Dad3353

I think you've seen this..? ...

Maybe a source for parts would be a certain 'KiOgon' on the sister site..? He's highly respected, and knows all there is to know about these things. Any help..? 

PS : Is that unconnected wire an earth for connection to the metal bridge..? 

You've inherited a very fine amp, in need of restoration, but certainly worth it. It's the current model, Fender 59 Bassman LTD (a reissue, not the original '59 version...), and should be an easy repair to at least get it working again. There should be no problem with getting spares, as it's still made and sold (new price : around £2000...). There could be only two major snags : are all four speakers in good condition, and how much does the cosmetics mean to you..? If it's not been subject to damp, or poor storage, a technicien would have no bother fixing it up, to whatever level of 'original' you'd be happy with. Take it to a reputable valve amp technicien (give us your location; there may be someone recommended close by...) and get an estimate. It will be a fine amp once restored. It would be a shame to sell it 'as is', as the Buyer would have to trust that it's an easy fix, if it is currently mute. Once mended, these fetch a decent second-hand price, as they are good amps. In its current state, maybe £50-100 or so; restored, more like ten times that. 

1 hour ago, Leopold Lewis said:

... Many thanks

Photos would help a lot, as there have been several Bassman guitar amps made, over the years, and a lot depends on its age as to what it might need doing. In most cases, and without seeing the model, I'd say that it needs to be confided to a competent valve amp repair technicien, as there are many pitfalls and safety issues with some older models. On the other hand, these amps are, in the repair trade, very well known, with few surprises for someone experienced. If the amp is simply mute, the reason could be quite simple to fix (again, by an expert...), but it would need checking over to be sure that it won't become dangerous (read 'lethal'...), and that any old parts are in a fit state to give years more fine service. These are, in general, excellent amps, and upkeep is minimal, once they have been correctly serviced. My own very old '60s Bassman 50w head had its first service a few years ago now, and is good for another half century, I'd say. Take a couple of pictures, though, for a better view of what could be required. Hope this helps; meanwhile...

Have a great day

Douglas

It's difficult to tell from the video, but it seems to me that the most benefit is for the Player, who hears the guitar better; this is accentuated by the placing of the recording microphone, I think. I'm not sure that there's much impact on the forward-projected sound (ie : for an audience...) or for more 'normal' recordings, placing the mic elsewhere. On the other hand, I see no real downside, either, so... why not..? I would hope that the 'plug' is kept in place by a small magnet or similar, so as not to get lost..? 

2 hours ago, TIMJMIN said:

...Thank you in advance for any input you may share with me, ...

You might like to cast your glance in the 'P90' direction, as being single coils with versatility ..? A split-coil humbucker guitar might suit, too. I have Xaviere Thinline with such humbuckers, which sounds fine through my Jazz Chorus amps. Just a thought on options... 

Very tasteful, and a welcome change from some of the current production sounds (yes, I'm old..!). I'll have look at the software, too (although there's little chance of me getting sounds like yours  ; I'm a drummer..!) 

3 hours ago, SecondSonUK said:

... damages to the box during transit...

So the flight case needs to be protected by being in a flight case, which will need protection by being in a flight case, which will need protection by ... Zzzzzzz

...

2 hours ago, SecondSonUK said:

... Thanks in advance

Box carpentry is not that hard. Have you a buddy or brother-in-law that could help..? 

Wood cut by the local DIY shop...

I modelled it first...

Here is the top half, perched on our Ampeg ...

Worth thinking about..? 

19 minutes ago, Crappy Axe said:

...So what do peeps reccomend ? ...

Can't go wrong with this one, offered on our very own Marketplace section by a trusted member. Way below your target budget; is that so bad a thing..? 

Yamaha Pacifica Tele-type guitar, ungraded ...

Good afternoon, @Crappy Axe, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

Good afternoon, @Oscarperguit, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

4 hours ago, The Pinky said:

... I have a local guitar tech who is friendly and highly recommended ...

He may well be amenable to you sitting in whilst he goes through the check-up and rectification process, which could give some insight as to how to look after your (and your son's...) instruments. It might take him a little longer, to explain what he's doing, and enable you better to appreciate exactly what's involved in guitar upkeep. Just a thought..? 

40 minutes ago, The Pinky said:

... I am getting some buzzes, which has been suggested to me could be that the action is too low ...

