A really tough decision is at hand.

[Tyrone]

I am satisfied with the majority of my rig. I've got my 5 string Stingray running through an Ampeg SVT810 cab and a Tech 21 Sansamp pedal; I love this setup. My problem is my solid state Ampeg SVT350 head, it's never going to give me the tone or power I want no matter what kind of pedal or MM I play with.

A solution to this problem I've come up with is putting my back up bass (Conklin GT4) up for sale, and use the money from it to help buy a serviceable Jazz bass for the time being. Then selling the Stingray to pay for an Ampeg SVT Classic head. Even without the Stingray I know I'm going to be happier with the tone due to the major upgrade in heads, and eventually I will have another MM.

If you only had one MM, would you sacrifice it in hopes of improving your overall tone?? I'm really in a pickle, I hate to see it go but I know it would sell quickly

 

[adouglas]

So you're asking a bunch of MM fanatics if you should sell your MM and use a Jazz bass instead.

What are you thinking there, Stimpy?

 

[five7]

NO! NEVER! Sell the 350, the conklin and get a new head. I have played many gig with no backup. I had a svt-6 I payed $450 for and now I have a markbass f1 I paid $400 for. Surely you can sell the 30 and conklin for that much and probably more. I have a sub for sale for $400 which would make a great backup or your only bass.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Sell the Conklin, don't buy a Jazz bass, and use the funds to buy the head you want. Then, "eventually", you can have another backup bass (maybe a second MM?)

 

[Tyrone]

So you're asking a bunch of MM fanatics if you should sell your MM and use a Jazz bass instead.

What are you thinking there, Stimpy?

Good point. I am a MM fanatic as well, I just don't have the money to display that fanaticism through a collection of basses.

Not all of the specifics have to be the same. Let's say you have multiple MM basses, but your favorite one would sell for the same price as the last, very important, piece of your rig would cost. Would you sell it?

 

[T Alan]

If you only had one MM, would you sacrifice it in hopes of improving your overall tone??

If that's what it took, then...yes.
As for your situation, I don't follow your logic. How much cash would selling the MM get you vs. simply selling that head & pedal? ...knowing you will want to eventually replace the MM?? Now, how much more are you going loose by selling the Conkin for a "servicable" Jazz?
I dunno, I'd take your time and collect more options.

 

[Tyrone]

Believe me, I thought of just selling the Conklin and head. With the prices in mind I think I could get, that leaves me about $800-1000 short. Suppose I could just ask for money this Christmas, but then how am I going to get a new macbook pro?!?!? : )

like I said this was just one solution out of many that I will weigh out.

 

[T Alan]

Selling the MM would be a poor long term investment decision. Depending on the head you want, selling the Conklin & SS head could make for a better long term investment. How many gigs will it take for you to earn the extra $800?

 

[Bass Control]

Believe me, I thought of just selling the Conklin and head. With the prices in mind I think I could get, that leaves me about $800-1000 short. Suppose I could just ask for money this Christmas, but then how am I going to get a new macbook pro?!?!? : )

like I said this was just one solution out of many that I will weigh out.

If you already have a Macbook or Macbook Pro, you can just upgrade some of the parts instead of going $1200-$2200 on a good Macbook Pro.

iresq.com is a great service that I've used for this before. Saved a lot of green and got a faster machine out of it.

 

[Tyrone]

If that's what it took, then...yes.
As for your situation, I don't follow your logic. How much cash would selling the MM get you vs. simply selling that head & pedal? ...knowing you will want to eventually replace the MM?? Now, how much more are you going loose by selling the Conkin for a "servicable" Jazz?
I dunno, I'd take your time and collect more options.

The 5 string Stingray has seen pretty heavy use for 4 years now, but has only one ding that is worth mentioning near the input jack. If it's not in my hands being played she's in her case. I was looking on ebay and I wouldn't sell it for less than $1500. That leaves me $99 short of the head I want. Selling the other bass (I got it when I was in middle school, I've grown out of it and don't like playing it anymore) would help pay for a new bass.

I guess I should mention I'm not trying to take my time in this plan I've brought up here. I know I'll end up taking my time, selling the Conklin and then saving the money until I can get the head I want.

 

[MK Bass Weed]

Well, I'm a bit confused about the sell bass/buy bass part.

If it's the head that needs to be replaced to get the tone you want from the amp...why sell a bass, and buy another.

The sentence 'if you only had one MM, would you sacrifice it in hopes of improving your overall tone??" seems like a bit of an oxymoron to me. My answer would be, nope.

