dan670844

[quote name='ianSB' post='1048933' date='Dec 6 2010, 01:36 AM']basically i really want a valve bass head itll be my first one so im interested in what would be suitable and what would be a good start ill be using an ampeg 610 and competing with a loud drummer and 2 loud ass pretentious idiots called guitarists with their marshall half stacks any reccomendations out there ? trying to keep costs down so lower budget and second hand would be what ill be looking at[/quote] I think valveness is an addiction once you feel it, hear it for me there is no going back, just a different sound more organic, I am waiting for the new Ashdown LB200 to come out before I take the plunge..... A good halfway house could be the Ashdown 550 spyder there was one on here for £300 a while back. It has the same valve preamp as the all valve 427 big block, but without all those bottles to look after!

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='1050815' date='Dec 7 2010, 06:08 PM']At work today (I work at a school) I noticed some of the site staff walking this outside towards the bins. I quickly piped up and claimed it, idealistically dreaming that I might be able to restore it somewhat (well, at least get it into a playable condition). The fingerboard has been completely removed, and looks very worn. There is a lot of damage to the body, and although most of it looks like superficial scratches, there are bits on the edge which look like they've been attacked by a beaver. One of the f-holes is damaged too. How would I glue these parts back together? (It looks like multiple laminates of would splitting apart from each other...) Obviously it'll need a new bridge and a set of strings As it's so beat-up, I was thinking it might be cool to go a bit jackson pollock on it and paint it all over, would this effect the tone / playability in a negative way? [/quote] Jeez thats a crime it looks like it has been done on purpose.!

[quote name='LemonCello' post='1050494' date='Dec 7 2010, 01:31 PM']I'd be interested to know how many of us sing as well as play bass. Particularly interested in front men....the Phil Lynott's of this world. I can sing fine when strumming chords on my six string. It gets more interesting when you have a bassline that has no 'pattern' to it. I.E. you cant switch-off and do your vocal. LC[/quote] I would love to either guitar of bass, i have tried but can't sing and play! if anyone has any pointers! advice welcome!

[quote name='Bigwan' post='1049245' date='Dec 6 2010, 01:31 PM']Could be a lot more considering the Little B*stard Drop Head is £1299![/quote] I asked them if they are going to bring out a 200watt head version and they say................. yay we are! I am defo going to buy one, 200watts of valve power is plenty for me. Can feel a big clearout of stuff coming on..... I love the preamp in the LB I hope they keep this the same. LB30 is a great studio amp, 427 is nice but that many watts is a bit much for monitoring! this one i think is the perfect combination!

[quote name='eude' post='1048728' date='Dec 5 2010, 09:06 PM']I'm really impressed with what Ashdown are coming out with at the moment. I've always wanted to like their kit but never really got on with it, but the past few months they've really been catching my attention. Wonder if they might take another stab at the micro market and get it right this time? Perhaps a single channel micro power section with a decent tube front end and some of this real classy vintage design thrown in... Either way, that Drophead looks brilliant! Eude[/quote] I think they are listening to what people are saying, they make some really nice stuff now, a lot of it UK made great, Dan Gooday is probably lurkin on here somewhere, he is a bass player after all............

[quote name='andykelly' post='1048576' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:06 PM']Hi guys Looking to buy my first bass, i've been borrowing a Fender USA Jazz, Musicman Stingray and Ibanez SR-500 lately and have played a friends P Bass once. I've been playing guitar for around 10 years and so would like to get something half decent. My budget is up to £1000 and i have a good idea of what i want in a bass, just not which bass will give me that! Tonally - i love the thickness of P basses and the clarity of J basses, i notice there are a few P/J bass pickup combinations about so this could be an option? Feel - I found the nut width on a P bass too wide for me, something closer to the thin J bass or Ibanez nut width with the depth and action of an ibanez? Aethetics - I'm not overly fussed, i.e. it doesn't have to be a specific model, but i do much prefer a more traditional shape? Does such a thing exist? And if so am i unreasonable to expect to get it at £1000 or less? Cheers Andy[/quote] Have a look a Ibanez SR they are very playable the necks are very thin and fast, beautifully made, three band eq with a mid cut so very versatile sound wise, can do the p bass thumb and a jazzy sound (just!) my particular fav is the sr 600 605

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1044691' date='Dec 2 2010, 09:26 AM']I think the 200 Watt Tube Head popularity is beginning to show. I think it seems a lot of players didnt need the 300W of the Ampeg CL/VR and are looking for a lighter tube solution, and that tone you get from pushing an amp with less watts. Nice idea. I like where Ashdown are going at the moment. I doubt id buy one, but Id love to test it against my Orange.[/quote] I agree totally 200watts is plenty, now the choice is growing! Hiwatt, Orange, Matamp and now Ashdown, be interesting to see the difference in them all tonally anyone got 4 grand they can lend me I will do a good review honest!