These buzzes could be because the action is a bit low, but there could be a whole lot of other reasons, too, such as a raised, or lowered, fret, a bit too much or too little 'bow' in the neck, imprecise finger placing... I could go on. The real solution would be to consult a competent guitar tech, or experienced guitar tutor, and find the real cause that needs addressing. Still, as you mention, it can't do too much harm to 'have a go' yourself, as long as you've a back-up plan if things get out of hand.  Yes, the string height is set, all other things being equal, by the screws at each end of the bridge holding the intonation adjusters. A good-quality flat-bladed screwdriver is required, to be a good fit in the screw slots. Turning clockwise will raise the bridge; I would suggest only very slight adjustment at a time, of maybe a quarter-turn at each end. This will affect the guitar's tuning, so it will need careful bringing back to pitch before playing it again, to see if there's any improvement. Go easy on doing this; these screws are not used to being turned, and are subject to the tension from the strings. Don't force anything. Use your engineering 'feeling' to judge whether it's doable or not. If it's successful, and your buzzing issues solved, 'well done'; if not, put the screws back to their original position as best you can, and get help. No, it's not rocket surgery, and most competent folk would gladly show you how to check this, and other potential issues, whilst they sort it out. You're unlikely to break anything if you're careful, but be gentle with screwdriver blades, as it's easy to slip and take a chunk out of the guitar's finish, or your own hand. In any case, a good set-up for any guitar is a worthwhile investment; the basics can be done by oneself, once they've been mastered with an experienced guide. Hope this helps. 

Douglas

Can't go wrong with either, I'd say.

Here's a video playing both...

The big difference would be the golden hardware, and the push-pull coil splitting on the 2200...

'The Yamaha SA-2200 is a Japanese made ES-335 style semi-hollowbody electric guitar model first introduced in 1992. The SA-2200 is similar to the SA-1100 but with fancier appointments including gold-plated hardware, split block inlaid ebony fretboard and multi-ply body and headstock binding. The finger board has 22 medium gauge frets. Pickups are two Yamaha Alnico V humbuckers, which can be coil tapped using the SA-2200's push-pull tone knobs. The SA2200 has a stop tailpiece and tune-o-matic style bridge.'

47 minutes ago, Pbassred said:

I still occasionally play the partscaster I built 40 years ago. I'm confident to do truss rods and set action. I've never paid someone else. On the other hand, how do I know if I've been doing it right?

I've just taken on 2 new guitars: casino (used) and squire tele. I think they could both do with polishing up of the nut slots to make tuning  more precise.

I can buy files or take it to a repairer. Thoughts?

Proper nut files are extraordinarily expensive, and the cheaper ones not really good at all for that job. If it's just to get rid of the 'jerking' of the string over the nut when tuning, a light sprinkle of graphite powder does a fine job. Some folk get the graphite from quality pencil lead, but it's easy enough to obtain. Amazon propose various versions, as a little flaçon of 50ml for 9€86, or a 1 litre tub for 10€10, and everything in between. Try that first, if unsmooth tuning is the issue..?  

1 hour ago, randythoades said:

Another resonator question then, if you have experience. What is the real world difference between a biscuit bridge and a spider cone? Again, just looking on youtube, a biscuit one sounds a little brighter, more metallic and less sustain, whereas a spider cone sounds closer to a guitar with a slightly warmer tone and more sustain. Is that about it?

Difficult to tell using my computer speakers.

I think that a slightly more metallic one might make me slightly different to the smooth swell of the accordion.

The 'biscuit' tone is louder and more 'brash', used more on 'standard' guitars. The 'spider' would be warmer, and usually found on lap-steel players' guitars (with their square neck profile...). I'd suggest looking at 'biscuit'. I don't think that 'tricone' would bring much to the party. 

15 minutes ago, Graham50 said:

I’m probably biased but ask yourself this question, Taylor is an acoustic guitar maker with production in their own factories in the US & Mexico. Fender is an electric guitar maker who have acoustics made for them and given the Fender brand somewhere in Asia( probably China). Which is likely to be better?

Define 'better', to include 'budget' in the definition. I can afford a lowly Takamine; I can't afford a Taylor (or Martin, or Gibson...), not to mention some very fine UK luthiers. I'm not sure that provenance is the key factor here; the price is a better (but not absolute...) indicator. 