I bought my MM for that reason..to improve my tone after my fingers...and greatly reduced my tone 'dependancy' on whatever was in the backline in whatever venue I was in. I'm getting a Bongo because I want even more control, and it 'almost' makes the amp...a non issue, (as long as it works).

AMPEG SVT Classic is just one option. There certainly much more cost effective alternatives, that would not sacrifice tone at all, IF brand is not an issue, yes?

 

[Tyrone]

Selling the MM would be a poor long term investment decision. Depending on the head you want, selling the Conklin & SS head could make for a better long term investment. How many gigs will it take for you to earn the extra $800?

At the rate I'm going now a long time the band I was in before it wouldn't take that long but we're not playing anymore and I'm helping out a friend who's just 'trying to get his name out there'. Pretty much playing for beer and fun nowadays.

 

[Tyrone]

Well, I'm a bit confused about the sell bass/buy bass part.

If it's the head that needs to be replaced to get the tone you want from the amp...why sell a bass, and buy another.

The sentence 'if you only had one MM, would you sacrifice it in hopes of improving your overall tone??" seems like a bit of an oxymoron to me. My answer would be, nope.

I bought my MM for that reason..to improve my tone after my fingers...and greatly reduced my tone 'dependancy' on whatever was in the backline in whatever venue I was in. I'm getting a Bongo because I want even more control, and it 'almost' makes the amp...a non issue, (as long as it works).

AMPEG SVT Classic is just one option. There certainly much more cost effective alternatives, that would not sacrifice tone at all, IF brand is not an issue, yes?

The selling the MM part was just a quick fix to get the money to buy the head. Then my backup bass (which fell out of favor with me) would cover getting another bass.

You're astonishment and reactions in this thread have put me back in my place. I don't think I could ever sell the Stingray. What was I thinking??

 

[Aussie Mark]

If you already have a Macbook or Macbook Pro, you can just upgrade some of the parts instead of going $1200-$2200 on a good Macbook Pro.

iresq.com is a great service that I've used for this before. Saved a lot of green and got a faster machine out of it.

WTF???

 

[Aussie Mark]

Let's do the math -

Conklin $?
SVT350 $?
Sansamp $?
TOTAL =

used SVT tube head = $?

 

[five7]

+1

 

[DaddyFlip]

I haven't done the ebay research you have, but I doubt a four year old 5 will really net the dollars you're expecting when they street new for almost the same. What about the DI+350+810 is undesireable that you believe the SVT-C will give you? There are several high power tone monster heads on the market that cost less than the SVT, as Weed said, if brand is not an issue.

Keep in mind that your Plan A temporarily left you with a DI, an 810 and a JB, but no power ('cause you will be short). Also, of the three basses you mention, the 5 is the best of the bunch and you need something other than the cab to be the cornerstone of your sound. Finally, why do you need a macbook? So you can do better forum posts? Good luck!

 

[silverburst]

Aren't you going to go through the PA anyway? You're a bass player, what is this fascination with the perfect tone? Amps only makes a difference for practice.

 

[Tyrone]

I haven't done the ebay research you have, but I doubt a four year old 5 will really net the dollars you're expecting when they street new for almost the same. What about the DI+350+810 is undesireable that you believe the SVT-C will give you? There are several high power tone monster heads on the market that cost less than the SVT, as Weed said, if brand is not an issue.

Keep in mind that your Plan A temporarily left you with a DI, an 810 and a JB, but no power ('cause you will be short). Also, of the three basses you mention, the 5 is the best of the bunch and you need something other than the cab to be the cornerstone of your sound. Finally, why do you need a macbook? So you can do better forum posts? Good luck!

Ouch. Very ouch. My thought was to put it up at $1,500 and if nobody buys it, then cool I still have my Stingray. If someone does, then there's $1,500 (minus shipping) that I didn't have before to perfect my setup.

I am pretty set on continuing my Ampeg residency. I have a few problems with my 350 that a Classic will fix. Before I played a 410 and 210 cabs, the head was a little over it's head trying to push 6 speakers and then I went and got an 810. There's not enough power to adequately push all 8 speakers, and even when I run only 4 speakers in the 810 it still sounds not as good as I'd like it. The tone is, ehh it's hard to describe, plastic-y, if that makes sense? I've read other's reviews on the 350 and they have the same problem with the power as well.

 

[Tyrone]

Aren't you going to go through the PA anyway? You're a bass player, what is this fascination with the perfect tone? Amps only makes a difference for practice.

Not all the time. And some of the time when I am going through a PA it doesn't have anything flattering to the low end. If you have a ****ty amp going through an awesome PA system, you're still sending a ****ty signal to the speakers and to a point there's nothing you can do to make it sound better.