mcnach

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1497376863' post='3317695'] Looks good. Have you had a chance to check it out with the s112s yet? I wonder if the HPF might do useful things for them. I had an Acoustic Image head with a variable HPF, and it was handy for getting a little extra loudness out of a small cab before it starts to complain. I tend to like what a bright switch does for the voicing of an amp too, so the features on this one look quite attractive. [/quote] No, I haven't yet, but I suspect you're right. I'm always wary of pushing the lows too far with the S112s and I always used a Thumpinator with them.

[quote name='The59Sound' timestamp='1497352812' post='3317445'] Do quiet rehearsal bands play quietly at gigs too? [/quote] I don't know what others do. I like to let the FOH PA do the heavy lifting and not be excessively loud onstage, because if we are it's hard to hear everybody clearly enough... and it makes it impossible to play 'reactively'.

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1497348778' post='3317415'] A few years ago, the band I was playing with was asked to perform at a quite prestigious gig which was to take place on an outdoor stage in the main square of a city in Poland. I asked if I needed to bring my own amp, but was repeatedly told it wasn't necessary as the back line would be provided. Anyways, we arrive and check the back line on stage and sure enough there is an Ampeg half stack so I'm thinking all is well. We were told our soundcheck would be a quick 5 minutes immediately before our set, so imagine my surprise when I take to the stage and find that the Ampeg rig has disappeared and has been replaced by a tiny Hartke 50w combo! Bollocks! Luckily I was just about able to hear my bass DI'ed through the monitors or I would have been in major trouble. [/quote] Ha! Luxury! You had monitors!!! Outdoor gig I did a few years ago... everything provided, yes. Out in the field it sounded good. The bass was strong and clear, no problem there. Our turn comes to come onstage (just brief linechecks) and I look around for the bass amp. Then... I see a tiny 30W Gorilla practice amp with a cable plugged into the line out at the back. I put it on a couple of crates and even if it was cranked and pointing at me I could barely hear anything. There was no bass on the monitors. Oh joy. That was an experience...

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1497302183' post='3317212'] We always rehearse at low volume. Its easier to spot errors and easier to call a halt to sort them out If you can hear exactly what the whole band is doing, more so when working up new songs. [/quote] +1 if you can't clearly hear everything that's going on, how does it help anybody? I was *briefly* in a band that played really really loud. You could not make out what was going on. I recorded it and listening back it was easy to pick a few places where the second guitar was playing stuff that clashed with the rest... but at the volumes they were playing you would not notice. Utterly pointless.

For a number of reasons, mainly the fact that I think they sound really good, I've ended up with two 4ohm BF Two10 cabs. They're not quite as nice sounding as the TKS S112 that I *love*, but they're not too far off, and they can handle a lot more power, get a lot louder, and have a stronger bottom end (yet still tight)... The MarkBass LM3 has been my choice of amplifier for a while now. I've tried a bunch of other heads, light and not so light, and while the LM3 is not the absolute best, I really like it and it's extremely easy to get good sounds out of it. You have to try hard to get a bad sound. For that reason, it's been my favourite: a simple, no-nonsense, reliable and relatively cheap amplifier. When I came to the two Two10 cabs I thought I'd try them in series (8ohm) and see first, although my plan was to get a second LM3 and use both together with the two cabs. They're small enough that carrying an extra head is not exactly a hardship, and I like the backup factor of that setup. I used the Two10 in series and it worked pretty well... but I felt that I was going to need a bit more 'oomph' at times, so I set out to get that second LM3. I used to have a Streamliner 900 that I sold and kept the 'gear tokens' towards the new head, so it was a matter of finding it. Then I got distracted. What about a 2ohm capable amplifier? There are a few. One that I tried a while ago was the Mesa D800 (thanks deksawer! ) I borrowed that amp and checked it against my Streamliner 900 and the LM3 through 1, 2 and 4 TKS S112 (that was fun). The main conclusions from that were: - the LM3 should not feel shy just because it's rated at 500W as opposed to 800-900W, it was still very punchy, very loud and great sounding. - The Streamliner just wasn't my thing and should go. - The Mesa D800 was pretty special. It sounded great, and had a certain extra quality about it... it sounded... 'bigger'. Hard to describe. It was a little dark sounding, and the treble was set a little too high for it to bring the 'air' I'd like... but that was a minor niggle. I liked it a lot and could see one of those in my future, I just wasn't ready to spend the cash yet and I didn't really need it when the LM3 was perfectly adequate even if a little less nice. So, now I was naturally after a D800. Used, to save a little bit of cash. The transferable warranty of these amps make buying them used a pretty worry-free matter. Of course I wasn't seeing any... I almost got a Fender Pro800 to try... but then I started thinking about the D800+. What is different between the D800 and the D800+? Well, the D800+ is a bit bigger... but still compact and light. That's not an important difference. There are a number of added functions on the D800+. First, the low mids and high mids have an extra control where you can select the frequency centre. I generally prefer not to have that, as I am going to be tweaking to death over the first few months... I'd rather have an amp with simpler controls that are set the way I like them. In that respect, the LM3 is pretty cool. But, fine, it's a matter of self control and adds usefulness, no doubt. I wish the knobs for the boost/cut and the frequency selector were different, as I find it too easy to turn the wrong one by mistake... I might just change the knob, actually. Anyway... semiparametric 2-band mids, covering from to 150Hz to 5000Hz. That's quite a range. In fact, the treble control is a little high for my liking, but the high mids can easily be turned into a "lower treble" of sorts when needed. However, I don't think I need that... the D800+ adds a "bright" switch, which adds just the right amount of presence I was missing from the D800. Brilliant. This switch just made a great head that was a "little dark" into a great head "full stop". Both D800 and D800+ have the "voicing" control, which is a bit like the VPF control on MarkBass heads... but much more useable in my opinion (so it doesn't work the same way, clearly). All the way off to "flat" position the D800 sounds... not too different from an LM3, in fact... but then once you start turning it clockwise and/or using the EQ it quickly moves away into a different territory. I find that I like this control set at around 9 o'clock... it smoothens and warms up things a bit. Between this and setting the input gain just right (which can add a tiny bit of very nice 'grit' unlike the LM3 which just sounds ugh if you turn it too high), you can get a really nice, fat, defined, delicious sound. That's all great. However, what I'm in love with is the variable HPF control. It's the feature that made me consider this amp in the first place... and it's turned out to work much much much more nicely than I expected. I have used fixed HPF before, but this has been a revelation. It allows you to adjust the bottom end *just so*. You can still get a fat bottom end, but keep it tight and defined without crazy low end... I haven't yet tested it at a gig, as I've just got it... but I can see this is going to be incredibly useful and I think I'm going to be looking for this feature in pedal form and let my trusty Thumpinator go. So... what an amplifier! I love it. I remembered the D800 being very nice... but the extra features in the D800+ just make it superb. The combination of the D800+ with the Two10 cab(s) is fantastic. Very good match. Ok, and to finish, the obligatory picture... (the controls don't reflect my favourite settings or anything as it was taken before I sat down properly to investigate it)...

