Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Four years of lusting ends in sadness.


Recommended Posts

It must be 2017, that I first saw a huge HiWatt rig in a shop not far from me.
New. Maxwatt 300 amp plus 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. I sent a mate a pic in 2018 to tip him off, but he didn't bite.
I had an excursion away from my regular Hartkes into Blackstar, which didn't go well.
I was reluctant to change over but before covid struck, I started to think a spare rig might be useful.
The shop was closed since early last year. It wasn't in their online store.

After a few attempts to get to the shop to try the rig, I managed to get there today and (ringing to check the shop was open), the rig was still there.

I played through it with an active Jazz bass and it sounded great.
I haggled for a deal, but it was already reduced as far as it would go.
I was sorting out purchase of the head and the 4x10.
Some one came along to lift the head down and he said how heavy it was.
I picked it up and it was REALLY heavy. Oh...
I asked what the 4x10 cab weighed. Two guys got it down onto the floor.
I could only lift it 3" off the floor.

Damn. If I couldn't get it in the car, what use would it be?
I left the shop dejected and cash unspent. Damn.

IMG_20190228_141148.jpg

Edited by 12stringbassist
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was in Angel Music in Denmark Street some years ago (when it was above Macari's) and noticed an Orange AD200 on top of several other amps & combos. Foolishly, I was tempted and asked if I could play through it, and the epitome-of-a-Denmark-Street-sales-assistant behind the counter said "sure". 

I tried to move it down to where there was an appropriate speaker, but the angle was awkward and I have a dodgy back, so I suggested that the assistant move it for me. He was considerably bigger and much younger than me, so it made sense.

He grabbed the amp by its handle and started to swing it across to the cab, at which point the two screws/bolts/whatever holding the handle on ripped straight through the wood, leaving the assistant holding the handle and looking foolish while the all-valve head plummeted over a metre onto the wooden floor with an ear-splitting crash.

For some reason, I lost interest in trying the amp at this point. As I left, the assistant was carefully putting the AD200 exactly where it had come from, with the handle replaced as if nothing had ever happened.

 

  • Like 2
  • Haha 5
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, nilebodgers said:

LOL. IMO the time for gear that requires a risk assessment and a manual handling training course to move around is over.

Same for me, the teenage/early 20s me says what a great idea, the 50 plus actual me acknowledges defeat.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, 12stringbassist said:

It must be 2017, that I first saw a huge HiWatt rig in a shop not far from me.
New. Maxwatt 300 amp plus 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. I sent a mate a pic in 2018 to tip him off, but he didn't bite.
I had an excursion away from my regular Hartkes into Blackstar, which didn't go well.
I was reluctant to change over but before covid struck, I started to think a spare rig might be useful.
The shop was closed since early last year. It wasn't in their online store.

After a few attempts to get to the shop to try the rig, I managed to get there today and (ringing to check the shop was open), the rig was still there.

I played through it with an active Jazz bass and it sounded great.
I haggled for a deal, but it was already reduced as far as it would go.
I was sorting out purchase of the head and the 4x10.
Some one came along to lift the head down and he said how heavy it was.
I picked it up and it was REALLY heavy. Oh...
I asked what the 4x10 cab weighed. Two guys got it down onto the floor.
I could only lift it 3" off the floor.

Damn. If I couldn't get it in the car, what use would it be?
I left the shop dejected and cash unspent. Damn.

IMG_20190228_141148.jpg

Buy that and receive a free membership.

 

D2E050D9-111D-43DB-B30A-05016D124AB1.png

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll just leave this here ...

JQh7jD6.png

(The cab has the nickname 'Giggles'; the bassist who sold it to me explained that, whenever he would ask for a helping hand with it, all would burst into a fit of giggles :/ ...)

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just out of interest I moved from Trace Elliot rigs to Markbass several years ago, the TE stuff was just too heavy and I suffered a hernia due to lumping it about.

Is Markbass still the lightest gear out there or is there now other stuff that is lighter on a like for like basis?

Edited by steantval
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just offloaded a faithful old Peavey Megabass cabinet on ebay and replaced this with a Vanderkley 212, which not only sounds better but is literally half the weight.

The annoying thing is, I pulled my back whilst trying to weigh the b####y Peavey on the bathroom scales, so I could state the weight in the ad. 🥺

I then decided maybe it would be best NOT to state the weight. in the advert  😁

  • Haha 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, steantval said:

Just out of interest I moved from Trace Elliot rigs to Markbass several years ago, the TE stuff was just too heavy and I suffered a hernia due to lumping it about.

