Roland Rock

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1455981046' post='2984228'] I've been looking for a similar type case for a small amp. I ended up going for a Mackie mixer bag, which looks pretty well padded and handy. https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/pa-mixer-bag/mackie-profx-12-protective-transport-bag?gclid=Cj0KEQiAuqC2BRDVxMSnpa-mhZoBEiQAFta8wSRt59J5CUZ7fY6B29zLq73Xo6ca7qhwWcXEAX_w6qsaAkYy8P8HAQ I'll let you know the build quality when it arrives [/quote] Just in case anyone reads this, thought I'd add more information. It's good sturdy quality, and has much better padding than the Gator. It's pretty big though - I added an extra border of foam to get my amp fitting so that it wouldn't tumble round too much. So, nice case, but maybe not one for those who want to keep everything micro.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1456904704' post='2993291'] I get all my friends breakfast info from facebook... [/quote] Food posts are rubbish. I give people one chance - any more after that and they get all of their content hidden. Except my mum - I tolerate her posts for the greater good.

I posted there recently as I had seen something which was not quite new-threadworthy and didn't fit in any existing threads. I fear for Les' arteries! To be fair, "donner" is forgivable as it is pronounced that way* * aka bugger I thought it was spelled that way too

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1456902860' post='2993280'] Fair enough. It was a long time ago and I remember a thrash band doing it. [/quote] Yeah, it was Snuff, who also covered the Branflakes "Tasty Tasty very very tasty" song

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1456668622' post='2991177'] The irony is that it has never been easier to be able to learn songs with DAWs and YouTube etc. Back in the old days of listening to tapes or records it was a lot harder. Today you can go on YouTube, convert to MP3, import into some software, LISTEN TO THE ORIGINAL PART WITHOUT NOODLING. Just use your ears and a bit of patience. Then EQ the original bass part out and play along to get the nuances. [/quote] Haha, that sounds hugely more complicated than just listening to the recording and working out the part - I wouldn't know where to begin!

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1456578762' post='2990427'] Did it come with one of their fancy power chords? [/quote] I got two - one grey euro one and one black UK one. Neither was that fancy TBH

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1456577405' post='2990416'] Outstandingly clear and informative review. I don't think anyone has mentioned the price yet, which is about £1,150. That's beyond most of us, unfortunately. [/quote] Cheers, yeah it is pricy! Will add that info to the review.

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1456552679' post='2990198'] Thank you for the review. Would you say the sounds tends to favour any particular music style? [/quote] No I wouldn't. With the flexible EQ and the drive section, I have difficulty thinking of any genre/style that this couldn't do well - a proper Swiss army knife (well - German), unless you need crazy amounts of overdrive.

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1456092832' post='2985382'] Its 'Rock Around The Glock" I thank you. Coat got... [/quote] And.....stolen. thanks 😉👍

Right, I’ve had some time to do some playing and thought I’d better put some effort into the feedback after all this fuss. Here’s what I probably should have put in the OP: [b]Review of Glockenklang Blue Rock Head. £1150 from Thomann[/b] [b]The Gear[/b] -Wood & Tronics EJ4, PJ with D’Addario coated roundwounds - Wood & Tronics Ergon 5 J/humbucker with D’Addario rounds (can’t remember type, not coated) - Barefaced Super Twin - Glockenklang Blue Rock [b]Testing Environments[/b] -Quiet home practice -Band rehearsal Not managed to gig it yet [b]Build Quality[/b] Very good indeed. It has a sturdy metal faceplate and an overall quality feel. The knobs have a very reassuring resistance to them when turned. The push buttons feel a little more flimsy than the rest of the bulletproof stuff, but not to any degree that causes concern. There are a couple of grab handles on the front which also protect the knobs - these have unusually sharp corners which look great but I wouldn’t like one to jab me on the temple (unlikely) It is bigger and heavier than most class D amps I’ve had. Maybe not one for those who like to slip their amp into the front of the gig bag and walk long distances to their gigs.To be precise, it’s 320x88x260mm (12.6x3.5x10.2") and 5kg (11lbs) Some beautifully engineered rock solid rack ears are included for those with a rackmount inclination. [b]Sounds[/b] This is my first class D Glockenklang, and I was hoping that it still retained that wonderful tone – thankfully it does! Most Glockenklang owners seem to say that they just bypass the EQ as the untainted tone is so spot on, and I’m relieved to hear that that core tone is present here too. Think transparent, clear and full, but somehow rich at the same time. I intend to use two clean tones – Tone A, the tone I think works best with my band (mostly flat with slight treble cut, for a deep but clear reggae sound), and Tone B, a more middy tone that I can actually hear on stage when the PA is pumping out Tone A. EQ bypassed is great for Tone A. Time to play with the EQ to get Tone B: First, the [b]bass[/b] control(+15dB@60Hz,-15dB@30Hz). I pumped it fully up just to hear the extreme, and WOW! I have never heard such a clear, pure bass sound. It’s the kind of deep dub reggae sound that I usually use my Low Pass Filter to achieve. It’s absolutely gorgeous, especially when the pups are on a 50/50 blend. What an unexpected bonus – I’ve never had an amp before where a fully-dialled bass knob is even useable, let alone gorgeous (not yet tested that one properly at volume) The [b]mids[/b] are split into three: [b]low[/b] (±12dB@150Hz or 230 Hz), [b]mid[/b] (±12dB@ 550Hz or 800 Hz) and [b]high[/b] (±[email protected] or 2KHz) and each of these has a button where you can select one of two frequency centres - handy and flexible. I had a quick play and they do exactly what they should do, with the freq buttons adding to the flexibility. I have yet to need my middy Tone B, but think it will be easy to get as these mids are so comprehensive yet so intuitive. I’m not a trebly player, never have been, but cranking the [b]treble [/b](±15dB 8kHz) knob yields some exceptional clarity with no harshness. I played a few harmonics and noodles, and they sound detailed and very musical. Overall, the EQ is as flexible as I could ever need, and every setting from 0-10 on each of the five bands is genuinely useable. On to the [b]drive section[/b]. This is new territory for Glockenklang, who are renowned for being uncoloured. This has a drive amount (clean to dirty) and drive level (gain) This section is bypassable and footswitchable (footswitch not included). The drive is really nice, and genuinely creamy valvelike. It has the dynamics of valves in that the more you dig in, the more dirt, and it has a pleasing swell/recede with each note. It never gets to absolute filth, more clean to medium. One Talkbass reviewer reckons it's similar to the overdrive of the Monique preamp; I wouldn't know but I wouldn't be surprised. When this section is engaged, the drive gain overrides the normal gain. This means you can play clean at one volume, then stomp in the drive at a louder level if you wish. Alongside the drive section is [b]voice[/b] (which only works when drive engaged). This gives quite a nice full scooped quality, which can almost sound a little bit chorusish, particularly in the higher registers. There is an input and gain for an MP3 input, which I suppose is for playing along with music. I don’t usually use that type of thing but may give it a whirl at some point. I think it goes without saying that, at 1000w at 4ohms, it has as much volume as any sane player could need. Worth noting that the master volume is logarithmic, so the further you turn it clockwise, the louder it gets – all the way to the end, which although logical, is quite unusual. Overall, the tone is pure, clear and musical, with zero boom and zero noise. Class D amps have a habit of sounding great at first, but then never fully satisfying me as a long term gigging amp (Streamliner/Shuttle/Orange/TC) so I won’t go overboard with praise until I’ve put it through its paces for a few months, but I’m optimistic. Talkbass tells me that Glock use a 1000w Abletec power module rather than the common B&O ICE module - maybe that’s where the difference lies. That’s about it I think. It’s a very, very high quality amp. A gorgeous core tone, a bypassbale, authentic drive section, flexible EQ and volume to spare. Provided it passes the more long term heft-test, I couldn’t want for anything more.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1456440503' post='2989177'] I don't much like mwaah but I love sitar - to me they do not sound at all alike. [/quote] I can sort of get the comparison though, the way a note 'blooms' with both instruments

