mcnach

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1455651422' post='2981201'] 'Ma-roosh-chick'...[list] [*][url="https://www.facebook.com/MARUSZCZYKINSTRUMENTS/photos/a.10150116450572396.285289.292530792395/10153187012377396/?type=3&permPage=1"]Fretless[/url] [*][url="https://www.facebook.com/MARUSZCZYKINSTRUMENTS/photos/pb.292530792395.-2207520000.1455651164./10153172083047396/?type=3&theater"]Fretlesses[/url] [*][url="https://www.facebook.com/MARUSZCZYKINSTRUMENTS/photos/pb.292530792395.-2207520000.1455651164./10153172082117396/?type=3&theater"]Fretless[/url] [*][url="https://www.facebook.com/MARUSZCZYKINSTRUMENTS/photos/pb.292530792395.-2207520000.1455651164./10153053807692396/?type=3&theater"]BONKERS fretless[/url] [*][url="https://www.facebook.com/MARUSZCZYKINSTRUMENTS/photos/pb.292530792395.-2207520000.1455651164./10152958962732396/?type=3&theater"]Fretless[/url] [/list] ...etc :-) [/quote] pretty close... the matter of pronounciation bothered me so much that I had to get a Polish girlfriend so that she could teach me to pronounce it and now that I can pronounce it... I' already thinking about my third M-bass Well, I love the sound of a Jazz, but not the neck of the large body... so it has to happen, right?

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1455649037' post='2981156'] Well you are if you diss something without listening to it. [/quote] I suspect most here are 'dissing' Kanye for his comments/antics, more than for his musical output, which often appears to take a second place to his public persona.

[quote name='Bass-Thing' timestamp='1455575358' post='2980456'] Because the only reason I didn't get one is that they were discontinued... I had to settle for the Bugera Veyron Tube instead which apparently is a bloody good copy. Curious to know how you felt about yours... that's all. [/quote] Oh, well... yes, I like it But I never had the chance to try a Veyron, so I have no idea how they compare but I suspect I'd be happy with the Veyron too.

[quote name='Bass-Thing' timestamp='1455476793' post='2979458'] How are you enjoying your Streamliner? [/quote] erm, I am enjoying it alright, why?

