LLong time MB1 user - 22 years and counting

[John Mac]

Afternoon (or local time greeting depending upon where you are in the world)

Good to see a web site dedicated to these masterpieces of engineering. I did often view the old website and obtained resources (documentation on MB-1) and even some upgrades and spares.

I bought my MB-1 new and it has migrated through several different power amps (all still working too) but have settled on what I believe is a nice setup:

Once of several basses from a 80s Washburn to an Ashbory
MB-1
Behringer EPX3000
two EV TL bins
two dual 12" Fane design mids.

To date the only requests I have had is from a PA tech to turn down as his PA couldn't keep up and from someone who wants to have one of my guitars (it will be buried with me I think)
Comments have been excellent as it has a deep rich bottom and punchy mids. Runs rings around this modern 10" quad trend.

Not sure when I will replace the valves but still using the original battery but intend to replace it soon.

Happy to talk some setups but I have pretty much setled on a small set of patches that suit the setup. I duplicate if for different basses as they have different pickups therefore different requirements.

Cheers from the east coast of Australia

John

[Peter H. Boer]

Well hi and welcome fellow lowstringer  8)

Peter

[rnolan]

Hey John, I'm in Canberra, welcome to the depot    So if you bought your MB1 here in Oz I suspect it was from Nunz at pro audio, I have vivid memories of when he first bought in MP1s, totally changed my setup/world at the time, as you say, great pieces of engineering, best preamps in the world... ever.
Cheers Richard

[MarshallJMP]

Hey John,welcome to the depot!

[John Mac]

Yup. Vaguely remember Canberra as being the source. It was a long time ago. Had a choice between a Philip Kubiki drop E bass and an MB1. Scored an excellent Fernandez bass out of my budget. Haven't found a bass to beat that either. Must have bought just at the right time I suppose.

The only thing I have found close for my liking is an Eden WT series but I won't spend money on one of those.

Cheers

[rnolan]

I was working at Pro Audio part time back then doing their guitar repairs so I got to see some really cool gear come in (Boogie, Alembic, ADA..), like my Tom Anderson Pro Am, one of the first 2 in Oz and one Tom made for the Namm show when he first left Shecter and went off on his own.  Haven't found a better guitar either, I was building guitars back then and when I played it I thought, maybe I could build one as good, but not better.....
So where on the east coast do you hail from ??

Cheers Richard

[John Mac]

Originally Hobart now Brisbane. It was a bit of a move but was for my daughters health.

Haven't been out playing in anger much up here. Have the occasional jam,  answering a distress call here and there when bass players are mia.
My latest acquisition is a schecter omen extreme 5 in the vintage sunburst flavour (looks really neat in my view) from the billy Hyde fire sales. Has taken me almost a year to get it sounding right. Changed the strings to D'Addarios in a super light, spent many months slowly adjusting the truss rod and getting it stable' adjusted the string height (really low) and finally got it stable. It was constantly going out of tune over time. I only tolerate that on my ashbory. My Fernandez just never goes out of tune at all, regardless of weather changes. Now the schecter is pretty much the same and has a similar feel. All comments from other musicians is that it sounds excellent through the amp.

[Dante]

Welcome John!!

I too use the same few patches for various guitars, as you mentioned. It seems to be the only way to keep all the volume levels in check. I have one bank of 10 patches saved for each guitar in my MP-1 Classic.

I'm working on the MP-2 now ;)

Once again, welcome! It's great to have another bass player around here - I think we may have more than the original Depot did!

[rnolan]

Hey Dante, I think you're right, and so great to have more MB1 users (and bass players) here, (and.... he's Australian  >:D :whoohoo!: )