[quote name='SS73' post='1047954' date='Dec 5 2010, 02:07 AM']I think you are generalizing and confusing a lot here, Geddy doesn't need to distort anything, it's the way he plays Or take Squire, lows are distorted highs are clean n that sounds far from yuk!![/quote] It defo is not a sound I like............... and its his eq i guess, but that is my preference!

[quote name='WonderHorse' post='1044978' date='Dec 2 2010, 01:02 PM']Oh yea I know that, I just mentioned that as most folk on here will know what I mean.[/quote] Geddy splits his signal i think, leaves his lows clean and distorts the top end. I hate bass distortion myself but if you are going to do it i would try and do this i think low end distortion on bass sound yuk!!!!!

[quote name='fryer' post='1038646' date='Nov 27 2010, 11:00 AM']Anyone tried a Bugera Nuke ? So cheap for a, presumaby around 2,000 w amp.[/quote] Aint no such thing 2000watts my ass I have a QSC power amp 2000rms watts in a rack there is no way you could ever use this on even half bore it makes your fillings bleed, never believe the bollox than most manufacturers put out. there is no way this can put out this kind of watts even if it did it would not do it reliably and not cover the bass frequencies. The QSC weighs 50Kg they are both based on mosfet tech with torrodial transformers! It probably has a massive mid hump in the eq, which just makes you think its loud! You have to pick through the muck they all put out. Most of the design engineering that goes in bass gear, is about how they can make it sound ok and make it cheap. I have just got a well known amp makers wedge bass amp repaired it needed new output transistors, when the amp tech phoned em up they wanted £20 quid for each one! they are 30p each, when he checked the spec they where barely up to the job and made by a low rent company, proper NTE transistors are £3 a piece ten times as much. So thats from a major manufacturer, so can you imagine the quality of components in this job. If you want a cheap amp buy a laney , if you dont like the sound you can always use it as a power amp, They go for pennies on ebay, they a reliable and simply made I have come to the conclusion there isn't really much money to be made from building quality bass gear probably due to low volumes and good components are hard to come by and expensive. So good gear is only born out of the love that people have for doing it..........

[quote name='jamiesonk666' post='775495' date='Mar 15 2010, 06:29 PM']Hi, has any body had any dealings with Bugera amps(i know they are to do with behringher(uuuurrgh).Namley the svt rip off.[/quote] Save your money and buy a 20 year old trace elliot peavey or laney it will last longer................

[quote name='dan670844' post='1045820' date='Dec 2 2010, 11:25 PM']Thats a big question, you have to ask yourself what you want it to do for you, i.e. what part of your signal do you want it to work on?............. my pref for compression live is i like it to work on the low end i tend to leave the high end alone. But thats my pref. yours maybe different. I have used the ebs out of the box on the low end of my signal, as my amp can split the high and low end of the signal, i used the ebs on the low part. alternatively you can can use the pedal on your full signal but best results can be achieved by going into its gubbins and tuning the trimmer pots inside to get it tuned right so it attacks your high and low signal just right. but make a note of the initial settings check out the ebs forum for advice and don't attempt it if you aren't confident. This is why the ebs is good as it allows you to adjust how the compressor attacks your high and low signal. my humble opinion but it don't really sound that great on the full signal stock. I like to compress the lows live as it tends to give me more of a solid punchy low end. If you can get your pedal working on this portion of your signal i think you will be impressed with the results. The lows will project more and feel tighter, sweet, (i adjusted the high trimmer pot so it didnt touch the signal at all) If you are doing this you don't want such a hard attack from the compressor the lows like it gentle. But you will really quickly find the sweet spot. One thing to note and I dont know why the thershold which the ebs works on tends to drift after a while and it will sound different, strange, so you will have to open her up a tune her in again. Thats why a still use the old trace smx pedal most of the time, its a piece of pee to get the sound you want just load it up with enough signal, low compressor up halfway job done. They are a bit noisy by modern standards though. I reckon the answer the question of the thread though the punch factory would probably sound pretty good if you only fed your low end into it as its nice and gentle. If i come across one i will try it. to further enhance your sound in addition to the compressor you could have a look a some filters which work on a certain bit of your sound. I tend to use filters on the low end at 30hz and 50hz depending on what speaker cabs i am using, i use these to cut everything of below these freq this also can tighten your sound up nicely as it feeds the speakers with sound they can produce, sharpens up the low end nicely then you could have a look at a noise gate on the high end of your sound to get rid of the hissy crap, set every so easy opening Fleeping ell i am giving all my secrets away......................... [/quote] Forgot to say these are the dog bollox [url="http://www.fealabs.com/products/DBOC-SMX-0001.html"]http://www.fealabs.com/products/DBOC-SMX-0001.html[/url] smx for the 21st century!

