Grangur

[quote name='colleya' timestamp='1485114452' post='3221254'] I know it's all subjective, but it just sounded....... right. Putting it through 2 cabs at 4 ohms made a huge difference in terms of pushing more air and giving the sound more weight. It was fat, round and clear without being muddy or boomy at the bottom end. I don't like much treble or bite at all but I've found that this means that higher notes can disappear, however this wasn't the case and it was even across all strings without treading on the guitarist's toes. [/quote] Nicely put, Sir. That's exactly what I felt about the RF. I'm not big on too much grating and clank. But there's amazing depth in the treble tones.

Comparing the Red Fighter in the picture above, the one here is pretty much the same except for 2 buttons. The diagram shows a button called "Bright" - On this one it's called "Dark" "Shift", another button - is called "Drive" on the one here. I'm no amp connoisseur, I don't gig and starting out to look at this piece of kit, amp-GAS is a mystery to me. My main amp is a MarkBass LM3 into a One10 and it does me. I've also got a Roland Cube, but that sits in the back bedroom as a handy one to take out of the house if needed. My trying the amp out has largely been at room levels, or in the lounge, pushing the volume a bit. The sound is very clean and compared to the LM3 it's quite bright in tone. I normally play with the EQ set at half-way. With the Red Fighter EQ set at half-way on both pots the sound it good and has a nice bass depth of feel to it. Turning the Bass to full, adds some thickness to the tone, but nothing to knock you back. If, however, you then adjust the treble down you'll then find the top disappears and I'm sure that at gig levels you'd almost certainly get yours ears pumping. [b]Dark & Drive: (or Bright and Shift)[/b] If you play down the deep-end with the emphasis on the neck pup, EQ set to mid-way and picking over the pup you may never find much point in the Dark (Bright) button. If, however, you turn up the Treble and pick down at the bridge you'll discover what "[b]Bright[/b]" is all about. This little switch kicks in some emphasis on the top end. It ads some sparkle to the top end. "[b]Drive[/b]" (Shift) is good at all ends of the spectrum. It ads some added Heft to the proceedings that you may like - not a lot, but it is there. Not sure if this would really get noticed much if you're a steady picker in a pub covers band, but if you're in a band where you're on the bass out-front, then it might get noticed. [b]Fet Shape & Headroom:[/b] Well, if you thought Dark & Drive were over-subtle, then FS & Headroom will leave you scratching your head. [i][b]Fet Shape[/b][/i] gives a bit more spark to the tone. It's small, but a bit more noticeable on the treble end of the spectrum. [i][b]Headroom [/b][/i]another button that's subtle in it's function. I'm struggling to find words that cover it. It simply adds colour and depth to the tone. It's almost like adding a small amount of reverb. OK that brings me now to the[b] "Sound Matrix". [/b] I was going to add an image here, but WaterofTyne has obliged in the post above. There are 2 level pots and 2 Freq switches. Those here who've owned a Westone Thunder 1A will know the tone pots on there; where a small turn and boy you know you did that. Well the Sound Matrix is nothing like that. Again it's subtle, the switches give a small change in the emphasis of different areas of the waveform and the level pots adjust the amount of that effect applied. So, again it is subtle but if you had this amp in your stack you'd probably find a setting and leave it there. [b]Limit & Bridge;[/b] I have a sneaking suspicion that in my cosy home of Grangur Towers in leafy Hertfordshire I don't think I'm ever going to know what "[b]Limit[/b]" is for sure. I think it adds some compression to the system. Now, "Bridge", I like this. The Red Fighter is, as you'll know, a 500w + 500w amp. So, as I understand it there are 2 amps in here. Kicking the Bridge in another level. Some of the controls I've mentioned so far as "adding colour". Well this takes all the other up a notch and kicks it to another level. This might be the button you knock in, when you're just going into that number you really want the punters to notice you in. My guess is that if you're gigging you could be tempted to fiddle about all night with this. it would be a fiddlers nightmare - you could never leave it alone. In reality I think most folk would find a setting and simply go for it. The foot-switch would be great if you have the Bridge on all the time and simply knock that baby in for the bass-solo, or other times when you want a boost. Do you need this amp? I don't. But I do now know what Amp-GAS is. This is no baby. It would be WAY-Overkill in my lounge at home, but so is the rack of basses. I love the colour and dynamics of this amp. I need to try out the smaller HB amp. But I'll be happy to give this little box of fun a good home.

More info to be added - having dinner right now...

