muttley

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1350467187' post='1839140'] Trouble is we don't have access to all the data to compare different drivers, and even then it's arguable which is the 'best' method though a lot of work recently seems to have been done on linearising BL curve across the operating range. Certainly can't account for all these in the small signal-based programs used by DIY-ers to simulate loudspeaker behaviour. Ears are a much cheaper and quicker way of gauging things! [/quote] A pro would have the facility to build and test several different cabs and/or alignments, using instruments and ears. The best an amateur can do (and this is the approach I would take) is to ensure that the small-signal alignment is the best that can be achieved and that predicted excursion is sensible for the voltage level that's expected to go into the driver(s).

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1350221923' post='1835896'] Yup. As I've delved further I've found all xmax's aren't created equal and behaviour beyond xmax differs between different drivers in an audible way, so I reckon take the numbers as a rough guide and use your ears. Your cab with the B&Cs sounded reaaally nice I thought! If for some mad reason you want rid of it, let me know [/quote]I In the old days the formula for Xmax was often (coil length - front plate thickness)/2, sometimes adding a fudge factor "for good measure". Nowadays, with sophisticated kit like the Klippel distortion analyser there are various ways in which it can be quoted, for example within a certain % of max Bl (motor force) or shove factor (Bl[sup]2[/sup]/Re) or % THD.

Cool, thanks

I'm thinking of getting one for my Ibanez SR400FL (I'd like and East BTB01 but I don't think I can fit it in). Would a kind BC soul care to post a pic of the installation?

Not flash or fancy, but it plays beautifully. Ibanez SR400.

A man who contributed an enormous amount to the art of loudspeaker Engineering. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_Thiele"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_Thiele[/url] I had the pleasure of meeting him once. He was a very modest gentleman, despite his fame within the industry.

[quote name='MrFingers' timestamp='1349277043' post='1824160'] Risky business. [/quote] Possibly . [quote name='MrFingers' timestamp='1349277043' post='1824160'] The declared value is the insured value if you go via insured shipping (you can insure your package via an external insurance, but that will cost a LOT). [/quote] I'm not sure. Carriers such as FedEx insist on a commercial invoice to accompany the package. HMRC will use this invoice to calculate the duty and VAT payable. Insurance is a different matter. Intuitively, I can't see a problem insuring the package for more than the declared value. Insurance is to cover you for loss. Say you paid a tenner for a 1960s Fender - it's insurance value is not £10, but possibly much more (maybe as much as £15 - joke!). In other words, what fretmeister wrote above. I suggest asking the seller what carrier they are going to use, and giving the UK branch a call for advice. I expect this type of thing happens all the time, especially in the antiques trade.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1349129674' post='1822330'] even with VAT and Royal Mail fees on they're still only £35, only £2 more than the cheapest UK price I could find, so maybe it's worth the risk. [/quote] Even less if you buy more than one set. Customs clearance fees apply per parcel or per import (depends on the courier). Therefore, if you buy 1 set or 100 sets*, the fee charged by Royal Mail/FedEx/whichever will be the same. * a big import will attract import duty as well. You'd have to wade through The Tariff to find the appropriate % rate. edit: [url="http://tariff.businesslink.gov.uk/tariff-bl/export/commoditycode.html?export=false&simulationDate=02/10/12&id=9209300000&additionalCode1=&additionalCode2=&additionalCode3=&countryCode="]2.7% import duty[/url]

[quote name='BassPimp66' timestamp='1349166023' post='1822493'] The lack of cheap land together with incredily complex planning rules do not allow for big logistics/retail structures like in the US. [/quote] Thank $deity for that.

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1349098870' post='1821739'] So just buying your strings one set at a time you save 20% [/quote] No . Import Duty is waived for lower-value imports. VAT, OTOH, is due on [i]all[/i] imports over £15 in value (value = cost of goods plus shipping and insurance). Not all packages get stopped by customs though. The OP was lucky this time.

Prices in the USA do not include any sales tax. Although not as high a % as VAT, the price displayed is not the price you pay when buying over the counter. As in the above post, retailers in the UK (and rest of the EU) have to display prices including VAT, which is currently 20%. Note: it is the Government that charges VAT, not the retailer! Retailers just act as (unpaid) tax collectors on behalf of HMRC. Finally, an eBay deal is not likely to yield a profit margin sufficient to pay a high enough proportion of the overheads of running a shop with employees etc. Did you ask for a discount, BTW? I don't want to appear like a moaner, but please compare apples with apples.

Anyone have an opinion on Status Hotwire flats in relation to the above? They're a lot cheaper than other brands.

[quote name='NeilMorrell' timestamp='1317232452' post='1388498'] As I mentioned previously, I have a 1994 SR400FL. This has an Plain Board with side dots and dates from around 1994. ... Here's mine! [/quote] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/187838-nbd/"]I've just acquired one of those[/url]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm still somewhat mesmerised by the choice. I think I'll go with RS 55s. Now just have to decide on gauge...