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1455374403' post='2978570'] Until they break. Which they will. [/quote] ... or not. I have used Behringer amps very successfully for years. B-bashing gets oh so tiresome.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1455184826' post='2976706'] I joined a band when I don't even think I could play a whole song through. You're never going to be "ready" enough, so just do it [/quote] This. get out there, and feel the pressure... you'll improve really fast. Also, maybe don't wait for teh perfect band. My first band on bass was not exactly the kind of music I wanted to play... but it did wonders for my playing andmotivation, and gave me a better view of what my level was compared to other bands out there... it also allowed me to meet other musicians, some of which I joined latr in other projects for something I liked better... You can't get many contacts while sitting at home.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1455130787' post='2976299'] Ok so I've came close to stopping playing before and I carried on but once again I'm having a bit of a wobble for much the same reasons. Today I tried to learn a few tunes and it was a horrible experience I won't say what they are through embarrassment I suppose they would be considered beginner to intermediate level. I'm not very good to put it bluntly for various reasons and I don't think I'm going to get anywhere near the standard I want and my standards are actually pretty low. I've been playing/learning for nearly 3 years and apart from a few weeks here and there I've always practiced at least an hour a day. I'm really really not a natural that and an old forearm/hand injury probably means my left hand will always struggle and it may not get much better than it is now. I can't get past a fairly basic level of playing although my basic playing and technique are alright I'm really struggling to do many songs and I won't be happy at my current level. I could go for lessons but there are a few reasons why I can't. My girlfriend thinks I should quit and said I'm clearly not enjoying it, when that's not true I do find it frustrating but I think I'm happy learning I think. And she also said bluntly at times I am not very good, which really got to me, it wasn't meant to but it basically really hurt and depressed me. I'm worried if I quit it will actually effect me, as learning to play, working on basses and so on is my main hobby now, what else will i do. Not to mention I've invested a bit of money and a lot of time learning all the aspects of fret work and replacement. General bass setup. I feel if I quit playing there is no way I would want anything to do with working on them as I would feel like I failed. And I did have plans this year to further my skills with the goal of maybe in the future doing it as a profession, that would be down the drain. At the end of last year I taken 5-6 or so weeks off playing and while I came back really enthusiastic I'm not sure if taking another break will work. I feel equally trapped between wanting to continue learning and quitting. I could argue it both ways! Someone once said maybe bass isn't for me, I don't want to hear that but maybe it isn't. It is my fav instrument and I can't see me learning anything else so if I quit it would be me quitting learning to play any instrument. Maybe I'm making to big a deal about what is a hobby but I really feel I don't have anything else going for me currently [/quote] It sounds to me like you do love bass and don't want to quit... I'd quit if it stopped being fun. I'd ask that question to myself: has it stopped being fun? At times I've felt less interested, and like I could not play anything even if it weren't true, and I may have temporarily spent less time playing (guitar/bass)... but I always came back because I love it. If you quit because you feel you'll never get to level X or your girlfriend says you're not very good, I think that would be a sad thing to do Maybe you're not very good. So what? As long as you enjoy it... and if you enjoy it chances are you'll get much better than you expect. I hope you can remove the pressure factor from playing bass. I mean, it's not like you depend on it for a living or you plan to, right? When I started playing guitar my aim was very low. Then I reached that goal and I thought "ah, ok... maybe I can stretch to this other thing" and set another low aim. Then I reached it, and so on. And I never tried particularly hard. No, I was not a natural, I just enjoyed it, so I spent time on it, having fun... and little by little things stick. If you feel your bass playing is not going anywhere, I think it's normal to feel a bit down, and if you have someone you love putting you down, I understand the temptation to quit. But I think you'd regret it, from what you say. I may be wrong but that's the feeling I get. Join a band! Being in a band will do a lot for your motivation and your progress, I am sure. Playing by yourself can be cool, but it's nothing like playing in a band and the feeling you get from playing music, live, with others. If you really really really want to become a good bass player, then you need to work hard at it. Talent helps, but even the most talented player only got there through putting the hours. There's no substitute for hours and effort. If you want to be very good... then that's what you have to do. However, you don't need to be very good to enjoy bass, I think. A lot of great bass lines don't require much dexterity, and with a little bit of work anybody an get to a level that they can sound decent and play along to their favourite songs, or play their own... and if you enjoy that, then there;s nothing wrong with not becoming a top class player! If you quit, let it be your decision, based on your level of enjoyment... not because someone tells you you are not very good (nice support, by the way :/)

[quote name='Mattpt85' timestamp='1455125032' post='2976212'] You can ask for that, think someone on here has already [/quote] yup, I think they just kept the "M" logo.

