mcnach

Ian just bought my MarkBass LM-III head. Pleasant communication, smooth and easy. I hope you enjoy this amp!

[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1401359126' post='2462740'] Hi guys, Me and my vt bass are very happy together. [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]BUT, I like to add some grit sometimes, so I'm looking for an overdrive or possibly fuzz pedal that would pair well with the VT. An overdrive pedal that I would use every now and then, when the VT Bass would stay "on" all the time, since it's my amp simulation.[/font][/color] [font=verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=2][color=#141414]What do you think? Was considering the b7k - b3k too fizzy for me - but everyone on talkbass seems to use it like a slightly dirty pre, and that's not what I'm after. Was looking at the vmt, and the ashdown nm2 as well because of the active input and being able to set 2 distortion sounds. The reason I say possibly fuzz is that, I probably am looking for an od pedal but I am considering one fuzz pedal. The black arts toneworks pharaoh really caught me off guard, can hit some great distortion sounds,[/color][/size][/font] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVMe_BRrkVI"]https://www.youtube....h?v=EVMe_BRrkVI[/url] This is used with an active bass alongside a vt and I think it sounds good. So what do you think? Anyone have any experience of these pedals? Are there any pedals I haven't and should be considering? Any advice would be much appreciated [/quote] how about a second VT? I use two in my RATM band because they sound great at low and higher gains. I tried various others, but in the end I decided to get another VT. I had a B3K and the VMT... I just did not get along with them. The COG Darklighter might be interesting too. I have ordered one with a bunch of custom mods (loop, blend etc, but the sound will be the standard Darklighter) and I intend to replace my "dirty" VT with it when it arrives.

sweet basses. I have the butterscotch one... for £120, how come it's still there?

Did it work out ok in the end? eBay has gone downhill for some time now

I love that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1401615854' post='2465178'] It IS disturbing... I can't help but think there is one more guitarist than is necessary and definitely two 4X12 rigs more than is necessary... but looking at a pic isn't the same as hearing a band, so kudos if it's working out. [/quote] exactly! :thumbsup: I am sure that some sound guys also think I carry more stuff than necessary at times, when we play gigs with a couple of other bands and I show up, move aside the 1X15" combo provided and stack my two cabs, when I'm going to be DI'd anyway. But when I can carry both cabs, amp head and bass at once, I don't mind doing that and being able to hear myself on stage well and play happily. Once we were playing in a pub and the sound guy (PA for vocals only) sees my rig "oh, you're not going to need all that, you're going to be too loud and we can't be too loud here" etc etc, all worried. I listened, smiled and pointed at my volume knob "don't worry, I also have one of these, I'll only be as loud as you want me to be, just let me know if you want me to turn up or down". This was a St Patrick's gig and there had been two bands before we went on, with very little bass going... so with my right in my car I was not going to leave it there when I knew I could sound a lot better!

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1401614184' post='2465153'] Yeah....It is THAT loud, hence the extension cab under the combo. That said, we've never been asked to turn down and received nothing but positive feedback. We're not as loud as some local bands I've been to watch [/quote] If you are playing with people who can operate a volume knob, that set up can work perfectly well. It's just that in my experience those people are hard to find, but if you did... don't let them go!!! I often use two cabs in situations where I could do with one... but on the one hand, I'd rather have more than I need than being short (if transport is not an issue), and I like a vertical stack to get a speaker closer to ear level. Once I only had one speakon cable (forgot I had taken one out to try something at home), so one cab ended up being just a stand. Lost the floor coupling but close to the back wall it seemed to work fine. I've played with my share of extremely loud guitarists and that left me somewhat traumatised, so when I see a set up like that I tend to run away But I'm aware some people can still be sensible with volume (you say you're loud, not that you demolish pubs, so you must be doing it ok )

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1401554355' post='2464711'] See what I mean.....that's my rig squashed up against the wall [url="http://s1332.photobucket.com/user/markmojo1962/media/20140509_212859_zpsokegnfya.jpg.html"][/url] [/quote] Two guitarists with a 4x12" each, "playing predominantly tiny pubs"???

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1401018584' post='2459125'] Direct from the Status website, they are reasonably priced. I know some people have had issues with a dead string in a set, not something I've noticed but worth knowing before making a decision on whether to buy a set or not. [/quote] I did, and Status were not helpful whatsoever about it, therefore I never bought their strings again. The flats were nice, in a very "old school" kind of way. The half-wounds or ground-wounds or whatever they're called were promising but my set had at least two very dead strings and two bright ones, and I got rid off them. Hopefully that was a one off incident, but their response means I won't try again.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400955451' post='2458589'] I'm not a great believer in the tonewood thing, but received wisdom has it that maple results in more 'top end' or whatever you want to call it - I don't know about that but I can reveal that the Squier Jazz V is all-maple and with the new Balls the result is almost [i]too much[/i] snap and top - I have to have the tone control at full treble cut just to get a 'normal' Jazz tone and avoid a shitstorm of string noise and clank! Nice to know it's there if I need it, I suppose! [size=4] Maybe I'll try some flats next up...[/size] [/quote] Just use them a lot. After a couple of weeks the initial zing will go and although still have a lot of treble, will be a lot more tame. I hate new new strings too.

