stewblack

So... my build has suffered from the lockdowns - home schooling quite rightly taking precedence over bass making. Not a problem for me, I'm far from impatient. I gave Stu at Impure Guitars full discretion once we'd agreed on a shape and a thematic idea. I don't believe in commissioning an artist and then telling him how to paint (as it were), so I've left him to get on with it. My only stipulation was he had to be happy with the result. The finish was applied but it just didn't float his boat like he'd hoped it might. So he stripped it and started again, going this time for a nitro seafoam green, and it's perfect 👌. In the interim he stripped some bakelite from an old radio and polished it up for the pickguard. The pics are a bit shaky but give a pretty good idea of where we're heading. Waiting on the dual concentric pot and a whatever else has to happen paint wise, then it all comes together.

I don't feel at all stupid 🤦🏼‍♂️

Guess what? Darwin award goes to Stew. Turns out the software had 'forgotten' about the midi interface I use. The reason changing the output levels made no discernable difference to the sound was.... they were making no difference to the pedal. I assumed once paired to the pedal, my desktop wouldn't need telling again to use the interface. So now my output levels are much better.

For those who might not be familiar, SCS is a system employed by Russian pedal manufacturer Yerasov. They produce three sizes of board (4, 6, and 8 pedals) which are equipped with a cunning method for fixing and connecting their stomp boxes. Each pedal has two sockets underneath, one looks like a phone or ethernet socket, the other a simple threaded hole. Remove the bottom of the board with three thumb screws and you find the plugs and bolts for those sockets. The bolt secures the pedal to the board, no velcro required, and the plug carries both audio and power. So you need no patch cables, there is no gap between pedals and one 9v plug powers the whole board. The pedals are well made and very effective and have jack sockets so can also be used on any traditional set up. At present they offer bass overdrive, chorus, compressor and a parametric eq pedal. There are many other options available which are aimed at the guitarist but seem to work just fine for the bass. They don't yet make an envelope filter so my board has a Fwonkbeta on there which spoils the elegance a little, and takes more than one space. But it works just fine and shows just how neatly the SCS pedals fit. I bought the stomps over a few months from a really nice guy based in Essex. He is the uk distributor for the brand. So no need to worry about buying from Russia, they all came via the post office a day after ordering. http://yerasov.co.uk/products.html#EFFECTS 1

Great thread, I spent a happy hour playing It Ain't No Use by the Meters last night. The joy of it is the bit that sounds complicated actually isn't and there's plenty of space around the main groove to improvise

The best song ender I ever saw was Frank from Hot Dog Jackson. Any Somerset Basschatters remember him? Every song finished in a long rousing chord. He would remove his trilby, fling it high, and the band stopped as it hit the stage. It was mesmerising!

We have another trick we use to make us sound decent without really putting any work in. Dynamics, aka playing some bits louder than others. Rather than go insane trying to remember dynamic drops and builds for 40 different songs, we always take it down after an instrumental section or solo. So we only have one thing to remember. But as not all songs have a solo and some have several it creates the illusion of a set peppered with carefully constructed dynamics. Utter genius if I say it myself.

Our singer points upwards, to signal the end is nigh. If its a rehearsed ending that is essentially a 'last time through this bit' signal If we're just jamming a song out her signal is the alert and the drummer cues the end with an obvious fill.

Hi. Is there an easy way to correct the simplest of problems i.e. when a created patch or sound or whatever is quieter than the clean bass sound? I have a great effect that's taken a very long time to create but the volume drops away whenevr |I engage it. Yes I am aware of the output level control on the unit itself, but imagine the day when I manage to programme a second useable sound, and mnaybe even a third. I would want them all to balance against the clean sound and not need to be changing them all to correct volume spikes and dips.

I should add that many people don't rate the presets that come loaded on the Zoom, but you can alter /replace any of them. There are desktop apps that make the process really simple too.

Always an honour to be able to start a feedback thread for a forum member. Also a delight to be able to leave word of a positive experience. @Grav sold me a pedal and the deal went down with classic Basschat smoothness and ease. Quick to respond to messages, very fair on the price, and very prompt to organise a well packaged delivery. Can't ask for more than that. I am more than happy to recommend him to you all.

I too am a convert to feeling the bass. However my set up is extremely Heath Robinson. I'm saving up for a pedal, but as the kitty starts to move in the area of the Backbeat's price tag, I have to say I'm sorely tempted. Not just for home use but if I ever gig again it would be lovely to have a response from the bass without getting moaned at by everyone for being too loud. Those who have one, is it value for money? It is a fair bit more than I first expected it to be TBH. But thinking about what's involved to make it, and that it's fully portable I'm coming around to the idea. Playing to a drum track and feeling that kick drum is a heck of a thing. It's impossible to describe.

Yep. That's really the definitive answer.

I love my basses in a similar way that I love painting or sculpture, they are or at least can be beautiful. Having said that they are tools first and foremost. No matter how good they look if they're uncomfortable to play they will be out the door. I accept they'll get grotty and dinged over time it's unavoidable. Sometimes the dust gets a little embarrassing even for me so I'll wave a cloth at it. But if I'm selling it then the pictures will show the condition and no one will be surprised by it good or bad.

I am interested in an item not available here, but advertised by several Facebook sellers. No reason to doubt the honesty of any one of them. But after these threads I just don't feel comfortable sending money to a stranger. Don't misunderstand me, I'm grateful the risks have been exposed, but all the same it's a shame when trust is lost. Are there any practical steps you good folk can suggest to establish the bone fides of a seller or indeed to convince them of your own?

We signed our own names, but not before protesting that we were not in any way worthy of such attention, nor were we in any way associated with the original band

Great Basschatter, this Oldman fellow. I recently bought a rack case and some cables from him and it was just the sweetest deal. Every aspect from enquiry to delivery went smoothly and I heartily commend Oldman to the members of this forum.

I have seldom felt as awkward as when signing autographs for punters after a tribute gig.

So you're new to Basschat and Paul S is offering something for sale at a too good to be true price. What do you do? 🤷🏻‍♂️ I'll tell you what you do You buy it, with complete confidence and peace of mind. You see Paul S is as reliable, honest and decent a fellow as you're ever likely to deal with.

The only tribs I have been in have been graciously treated by the band that went before them. On three different occasions original members came on stage with us and played a few numbers. In fact not long after playing with us they reformed and made a comeback! Not every super famous musician feels threatened by a tribute.

You are indeed not alone! My car tetrus skills would be legendary if other people got as excited about them as I do. My greatest achievement was probably the two blokes and a full drum kit in a kia picanto.

My eyes my eyes

never had this from a fellow bassist. Not the same but, I have been told not to touch our keyboard player's Nord. Tried to help him out with his gear after rehearsal and he objected to my handling skills. As we rehearse down a flight of stone steps, I couldn't be happier with the arrangement.