Plugged it into my RS112 for the first time last night. Very cool for home practice and would be ok for jamming at home or maybe an acoustic gig in a small venue but its not going to cut it in even a small pub (unless you wana lug 4 high efficient 15 around with you) that said 0 gain and mid day volume is as loud as I would want to go at home (clean) and it dose fuzz in a great way with the gain cranked and volume backed way down. I think it sounded better through the MIBass 10 I tried it through in the shop than it dose through my RS112 so might have to go n try it through a few other cabs. I have to say though that it is a very noise amp when you start to wind up the gain. will be posting some more on this little guy later when ive had a chance to give it a bit more of a test drive.

if anyone's looking for a BH250 with the foot switch, well I'm thinking of selling mine. just pm me.

[font=verdana,geneva,sans-serif][size=6]New amp day On my way up to Stoke on Trent I foolishly stopped at PMT (Birmingham) just to take a break. As I wandered around admiring the great range of stock I spotted the amp. Small, sexy and demanding my attention. It was hooked up to a MI-Bass1x10 and after a few questions I had a bass hooked up. After a few minuets I was hooked! Now this thing aint guna blow the roof off, but the tone, (you gota like grit, drive n distortion) and at a level I can use indoors. Now that said I normally wouldn't buy an amp without trying it through my cab with my bass, but after 15 mins with this tone machine I broke that rule n pulled out my wallet. Im away all week, no bass n no cab to hook up to this baby so its guna be a long wait till I get home on Friday to try it out again but soon as im home ill update with a few more thoughts. First one is something's gota go. So if anyone fancy's a BH250 with the three switch pedal, an Epiphone EB3 short scale limited edition in white or a Squier vintage modified telecaster special in black give me a pm[/size][/font]

[u]dose it sound any different with the mullards in there ? [/u]

My MIM Pawn shop mustang is awesome (finish and sound) Had an MIM P (natural one in sig pic) was really nice too. Have tried a few others that haven't been so good, have found the same thing with Gibson too. Some good some not so good some should a been sent back by the shops I tried them in (and that goes for two MIA P bases I tried too !!!!) The better end of the Squire range is very good. My VM telecaster special is really nice (but a bit on the heavy side for my bad neck) . what I would say is you need to try a few of the same model till you find one you like, but try them through your own amp or you may well be disappointed when you get home! You would be surprised by how different a bass can sound through different amps.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1375101355' post='2156657'] Had a count up recently, over 60 amps, mostly bought sub £300 aside from massive ones and big name jobs. [/quote] That is an awesome collection. would like to get my hands on a Traynor, I have been thinking about modding the excelsiour bassed on one of the smaller Traynors or building a clone from scratch

[sup][size=4][font=verdana,geneva,sans-serif]If anyone is looking for one of these im thinking of selling mine, feel free to pm me[/font][/size][/sup]

Mr Foxen . I take it you have found some relatively inexpencive all tube bass amps. I have looked several times but could only ever find the LB 30s. are there others I have missed ?

I am fortunate to have a reasonable understanding of the components and dangers of the high voltages that can be stored inside the components of a valve amp, But I do agree that the untrained should not be messing about inside an amp without proper supervision. That said most modern amps are designed to bleed away these dangerous voltages within a short time. Even so one should always test these levels before starting any work and only experienced techs should be working inside an amp of ANY type when connected to live power.

That is very true mr Foxen but what I was really meaning was the LB was too loud when at the point of nice compression and the start of dirt to be used in "my" home environment with my smallest bass cab