[quote name='samuel' post='1045733' date='Dec 2 2010, 10:08 PM']hey dan, would you be able to give us some advice on getting the best out of the ebs? thanks dude[/quote] Thats a big question, you have to ask yourself what you want it to do for you, i.e. what part of your signal do you want it to work on?............. my pref for compression live is i like it to work on the low end i tend to leave the high end alone. But thats my pref. yours maybe different. I have used the ebs out of the box on the low end of my signal, as my amp can split the high and low end of the signal, i used the ebs on the low part. alternatively you can can use the pedal on your full signal but best results can be achieved by going into its gubbins and tuning the trimmer pots inside to get it tuned right so it attacks your high and low signal just right. but make a note of the initial settings check out the ebs forum for advice and don't attempt it if you aren't confident. This is why the ebs is good as it allows you to adjust how the compressor attacks your high and low signal. my humble opinion but it don't really sound that great on the full signal stock. I like to compress the lows live as it tends to give me more of a solid punchy low end. If you can get your pedal working on this portion of your signal i think you will be impressed with the results. The lows will project more and feel tighter, sweet, (i adjusted the high trimmer pot so it didnt touch the signal at all) If you are doing this you don't want such a hard attack from the compressor the lows like it gentle. But you will really quickly find the sweet spot. One thing to note and I dont know why the thershold which the ebs works on tends to drift after a while and it will sound different, strange, so you will have to open her up a tune her in again. Thats why a still use the old trace smx pedal most of the time, its a piece of pee to get the sound you want just load it up with enough signal, low compressor up halfway job done. They are a bit noisy by modern standards though. I reckon the answer the question of the thread though the punch factory would probably sound pretty good if you only fed your low end into it as its nice and gentle. If i come across one i will try it. to further enhance your sound in addition to the compressor you could have a look a some filters which work on a certain bit of your sound. I tend to use filters on the low end at 30hz and 50hz depending on what speaker cabs i am using, i use these to cut everything of below these freq this also can tighten your sound up nicely as it feeds the speakers with sound they can produce, sharpens up the low end nicely then you could have a look at a noise gate on the high end of your sound to get rid of the hissy crap, set every so easy opening Fleeping ell i am giving all my secrets away.........................

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1045600' date='Dec 2 2010, 08:27 PM']From a £16 pedal, are you surprised? Any pedal that only cost £16 won't be great for your tone, even bypassed. The better the compressor, the more natural sounding it'll be. That's why some studio compressors go for thousands.[/quote] he he if only there was compressor pedal for 'live' that does far more than just squash, perhaps you need a compressor pedal that splits your bass signal into high and low and apply's different ratios to each as the lows need a gentle slow squash and the highs a hard an fast one, also it would be really great if it expanded the quiet bits to push em in the 'zone' then it would be really cool if you had a sweepable filter so you could tune where it hit exactly where you want it......... what someone made one 20 odd years ago..... and it was the bollo% it was green and mean.