Is Markbass still the lightest gear out there or is there now other stuff that is lighter on a like for like basis?

Loads of really light stuff now. Almost everyone does a Class D amplifier head of similar weight.

GR Bass and Barefaced make cabs that are even lighter, and as the speaker tech has moved on they sound better too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, la bam said:

Is the head a 300w valve amp or solid state?

This is a sales blurb from a site I just found at
https://reverb.com/uk/item/7087494-hiwatt-b300h-300w-bass-head-solid-state-maxwatt-series-brand-new-boxed

"HIWATT B300H 300W Bass Head Solid State Maxwatt Series

DESCRIPTION
The B300 Head puts out 300 watts into a 4-ohm output or 200 watts into an 8-ohm output. The Head includes: passive and active inputs, gain control, master volume, shape control (push/pull flat/boost) and a 7-band EQ with push/pull - on/off control. There is also a built-in LIMITER with ratio and push/pull - on/off controls. Outputs include XLR balanced line out and a headphone jack.

This amp, again, is a tried and tested solid state modern classic. This is the most popular and the only solid state head that we make for bass in this price range. In fact, some bass players swear by this for full on LOUD! The pre-amp has high & low sensitivity switch. There is simply no better sounding, looking or engineered solid state bass head amplifier in the world in this price bracket!

FEATURES
Front Panel Controls:
INPUT, PASSIVE/ACTIVE SWITCH, GAIN, BASS, TREBLE, ON/OFF EQ, EQUALISATION, MASTER VOLUME, LIMIT SWITCH, MP3 IN, PHONES INPUT, MAINS SWITCH
Back Panel Features: LINE OUT, 2 X SPEAKER OUTPUTS, XLR OUT, AUX IN
Output Power: 300W. Please note this amp can be used for keyboards as well.
Dimensions (Unboxed) L x H x 😧 59 x 32 x 26 cm
Weight (Unboxed): 19 kg"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As for the guitars in the picture, it's an old picture that I took of the HiWatt rig, before the lockdowns started, so I honestly don't know if they still have those in. They have lots of weird and wonderful looking guitars.
 

 

Edited by 12stringbassist
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember going to some guys house, to check out the Hartke 410 combo he had for sale at a ridiculously low price.

I had the cash burning a hole in my pocket but first I decided to check out how much it weighed.

About the same as a small planet.

I left without it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, 12stringbassist said:

It must be 2017, that I first saw a huge HiWatt rig in a shop not far from me.
New. Maxwatt 300 amp plus 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. I sent a mate a pic in 2018 to tip him off, but he didn't bite.
I had an excursion away from my regular Hartkes into Blackstar, which didn't go well.
I was reluctant to change over but before covid struck, I started to think a spare rig might be useful.
The shop was closed since early last year. It wasn't in their online store.

After a few attempts to get to the shop to try the rig, I managed to get there today and (ringing to check the shop was open), the rig was still there.

I played through it with an active Jazz bass and it sounded great.
I haggled for a deal, but it was already reduced as far as it would go.
I was sorting out purchase of the head and the 4x10.
Some one came along to lift the head down and he said how heavy it was.
I picked it up and it was REALLY heavy. Oh...
I asked what the 4x10 cab weighed. Two guys got it down onto the floor.
I could only lift it 3" off the floor.

Damn. If I couldn't get it in the car, what use would it be?
I left the shop dejected and cash unspent. Damn.

IMG_20190228_141148.jpg

So that's where all those unsold Mavericks ended up...

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wasn't the bass version of those guitars something like a Marlin Sidewinder? 

Talk about mixing your animal metaphors. 

Edit- Nope. That's something else. 

It's just a Maverick bass. Still with the Volume controls in the edge though. 

Edited by Lfalex v1.1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had an Ashdown Klystron head and 8x10 at one point. It sounded awesome but the thought of transporting it to gigs made me weep. 

People coming home from the pub past my house used to offer to help me struggling up the stairs to my front door.

I sold it for an Aguilar GS410, which also sounded lovely but weighed about 45kg as well.

Ive ended up with a Genz Benz neo cab and some Markbass heads and cabs. It’s what I can be bothered to drag around these days. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...