[quote name='Mikey R' timestamp='1400956199' post='2458604'] Sounds like its just me then. I didnt find that with the SUB I owned for a while, but I did find it with the couple of new Rays I tried out last year. Or it could have been the amp I used in the shop? Youve got me interested now, I'll have to hunt down a new Ray to try out. [/quote] I wonder if the amp had some heavy compression engaged or something. The Ray and the old American SUBs are pretty much indistinguishable, tonewise (except that some SUBs appeared to be wired with the coils in series, and those have a bit more punch).

[quote name='kennyrodg' timestamp='1400931755' post='2458271'] Ya don't say, tone controls on a Genz Benz head, well I never did Seriously though, I've had a STR900 and that tone sounds to me more akin to the STR. I always presumed (wrongly as it turns out ) that the Shuttle was a very middy head. I didn't think it was peculiar in any way, I was just a little surprised is all. Happy days. [/quote] Well, I think I understand your expectation and surprise, if you read the same reviews that I did! I nearly went and bought a STR900 because I felt the Shuttle 9.2 might be too wimpy in the low end and too sharp, too middy. I started a thread a few months back asking about both. I also liked the look of the STR900 a lot, but then I am a sucker for blue lights As it turns out, I got the Shuttle 9.2, and I love it. It's only middy if I dial the mids in to sound middy. It's got plenty of lows and it just sounds great to me. I'm sure I'd have liked the STR900 too, which is by all descriptions a warmer head, but both have enough tonal shaping options to cover a wide range.

Same here. I have a BT1 on my Stingray and on one of my SUBs. Fit is perfect, and they work great.

Nice strings, yup

[quote name='kennyrodg' timestamp='1400524100' post='2454652'] Hi Folks, Is this typical GB Shuttle tone ?? I realise the Ashdown cabs are in the mix but I wouldn't have expected the amp to sound as warm as this. Not sure why as I've never heard one before, just expectations I guess. Thanks in advance. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8jtxQawx60"]https://www.youtube....h?v=C8jtxQawx60[/url] [/quote] Hmmm, it's not a particularly peculiar sound. Of course the Shuttle amps can sound like that They have tone controls, you know?

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1400412177' post='2453541'] Taking a peek at the rear panel of an amp can be quite instructive since they usually state the actual input power requirement. A quick gander at the back of my current collection of micro amps yields: Shuttle 6: 375 watts Promethian P500H: 180 watts (!) RH450: "85 watts @ 1/8 maximum power" [/quote] indeed! But the RH450 is not quiet, that you have to admit. Another thing is whether you like the sound.

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1400604476' post='2455391'] I've had a bit of a long and unhappy history of trying to build a walnut jazz bass, just like the cool 70's ones which I'll never afford, so when this body came up on here I grabbed it with both hands! As I already own a few great jazz basses I thought a new voice was in order, so when I was browsing eBay a nice looking fretless neck came up at a good price I clicked 'buy it now' totally on a whim! I was already pretty broke by that point, so dreams of active preamps and barolini pickups are on hold!! I wanted gold hardware, so bought cheap, generic Chinese electronics, hardware and some wilkinson tuners and pickups. Problem number one was that the bridge on this body had been a gotoh with a large footprint and odd hole pattern. This meant that my bridge left gaping holes in the body. (Anyone need a generic hi mass bridge?!!) Problem number two was the after hours spent getting the bushings in the headstock (to keep assembly costs down at my local shop) I found the baseplates on the wilkinsons were too big. Darn!! A new set was purchased that look much nicer! (Gold wilkinson tuners without bushings also for sale btw!!!) One evening I quickly wired up the pickups to the controls and then just stared at the rest of the bits. I had planned to drop it into my local shop to build, as I didn't want to futz the bridge position or neck fitting, and I've only an old drill my dad left behind and usually any DIY attempts fail BADLY!! So I dropped by the shop, only to find it closed. That evening I just started to tinker, until I just thought 'in for a penny'. Grabbed my drill and started to improvise!!! A few hours later and it's built! A few more hours and the action is low, the intonation spot on and it plays and sounds great, only causality a snapped cheapo pickup screw. I love it, and the sense of satisfaction at not only having done it all myself, but also to still have fingers and a house that's not burnt down is amazing! Now I just need to learn how to play fretless!!!! [/URL [URL=http://s34.photobucket.com/user/gafbass02/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image-13.jpg.html] Video here [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v1u7f3HqOA[/media] [/quote] wow, love it!

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1400528739' post='2454731'] I'll never understand why people make such a big deal about this bridge and feel the need to fit them as an 'upgrade'. Don't see the appeal and I certainly didn't fall in love with it when I had one on a Fender I used to own. Just a bridge, isn't it? [/quote] same here. I much prefer the old style BBOT bridge... It works, I don't see a need to change it. Except for a version with grooved saddles, I like those better for the string spacing adjustability. Simple. Like me

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1400829255' post='2457268'] What I liked was the sound as soon as you pick it up, no nonsense basses. [/quote] Same here. I keep messing about with other basses, Jazz in particular although lately Precision too... but I always go back to a Stingray in one form or another. It just works for me, sound and feel-wise. Of course, other people feel the same about other types of bass, and that's ok. There's no universally "best" bass for anything.

