WalMan

Again a +1 for Roqsolid. Needed a cover for my MIDI bass pedals. Exchanged a few emails re the dimensions/extras , placed an order and had it withing a week. Admittedly they forgot one of the protection pockets, but that was fixed at no cost within a couple of days. Hotcovers look like they [i]might[/i] possibly be more padded, but all my Roqsolids are still in great condition as is the gear they cover, so....

[quote name='LowdownRumble' timestamp='1334776604' post='1621200'] Mine isn't any louder than my old passive bass was. And the change of batteries is pissing me off and I hate that I cant leave it plugged in. Is there such a thing as an active/passive bass? Such as, when the battery dies switch to passive and rock on? [/quote]G&L's - at least my L2500's have a 3 way switch that runs passive : active : active with treble boost. And yes the L2500's & Wal are a lot louder than the Tanglewater ClassicJ

Let's see (and in writing this I realise just how many death traps we seemed to have owned over the years!!) Being stood in the middle of nowhere on the Eastbourne road with one of the roadies/mates (who was a bike mechanc) taking the carb on the Transit apart with a screwdriver, by the light of a dimming torch. He got it back together and the misfire problem we had had for some time never returned IIRC. Re enacting Basil Fawlty's whipping of his recalcitrant Austin on the same van earlier in the evening when the fecker wouldn't start. Too many gigs in the same van, full of gear 4 or 5 across the front & another 2 or 3 lying on top of the gear in the back. Pulled by the boys in blue in the Commer van with the drummer sat in the back on the gear sharing out the scoff we had rescued from the buffet. Side door slides back "Blimey there's more of them" says plod "Sausage roll officer?" says the drummer. Going to a photoshoot in London in the daytime prior to a gig in the evening back on the coast. Stuck in traffic & something (driveshaft possibly) dropped out, thankfully only a few yards from a garage who fixed the van & sent us on our way. Same van on the way back from a weekend gig in Germany & the alternator packed up somewhere on the autobahn so that by the time we got off the ferry and back to home town we were navigating by torches out of the window (thankfully @ around 3 in the morning) Driving the bands bedford bus (caged off halfway back and described as a "mobile home") back through Hastings on the night the brakes decided they didn't really want to work much and coming down the hill stood on the foot and exhaust brakes with one of the others hauling back on the hand brake. Years back when the others were running a big theatrical show like The Tubes / Alice Cooper our soundguy was driving the 3 ton truck with all the gear in back from a gig when a woman who had decided life wasn't worth it decided that the band lorry would be the thing to drive at at speed to end it all. Slightly more recently he was stopped in a smaller van with the PA in it by an excitable young constable and his puppy walker. "Have you been drinking?" "Only water all night" "Well in that case I require you to take a roadside narcotics test" Puppy walker stood on the passenger side raises his eyebrows. "Why?" Response from the puppy was to the effect "You look dozy" which was greated by cries of "HE ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE THAT!" from the rest of the van & puppy walker telling us to sod off before putting the leash on his charge

Well snake oil or not I have noticed a differenxe, so much so on first use on a high boomy stage I thought the bass had disappeared having not properly cheked & reset the amp. In addition had the sound guy at one venue say mine was one of the few rigs he hadn't had problems with excessive boom with. Whatever, it is I tend to lob the pad under the rig at all venues nowadays

