TheGreek Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 An answer to my own question: Bought this from ebay: Arrived today Looks impressive, huh?...Alembic look-alike, quilted maple finish, stripey wood neck. The quilted finish is a sticker, the p/ups are the worst type of sh*te you have ever seen or heard, switches do nothing other than fill out the front. The nut holding on the jack socket fell off when I opened the box, the individual bridges are made of plastic and not adjustable, even if they were I wouldn't want to risk it as they'd probably fall apart under the pressure from a steel screwdriver. I reckon the most expensive part on it (not sure what part that might be) cost, say a £1. The most expensive piece of firewood ever. Needless to say, I'm opening a case on ebay as soon as... I'll name and shame depending on the sellers response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1509667175' post='3400801'] I'm afraid you are. All those makes had a variety of bass, guitar, PA and keyboard amps which were used by all the UK bands. Check out the early days of The Who, Hendrix, The Jeff Beck Group, Cream, Clapton, Free, Deep Purple etc. [/quote] Ok, I'll fold. However the Ampeg SVT was a mild stone in the advancement of bass amps. Blue Edited November 4, 2017 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1509719155' post='3401180'] An answer to my own question: Bought this from ebay: Arrived today Looks impressive, huh?...[/quote] Yes, it certainly does. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1509754357' post='3401498'] . . . . the Ampeg SVT was a mild stone in the advancement of bass amps.[/quote] It certainly was. I don't disagree with you there.That rig changed the world of live bass playing forever. Re-wrote the rule book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1509754357' post='3401498'] Ok, I'll fold. However the Ampeg SVT was a mild stone in the advancement of bass amps. Blue [/quote] Nothing mild about the SVT I had.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 To answer the original question, yes there is bad stuff out there, but the average quality level is a lot higher these days and the cost is much lower. When I bought my Jazz Bass in 1972, it cost several months wages, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 [quote name='casapete' timestamp='1509795993' post='3401696'] Nothing mild about the SVT I had.... [/quote] Dang, how'd I miss that one. Mile Stone .😂 Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumnote Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1509754357' post='3401498'] Ok, I'll fold. However the Ampeg SVT was a mild stone in the advancement of bass amps. Blue [/quote] Dont forget the acoustic 301/360 from the late 60s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1509828916' post='3402003'] Dang, how'd I miss that one. Mile Stone . Blue [/quote]don't worry we knew what you meant without having to point it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Couple of years ago I briefly owned an Ashdown 'guess which note I'm actually going to track' octave pedal. Dreadful. But I'd have to agree most gear is pretty good these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 (edited) Amen Chris. I modded my parents radiogram to use as a power amp and used a modded Philips Tape Recorder as a pre-amp. I ran the guitar straight to the connections for the crystal pickup on my parents' radiogram, didn't need a separate pre-amp. I had a Carlsbro Stingray guitar combo that I modified for bass by taking out the guitar speakers and putting in bass speakers. Used that for a few years. Edited November 11, 2017 by tauzero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 [quote name='bumnote' timestamp='1509832960' post='3402035'] Dont forget the acoustic 301/360 from the late 60s [/quote] Yes, very cool and cool looking amps. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 (edited) [quote name='goblin' timestamp='1509576621' post='3400108'] I'm gunna say it and it'll probably make me unpopular... But be aware that this is just my opinion. I really can't see the hype about Sire. Yet to play one I like, they feel cheap, look cheap, and I don't particularly like the sound either[/quote] I saw Marcus demo one on a YouTube clip and that's exactly what I thought. It looked cheap. Blue Edited November 6, 2017 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 Here's a clip definitely worth watching that shows the up side of Chinese production. Excellent clip. https://youtu.be/X3S3nPS9Vzo Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 (edited) another Encore fan here - I learned on an Encore Coaster that I bought new in the late '80's - P copy with a pointy headstock (see: late '80's). I could choose either a red or a black one, and I think it was about £100. Not exciting, but very functional and an excellent first bass, with which they flogged me a no name beaten up practice combo that worked fine. Took it to pieces, worked out how a bass fits together, rewired it, resprayed it, and flogged it on when I needed cash for an upgrade a couple of years later (to a s/h 1975 Rick 4001, that I still have and gigged with for years, great bass). Of course, Encore's may have got worse since then. For all my praise of Encores, I think the quality of the cheaper end of the market has definitely improved - things like Yamaha Pacificas, Squires, etc are way better than what we could generally get in that price bracket back then, and I'm sure that the £100 I paid would get you a lot better quality gear these days when adjusted for inflation (which google tells me is about £250). However, what we did have was a very reasonably priced second hand market. Me and everyone I played in bands with had Marshall valve heads from the 1970's - I had a Super Bass II from 1978. You went to Macaris and they had piles of them for £200, bit like thumbing your way through the racks in TK Maxx, keep going until you find the 100W bass head. And my first guitar amp was a '70's, grey fronted Marshall Super Lead II combo for £150 from the local music shop. Mates all picked up cheap second hand Ibanez guitars for about £80 which were looked down on because they were made in Japan, and they dreamed of being able to afford a Fender (some still have them and swear by the necks to this day). When i was looking to upgrade the Encore I went to the Bass Centre in Wapping and remember trying a couple of Gibson EB2's (didn't like the scale length) which I think were about £450 (a fortune!), Rickenbacker twin necks, piles of Wals all at prices we would marvel at today, etc. perhaps its my memory playing tricks but my impression is that what we thought of as really expensive back then was a lot less than what we think of as quite reasonable now, even adjusted for inflation...mind you, it's not that long ago you could get a German made Warwick brand new for a third of what they charge now... Edited November 6, 2017 by Monkey Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 [quote name='Rich' timestamp='1509544413' post='3399782'] I remember when all this was trees. And you could leave your front door open. Is it time for my nap yet? [/quote] Aah, nostalgia isn't what it used to be. They used to come in sweet jars when I was a boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1509719155' post='3401180'] An answer to my own question: Bought this from ebay: Arrived today Looks impressive, huh?...Alembic look-alike, quilted maple finish, stripey wood neck. The quilted finish is a sticker, the p/ups are the worst type of sh*te you have ever seen or heard, switches do nothing other than fill out the front. The nut holding on the jack socket fell off when I opened the box, the individual bridges are made of plastic and not adjustable, even if they were I wouldn't want to risk it as they'd probably fall apart under the pressure from a steel screwdriver. I reckon the most expensive part on it (not sure what part that might be) cost, say a £1. The most expensive piece of firewood ever. Needless to say, I'm opening a case on ebay as soon as... I'll name and shame depending on the sellers response. [/quote] Bloody hell, that sounds wretched. How much did it cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Adams Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Did anyone have a Linear 30? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obbm Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 [quote name='Phil Adams' timestamp='1510041567' post='3403359'] Did anyone have a Linear 30? [/quote] Yes I had one of those. It served me well for several years. I currently have a Linear 50 as a rebuild project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted November 7, 2017 Author Share Posted November 7, 2017 [quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1510015391' post='3403327'] Bloody hell, that sounds wretched. How much did it cost? [/quote] Significantly more than the £2.50 it's worth.....nice wall art but that's all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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