Assmaster SOLD but worthy of Effects forum, Mod please move

[EssentialTension]

For sale:

Malekko Heavy Industries Barker B:Assmaster.

Ten months old but boxed and as new except for the velcro I stuck on the bottom and one or two tiny scratches which you have to search for but no dings.

Excellent distortion unit but turned out I did not need a distortion unit.

Not many in the UK but sell new at about £180; and in US about $250.

Yours for £110 inc. shipping.

Go on, you know you want it.

Check out [url="http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=p6kjd6GyvLc"]Ed Friedland's review[/url]

EDITED for various reasons but most of all for clarity!

Edited October 2, 2008 by EssentialTension

[EssentialTension]

Bump

[voxpop]

I there,
Which one do you have??? The blue or red LED version.
Many thanks.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='voxpop' post='293796' date='Sep 28 2008, 11:18 AM']I there,
Which one do you have??? The blue or red LED version.
Many thanks.[/quote]

Red LED. It's the ordinary one not the more expensive germanium one - would that be blue LED?

Great effect, I'd say, but not for me really and I'm no longer with the band I thought I would use it with so it's got to go.

You have one too?

Edited September 28, 2008 by EssentialTension

[Kev]

does it work with actives well?? the tone that ed is getting is what id want out of it, sounds like a blowtorch, but better

[voxpop]

I have the blue LED germanium one, it is Ok with an active bass but I found putting a passive thru gives a sweeter sound and you maintain a stronger bottom end. Use with an active bass gives stronger mids and tops but the bottom end suffers. IMHO..............Do you agree Dave.

[Kev]

i thought as much tbh, i had an idea of a sound that this would be like with an active; weaker and less bottom, meh ah well!

Edited September 28, 2008 by BassManKev

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='293970' date='Sep 28 2008, 04:34 PM']does it work with actives well?? the tone that ed is getting is what id want out of it, sounds like a blowtorch, but better[/quote]

I hadn't considered the passive/active issue. Thinking about it now, I only ever used it with an active bass but while it's true I never quite sounded like Ed Friedland that may have had more to do with his competence and my incompetence than the active electronics in my bass.

I wasn't really trying to sound like Ed though, I was looking for something more subtle .

I can't see that an Ed-like earthquake is not possible with an active as well as a passive bass because I had more difficulty getting a subtler distortion than the big thing that Ed does in the review. The variety of controls:

Ass volume pot (the distortion)
Ass tone switch (distortion tone)
Bass volume pot (i.e. your normal signal boosted)
Harm switch (harmonic spectrum of the distortion - whatever that means)
Sensitivity pot (from subtle to excess)

means that you can get a wide range of sounds from the unit, especially with a bit of practice, trial and error. I'd be keeping it if it wasn't for (i) I want the money for my new Lakland and (ii) I'm more a Motown thump kind of player than distorto-earthquake-metal-punk (no offence to any of my distorto comrades).

I have to say though that I suspect one active bass can be as different from another active bass as from a passive bass - so you've probably got to try it to see with that bass.

I hope that's helpful.

OK ask me another!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='voxpop' post='293987' date='Sep 28 2008, 04:50 PM']I have the blue LED germanium one, it is Ok with an active bass but I found putting a passive thru gives a sweeter sound and you maintain a stronger bottom end. Use with an active bass gives stronger mids and tops but the bottom end suffers. IMHO..............Do you agree Dave.[/quote]

OK, did my other post before I read Voxpop.

Well, you've got me thinking now because I think you may be correct. I did have to work with the Bass Volume and Senstivity to maintain the bottom that I like but I'd say it could be done although I admit I was not trying to do Ed's earthquake. However, it hadn't occurred to me that it might be related to active/passive until you've pointed it out to me. Perhaps I need to try it with a passive bass which I can't recall ever doing.

[voxpop]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='294007' date='Sep 28 2008, 05:14 PM']OK, did my other post before I read Voxpop.

Well, you've got me thinking now because I think you may be correct. I did have to work with the Bass Volume and Senstivity to maintain the bottom that I like but I'd say it could be done although I admit I was not trying to do Ed's earthquake. However, it hadn't occurred to me that it might be related to active/passive until you've pointed it out to me. Perhaps I need to try it with a passive bass which I can't recall ever doing.[/quote]

Dave,
Try it with a passive bass and you will get a strong bottom end when the effect is on.

If you have an active bass with a passive option turn the effect on with the sensitivity knob and ass vol turned fully down (off) , use the other knob which is the unaffected bass volume to hear your bass. Switch the unit on/off you should hear the difference between the unaffected dry sound and the effected sound with the fuzzzzz removed.

I have found with a passive there is very little difference between these two sounds......if you use an active the low end is not as strong BUT the mids and top are better.......................its all good , just different.