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1334564921' post='1617519'] This is a topic no doubt that has been discussed on BC many times before, but allow me to vent! I went out for a meal with my girlfriend on Saturday night and she wanted to catch some live music after we had eaten. I took her to a well known live music venue in Cardiff and as we walked in a 5-piece covers band were setting up. Sorted! Soon afterwards they started to play their first set. Apart from being horrifically loud for the size of the venue they were simply just awful. The singers voice was very weak, flat and forgot his lyrics, the drummer knew only two beat patterns for every song they played, the bass player didn’t know that he was playing the wrong notes for at least 2 bars before realising on quite a few songs and the guitar player…well…he was actually pretty good to be fair! Sometimes a band can have a bad night (we all do), but you can tell that they are simply crap anyway. I am not focussing so much on their ability or talent, but more on how much my girlfriend (along with many others) enjoyed their performance despite being so bad. I really struggled to enjoy the evening hearing so many monumental mistakes being made or lack of effort to at least play the song vaguely similar to the original. I have got to a stage whereby I am very pensive about going out to see a live band in town…covers bands to be precise. Most of my live work at the moment is with covers bands and we do put a lot of effort in to study the songs and get them sounding tight and as precise to the original song as possible. And yet, we are struggling to get into well paid venues in the area such as this one and a bunch of plebs can walk in to play a bunch of songs very poorly and get away with it. I couldn’t help but feel a bit gutted and a tad bit angry. As a musician I can be hyper critical (and often I am) about other performing musicians. But, the bigger thing for me is that punters will enjoy a poor band as equally as a good one. Most folks at the venue are not musicians and don’t pick up on the mistakes or bad musicianship. I’m fine with that…as long as they have a great night who cares really, but I go out to perform to my best ability so that the punters can enjoy their evening. Is my hard work to achieve that noticeable? As I get older and more experienced with my musical endeavours I find it harder to enjoy myself at a gig for these reasons. This kills me because above all else I am a music fan and I want to enjoy live music, but I do have a competitive nature. I think you gain that on the covers circuit after a while because you are all fighting to get the best gig in town. But, it does really vex me when I watch a band in venues with high exposure that we can’t get into that are not good enough for the fee they are paid and the punters big them up. I need to relax more and let it go over my head, but I can't help feel that the punters deserve better even though they might not know it. [/quote] This, and sadly [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1334569926' post='1617607'] It's always tempting to vent over this sort of thing. After all, one has put so much effort into mastering one's instrument and one's material and being musicianly and whatnot. But really, it's not remotely about this other band's technical failings. Somehow or another, they must be doing [i]something[/i] right because they've got the gig and the OP hasn't. Perhaps someone in their band is a consummate gig-blagger. Perhaps their marketing is better. Maybe a booker looks at their setlist and thinks "That's the right mix". Maybe they played for free. Maybe the drummer's related to the booker. Whatever the reason, they've exploited it and there's little benefit in us going down the "Bookers are stupid and punters are stupid" route because you have to work with what you're given. Selling a band in to a booker is like selling anything else. Find out what people want and give it to them. Problem is, many of us start out by focussing on what [i]we[/i] want to play and how to play it - genre, material, arrangements etc. That's the wrong way round if your aim is to secure regular gigs at local venues. The crafty ones survey the market and focus as much on how they present their offering as how they deliver it. As for punters not noticing, well who cares if they notice or not? Our job is not to present a faultless musical display but to entertain them in the broadest possible sense. Let's face it, if people will happily dance to a record, they're clearly not too bothered about the 'live' component. They just want a beat and a tune, preferably one they know. Audience engagement is about much more than playing the right notes, yet how often is this critical issue discussed on BC? Hardly ever. The reason why we're collectively less successful than we could be is because we spend too much time on here agonising about tone and cables and guitarists' irritating little habits. Frankly, looking an audience member in the eye and smiling at them is a lot more productive than executing that fancy lick we spent all afternoon learning. But we never learn. [color=#FFFFFF].[/color] [/quote]This I have got to the end of a night on a dep and thought it had been a frankly sh1te night where the crowd, MrsW included, have been raving about what a great night it was and I just despair. Been to those gigs where I look at the band and think WTF and the reaction they are getting and similarly get to the end of a night with my main lot where we work our nuts off to be tight etc and get sweet FA and think "why do I bother" but 'twas ever thus. I think it's me that is the jinx sometimes Perhaps as JTUK says we should have just given up to old age years ago. There is a gig just round the corner from me, but a bit out of town & the main drag, that is trying to make a go of it, has good lights & a house PA, but sometimes you go in there and it seems to be the usual p155ed up bug eyed monsters in who could frankly care less and eventually have that last one and stagger off to the gutter halfway through the night. I feel sorry for the guy who is really trying to make a go of it, but I suspect is struggling, not helped by the mafia from one of the other gigs in town (used to be the main/only one despite being a sh1t place to play - punters walk through the band to the bogs etc).