[quote name='dan670844' post='1045521' date='Dec 2 2010, 07:34 PM']Havent tried one of these but i guess from reading about it its a bit to subtle also note that if you get a stomp box one 18volters are always better, this is illustrated by the difference between the ashdown compressor and the the old trace smx the ashdown is pretty much the same idea duel band etc probably even the same circuit but its pants being 9v it has no headroom the trace is 18volt and it sorts bass out pretty well. The ashdown is great for guitar though! With compressors I only ever compress the lows never the highs, this is especially true for your rock playing as if you compress the highs a lot you will loose the attack and the definition of each note you play. the ebs is also a very good pedal but it takes a good while to get the best out of it. Behringer dare i say make a rack compressor and its acutally very good, suprisingly. Save yourself a few quid and see if you can get an old smx pedal off ebay they turn up quite often, bought three of there from between 20 and 30 quid. If you get one just remember this the led glows red when you AREN'T feeding enough signal into it and NOT TOO MUCH! you wont overload it as i said it can take what you throw at it. I use a passive bass and i have found the best way to use a stomp box one is in the post preamp effects loop as i guess is has more signal to play with.[/quote] For a good live sound i have heard some people in addition to a good compressor use filters (particularly on the low end), gates and expanders they probably work quite well together he he! but maybe the compressor goes on the end of that lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[quote name='oldslapper' post='1044886' date='Dec 2 2010, 12:01 PM']Please excuse my general ignorance on these matters, but I was thinking about changing the blue driver in my ashdown combo for a celestion neo, to lessen the weight. However, I have a feeling that it's not as simple as taking out the old one and putting a new one in?? I looked on the wiki pages but couldn't locate the appropriate threads. My own, rather agricultural approach would be to swap and see what it sounds like, but...........I have a feeling that the cabs are "tuned" (whatever that means) to suit the driver.... so I'd need to read up on some technical stuff that will make me lose the will to live....., or take up the drums... Thanks for any (monosyllabic please) advice with pretty, primary coloured, pictures.. John[/quote] Well i suppose you could give it a go, if its a combo they would be pretty well matched in terms of output ie the speaker and the amp so the amp wont push to many watts so the box might cope with it. if you try and get one of the celeste's that match your current speaker in terms of watts and frequency range it could work i say could... ie if your current speakers is something like 70hz plus and you stick a cleste's with a 40hz bottom it will prob sound very sh*te! i have been experimenting with neo for a while and have come to the conclusion that i dont like them as the tone is a little different from ferrite drivers. They are great if you want a kind of clinical 80s sound, but to me they are the opposite of the warm tone you can get with traditional drivers. my advice get some wheels..

[quote name='Clarky' post='314944' date='Oct 26 2008, 10:50 AM']Hi all, am I missing something here? I have an Aphex Punch Factory. I play pick-style in a fairly fast punk band with lots of 16th notes. Try as I might I can't really notice the pedal doing anything other than boost the volume. I had assumed it would even out peaks/troughs in my playing, as slap bassists swear by these. Is it just the style I play or are these just too subtle for old rock gits like me?[/quote] Havent tried one of these but i guess from reading about it its a bit to subtle also note that if you get a stomp box one 18volters are always better, this is illustrated by the difference between the ashdown compressor and the the old trace smx the ashdown is pretty much the same idea duel band etc probably even the same circuit but its pants being 9v it has no headroom the trace is 18volt and it sorts bass out pretty well. The ashdown is great for guitar though! With compressors I only ever compress the lows never the highs, this is especially true for your rock playing as if you compress the highs a lot you will loose the attack and the definition of each note you play. the ebs is also a very good pedal but it takes a good while to get the best out of it. Behringer dare i say make a rack compressor and its acutally very good, suprisingly. Save yourself a few quid and see if you can get an old smx pedal off ebay they turn up quite often, bought three of there from between 20 and 30 quid. If you get one just remember this the led glows red when you AREN'T feeding enough signal into it and NOT TOO MUCH! you wont overload it as i said it can take what you throw at it. I use a passive bass and i have found the best way to use a stomp box one is in the post preamp effects loop as i guess is has more signal to play with.

[quote name='jonnyfastfingers' post='1038428' date='Nov 26 2010, 11:39 PM']Sold my Ampeg VR Classic a few months ago intent on getting myself a Trace V4, V6 or V8. There has been nothing going and so getting twitchy I recently acquired from 3Below on here his beastly Marshall VBA400 and matching Marshall 2x15 cab which sounds amazing. IMHO it sounds better than my Ampeg which I played through SVT810 cab, doesn't sound as muddy yet retains growl. Anyway just seen 2 different Trace V6's on eVilbay today, what are the odds of that?!?! Part of me thinks get one as it's been a dream of mine for years, but I'm now so happy with the Marshall Illl probably regret it.[/quote] Just my opinion but i think the v4 was the gem of that lot, the v6 and v8 are very heavy, and dare i say it overkill for most things these days (400watts valve power) and the cabinet of the amps are made out of rice paper they just fall to bits. 6 and 8 kt88 matched is quite a lot of money these days as they need pretty good ones! v4 is plent loud enough for anything and they are a bit more plentiful and more reasonably priced. I thought these where the nuts at one time until i heard a matamp!

