dmccombe7

That looks pretty good to me. Is that the new Orange OB1-300 / 500 amp in the pic. ? I'm curious to know how that combination sounds together. Dave

Yep mines are around same 2.5mm but usually set it up to either Fender or Warwick recommended and then adjust from there as required. Lot depends on style of playing. When i use my fingernails i get more attack and usually have to raise strings a touch. If i cut my nails i can drop lower than recommended. Don't really use a pick. Also style of music makes a diff as i tend to play harder when with a rock band and lighter with blues / funk band. Don't generally do a lot of slapping and only occasional for effect when required. Dave

[quote name='smaz' timestamp='1484413556' post='3215335'] I played this last year - was great fun. If it's at Sheffield again, was a nice venue for it. If you like the bands, go for it - it'd cost you £10 alone to see some of those on the bill, more for others! [/quote] Yep but its a 4hr drive plus hotel costs so not a cheap deal. More concerned whether the thing is genuine as they want £60 booking fee for the 6 tickets and i don't remember entering the competition. Its not usually my kind of music altho Ten Years After and King King would be good. Dave

[quote name='ROConnell' timestamp='1484312177' post='3214576'] Fender Deluxe Active Precision Bass Special. MIM with American Parts. P/J with Active controls, you won't get a thin sound at all! [/quote] Exactly what i'm looking at just now. Gonna try one in Glasgow next week before buying tho. Various reviews i've read said these MIM ones were pretty good compared to older ones. GAK & Guitar Guitar doing them at £853 but always room to barter on any bass i've found even in shops. Dave

Just been looking at these Slick Basses on Guitarfetish website in US. Anyone tried one or know anything about them. ? This one looks particularly nice.

Seems like a good saving on the tickets tho. The Prog or Rock ones might suit me better but if its only a £10 a head for a weekend pass that's not too bad. Good luck with the metal gig. Dave

http://www.hrhblues.com/ Apparently i've just won 6 weekend passes for this festival. Normal price is £59 each. I need to pay a booking fee of £10 / pass tho. Anyone else seen this competition and entered Has anyone been to the HRH Blues festivals before. Dave

Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd Seconds Out - Genesis

what a chancer. Keep yourself and ebay in the right by re-iterating that it was a 2nd hand bass incl strings. You might add you would be prepared to send new strings at buyers cost incl postage. (obviously quote cost from most expensive supplier you can find ) That might shut him up. Dave

I have 2 Overwaters and they are stunning basses that i love. I also have a Jaydee fretless which is good but find the tone a bit limiting compared to some other basses but i guess that's the tone they were famous for back in 80's. I've never really gave the UK thing any thought altho i did want a UK 6 stringer for my 50th few yrs back and that's when i first met Chris and Martin and the team at that point are were absolutely on the ball and so helpful more like good friends than someone selling me something. I can't fault the Overwater team and the basses simply speak for themselves. I am a Fender fan tho and just can't help it. Always had one and always will i think. Dave

[quote name='moonbass' timestamp='1474402405' post='3137792'] Have you ever compared the PRO2 with the PRO4? How do they stack up? [/quote] Have used both with 8x10 cabs in studios for rehearsals and found the SVT2 had a warmer deeper sound but slightly muddier than the SVT4. I was able to get more tone changes with the SVT4 and thought the SVT2 was more a one tone amp even tho it had similar controls. Maybe the SVT2 just had a sound i quite liked and didn't need to experiment with it too much. The SVT4 i had to tweak controls to get the sound i was really looking for. Did find the graphic was a bit of overkill and never really needed to use it unless set up for soloing in a song and just switch it on / off as required. Dave

[quote name='moonbass' timestamp='1474263718' post='3136534'] Well, I went for the second hand USA SVT 4PRO, and I have no idea why I have wasted 30 years messing around with gear switching and GAS; this is what bass is supposed to sound like! Running it through my Bergantino NV610 and it sounds warm, and 'burpy' yet somehow nicely scooped. Perfect one knob compression, loads of tonal options (although sounds perfect flat). It's not even as heavy as I remembered! And it's so different to the SVT 3PRO in all the right ways. One final small, but also weirdly massive point that so many manufacturers get wrong, the volume knob actually lets you dial in low volumes; I've found all my previous amps went from zero to loud in about a millimetre! I can practice even with this massive rig without upsetting the neighbours (much...) Why does nothing else sound like this?! [/quote] I bought one few yrs back as had same thoughts as you. Had used them in studios and always dreamed of getting one. Had the chance of a US one which was 110V but had an external transformer. Tech in Glasgow changed the transformer for me and it was brilliant. I did however find it was never as powerful as i expected altho still more than enough for anything i needed. I was using it with my Berg HT322 cab (another piece of heavy kit ) In past 6mths it started to cut out and eventually stopped altogether. Replaced the valves and after some checks found the Pre-amp section works ok so must be on power side. Where i'm going with it is that its now left me having reliability doubts added to the weight its probably never gonna be repaired. I also have the GK 1001RBii and it doesn't compare tonally with the SVT4. Its a great amp and quite flex but its cleaner than the SVT4.. I now tend to use my Markbass rig which running flat gives me a nice warm sound with my jazz and seems to cut the mix better than either the SVT or GK amps. Dave