So I was looking for a smaller rig for those bijou gigs. These probably don't quite fit the bill [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x-Funktion-One-F221A-self-powered-2x-21-bass-/120878185330?pt=UK_ConElec_SpeakersPASystems_RL&hash=item1c24e6bb72"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1c24e6bb72[/url] EDIT - I should probably add, in the immortal words of Arfur Daley "Ooomygoodgawdterence! Time for a 'specially large VAT69"

The [url="http://basschat.co.uk/forum/41-groove-library/"]Groove Library[/url] forum was sort of supposed to add some bits that all might use. Been a while since I've been there though

Should have got the cover from Roqsolid (unless you did of course). All my covers from them, even a bespoke one, arrived within a week. And a Stringbusters order was delivered the next day

[quote name='OmeDunk' timestamp='1329302630' post='1540174'] Nice post on compression, 51m0n. Again. Does anybody have experience with the new Alesis 3632? Seems to be a big improvement from the 3630 for a nice price. [/quote] [quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1329327653' post='1540775'] I've not used a 3632, I would expect it to be on the noisey side for a studio device, although probably ok for live. If its anything like a 3630 though it will be a perfectly good way to learn how to set up a compressor, it will have all the important controls, reasonalby good metering (ie way better than a pedal!) and a limiter to catch those mega spikes when you open the attack up and whack the knackers out of it. As a cheap device to really learn with I think you could do a lot worse. And thanks for the props chaps! [/quote]Saw one of these in a local Crack Converters for around £40 IIRC at the w/e. Might have to go back later in the week to see if it's still there.

Well the soundclips sound somewhat brighter. Going by my other thread on holding levels in check adding a set of strings with higher output is not going to help me achieve my aim. Probably try a set on the Classic J if I can find some. Pricewise they seem a tad more expensive than the Elixirs I normally use. String life will also be an issue in that event

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1333392369' post='1601118'] Doesn't any of your gear have a pad button on it? Or if you could find a pedal you liked that you could leave on (subtle compression or chorus for example) you could use that as an in-line volume. Or even make a simple volume dial that you can put before your amp. [/quote]Well I reckon the pad is probably the gain button on the Streamliner, and that is set to Off for the actives & On for the Classic J last night. Perhaps I should just accept I am a noisy b@st@rd As above I think need to re evaluate the Nova Dynamics pedal settings as I could not nbe helping myself with the gain makeup setting, otherwise the EBS Chorus &/or Octabass only seem to slightly increase the levels. As for the volume dial in front of the amp the STM has input & pre gain controls and I have the (probably erroneous) feeling that cuts before the amp will mean I am not driving the amp properly / efficiently. I fear this largely comes down to having acquired a far more efficient cab, and possibly the more recent amps tha I have used before.

[quote name='john the pond' timestamp='1333315950' post='1600075'] Volume pedal? [/quote]Possibly. I just wonder that rolling back the levels will not be driving the front of the amp right, none of the input overload warnings are coming up yet with the actives the master out is rolled right back on the amp & like I say I have had that on occasion with the Wal when it is barely on. Need to experiment more with the TC compressor and the gain make up [quote name='john the pond' timestamp='1333315950' post='1600075']Active basses are not always louder than passive basses. [/quote] Sorry, that comment was slightly tongue in cheek

Further update following a r/h with the country rock/americana band. Took the ClassicJ, Genz Benz Streamliner 6.0 & Barefaced Super12T and it sounded great, once I had adjusted settings from the normal required with my other active basses. Gain button in and master up to around 12 o'clock. (Must remember to switch those back before the next r/h with the actives & the main band or I shall be in trouble) Also no obvious drop in level on the A string on the J pup, which is encouraging. Mind I was running it mot of the session on the P. The sound was solid, with no obvious dead spots, and the whole rig sat very nicely.