Hi, I am trying to source some power transistors for a bit of studio gear, I can buy 20,000 of them from a trader but I only need a a few, I am looking for two NPN KD2059 Y 411 and two epitaxial ,NPNs D600 Y420 like I said they are readily availble but no one can sell me a few! Cheers dan

[quote name='tedgilley' post='989149' date='Oct 15 2010, 12:14 PM']I need a pair of pickups for my Squier jazz. All are quite similar in price over here--around $110 per pair--but what a range of choices (at least among brands, if not sounds). May try the Duncan Basslines Hot Jazz pickups, also looking at their Vintage Bass pickups. I want to keep a pretty deep neck tone but I also want to be able to dial up some growl/definition from the bridge pickup; the current stock pair are just barely making the grade. Currently playing mostly jazz with a trio (no drums), and definition and clarity are a must. I'd appreciate any recommendations! Thanks, Ted[/quote] Hi Ted, Probably to late as you have probably bought those pickups, but can i suggest having a look at boost the signal from your existing pickups, I have the same probs with my fav old jazz bass. so i use a art mic pre to boost the signal its a valve preamp costs 30 bucks. I was amazing at the increased definition clarity and low end tightness i got from a little boosting, if you start playing amplified double bass you will defo need to use one as a signal boost and a buffer amp. just junk the stock tube its no good, if you can put in a jj 12UA7

[quote name='mercuryl' post='1030830' date='Nov 20 2010, 08:19 PM']I played bass (2010 USA Jazz and 1994 Warwick Fortress fretless) through a Mark Bass combo for the second time last week. First time was a 1x15 combo at a rehearsal venue in Brighton. Last week was a 2 x 10 combo in a similar place in Worthing. I just can't get a decent sound out of them that I like. Very muddy sounding. Things got better when I stuck a Line 6 X3 live in front of them - but, on their own, I just hate 'em. As I'm going to have to make do with them at rehearsals, I need to get on with it and see how they go. Anyone got any advice?[/quote] Never tried em, they are far too orange for me....... but other geezers I know seem to get a good sound out of em.......... I remain to be convinced about any amps that use class d power sections though, they seem to have hardly any dynamic range but I have only tried a few, the valve amp they have just bought out looks the nuts though

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1030501' date='Nov 20 2010, 03:17 PM']You can get an unfinished or sunburst alder body comparable to a japanese Fender (ie probably made on the same production line) from Brandoni in Wembley - if they still have them. A '78 will not relic in a cool way like 60s one, it would be more normal for it to have just picked up dents & scratchs rather than bare patches & mojo.[/quote] There is a good luthier in Carlisle he made me a solid alder body (capped) for £110 he did a candy apple one for me for £210, it took him two weeks! i think he probably undercharges!!! I This one was alder with alder cap front and back, i.e not block laminated like post 65 jazzers, I wanted a workaday copy my '63 jazz, the body ended up CAR, it weighs nothing and very resonant. It now has gotoh vintage tuners, 201 bridge, wizard pickups, warmouth neck. Awesome guitar! But you will end up sending serious mone Obviously it wasnt labelled a Fender! PM me and I will give you his details

[quote name='dan670844' post='1026393' date='Nov 16 2010, 09:24 PM']I like to hear what is coming out my bass thats why I use this on its side around one to three foot of the deck, flat response good dispersion, everything equally represented, no boom, no sag, just big square and and heavyish (22kgs) for a 2x10, but really great, but they don't make them anymore, I wish someone would have a go over here. A great sounding simple cab, for reasonable money, it will take anything a four stringer can chuck at it since this is all i play that great. The best thing is it doesnt have Neo speakers I don't like Neo speakers! ferrite any day! The eden 210XST I think are also good for this its all you need 700watts rms 1400 peak is enough for any gig, it just doesnt look cool! but i completly get you point Bill[/quote] And i put a trace smx through this sometimes it sounds great!