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1497271036' post='3316909'] This thread passed me by originally but having just seen it, and particularly this comment, I find it relevant to my situation with my current band. The bandleader wants us to play 'songs he likes' at the expense of 'songs people want to hear' which in my opinion isn't a sustainable model for a covers band that exists to play pub gigs. [/quote] I agree... I think the selection has to have a broad appeal for it to work. But I hope there are satisfactory ways to compromise. I liked the method suggested above, where the songs chosen came from well known bands and the songs themselves were well known, just maybe not the top "hit" but the second... something that will still be instantly recognised and liked, but not always the most obvious song that everybody does.

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1496517366' post='3312072'] It's the same with trem-spring covers (or whatever you call them) on the backs of guitars. Firstly, why take them off? And secondly, why not put them back on after? [/quote] I do that on my two strats. Restringing is quite trickier on mine with the covers on... and I do replace strings a lot more often than on my basses. I do keep the covers and screws safely, but I like my strats without back covers, always have. As for truss rod covers... again I do prefer basses without them. They look ugly to me... but at least I don't feel the urge to remove them as a truss rod tweak is not something I do often.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1496702076' post='3313367'] Thank christ, I thought it was just me. [/quote] my own teaspoon, mug, and set of cutlery... you just cannot rely on the other people. Now I get people asking to borrow mine because mine are always clean

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1458046851' post='3004158'] Here we go, then... the audio clip suits the bass mod really well in that it was a bit rushed, I got impatient and the whole thing would have been much better had I taken my time and done it properly... It's a bit noodly, but you should get an idea of what the bass sounds like. 2 minutes. [url="https://soundcloud.com/mark-smith-908669702/hb-audio-2"]https://soundcloud.c...9702/hb-audio-2[/url] Bass DI through an Edirol UA5 Audio Interface into FL Studio 12. No FX except for light compression and a little reverb on the intro. [/quote] I have been listening to that clip a few times right now... addictive. As usual, I just love your playing and that bass sounds great in your hands. I sold my CV50s Precision last year, but I've been having GAS for another bass of this kind to use with flats, and this has convinced me to get an HB when I actually decide to get a bass... anyway, thank you again for a great thread and lovely sounds!

[quote name='Ruck' timestamp='1497215311' post='3316640'] I actually really like the distorted sound without the speaker sim (I run mine into poweramp/barefaced cab). But seeing as the speaker sim button only defeats it for the 1/4" output and not the DI output on my VT Bass Deluxe I dont use it. [/quote] Through a speaker cab I also prefer to deactivate the speaker sim, it's when it goes through the DI that it becomes very useful as it tames the harshness you'd otherwise get. If I had the DeLuxe then I'd probably deactivate it all the time, like you do.

I'm surprised not to see much love for the MarkBass LM2/3... it's not flashy, it hasn't got lots of cool functions, and it may not be the best amp out there but it just refuses to sound bad. I think it's a great working amp, and very nicely priced. The Mesa D800 isn't half bad either...