Tonights r/h with the Tanglewater might give me a clue...stop using active basses! I love my L2500's & the Wal but they pump so much level it's not true. Last proggy gig the Wal was on 3 into the Streamliner with the master back around 9 oclock. Tonight was with the country rock / americana lot and I took the Wal & Tanglewater, the latter being passive and which I ended up using all night, but with everything full up on the bass I needed the stun switch (for which read gain button) on on the amp, and the master up around 12 o'clock. Sounded great, but vastly different from the settings required with the active basses. The MB200 was an "as well as" option for r/h and small gigs rather than "instead of". Perhaps I should go back to the Bass Pod xT Pro straight into the PA. Then at least if I'm too loud it's not my fautl (entirely) Back to the drawing board.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1333281377' post='1599481'] Doesn't your amp have a volume control? I'd keep the amp and get a 112 for the smaller gigs. [/quote]Yes, but I often feel I am getting grief for my volume when I have nowhere left to go, and yes the basses have volume controls as well Perhaps based on Jacks comments I just need a smaller rig. I was sort of hoping that the drop to 8 ohms with the Midget & consequent potential drop in power from the Streamliner would help. Pehaps not. Methinks I need to beg/steal/borrow one to test Had an MB CMD121H for a ewhile before I moved through an MB head & the S12T to the GB Back to the drawing board.

You're not helping, 'cos I know it makes sense

I've been thinking of a smaller rig for r/h and the more bijou affair but am currently torn between: [list=1] [*]getting something like the MB200 to sit on the BF Super12T for a lower powered amp for places where the others mutter about bass level; or [*]getting a 1x12 8 ohm cab (BF Midget) that will drop the output from the Genz Benz STM6 and also have the benefit of smaller size, but be more stuff to find space to store at home, which'll go down badly with MrsW [/list] I suspect with the 5's the former would probably be the better option, but in many ways I think I prefer option 2 subject to the right cab. Of course option 3 is the MB200 AND a smaller cab, which would also have the benefit of giving me something to monitor the bass synth/pedals with at the prog gigs (but be even MORE cr@p to contend with. All this from the idiot who downsized from a Laguna Estate to an A3 Spotback "because I am using less and smaller gear now" DOH!! HELP!! whats a boy to do

I bought my now vintage plexi SuperBass 100 second hand for wait for it £50 Other than that it was a crappy Selmer T([sub][i]it[/i][/sub]) & B([sub][i]um[/i][/sub]) IIRC then an even more cr@ppy Carlsbro 15 combo

I'm not bothered about that one ... it's a bit of a bash Routinely used to damn new songs in the set early in their shelf life and generally consign them to the dumprster

So I have finally recorded a few bits, though possibly of no great help - I was noodling to a loop a couple of nights ago. Put them on Soundcloud [url="http://soundcloud.com/aka_walman/sets/overwater-by-tanglewood"]HERE[/url] hopefully. Recorded with the Tanglewater Classic J into an EBS Microbass II (but using that purely as a DI switched to pre EQ) through a Novation nio 2|4 into Mackie Tracktion. All that has been added is a smidge of plate reverb with IKMultimedia CSR Plate reverb on the Vintage Plate default patch on a low level send on the fingerstyle versions only. The six versions are recorded as: - J pup alone - P pup alone; and - with the pup pan in the middle so a mix of the two They all sound a bit similar in tone to me, though there is some difference - the P is a lot warmer than the J to my ears and obviously as you sweep through the pup blend it warms from J to P EDIT: having added three more with a pick in a rockier style I am a bit worried that on the J alone the A string seems to drop level compared to the others. They also had the benefit of the Microbass though reasonably flat. The strings are what it came with (38-98 I believe) and lighter than I use. Was going to add a set of 45-105's and get it set for that, but need to investigate the A string anomaly first Apologies for the sloppy playing I was somewhat distracted by the A string at the time

Gramma pad +1 Check the guitarists amp settings to make sure it's not his boom contributing. As before from my moan about one of mines settings. since I had a word at r/h (backed up by the other guitarist) he has made some changes that IMV make a huge difference without destroying his sound.

[quote name='Rayman' timestamp='1332350397' post='1587146'] I use a Mono strap. It's very comfortable and I prefer it to the Comfort Strap I also have but never use. To be honest, I also have a couple of wide and long Levys straps, the car seatbelt type ones, and because they're wide, they're very comfortable indeed. [/quote]What he said