Ou7shined

[quote name='chris_b' post='93229' date='Nov 23 2007, 10:58 AM']I've been using 2x10 and 1x15 very successfully for many years without knowing what "....comb filtering" is and I'm afraid I haven't read the link. What kind of music are you playing? 4x10's are punchier but a 1x15 doesn't mean a lack of clarity on stage. What it will do is to give you a fuller, bigger bass sound. Maybe that is important to you? Don't be put off by techno speak. I think you should give your ears a day out and check out these combinations to hear the difference for yourself. ps Sprout curry works everytime.......[/quote] I'm in a Pearl Jam tribute. I guess you could break it down to just rock (although some of the slower stuff sounds like coun.... no I can't say it.....er.... rural American music to me) I play from ballsy to clicky to fuzzy to fretless (no longer emulated thanks to my latest project ) basically I'm trying to recreate an entire careers worth of sounds. And after 20 years of denial I am coming to terms with the fact that I [b]am[/b] actually a bass player and so have stared venturing into slap - but that's not really important kit wise it's just me piddling about. Mmmmmm sprout curry

[quote name='Machines' post='93146' date='Nov 23 2007, 07:25 AM'][url="http://www.moultonlabs.com/index.php/more/about_comb_filtering_phase_shift_and_polarity_reversal/"]<a href="http://www.moultonlabs.com/index.php/more/...arity_reversal/" target="_blank">http://www.moultonlabs.com/index.php/more/...arity_reversal/[/url]</a> Just read this through - seems feasible. However if it were a real problem that reared it's head all the time - I doubt many people would use a 410 with a 115 at all..[/quote] That's an interesting article but after the great explanation on the first page, the second page seems to suggest that although the phenomena exists our brain doesn't really register it unless you're a sound engineer trying really hard to hear it. Also it didn't mention drivers of differing size and how this applies to us. I've also thought of another possible benefit of 2x4x10. Our usual stage order is PA speakers take the outsides, and inside that from stage right to left we have lead guitar amp - drummer (centre)- bass amp - rhythm guitar amp. If I had 2 equal cabs, would placing them either side of the drums work? The idea being to disperse my front of house sound more evenly and also to some extent compensate for the inadequacies of the stage monitors. That said, however unfounded, the idea of adding a 15 still seems to make sense. It's not that my rig is particularly lacking bottom end, but it certainly doesn't produce those lows you feel (but don't necessarily hear) at pro gigs where your organs reorder themselves in your visceral cavity. I'm not really seeking sonic surgery I just want to maximise the frequency range while utilising the full whack my amp can provide. Oh I don't know. I'm still undecided but erring toward the 4x10 again.

Oh no this is about to get complicated that's more votes in favour of 2x4x10. What is this comb filtering you speak of?

[quote name='outsider70' post='92887' date='Nov 22 2007, 05:28 PM']Scientifically proven to be the best way to achieve the 'trouser flapping effect' [/quote] I can achieve that with my grannies turnip broth.

[b]Darn it! It sold on the Bay. [/b] MB1 : That's something I've wondered about. Is there a scientific reason to have the 1x15 on the floor? Obviously if Mr. Nimrod does that he'd have his amp in the middle which would look kinda odd.

Dood : thanks, that's worth noting. [b]edit - (your 1st post I mean)[/b] Machines : If you'd been here I probably would have. indeed I've PM'ed 'im. No idea how I missed it I've been keeping an eye on the for sales too.

[quote name='Machines' post='92850' date='Nov 22 2007, 04:31 PM']Oh you mean this ? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8189"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8189[/url][/quote] I love you man... no really... I [b]love[/b] you man!

I've just remembered, I [b]do[/b] want a [b]compact[/b] :ph34r: (but still not mini) altered OP to suit. :wacko:

[quote name='Machines' post='92804' date='Nov 22 2007, 03:32 PM']I'll (eventually) go for a MAG115 in addition to my MAG210.[/quote] Yeah MAG115's are a really good price new but Ashdown told me to stay clear coz my rig would fry it.

Thanks guys. I knew I needed talking out of it. Gilmour : To clarify - when I was saying 8x10 I meant my 4x10 combo on top of a 4x10 cab. Machines : Thanks for the linkage but 300 squids is too much hence the s/h'ness of my requirements. MB1 : I can do spinal Tap. I spend half the time with one foot on a monitor pulling sex faces. David : That's exactly the idea. Although my cabs would be arse about. Your pic is sweet.