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1497204226' post='3316530'] It's the one pedal I too use constantly. [/quote] I'm in a bad situation right now. It's making me remember why I had two of the things... as it covers such a wide range of sounds, I used to set one with a smooth thick low overdrive sound, and another with a higher gain kind of sound... They react very well to the midrange EQ knob in my Stingray, which almost works as an on-board drive knob... with two pedals you cover a lot of ground. I guess I might own two again sometime in the near future

[quote name='danbowskill' timestamp='1497201950' post='3316506'] Haha......i 100% know where you are coming from. My tube amp is in for repairs at the mo so I just got another (7th one since they came out at my count ) to go into a old peavy head. Been through a lot of other preamp peds......but this just works. Fantastic into a foh pa [/quote] the speaker simulation built into it is pretty handy if you use a very distorted sound, as it generally sounds horrible from DI to the main PA... it's not the best sounding but it works pretty well.

[quote name='deksawyer' timestamp='1497191927' post='3316434'] I'm only now considering selling it as I'm not gigging as much now after leaving The Polis, so I've not advertised it anywhere..... D. [/quote] Oh, I see... I wish I had known. It'll sell in a heartbeat, 'though, I am sure. I kind of like the idea of owning the very amp I tried in the first place... ah well. So I never got to see The Polis!

Happened to me a few times. It was the string. Once it was fixed by removing the string and winding it again... maybe it was twisted? The other times I ended up installing another string to cure it.

I've had a VT-Bass pedal for quite a while (in fact, I used to own two v2 units, now I just own one with the Putnam mod adding a DI XLR socket to it). I go through phases where I think I don't really need it... and just before I am about to put it for sale, a situation arises where I need an overdrive pedal and this one just keeps coming with the right sounds. VT-bass: the pedal that refuses to go away.

Get in touch with David Wilson... he is great to deal with and his work is impeccable. He's done work for a few well known artists, but his rates will be more attractive than you'd probably imagine. Still, my main reason to approach him is the quality of his work, not the cost. The cost is just a bonus. He's refinished a body for me, and cleaned/lacquered the maple neck of my Stingray... I would not go anywhere else. [url="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002025970885&fref=nf"]https://www.facebook...5970885&fref=nf[/url] edit: he's also a bass player

Filling that gap will never be a good idea. It'll probably not look great without a lot of work and if you ever need to replace the pickup you'll curse. A lot. If replacing the pickup covers is not an option, and it looks like it would be risky in your case... do you really need those pickups? I'd choose another set that sounds good which you can replace pickup covers on. There's lots of pickups out there that would fit the bill and look just right.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1497123107' post='3316049'] If you cover Hawkwind, King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator, the pubs might hate it, but I'd come and see you! [/quote] I'll let you know!

[quote name='deksawyer' timestamp='1497109637' post='3315926'] Mine is for sale..... [/quote] Really??? nooo! I was looking for a used one to save a bit of cash as these beasts are not cheap! I could not find one... Eventually I went for a D800+... which is nice as I like the HPF (the semiparametric controls are a bonus but not necessary, as the D800 works very well as it is, as I found out... but I would have absolutely gone for your D800 had I known. Is it advertised here? How did I miss it???

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1497110867' post='3315945'] Brilliant! You couldn't make these things up could you? We play at a venue where the undertaker from next door always turns up, he's got a bit of a wandering hand when it comes to the young ladies he pushes by which inevitably ends up with a fight! ps-Estamos en españa ahora, mi espanol es más mejor como el año pasado. La picina, mis revistas, unas cervezas y helados ¡Perfecto! [/quote] Rub it in, won't you!!!??? (scottish weather... ugh) Espero que lo estes pasando bien It sounds like you are.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1497038531' post='3315548'] I've seen footage of a live band where some total idiot ended up on the Mic right at the front, just stood there he was glaring at everyone, obviously he couldn't hold a tune for his life once he inevitably tried to join in with the band, no one tried to stop him or anything. Turned out to be Oasis [/quote] !!!! a few weeks ago with my RATM band, a drunk guy jumped onstage... there was no mic for him as the guitarist was right infront of his and the singer had his in his hand... started jumping about with the singer, who humoured him for a bit... but he was getting a bit out of hand and I moved towards them to block him from getting into my not small pedalboard... then singer managed to get rid off him. We thought that was it. It wasn't. He proceeded to take his willy out and pee on the dance floor... Glad he didn't do it onstage or I might be typing this from prison.

I just bought a Boss Chorus pedal from Dave. It arrived quickly, safe, great condition, no fuss. Very pleased. Thank you, Dave

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1496945004' post='3314924'] Loads of Hawkwind, King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator tunes to choose from. Guaranteed floor-fillers down the Dog & Duck [/quote] We don't play the Dog & Duck anymore. It's the Tickled Trout or better now.

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1496943393' post='3314919'] The Led Zeppelin Story.....unplugged. [url="https://www.facebook.com/The-Led-Zeppelin-Story-730639227005478/"]https://www.facebook...30639227005478/[/url] They are playing Motherwell Concert Theatre in August. I know they've played Glasgow various venues recently but not sure about Edinburgh. Dave [/quote] That's very cool, thank you!