Kev

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1470612992' post='3107161'] Kev, Please try reading my post in more detail before posting a reply that gives the impression that you haven't been concentrating. Apologies if I'm misunderstanding. Or I'm drunk. Frank [/quote] Apologies accepted

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1470609753' post='3107137'] Look, I've no doubt that the TKS 112 are great cabs. They use the same drivers as some cabs I've owned so I know from my own experience that they must be decent cabs. But I haven't heard them, so I can't comment based on personal experience. However, compared to the Barefaced BB2, ( also the other 12" driver cabs that use, for example, the Eminence Kappalite 3012 drivers) they just cannot compete on performance. In the words of Bill Fitzmaurice: "The laws of physics aren't swayed by opinion." Frank. [/quote] Laws of Physics? He is saying he prefers the tone of his TKS cabs, he isn't disputing Barefaced's claim on volume? Perhaps 12 inch speakers or that number of speakers are the issue here, maybe try different speaker sizes or 212's? I'm not so familiar with the TKS range to suggest any other cabs they do. Probably steer clear of Barefaced if the tone isn't doing it for you.

[quote name='1976fenderhead' timestamp='1470602231' post='3107068'] Read 3 posts above that post. I can say that whenever I've been in a studio with a GK solid state head, the sound has always been distinctive from anything else. [/quote] [quote name='1976fenderhead' timestamp='1470602899' post='3107078'] No offence intended, but that's a pretty silly statement. The Fusion heads don't have the signature GK tone. They're valve preamps with a GK flavour. As I said above, it also gives you extra tone-shaping possibilities, a more versatile overdrive than the heads have and the ability to remove the compressor, tuner and overdrive from your board and replace them with one single pedal. Not to mention getting your GK sound from a pedal to the desk without requiring your head, with the extra shaping that the pedal allows for. I honestly don't understand what's unclear about the value in this. [/quote] I read your post, and I remain confused. EQ with the same EQ points as your head, a drive section which, if we are honest, will not be as good as many drive pedals found on bass pedalboard these days. The whole point of these micro heads is so you can carry them everywhere as easily as a laptop, so DI'ing out amp to desk is just as easy as pedal to desk. Again, extra shaping, I am clearly missing something as I cannot see how it gives you any extra EQ control, any settings on this would be countered by your GK head. Unless they are different EQ points? I would have thought this was unlikely given GK are known for their four band eq, but I haven't actually read the specs. Oh, and the silly statement; perhaps not worded so well, but fundamentals not silly whatsoever. If I gave you Flea's exact setup and asked you to play some of his lines, no offence but I highly doubt you would sound anything like him. Anyway, each entitled to our own opinions. Clearly we disagree, but hey what are discussion forums for?

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1470589037' post='3106932'] I'd disagree and say the GK sound is pretty distinctive, Duff/Flea for example certainly don't sound like they're playing through an SVT. I'd really like one for home use, it has everything I want for rehearsal including a tuner in one box, however at that price I won't be getting one anytime soon. I am surprised that they've gone into more depth on the compressor than the drive, as I don't think any of the GK heads have onboard compression? But do have drive/boost. [/quote] No, but thats because its the SVT that has the very identifiable sound. Flea does not "sound like GK" in my opinion and his tone is almost entirely down to his technique (apart from when he uses a Stingray). But then again, as I said I don't know what the GK tone signature is (despite owning a GK head for 6 months or so this year) so perhaps I am wrong after all! To give an example though, when I was AB'ing my GK MB Fusion head and my Tecamp Puma, I heard no noticeable tone signature from the GK other than warmth from the valve preamp, and the Tecamp is by design a very neutral sound. I'm talking gig volume here of course, not bedroom/headphones. If you have a modern GK head, this gives you a tuner (which surely most already have) and a compressor (which surely most would already use if they wanted one). I'm not buying one, if anyone was in any doubt

I'm still struggling with who this is marketed at. GK lovers will have a GK head. If they have a GK head, other than a couple of superficial extras, what does this pedal offer extra? The Sansamp pedals make much more sense as not everyone who loves the Ampeg sound wants an Ampeg head, but the same doesn't seem to work for GK. Certainly, I can't hear a bass tone and have the ability to blind identify the GK sound.

[quote name='nash' timestamp='1470341308' post='3105393'] Cheers guys. Ordered the Zeus yesterday and I'll be ordering the Vintage Ultra soon. [/quote] Great choice!