I had a good try yesterday during rehearsal with a D800 (thanks, Deek! ) and I have to say that is a pretty cool amp. I compared the MarkBass LM3 into 4x TKS S112 (8ohm load, 300W max) against the Mesa D800 with the same 4x S112, connected differently to take advantage of the 2ohm option, 800W max. Both were loud, that's for sure. I was in a large rehearsal room and we played louder than usual just to humour me for a bit... our drummer hits hard, and he tried his worse, but either combination would be way too loud for an unamplified drummer so I am not going into what sounds loudest. I suspect the Mesa will... but volume-wise with 4x speakers, amp power is not a big issue. Now, I did try them into 2 speakers only... The LM3 gets the full 500W (4ohm load) and the Mesa, with the switch at 4/8 will produce 800W into the 4 ohm load. This combination is plenty loud with the LM3 and will be what I use the most: it'll easily match the drummer levels and sounds good, it just won't have the 'girth' I get with 4 speakers. I didn't spend a lot of time with this combination, just enough to play a bit and match settings etc. So, with the 4 speakers... Last week I tried the Streamliner 900 and the LM3. I liked both. Both were loud enough, and I could not feel the Streamliner was significantly louder within the confines of a rehearsal room.. large for a rehearsal room, but still nothing like the kind of venue I'd use all 4 speakers in, so this impression might change in 'real life'. Tonality is a matter of personal preference... I did prefer the Streamliner marginally, but the LM3 sounded 'punchier' and bigger somehow. Hard to describe. Then yesterday, I thought I'd take the LM3 to compare against the D800, as I wasn't so much interested in sheer volume as in the actual sound. I found that the tone controls are very well designed for my taste. Better than the LM3, where I find the low mid control is a bit too 'unrefined', although I felt the low control was nicer on the LM3. I could get a nicer control over the top end with the Mesa. The deep switch felt too much for me, I don't think I'd ever use it... blah blah... I won't go into versatility etc... suffice to say you can get a wide range of sounds, it's definitely not a one trick pony. The contour knob adds to the versatility.. I personally did not like it. But I never like contour controls. So, alright, so far so good... it's a very nice amp, but I don't feel I'm missing much from using either the LM3 or the Streamliner... *except* one thing. There is one thing about the D800 that set it apart: it sounds BIG. I do not know what it is, and I cannot even describe it... it just sounds like it's got 'body'... bigger than the LM3/Streamliner. I played the LM3 alone, and I was happy with it... then I switch to the D800 and I was happy with it... then back to the LM3... and it felt a bit 'meh', like something had been removed from its sound. It's that kind of non-obvious at first listen difference, but once you notice it you cannot not hear it. I can see a D800 in my future, just not sure which of the LM3 or Streamliner it would replace as I like different things in both. Perhaps the LM3, as it lacks a mute button and that really annoys me There's one thing that worries me a bit on the D800: the impedance switch. It's at the back, but very easy to flick. I'd be worried when using a 2ohm or 2.7ohm load (4 or 3 8ohm cabs respectively) that I might inadvertently flick the switch to the wrong position, or that someone needed to adjust something behind the backline, maybe reconnect a DI or something, and flick that... I've seen weirder things happen! I suspect the amp might switch itself off before damage occurs, as is the case with many modern light amp designs, but I'd be nervous anyway. Personally, I'd prefer that switch on the front, big, and under a idle-finger-proof transparent plastic cover... but that's just me. Very nice amp. It also feels reassuringly 'solid' and well made, which is nice, and to the point... without interesting colour patterns or flashy logo illumination So that's the 2ohm search for me, I think. If I get such an amp... it's probably going to be the D800. And even if I don't need the 2 ohm option... I might still get one anyway. It's just a very nice sounding amp.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1454893936' post='2974010'] Me looking smiley with the rest of the 'Spoons [/quote] looks like fun!

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1454768465' post='2972795'] I've just realised that the gig I want to use them for is a week today, which seems like a scenario from one of those cheesy home improvement challenge programs on TV. Will I make it in time? Who knows... [/quote] Nailbiting stuff!

I had two, both tidy. I used to use them without a scratchplate.

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1454673026' post='2971865'] [b]Active only.[/b] Sting spacing felt like 19mm. Be aware that not all of them have the same electronics. Some have a 3 way coil tap, some have a mid contour switch instead. Some have both ! I swapped out the pickups on mine for some Aguilars and it's a very big improvement - it's on par with a Lakland or Sandberg now. The EQ is functional but I rarely use it. I know some people have converted theirs to passive only. EDIT - The mod I did on mine made the coil tap not function, but I will be getting this changed to a 2 way (humbucker and rear coil only). [/quote] You sure? My GB74 is switchable active/passive... and the GB75 is only the 5-string version. But there are at least two incarnations of these basses, with different control layout, so maybe that changes things.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1454760081' post='2972679'] I tend to just tip everything out onto the floor and cry while I wished I'd bothered to coil everything nicely last time I packed down. [/quote]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1454692355' post='2972188'] You lot are a sensitive bunch [/quote]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1454690525' post='2972155'] Given that there are publicly accessible feedback threads, and the request was for a forum nickname, and not the personal details of the buyer, is this really a big deal? There have been instances where disgruntled buyers post threads about being disatisified with a deal and half the forum immediately knows who the other party is just by playing follow the feedback... [/quote] That's what I thought too. I wouldn't think it was an inappropriate question, but that's just me. Would I give the nick of the buyer? Unless the buyer had given me any indication that he was a very private person, yes, I don't see why not. It's not like I'd give their address or phone number or a real name... Maybe the more cautious approach would be to ask the new owner if he is ok to pass on this information... but frankly, I don't see what the problem is. Being harassed by PM? It's extremely easy to ignore/delete/block someone if you wish... Dunno. I think sometimes some people worry too much here.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1454696195' post='2972238'] That's the problem. I used to have an Ashdown Electric Blue - 180W into a 12" speaker. Did a few gigs with master volume at about halfway, and thought I had plenty of headroom. Then, at one particularly loud gig, I needed some more oomph, only to be disappointed to discover that turning up louder wasn't giving me any significant increase in volume. That was a bit of a rude awakening, I can tell you. S.P. [/quote] sometimes that is not the amp so much but a limitation of the speaker, as you find out by adding another speaker and discovering the amp keeps getting louder a bit more as you keep turning the volume.