Ahh common misconception. I just bought an output transformer direct from Hammond, to go in my Fender excelsior combo (13w) Its the 1650F upto 25W [size=4]Frequency response 30 Hz. to 30 Khz. at full rated power , just over £60 quid direct from Hammond. Not a fortune in my book. As for the power transform, that seems to have more than enough umph for the job. I have made a few mods to the power supply circuit, larger capacitor just to stiffen up the low frequency's. I removed the two sag resistors (there to mimic the sag in voltage supply with a tube rectifier) Bass notes do need more power so sag not required. and a change of resistor on the board to pull the B+ voltage back down. On the pre-amp I have replaced coupling capacitors with better quality components. I have also been playing with tone stacks as stock there is just a switch. I haven't finished this mod yet but im thinking single tone control ala traynor bassmate yba-2 and a negative feed back loop (switched). I mainly plug into my RS112 (sounds good and loud ) Looking out for a speaker upgrade though for the combo although the original speaker aint to bad at low volumes it dose start to fart out quiet quickly. My plan is to use this amp with a Fender Bass IV (looking for a red one soon as funds available) hence the amp needs to be kind of a cross-over between bass and guitar. Oh I have re-covered the amp too, didn't like the original brown vinle . its red now but the re-cover made little difference to the tone lol. I have also replaced the pre-amp and out-put Tubes with Grove tubes (but who would leave the OEM tubes is any budget amp, and that includes the likes of the tiny terror too) cost wise im still under the price of an Ashdown LB30 or CTM15 . Oh n did I say it sounds great ![/size]

So do you think we will see a few more manufacturers bringing out low power tube amps for Bass ? Ashdown seem to have started the ball rolling again with the LB30 and now the CMT15 (when they finely arrive lol) I have tried the LB30 but its very loud (by that I mean its to loud just for home use) tube amps sound best cranked! I think its about time Fender, Ampeg, Orange and some of the other manufactures looked at this market as they all produce amps that could easily be changed into very good low power bass amps with just a few changes to resistor and cap values (costing penny's) and beefed up Output transformers. (the cost of these aint as high as people seem to think) Hammond have a great range of Transformers that are readily available from there bass in Baisingstoke (go direct and cut out the middle men, save a bundle!)

Hey anyone tried this. I have an epi Vj and a Fender Excelsior that I have been modding with very good results so was just wondering what others had tried ?

PS you cannot damage a guitar tube amp by playing a bass through it. its a mith. speakers are a different story but will sound bad long befor you blow them so long as they are not being over powered ie 200w into a 30w speaker !

I have a modded Epiphone valve junior (5w) and a modded fender excelsior (13w) I hook them up to my RS112 and they both sound fantastic. Biggest diference between a guitar tube amp and bass tube amp is the size of the Output transformer. Oh n they both go very loud even the epi is to loud for home over half volume. mods are easy to do too. Compare schmatics and you will soon see there aint a lot of diference between the old school bass amps and the guitar amps. try n give an excelsior a go in standard trim with a bass, you will be surprised how good they sound and then when you add pedals you will be blown away

I love my TC electronics RS112, very light can easily be carried one handed. Very small foot-print. Adjustable HF horn. Sounds really good with my TC head and IMO very loud. Oh n its 8 ohm so you can use it with another cab. Its not the cheapest but I still think there very good value for money and will get another when funds allow. I love trying different amps n basses but nothing I have tried since buying this rig has come close, have had the cab a year n the head for about 7 months.

I have got to add my backing to these great little basses too. I bought one a couple of years ago when I was working out in the states for 3 months. gave it away before I came home, but it converted me to short scales. Im now a big fan of short scale basses, I have 5 including a limited edition EB3 short scale with a set neck. If you ever see one for sale grab it. You wont be disappointed. I have tried a few SG Gibos and its on a par with them for a lot less wonger.

How about some opinions reviews from you guys that have one, im thinking of ordering one but cant find anywhere that has one in stock (bassed in bournemouth and can travel if anyone sees one)

PS make shaw you try a bass through the same rig as your guna use. A mistake i have lernt not to make again !!!!!!

Big Big Big +1 for the pawn shop mustang, had mine just over 3 weeks now n love it to bits, I went out with a enough in my pocket to get anything upto an american P or an SG reishue, tryed everything on the wall in Andertons and Nevada music over a two week period and the mustang won hands down for finish tone feel and playability, so i got one Now im just woundering should i spend the 600 quid i got left on a pawn shop bass IV ?