As you may know I'm looking for a s/h cab to get extra juice from my 500evo 410 combo. Ashdown (and others) have recommended me a ABM 115. I don't want a mini, I'd like to have a matched stack. Been searching for a couple of weeks now but a full sized one isn't forthcoming. However 410's are popping up all over the shop. Would I be shooting myself in the foot by going 8x10. Obviously I'd get more power from the amp (the extra weight is a consideration too) but would I noticeably lose out on a wider frequency range by not getting a 115?

We've got a manager (the lovely Suzi) and she has done really well for us but she feels a bit stretched with a 2 year old to look after and also that she has taken things with us as far as she can with her limited experience. It was her idea to put together a Pear Jam tribute act, she organised the auditions and has been busy getting gigs for us since then. But she feels that we deserve better and if the truth be told she wants time off to actually enjoy her favourite band (us) instead of sitting at the door taking money or rushing around finding a working PA 30 minutes before the start of the gig. We get a hell of a lot of interest from Ireland on our webby and could easily do a tour over there and from my own experience I know that we'd go down a storm in Deutschland. It's just that we don't know how to go about organising it. Are there agents that put on tours for kick ass unsigned bands?

[quote name='Jase' post='92493' date='Nov 22 2007, 01:09 AM']Yes, I agree play what you think you should be playing but you also need to know if what you're playing is actually any good...( this isn't directed at ou7shined by the way I'm talking in general terms) some art it just complete toss and some playing is just stupid arrogance.[/quote] Agreed. I've never "got" Jackson Polock, I find it kind of pointless but there is some abstract expressionism that does appeal to me, regardless, there are people out there that will appreciate art right across the board. Flea is a good example of a busy busy player but latterly he has chilled. He can still technically come up with the goods but where he's at just now is not the same as Mothers Milk or BSSM. Neither is right or wrong.

<---- I was warned that it would be a bad idea to start with because of the added heat but paradoxically it stops the sweat getting into my eyes... and looks a bit better than Mark Knopfler's headband.

There's a lot of good advice here but I say this - Good communication in writing partnerships is paramount but whatever you do, play it the way [b]you[/b] want to play it and if it don't fit go find a band where it does. Original music should be all about artistic expression and not about doing what you think others need or want to hear. We all have our own individual styles so why conform to someone else's idea of what you aught to be doing - unless were talking about taking constructive advice from a bass guru.... always listen to your guru.

We've never cleared a floor before, we usually start off with a stand-off-ish crowd (que singers joke about the space on the floor in front of us) and by the end of the set we have folk all over us - that's just the way we work the set list I think. But at practice if I get bored and do a bit of Sunn O))) I usually get a few WTF looks and the offended have been know to leave the room.

Great tip guys. I probably lost a bit off the back too when I sanded off the varnish. I hope it was your wifes current CC Jean-Luc I've got 4 year old Fender stainless 55-105's on, they seem ok for now although the G string is a bit bright for my liking. I seem to be forcing the fretless "bwoaup" sound just now and when I go on th G it pops a bit. I guess I'll learn to be more subtle as time goes on. Right where's that Cornflakes box.........

[b]CLUCKING BELL! [/b] That's done the trick alright. I've just been jamming away with myself and all those Del Palmer riffs that intrigued me as a youth came sliding off my bass. I've never leaned them they just came natural like. I got particularly hooked on playing the outro to KB's Breathing (although I don't think that that's one of Del's) And now I know what the sub-harmoniser on my Ashdown is really for - not just doing Mc Hammers "You can't touch this" during longer than expected breaks between songs to the amusement of the great unwashed. I can't believe that I gave this gee-tar up for dead! :wub:

Thanks man, I'm really chuffed with the neck - ended up doing a far better job of it than I intended - especially considering it only took a couple of hours. Yeah, the saddles physically can't get any lower and I reckon there's still a couple of mil left in it. Maybe I could file off the bottoms of the saddles to give myself that extra flexibility. Gonna have a crack at the nut in 10mins after my morning cuppa.

Thanks Jase, I'll check that out.

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='91954' date='Nov 21 2007, 03:31 AM']Good fun innit? I've been merrily knocking £££ off the value of my old Aria SB-1000 to the same end...[/quote] LOL I've probably just [b]increased[/b] the value of mine Loved reading about your project - looks great. I only wish, like yourself, I had access to the right tools. Cheers for the tip on spirit-based stain - visit to b&q imminent. ...and yes, wide fingers. I've been playing it a lot (poor old finger tips are starting to feel like the ones I wore out with the sandpaper) and I'm getting the hang off the fretless technique (used to play a fair bit of slide guitar) but oddly enough I feel I get more of a fretless "bwoaup" sound by using my defretter patches on my GT-6B and my fretted Ibanez. Perhaps shortening the nut will remedy this.