Marc

Edited September 28, 2008 by voxpop

[umph]

i don't see why active /passive would make much of a difference with this effect anyway it has a buffered input so it shouldn't matter what you put into it, its probly just different tones going on etc.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='umph' post='294129' date='Sep 28 2008, 08:12 PM']i don't see why active /passive would make much of a difference with this effect anyway it has a buffered input so it shouldn't matter what you put into it, its probly just different tones going on etc.[/quote]

And if it was not being used on its own but in a chain of pedals then unless it was first in the chain it wouldn't necessarily be getting a passive signal anyway.

By the way, did anyone want to buy it?

[EssentialTension]

Malekko, the manufacturers, deny that passive/active makes any difference. See this page at Talkbass:

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3922832#post3922832"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...832#post3922832[/url]

post #54 and following.


And this page:

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=314757&page=5"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...4757&page=5[/url]

post #82

Edited September 28, 2008 by EssentialTension

[EssentialTension]

Anyway, I am going to test it with a passive bass tomorrow and with two different actives.

Thinking about it some more I think the active passive distinction may be a red herring.

BUT IT IS STILL FOR SALE TO ANYONE WITH AN ACTIVE OR A PASSIVE BASS.

[EssentialTension]

And more interesting stuff, including sound clips, in this thread at the other place:

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4137221&highlight=assmaster+passive#post4137221"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...ive#post4137221[/url]

Edited September 28, 2008 by EssentialTension

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='294177' date='Sep 28 2008, 09:15 PM']Anyway, I am going to test it with a passive bass tomorrow and with two different actives.[/quote]

OK. I compared the sound of several basses with the Assmaster (i) switched off and (ii) switched on with zero on sensitivity and ass volume and at 12 o'clock on bass volume.

Passive bass #1: G&L L2500 switched passive (in the process of being traded to Martthebass for a fretless Jazz, I'm going to miss it)
Passive bass #2: Dearmond Starfire with Dark Star pickups
Active bass #1: G&L L2500 switched active but not active with treble boost
Active bass #2: Michael Kelly Dragonfly Acoustic with Fishman preamp
Active bass #3: Fender American Deluxe Precision (there is no passive switching on this bass)

With each bass I adjusted the output of the bass and the gain/master volume on the amp to get similar volume levels for each bass.

With the passive basses there was continuity of tone and volume when the Assmaster was switched on and off. I tested this by playing and switching the Assmaster on and off randomly as I played.

With all the active basses there was some difference in tone and volume when the Assmaster was switched on and off. The difference was smallest on the Kelly acoustic and greatest on the G&L with the Fender somewhere in the middle. There seemed to me to be a boost in the mids and highs - particularly the mids - but the bottom end was still there although slightly obscured by the increase in level of the higher frequencies.

The difference with the Kelly acoustic was small enough that when using the random on/off switching while playing test I was able to fool myself into thinking the Assmaster was on (or not) when it wasn't (or was - if you see what I mean).

The biggest difference came with the G&L - which, as you may know, has quite a strong output in active mode. With the G&L there did seem to be some loss of bottom end when the Assmaster was engaged or at least a stronger boost in the mids and higher frequencies. I felt this could be tempered by rolling back the volume (or the tone controls, in particular the treble control) on the G&L when in active mode.

So:

1: There may be some effect on tone with at least some active basses when the Assmaster is switched on. Why this would be I don't know and the three active basses I tested did not all give the same results.

2: I think my ears may be f****d.


AND IT'S STILL FOR SALE - AND OFFERS ARE WELCOME EVEN IF THEY MAY BE REJECTED

[voxpop]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='294864' date='Sep 29 2008, 08:25 PM']OK. I compared the sound of several basses with the Assmaster (i) switched off and (ii) switched on with zero on sensitivity and ass volume and at 12 o'clock on bass volume.

Passive bass #1: G&L L2500 switched passive (in the process of being traded to Martthebass for a fretless Jazz, I'm going to miss it)
Passive bass #2: Dearmond Starfire with Dark Star pickups
Active bass #1: G&L L2500 switched active but not active with treble boost
Active bass #2: Michael Kelly Dragonfly Acoustic with Fishman preamp
Active bass #3: Fender American Deluxe Precision (there is no passive switching on this bass)

With each bass I adjusted the output of the bass and the gain/master volume on the amp to get similar volume levels for each bass.

With the passive basses there was continuity of tone and volume when the Assmaster was switched on and off. I tested this by playing and switching the Assmaster on and off randomly as I played.

With all the active basses there was some difference in tone and volume when the Assmaster was switched on and off. The difference was smallest on the Kelly acoustic and greatest on the G&L with the Fender somewhere in the middle. There seemed to me to be a boost in the mids and highs - particularly the mids - but the bottom end was still there although slightly obscured by the increase in level of the higher frequencies.

The difference with the Kelly acoustic was small enough that when using the random on/off switching while playing test I was able to fool myself into thinking the Assmaster was on (or not) when it wasn't (or was - if you see what I mean).