Never stacked the two, but given how the Vulcan XL was designed, I imagine the Darkglass will stack really well!! Darkglass do work well with other pedals, particularly other dirt pedals.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1470314589' post='3105026'] I've only tuned mine once and it's been perfect. No setup at all. Bit of fret but I can live with it. [/quote] We know you have a good one, you lucky boy! A couple had to get out in a sellable condition

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1470013070' post='3102702'] Oh I'd love to hear that mix! Please post it here! Yes, it arrived on Friday. Unfortunately I've been too busy and I haven't been able to do much with it yet. I unpacked it and plugged it in for a few minutes using headphones only... just trying to get to grips with what each control does. The controls are pretty interactive, aren't they? You can't say "knob X in position Y is the right one for me" because it depends on what you do with the rest... but I thought I started to "get it" after about 15 minutes fiddling with it. It covers a LOT of ground. I want to play with it a bit more tomorrow or Tuesday and then take it to my rehearsal session on Wednesday, and use the OCS into the PA and see what it sounds like. So... it's early days, but I like what I hear so far. I think with a decent preamp this could be a killer magic box [/quote] They are very interactive with one another, particularly the top 3 knobs. I have settled with 1oclock, 9oclock and 1oclock respectively, sounds absolutely killer with my rig (Dingwall/Darkglass). The pedal was built and tested with a B7K preamp which is probably why I like it so much! For me it goes beyond cab modeling, it just does something magic to your tone whether amping or just recording. I haven't turned it off since I got it, rehearsal and recording alike!

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1470006672' post='3102684'] Pete Stephens told me he though the wood altered the sound of his basses. That's why he preferred to use the mahogany core. [/quote] Absolutely, core wood certainly has some impact on tone. Topwood? Not so much.

I thought Shedua was Ovangkol, rather than a type or related. Certainly looks identical to the stuff Warwick used on their 00's basses. I concur that topwood will have little effect on the Wal tone. I would suggest the choice of finish would have more of an impact, satin vs gloss.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1468687370' post='3092699'] Oh, really? You even considered that option? that would have made that little box... well, not very little as you say after all! Maybe one day the bluetooth technology will be better (30ms latency for *low latency* bluetooth is just not good enough, as I have found out), or there will be something else. No biggie. It was just a thought. Omnicabsim just ordered, by the way I was going to wait but after checking a few more reviews, it does seem this will be perfect for me. Can't wait! [/quote] Has it arrived yet mate? I recorded a couple of tracks for our bands debut EP last week with it, it just sounds fantastic. DI straight to Focusrite interface and cubase with zero processing in-between, it sounds killer. Tracks are being mastered at the moment but hopefully will be able to share one soon. I may get the chief to do a mix of just drums and bass so you can here what it does better

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1469876170' post='3101659'] My thoughts on this bass is that it's classic Fender QC once again, a few absolute diamonds likely the equal of some Pre-CSB instruments (and it sounds like a few folks on here have been lucky enough to get such examples), a few absolute dogs equivalent to the worst of the late '70s (which mine was, heavy, lacking in resonance, misaligned and faulty), and the vast majority sitting between those extremes, many of which are no doubt very playable and decent instruments. What I should have mentioned in my post was that after the PUP stopped working I took off the control plate to have a look. I did so VERY carefully. I've never seen such poor soldering, I'm not great at it but even my solder joints look infinitely more tidy and functional than did those in my bass. Guess what, while I had the circuit out, ANOTHER WIRE DROPPED OFF A POT, JUST DROPPED OFF!!! It was shocking and explained entirely why the front PUP had stopped working in the first place. Two wires off pots in less than 20 minutes from new! I dread to think what else was going to happen had I kept it I doubt I'll ever buy another new Fender. The lack of respect they must have for their customers to let such instruments through QC is quite incredible. [/quote] Whilst Fender QC is awful at the best of times, this is the first run of a new signature series. Who the hell is checking these guitars before they ship and define a whole line!

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1469807965' post='3101254'] I always thought compression was a cover up for poor technique. Honestly. I can see why in the studio it is used so much but tbh I thought that was down to making it easier to get a better mix? [/quote] Interesting. My own view is it enhances poor technique. String noise, bum notes, fretting where you shouldn't etc all a helluva lot more audible with a compressor. Mine stay on all the time, just gives the sound an extra presence and rolls of the super high end. Also useful for my bass as having my pickups in series/coils in series and having my pickups in parallel/coils in series are very different outputs and I use both for various songs in my band, but the compressor sorts that out quite nicely.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1469812345' post='3101296'] I'm not quite sure I follow the logic here. How is buying used a guarantee that it's sound as a pound? [/quote] Unless I am mistaken, the majority of buyers in this thread bought blind off the internet, as opposed to playing in the shop and choosing (I know not all). From what I'v read, its been a complete lottery. 2nd hand, I would always take the opportunity to try such an instrument before buying, thats mainly where I was coming from. But yes, if it didn't go back to the shop in the first place, its probably a better one.