I've never given the Mesa amps much thought until recently reading that Mesa Walkabout was being used as a comparison for other tubed pre-amp style amps. This demo was really helpful. Kept it simple and more about the amp than the bass or ability. Too many of these demos get used as a ego trip for bassists just to show off and you dont get the full review of the amps capability. Well done and thanks Dave

Got there in the end. Dave

I have a combination of class D and Mosfet at moment. I love the Markbass 12" combo and ext cab for its portability plus it works well in a band situation. I have a couple of GK amps. MB200 is very handy little thing as a portable back-up. The 1001RBii is heavy but manageable and gives a reasonable tonal range used with my Berg HT322 cab which is extremely heavy. My Ampeg SVT4Pro is an extreme heavyweight amp but love the tone. However it has packed in and due for repair or might not bother. Currently using a TE 150 amp head with a Peavey 4x12 cab at rehearsals and its ok but not exactly my taste. The best sound i've used recently was an old Orange AD200b with Hartke 8x10 cab which was my dream tone. Lots of depth while remaining clear. Just so powerful sounding even at lower volumes. That amp with a 4x10 might be my ideal rig but a bit too expensive at moment. I'm finding the Markbass seems to give me a decent tone and has plenty of power for most gigs. Dave

Consider a pick up with hardtop rear. Holds loads of gear and mines has waterproof carpet in rear. Only downside is MPG which is typically 30-33mpg Holds 5 people comfortably and will never get stuck in winter Maybe not the cheapest to buy either. Newer shaped Mondeo estate is a huge car too. In fact the saloon is pretty huge and has an enormous boot with fold down seats. Can be picked up reasonably cheap. Bigger Volvo 80 or 90 series estates are huge too and worth a look. Know a few people that had a zafira and had no end of problems with them to point they got rid of them. Have you considered a smaller type van and just keep the car too. Van insurance shouldn't be too bad provided you let them know its not for work or used for business. My pick up is classed as a commercial and insurance for 3yr old is circa £250 fully comp. That's with a recognised company and certainly not the cheapest i could get. Van should be similar. Dave

Can the work be done in UK. Maybe the mfr has an authroised repair service here. ? There are electronic repair shops that can quite easily do repairs or upgrades. If its out of warranty then there isn't really much of an issue and its more about finding a good reliable company in UK. Would certainly save a lot of possible issues Dave

Can the work be done in UK. Maybe the mfr has an authroised repair service here. ? There are electronic repair shops that can quite easily do repairs or upgrades. If its out of warranty then there isn't really much of an issue and its more about finding a good reliable company in UK. Would certainly save a lot of possible issues Dave

I use my thumb as a pick occasionally and i seem to feel the rhythm more that way but really horses for courses. I also keep my finger nails a a length that gives me an edge when i want or need it just at the tilt of my hand. whatever feels comfortable is always a good thing. All the best with the pick style. Dave

I'm 56 and only started playing in bands again at 50 after being away for 15yrs and i've had several great offers. My current funk / blues band has a guitarist at 70 and one at 65 and singer at 68. Keys is the guitarists son and drummer is new and not sure his age but think he's circa 50 ish. The mental attitude to playing good gigs is still there with them all and they nearly all have another band on the go for making money doing the clubs etc. This band is more for self satisfaction and enjoyment playing music they like themselves. Have to say i'm enjoying this more than ever before. Don't feel age has much to do with it. I know lots of musicians my age playing in various styles of bands from metal to blues to Glam rock and not just playing the clubs for money. They are all doing it because they enjoy it and they get a good following at gigs too. My advice is never give up until you really want to. Dave

PM sent as test Dave

[quote name='Wiggybass' timestamp='1483653237' post='3209102'] I've been watching the pro audio forums since this fiasco first broke. As in most situations there is probably a grain of truth in everyone's story but I can say this for certain: * The sound company was Maryland Sound, one of the most respected providers in the US and the company who have done the Times Square NYE event for 20 years, in addition to dozens of other national-profile events including the Presidential Inauguration. * Their team would have been on site many hours before La Carey and part of their routine would have been to conduct an RF scan to secure frequencies suitable for use that evening. They would undoubtedly have had backup systems in place for [i]everything[/i] and there was definitely a row of wedges on stage which were on and working. Frankly I'd bet my house that every single piece of audio gear on that stage was not only working perfectly (as stated by Maryland's MD Bob Goldstein in an email to the New York Times) but was also being operated by hugely experienced professionals at the top of their game. * In pro-audio it is not what happens to you - it's how you react to it. Real audio professionals get to be that by dealing with the unexpected every day and I assure you, this situation was nothing that they hadn't handled before, many times. Those guys would have done absolutely everything humanly possible to bring that show in, that's what they do. * There are numerous references to the backing tracks being different to what Ms Carey was expecting, not different songs but different mixes (i.e. with varying amounts of her vocal on - allegedly she prefers to avoid the high notes now). Personally I think it's probable that the sound company played the tracks they'd been given in good faith but they were, for some reason, not what she was expecting. * It's also apparent that she didn't show up for the pre-show run-through, getting a stand-in to do that for her. How effective that might be I'll leave to the reader's own judgement. And yes, I do work in professional audio and no, I am not impressed by 'talent' who can't even sing their own bloody songs, even if they have got a great arse. Rant over. [/quote] Good rant altho i think it puts across a very valid point that i would probably agree with. Well put across and good explanation and description of how things would have operated. I'll go with this Dave