The biggest difference came with the G&L - which, as you may know, has quite a strong output in active mode. With the G&L there did seem to be some loss of bottom end when the Assmaster was engaged or at least a stronger boost in the mids and higher frequencies. I felt this could be tempered by rolling back the volume (or the tone controls, in particular the treble control) on the G&L when in active mode.

So:

1: There may be some effect on tone with at least some active basses when the Assmaster is switched on. Why this would be I don't know and the three active basses I tested did not all give the same results.

2: I think my ears may be f****d.


AND IT'S STILL FOR SALE - AND OFFERS ARE WELCOME EVEN IF THEY MAY BE REJECTED [/quote]


Thanks Dave for doing the extensive test...I thought I was starting to get confused myself.
I didnt ever mean to get in a passive V's active debate....just wanted to show there is a difference. This is such a great fuzz / overdrive I cant understand why anyone hasnt bought this yet. £110 is such a great price for what I would consider to be the best fuzz on the market today.

Good luck with the sale and anyone who buys this is in for a real treat.

Marc (voxpop)

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='voxpop' post='294878' date='Sep 29 2008, 08:48 PM']Thanks Dave for doing the extensive test...I thought I was starting to get confused myself.
I didnt ever mean to get in a passive V's active debate....just wanted to show there is a difference. This is such a great fuzz / overdrive I cant understand why anyone hasnt bought this yet. £110 is such a great price for what I would consider to be the best fuzz on the market today.

Good luck with the sale and anyone who buys this is in for a real treat.

Marc (voxpop)[/quote]

Well, I agree with you that there did seem to be some difference, in particular with the very high output G&L, although I wouldn't say there was any great suck of the bottom end. It's interesting that we can hear this when Malekko and others on the Talkbass threads I posted above seem to deny it. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that the Assmaster does it much less than many other fuzz units do even if it does do it to some extent.

As you say this is a great unit and I think my price is more than fair.

So come on guys - who wants it?

[Malekko]

Hello all,
I was sent a link to this post in hopes of clearing up a few things

First off, the germanium version (blue LED) is more mid-rangy than the Sil version. Both Paul (my business partner "pro" bass player) and i prefer the Sil version on a bass because it has more low end and it cam be pretty "in your face" if you want it to be.

Some prefer the smoother "vintage" sound of the germanium...but there is some bass loss in this option.
Not to mention, Maestros design wasnt perfect. And we wanted to be as close to a real Brassmaster as we could get. The original Brassmaster doesnt allow super low frequencies to pass

We have a silverburst edition that has a mod to the circuit to allow more low end to pass. It's pretty subtle (although i've been told it makes a difference)
Whether we make this permanent i dont know....we really want to keep it as close to the original as possible.

Now as far as actives go, i personally dont have an active bass (although i'm getting one maybe this week) so i've never tested it. Our good friend at Bassexchange informed us that it sounds very good with an active bass. On paper here is what it SHOULD do....it should take the range of the sens knob down a bit so if you like it in the 12:00 position turn it down to maybe the 9:00. Theres a "sweet spot" in this knob...an active should make the sweet spot smaller in range

If you guys have any questions feel free to contact me at [email protected]
i'm usually pretty good about replying quickly
I'll check back on this thread too

thanks
Josh
Malekko

[Kev]

cheers Josh, nice to see you on Basschat!

[Malekko]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='295720' date='Sep 30 2008, 06:28 PM']cheers Josh, nice to see you on Basschat![/quote]

Thanks! it's nice to be here, my father is a bass player and he reads this forum quite a bit...

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Malekko' post='295716' date='Sep 30 2008, 06:24 PM']Hello all,
I was sent a link to this post in hopes of clearing up a few things[/quote]

Hello Josh,

Thanks for butting in here. It was me who sent you the link. I thought you would have something to say.

I don't think anyone's claiming there's any problem with this unit - even though I'm not using it I rate it highly just doesn't fit with what I'm playing now and I need the cash more.

In my tests I would say it sounded very good with an active bass but our interest was in the extent of the loss of bottom end. Mine's a Si and I was less aware of any bottom loss than Voxpop seemed to be with his Ge which fits with what you say, I think.

Thanks again Josh for your input.

Dave

[b]PS Now, come one guys, £110 delivered is a price that can't be beat - don't make me go to the bay.[/b]

[EssentialTension]

Once my sale is complete (ha ha) perhaps a moderator could move this thread to the Effects forum where it is beginning to belong!

[tayste_2000]

Could I interest you in a Sinister Analog Soul Provider and a bit of cash for this?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='tayste_2000' post='297284' date='Oct 2 2008, 09:21 AM']Could I interest you in a Sinister Analog Soul Provider and a bit of cash for this?[/quote]

Thanks for the offer - and that's a great name for a pedal - but I'm going pedal free except for tuner and compressor. So no thanks.