I was in the spare room this afternoon and I noticed my old bass' flight case skulking between boxes of old clothes and the Mrs's mountain bike, so I hoiked it out, blew the dust off and had a look in at my old plank. It was in tune !!! and I hadn't touched it in about 3 years !!! Memories came flooding back of sweaty gigs, dropped D tuning and all those thumping tunes I used to write. But sadly this G-tar will never cut it again, not now I have a "real" guitar. It was a great sounding thing after I'd fitted it with a pair of Reflex Reds and my then trademark flatwounds but the neck was sh*te, the action was too high and if I put anything other than 55-110's on it you'd need a week of fiddling to get the intonation right again. But then it came to me. How about defretting it? After all it was really the poor fret job it received the day it left the AXL factory that sealed it's fate. I've never done this before, [b]indeed I'd never even held or seen an actual fretless bass before[/b], but I figured I've got the skills. A quick flick over the inter-web to make sure it can be done (I was worried about the diff between a fretless fretboard and a standard one - apparently it can be done) and I was off. 15 mins later the frets were out. I've never liked the finish on the neck, a thick, glossy lacquer which sometimes you'd get stuck on half way through a run. My Ibanez has a silky, hardly noticeable finish on it which I like so I decided to sand of the AXL varnish too. It came off quite easily along with the embarrassing AXL logo (who?) too. Next to fill in the grooves. I knew I had wood filler, I thought it was Antique Pine which would have blended in fine with the dark fretboard. But no! I have "natural" filler about as stark a contrast as you could get. I filled the grooves, let it set, rubbed it back then went to the filler with a point of a scalpel to find any weak bits. I howked out the offending areas then refilled it again, let it go off, then rubbed it back again. Now you can't even tell (by feel anyway) that there ever were frets there at all. My final paper was P240 but it was kinda clogged so it wasn't abrasive and has actually served to polish the wood - ie the fretboard now is actually reflective in certain lights. Now the ex-clunker of a neck is as silky and fast as my Ibanez's. I stripped every bit of hardware off and cleaned then polished (where applicable). I filled up all the screw holes (bar the 4 neck ones) with more filler as some had gotten a bit lose over the years. Then put it all back together. It was when I was putting the strings back on that I realised that I didn't really know how I was going to tune it up now it didn't have frets and I never played without 'em before. I couldn't be arsed to get my tuner (GT-6B ) so I took a reference ping of my 6 string acoustic and did 5th/7th fret harmonics. Panic over I'd kept the bridge exactly where it was set up when it had frets but this was set for the high action forced by the kinky-neck-fret-buzz from it's previous incarnation. Not knowing exactly what to do with a fretless I hoiked the saddles down to their lowest seating then gave the grub screws a 1/4 turn just to nip them up and stop them falling out, screwed down the Reflex Reds to accommodate the new low strings and had a play about. It seemed fine. No more buzz and that magical "peeyow" of fretless came forth for the 1st time. I had a quick go at the intonation but it's better to do that with a tuner so I'll do it properly tomorrow. I'm going to stain the fretboard dark, maybe lightly spray on some silky lacquer to the neck - I have thought about Tung oil (do people Tung oil guitars?) put in new pots (these are a wee bit scratchy sometimes) and put my own logo on the head but there you go... my 1st fretless bass. I would have typed this up hours ago but I just couldn't put down my new toy - even if the neighbours were in bed. So back to the point of this thread - what should I know about setting up (intonation etc.) a fretless from scratch? [b]the horrible white in the grain is filler - looks rough in the pic but is actually smoother than a baby's[/b] [b]closer up[/b] [b]even closer-er up[/b] [b]from afar - looks reeeeally like a fretless.... NOT![/b] [b]the Reds & my old band name[/b]

[quote name='obbm' post='90616' date='Nov 18 2007, 11:56 PM'].....This does raise the bigger question however as to why do band members so dislike playing the songs that the paying punters like. I could reel off a whole list of popular numbers that my fellow band member just will not do. It's a kind of musical snobbery.[/quote] Same here. We are a Pearl Jam tribute. Most people know Ten (their first album) and we get more requests from it than any other, most of them are do-able but our drummer refuses to play more than a couple of tracks off it as [u]he[/u] can't stand it.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='89984' date='Nov 17 2007, 07:07 PM']Nah its definitely "something" sewn on - look at the stitches around the edge and you can see the outline of the neckplate & screw under the cover. I bet its glued on as well. Cowboys on acid shouldn't be allowed near basses. Oh well at least its only an EBMM.[/quote] Yeah the listing says it's sewn on (and lightly glued in places) and can be removed to reveal the original sunburst - which has the usual scratches etc. He goes on to say that the short hair doesn't affect the playability [b]"unless you take it in the mouth"[/b] ?????