[quote name='Mikey R' timestamp='1400433537' post='2453810'] No-one else has mentioned this - when I tried out a Ray, I found that you get the same sound whether you play soft or really dig in. I can see how this would be useful, but I didnt get on with it, I like to vary my sound by varying technique, which the Ray didnt respond to. [/quote] That's... surprising to me.

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1400849179' post='2457500'] I know there have been threads on this subject before but I'd value members comments A friend's recent comment on Farcebook to the effect that he'd "broken another string" got me thinking. In more than 30 years playing, I've never broken a string. I've never had a bass let me down either. I tend to go for passive basses so there's less to go wrong. On a couple of gigs, I've taken a back-up but never used it. Sometimes it sits on a stand all night or, if space is tight, it'll go back in it's case and get put in whichever room/store cupboard the venue owner has given us to store gear for the night. I'm starting to question whether I need to take a back-up or even keep a back-up. There's no question of 'rotating' my basses. My BB414 does the job perfectly and the back-up, though a great bass, just doesn't do the job as well as far as my current band is concerned. Does anyone else just take one bass to a gig or even own just one bass, leaving no option [/quote] it depends. I ask myself "what would happen if I break a string? Can I get away with replacing it on the spot?". Typically, the answer is yes, so I don't take a back up. Sometimes I don't want to risk it, either through string breakage or other unforeseen issue, and in that case I take two basses if feasible. But that's very rare. It may bite me in the ass one day, but I'm a firm believer of maintenance and keeping your instrument healthy, and that seems to eliminate 95% of the issues people report (exculding string breakage, which is a very minor issue)...

tiny! compare it to the body of the bass

[quote name='ThePapabull' timestamp='1397175850' post='2421571'] Hi all Can anyone give me some advice/help regarding the best soloution for portable busking ie without access to a mains supply. I've been told that using an inverter with a car battery is ok but am unsure how thus would work also how long I could get out if it using a small combo, and lpedal looper. Also unsure how many charges a car battery could take using it this way before it got knackered !!! If an inverter is the way to go what one / type would be best? Any help gratefully received Cheers all PB [/quote] I was weighing options last year, and I was very tempted by one of the several options that revolve around a battery plus inverter, so that I could use any amp. In particular my small MarkBass combo. However, I got tempted by one of these: QTX QR10PA, from Amazon, at just under £150. Small, light... it claims it lasts several hours... so I pulled the trigger, and I am VERY happy with it. Is it the bass sound against all bass amps should be measured against? No, it isn't. But it is not bad at all. It is a lot louder than I have ever needed [1] and the battery does seem to last for several hours without problems. It is light, smaller than the picture suggests, and easy to carry around (forget about the wheels, just lift it and carry it). They make a version with a 12" speaker at only about £20 more, which may be interesting too, but for busking I am very very happy with this. There is a bit of hiss coming through mine, but only noticeable at home by myself, not on the street. The tonal shaping options are very limited, so adding an EQ pedal (or using a bass with a preamp and active EQ) might be a good idea, but I used it by itself with a Precision and it was good too. I bought a Zoom MS-60B that gives me a tuner and EQ all in one (plus a lot more), but the batteries do not last long so I stopped using that. [1] I used it busking with a band that consisted of: 3 guitarists (typically each with a Roland microcube each, i.e.: louder than acoustic guitars) 1 vocalist (through a separate amp, or sometimes one of the microcubes, although those distort) trumpet saxophone drummer playing a reduced kit: hi-hats, snare and little else. When we played by the beach on a busy afternoon in the beach walk in Portobello, the microcubes ran out of juice and I was still going. I could have been a lot louder than I was, if I wanted to overpower everyone. It works. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Qtx-178-840UK-QR10PA-portable-PA/dp/B009L4KZ8I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1400873795&sr=8-3&keywords=QTX"]http://www.amazon.co...-3&keywords=QTX[/url] Although I put emphasis on it being able to be loud... remember it has a volume knob At many locations you cannot play too loud, as you'll get complaints, so be sensible. But I'd rather be able to play louder and hold back, than wanting louder and having to push something else into distortion and sound bad. I have played with this thing many times where volume was not an issue: the above beach busking session (it was an organised thing, where noise was ok), several pub "acoustic" sessions, etc. On Sunday my band will be playing at the Knockengorroch festival, in SouthWest Scotland. In the afternoon there is a tent for "acoustic sessions" where we have secured a slot. The little QR10PA will allow me to play there easily, with my usual bass. You can take it anywhere, and it will additionally play tracks from a USB stick with separate volume control or using an AUX input. There is actually a second input, but one single volume. If you want to use it for two instruments, best to use an external pedal to adjust the signal (like an EQ pedal). It does come with a crappy wireless mic... ignore it