Looking good!

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1454600091' post='2971237'] This. they're just the latest flavour of the month on here. 12 months time the marketplace will be full of them while people all rush to get the next best thing ever. [/quote] sometimes the latest flavour of the month is so good it becomes established. Try them for yourself, and decide then whether it's just hype or there's more to it.

[quote name='colleya' timestamp='1454599514' post='2971228'] 'Out for delivery.' Three of the sweetest words in the English language. [/quote] got batteries in your camera?

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1454592001' post='2971119'] Well, I'll be passing through Edinburgh in about ten days time if you change your mind... [/quote] not yet, not yet but if you want to hear how your Compact and a BB2 sound together, let me know and we could arrange something

Damn, the LM3 sounds sweet through a pair of these S112s! It seems that the LM3 is better suited to the S112 than the Streamliner was. It even seems louder somehow!

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1454529492' post='2970606'] I'd spot those strides anywhere... If that's the front of house (speakers on boxes) that you think are suitable for a venue that size, you should have turned that one down too... [/quote] I'm enjoying the puns But I imagine this gig wasn't meant to *fill* the whole hangar with loud music. A lot of the time you just want a band to be reasonably loud within a certain perimeter, but leave the venue open overall so that people can talk too... I suspect this is one of those gigs. Sometimes the band is not what people go to see, but a side entertainment.

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1454578727' post='2970898'] Yes but point 2 is the hard bit. When I was looking for an amp for pubs gigs in a rock band I looked at a lot of 200 amps and read conflicting reviews where some said they were loud enough and others not. Even sales people in various music shops had opposing views and trying it in a shop does not give you any basis of how it would sound at a gig. I ended up buying a 500 amp to cover all bases hence my original post [/quote] True, you never know until you try... but it's amazing how much more attention we generally give to amps vs speakers (I'm guilty too: I once let my LM3 go to get a LMT800, because I thought the 500W to 800W would give me extra oomph... and I found that it gave me some, but not really significantly more)... I think in the past it was a given that bass meant heavy&big speakers, and people could manage with lower rated amps. But as speakers improved, we ended up having a substantial offer of lightweight compact speakers and a lot of us use cabs that nobody would have considered back in the 70s/80s (just from looking at them, I mean, being so tiny)... The fact that we can get a big performance out of compact cabs sometimes makes people stick to a very compact solution and focus on amp power in order to get more volume, because the speakers can take it. However even if speakers can take the power it doesn't mean they're going to get a lot louder past a certain point, while adding another speaker, however, will increase the volume significantly. I'm in a funny place right now, regarding cabs... as I'm starting to use some very small and light 12" cabs which are 'only' rated to 250W and don't put out a lot of sound, individually. A couple of them together sound pretty good and can be pretty loud (not earth-shakingly loud, but loud nonetheless). Two of those are still very small. So small, that I got another pair. Now four of those are VERY loud. Whether I use a 300W or a 500-600W amp configuration didn't seem to make a huge difference... but adding speakers was like day and night. We should look at speakers a bit more than we do, I feel.