I'm looking for some flats for a fretless. I have RotoSound TruBass 88s (nylon tape wound) on another bass and I like these for the smooth feel, high compliance and warmth. However, for this other bass I want the same high compliance but a brighter sound more like rounds. What do BCers recommend?

I just acquired up this SR400 fretless . When I got back into playing a year ago I tried some Soundgears in the LMS and really liked them but Ibanez hasn't made a proper unlined fretless bass for some time it would seem. Therefore, when I saw this for sale I just had to have it . Condition is good and range of sounds from the P/J combination quite broad. I just have to get some nice flats for it and tweak the setup a little. One thing I'm not keen on is the VVT control arrangement so I will change this. Advice appreciated (although I will start a new thread at some point).

[quote name='LeftyJ' timestamp='1348555571' post='1815026'] ... with cheaper guitars, it's common practice to build bodies from more narrow pieces of wood .... And the bass doesn't even need to be that cheap for these practices. Even Fender Mexico does this, using up to 7 pieces! [/quote] Fender MiM basses seem to have a good rep here so it just shows that it doesn't really matter that much... [size=2]<ducks and runs>[/size]

I read somewhere that Squire Affinity guitars are ply, but this info could be wrong. Entry level Ibanez Soundgear are Agathis (which I think is similar to mahogany) according to website. I've seen Yam RBXs iwith a natural finish so this suggests the bodies are real wood [size=2][sup]TM[/sup][/size].

Here's a thought: Apocalypse in 9/8 isn't really in 9/8 but instead alternate bars of 5/4 and 4/4. Discuss.

[quote name='Grant' timestamp='1347818928' post='1805428'] I have a book called "Isle of Wight Rock" and it's a compendium of quotes from local bands (and some of the major players that visited here) from the skiffle explosion of the 50's up until 1994 (just before it was published). Halcyon Order are mentioned in the section on the three early festivals (68, 69 and 1970). A great read if you can find a copy (apparently only 1000 were printed). Very cool that your uncle played that first festival - did you know it was organised to raise funds for a swimming pool? [/quote] No, I didn't know that! I must seek out a copy of that book. I expect I will know quite a few people quoted.

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1347380854' post='1800023'] Great story. I am old enough to remember the early festivals, and I do seem to recall a band called 'Halcyon Order'. I've googled 'Halcyon Order' and come up with a couple of interesting pages. [url="http://www.iowrock.demon.co.uk/archive/iow_archive_uriel.html"]http://www.iowrock.d...hive_uriel.html[/url] [url="http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/iow1968.html"]http://www.ukrockfes...om/iow1968.html[/url] I guess Stuart 'Jumbo Yates' must be your uncle (pictured below). [/quote] Yes, that's right. I was never aware of that nickname though. Amazing that you should remember the band after so many years, especially as they weren't a massive success or anything.

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1347374338' post='1799926'] Wow that is really cool. what a legacy. You must be really proud of that. Can you post a pic of the bass you have? [/quote] Yes, more than proud. I'll post a pic of the basses when I get 2 minutes to rub together. One is a Fender Jazz fretless c. 2005. The bass he loaned me as a teenager was a late 70s Gibson G3. He sold this to buy the fretless Jazz so it's a kind of logical progression. The other bass is an Ibanez Artcore (full scale version). This reminded me of photos of him the 60s and, although a relatively modern bass, is just so cool and a joy to play.

As a teenager, I had an uncle who was a great influence on me. He was a bassist in local bands and found an old electric guitar which my mum gave me as a birthday present when I was 14 or 15. Later on, he loaned me one of this basses which I used in my own band. My uncle died at the end of July after a battle with cancer. At the funeral I learned that one band he was in, [url="http://www.isleofwightfestival.com/bands/halcyon-order.aspx"]The Halcyon Order[/url], opened the first Isle of Wight festival in 1968. He had a collection of six basses that have been split between myself and his sons. We have agreed that those six basses will never be sold and will always remain in the family. Here's an old photo of him from around that time:

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1346699151' post='1792134'] I loved my 1976 G3 - very powerful and distinctive tone... but showing all the hallmarks of Gibson at the time, looking for a way to maker the Grabber for less. It felt like it was made out of balsa wood. I'd be interested in one, if it was also through-body stringing and if that body had some more weight and substance to it. Price seems a lot better than other re-issues. However, the 3-point bridge?!? [/quote] I had use of a G3 in my teens (early 80s, so probably a late 70s example). It weighed a f**king ton! All maple: neck, f/b and body. Awesome sound, though. Thankfully I was the guitarist in the band and only hopped onto bass for a couple of numbers when the usual bassist took to keys.