Originally, resonator guitars were invented for just this reason : cut through against competition from the brass section, without an amp..!. Worth a try, especially if the repertoire is suitable. One or two points to consider : many players use a reso guitar like a lap-steel; these models have a square neck profile, unsuitable for 'standard' guitar playing position. Look at models with a rounded 'C' or 'U' profile instead. Some models have a piezo mic built in, but more rarely with a pre-amp, which makes amplifying a little trickier, as either the amp has a piezo input, or an external pre-amp is required. The reso part of the guitar is fragile, so a stout case is needed for anything but home use. They're louder than a folk guitar, especially in the 'medium' frequencies, but won't fill a large hall unaided just the same. Trying a few models would be recommended; proces start at around £300 and go up quite quickly.

On the other hand, it's not uber-effective, but a piece of felt over the accordion grill could be tried to mute it a little..? Some folk remove the grill, line the inside with masking tape or similar, then put the grill back. Choice of register has an effect, with some 'bassier' registers being less strident. Other than that, it's just playing technique to play with less volume. Hope this helps; sounds like a nice project.

Good evening, Shawn...

Good to see these videos continuing, and your progress, too. Well done, for both; neither are simple. A couple of remarks, if I may..? I see you naming the notes as you play them; try to sing the note at its proper pitch as you name them, so that you're singing 'E', 'F', 'G' etc at the same time as playing the note. It will help train you ear to hear notes in pitch for years to come. No great singing voice needed, just get the pitch right, corresponding to the note you're naming and playing. It will become easy and instinctive very quickly, although the first sessions may not feel comfortable. Try it for a couple of weeks, maybe, to see..?

Next remark : when strumming the 'big G' chord then the 'D' chord, try not to play the lower 'E' string with the 'D' chord. That note ('E'...) does not belong in the 'D' chord. An option is to try to 'mute' the lower 'E' string, but it's best if you can train your right hand to only play relevant strings. Just a thought, something to have a look at and be aware of, that's all.
Lastly : with those oddly-named 'stuck' chords, it's less important to memorise the names (although that's useful, too...) than to listen to, and understand, what's actually happening. You're playing the 'G' on the lower 'E' string, then a 'C' on the 'A' string, followed by a 'B', then the open 'A'. The overall effect is a descending sequence of notes; if each resulting chord has to be named, it's always possible with all of these '#', 'sus', '11' etc, but the musical reason, and the important bit, is the descending line, not the chord names. Just sayin'; don't get hung up on the names, just listen to what the notes you're playing sound like as you play them. Again, you're doing fine, but be sure to hear the music you're playing as well as the technique.
Oh, yes, there is another thing... Listen to the Pink Floyd track a few times played by the maestro, and play along to it, you'll find that your timing is slightly 'off'. The single notes are fine, followed by a little shorter 'strum' than you're playing. Just a detail that listening to the original will sort out.

There, that's enough abject criticism from me; now go an make a good pot of tea. You've earned it. Good Stuff, keep on keeping one; meanwhile...

Have a wonderful day.

Douglas

Good evening, @Goldilocks33, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

The one your daughter has researched and chosen is just fine, and will stand her in good stead for many years to come. Yes, there are better (read : 'different'...), more expensive instruments out there, but her choice is very good for starting out on a lifetime's journey. If your budget is up to it, give your lucky daughter an excellent birthday present, that she will cherish. It could have been worse; a double bass is quite a lot more expensive..! 

6 minutes ago, The Pinky said:

...where my less formal approach would place me in grading systems...

Have a look here, maybe..?

Guitar levels explained ...

From your description, I'd guess that you're about at Level 5, or 6, which would place you around the Grade 2 or 3 mark. Hope this helps; carry on, you're doing fine. Only another half a century to go to become Master Of All Things.  

I make it out to be a rather slow 4/4, with the first syllable of the lyrics falling on the 1 And 2 and 3 and 4 and ... It gets a bit 'lumpy' at times, as the singer, presumably playing on his own, skips bars or adds 'em in, but if I stubbornly carry on with my 1 And 2 and etc, it all comes out in the wash. I don't think these skips and hops are deliberate; it's just the way the fellow has it going on in his head. If I start to count from the first clear chord in this way : 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 And 2 ... it seems to work. Try it..? No guarantee, but that's what I'd drum to it. Hope this helps.