OK. I've spend some time on the RF, fiddling with the knobs and switches. First; here's what HandBox have to say about it. This is taken from the website and put through Google translation. I've made a few changes to the English, but please guys don't pick holes in the English: RED FIGHTER is a bass-type head, which, together with dedicated speaker boxes addressed to bassists looking for a sound system of the original, while quality from the top shelf. The film presents the Red Fighter: Angielski Musician- Michael Bailey The goal we set ourselves in the design of RED FIGHTER was one; to create an amplifier in which the sound quality is the absolute priority. During the work, it turned out that in order to achieve our aims, we buit it through connecting the old proven technology with the latest developments in the field of professional audio electronics. The RED FIGHTER has a powerful combination of technology to maintain its purity of sound. The tube preamp is made with No silicon components in the signal path, the final amp stage is made with advanced technology MOSFET design to achieve the desired effect. RED FIGHTER is a suite complete with its own face design with a unique tonal character. High power final stages ensures excellent dynamics and sound clarity. Power amplifiers are designed for continuous operation in all conditions, always ensuring the highest technical parameters. The package of effective security ensures the safe operation of the device, and the behavior of the thermal equilibrium guarantees an electronically controlled system of forced cooling. - Continuous output of 500W + 500W / 4 Ohm, - Bridge-mode power 1000W / 8 ohms, - Forced cooling fan 1 2-speed, - First-class MOSFET power amp made on special dedicated power transistors, - The function of time delay switching stages final after warming lamps, - A system of accelerated resistance of carburettor disconnecting the speakers, - Optical Limiter function on / off, - Tube preamp (3 x ECC83) made of its clean the mold without interference silicon the acoustic track, - Active EQ BASS and TREBLE Special author sonic matrix (SOUND MATRIX) Hand's Box function on / off available, also with a foot Pedal Foot Switch, ADDITIONAL FEATURES; - BRIGHT- brightening or dimming signal, - Shift to move the point of frequency control high, - FET SHAPE- filter kształtująco-compacting signal made with a FET. - HEADROOM- biases lamp high or low, REAR PLATE; - 3 Speakon type speaker terminals, - EFFECT LOOP serial effect loop, - LINE OUT function Pre / Post and control output level LEVEL - GROUND Lift- attaching weight, DIMENSIONS external HxWxD- 2Ux483x360 mm WEIGHT-12kg

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1485089812' post='3220994'] Interested to hear your thoughts on the RF. I wish I'd had a chance gig it at something a bit rockier than I was doing at the time. So well made, though. [/quote] At the moment I've just fiddled with all the knobs and found that, as far as I can tell, the knobs don't do a lot. The EQ is there, but doesn't seem to make a massive amount of difference. I think what I need to do is go read the book and see what HandBox have to say on the subject.

That looks amazing. Really pleased for you. I'm looking for a 5 string. Please can you tell me what the weight is, if you are able to weigh it? If you have recorded it, it would be great to hear the tone as well.... please?

[quote name='jimbartlett' timestamp='1485022247' post='3220521'] Good luck! Which cab are you using with it? Anyone played one through a Barefaced Super Compact or One10? [/quote] I've got the HandBox Red Fighter. It's bigger than the R400 but I've got it running through a Bareface One10. Can't say I've had it at gig volume, but I like the sound if them together. My usual amp is a Markbass LM3. The Red Fighter is a bit more toppy than the LM3.

Elixirs are roundwound but with the coating they apply they're much less abrasive on the fingers than most strings. They aren't cheap, but they last a lot longer than most strings. I tend to keep them over a year without them going particularly dead. With the skin shredding, is this because of soft skin, of do you have a skin condition? Scott Divine has a skin condition which is the reason for his wearing a glove.

It probably won't be long before artificial materials are used for bodies also.

It seems CITES are getting concerned about the scarcity of the wood https://www.namm.org/issues-and-advocacy/regulatory-compliance/cites-update-action-rosewood-has-broad It would imagine the result will be a bigger move to ebanol. Certainly Harley Benton are moving to the material.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1484999293' post='3220255'] [/quote] In my post I was actually "Quoting" JDT. What does it mean if I simply quote you and don't actually say anything? I ask especially as JDT is the guy the people have been responding to. Sorry if I'm thick. I don't know. If I did I wouldn't have asked.

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1484993699' post='3220198'] Here's a plus point - as a direct result of this thread I'm off to find out what this noodle bar is... [/quote] Drat! Skol303's devious plan is working!

I don't know what the OP's experience is. He may have buckets of experience in bass on many different instruments. But, Sir, all your basses I'm your signature are bulk manufactured, CAD-CAM produced instruments designed to supply bulk instruments at a price for mass sales. Now you're looking at custom designed. That's a he'll of a jump. I know you're not alone in making that leap. Good luck. I hope it works out well for you, and I mean that.

It might be helpful if you actually post some words rather than simply quote somebody's post? Or am I being incredibly old fashioned?

IMHO the Noodle Bar is a key to the sort of thing that should be the life-blood of Basschat. Whenever I see it Mrs G and I like to take a look and listen to the contributions. By the time I notice the thread it's normally too late to vote. It's the competition element that puts me off of contributing to the Noodle Bar. Compared to most here I'm new to bass and I'm chap at playing, but I can see that for most who do enter it's the voting that makes it worth doing. It's sad that it doesn't get the profile on the forum it deserves. IMHO it's more relevant to BC than the composition thread, yet I know that struggles too.

If you do take the nut too low, you can always lift it back up by adding a veneer to bottom of the slot in the neck. If you need it and don't have any veneer, drop me a PM.

You could tell them you're Trans, but it's your night off.

What I'd be inclined to do is remove the nut and sand something off the bottom. After all, you're wanting to lower all the strings, so lowering the nut makes sense. The way to measure the string height in the nut is to fret the strings at the 3rd fret and to have space for a business card to slide under the strings at the 1st fret. Some may like the strings lower, but this is a starting point.

I've had a number of People basses and not had any problems with low output, even with passive circuit these can normally have a strong output. So, as you're not wanting to spend a lot on the bass, (and why should you?) Have you tried looking at the set up? What's the gap from the pups top to the bottom of the strings when fretted at the top fret?

A someone who's not from West Yorks it sometimes seems like half of the UK bass-playing population come from Leeds and/or are called Scott.