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1456403803' post='2988593'] Phew! Thought you were gonna say sitar;) They should be burned to ashes. Hate that sound [/quote] I'd rather listen to a well played sitar than a chichéd chorus-drenched fretless bass

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1456330021' post='2987942'] Surprised nobody's mentioned Hendrix yet [/quote] Lefties don't count (joke)

Sorry, the dots were between the fret lines like with a fretted bass, so didn't need to be moved

Yeah Small Stone spring to mind for me as well

I got Jon Shuker to fret a fretless for me recently. Superb job. Luckily for me there were no front dots, and the side dots were in the correct place. He will definitely be able to do it, but the price will depend on the complexity ie binding/dots/lacquer etc.

My first ever jazz gig was at the National Railway Museum in York, right by The Mallard or Flying Scotsman or something. I don't know, I was too busy trying not to mess up Autumn Leaves

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1456248416' post='2987065'] They're too light, people prefer amps that weigh around 12kg. Tone Hammers tend to blow away in the slightest breeze. [/quote] Does it move when you plug a jack into it? That's the line I can't cross.

Ah yes. Was looking at the one here

Pretty much any amp without a valve power section will be OK without a load. There are few SS amps with an output transformer (eg Warwick Jonas Helborg) which would need a load too.

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1456074241' post='2985126'] Congrats Roland! I was looking at test driving a Glock Blue Sky recently. Sadly it has now been sold [/quote] Looks like it's back on the market

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1456144229' post='2985777'] So, er... does it sound any good? [/quote] Yes! Low volume testing so far, but it has that gorgeous Glockenklang clean tone. The drive is really good too. My last Glock head had drive when you pushed the gain, and I'd describe the sound ad more synthetic than valve, but still nice in the right context. This is a bit like having a built in VT Bass. The true test of a class D amp IMO is holding the notes at volume. I'll wait till a practice and a gig before reporting back on that

A more legible picture of the layout and details [Img]http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg580/christopher_brown14/rackbags/10624607_zpsdi5qsfs3.jpg" class="ipsImage" /> 1000W @ 4 ohms, 500 watts @ 8 ohms or max. 900W @ 2.7 ohms, 600W @ 4 ohms, 300W @ 8 ohms (amplifier internally switchable between minimal impedance 4 or 2.7 ohms), drive / voice section (drive switchable via footswitch), the drive knob is for sounds of slightly distorted to tube-like overdrive, the voice control (which can added to drive) offers additional timbre 5-band EQ with 2 switchable frequencies for low mid, mid and high mid controls, input A & B, FX loop, balanced DI out, weight: 5kg

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1456073224' post='2985114'] Needs more knobs [/quote] Yeah, it's pretty knobby. My last setup had three knobs (effectively tone, gain and volume) and one reason for the change is the need for more onstage mid control - this goes to the other extreme. There are several like MP3/FX level/gain which I'll probably never touch.

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1456074241' post='2985126'] Congrats Roland! I was looking at test driving a Glock Blue Sky recently. Sadly it has now been sold so will be interested to see how you get on with this one. [/quote] I was looking at the Blue Soul for sale here, then the 'next one up' the Blue Sky, then saw this. In a few classic 'blokenomics' moves I justified it to myself and pushed the button 😀 Will give a review when I've had a few plays under a few conditions