stewblack

I'm using the Harley Benton Block. 800 watts, preamp in, small and light. Uses the same power stage as the high end amps apparently. So I've read here anyway. Going into two Trace Elliot 2x8 cabs.

I use the screws which hold the base plate to secure a flat piece of plastic (from any used container) and glue to that

In another thread I wrote about my plans to have a highly portable and powerful rig and use a variety of preamp pedals. The idea being I can effectively choose my amp for the evening without owning (and storing) a pile of different heads. The Digbeth is high on my radar so this thread has been super instructive. The head I'm going to use just arrived, the cabs are in place so the preamp jamboree can commence!

Came to say precisely this. I like the finish though

I have a couple of TC Electronic 2x8 cabs I'm thinking of selling so I'll bring those. Also some pedals I'm not using . Possibly some amps too but I'm gigging in the evening so I'm not sure exactly how much I can bring.

It's a difficult choice because the best player working in the 80s played some amazing bass lines in 82. I guess this is right up there, but the whole album is a lesson in the art. https://youtu.be/nSdMxWjnq5s?si=5uGMSUlLA-BSkQCy

I believe I may have had that very thing in my grubby mits once. It travelled down from bonny Scotland to the SWBB

Only a 29 week wait for that beauty. I'm in.

Can you explain what you discovered? Or if it's easier to show me we could maybe bring them to the SWBB?

Tonight's effort

Oooooh. I'll bring a big bag

I've been casting glances at the Digbeth heads I must admit.

No latency as far as I can tell. Others may experience latency differently, but I'm not aware of any.

And don't forget by keeping the gain low this effect is minimised. So it's a variable effect. I'm out right now with my Elf and the compression isn't kicking in at all, but the master is reasonably high. The compressed sound comes in more and more as the gain is pushed. You can use it or not. Big pub, loud drummer and a guitarist

I haven't noticed any. Let me have a play around

What a snappy name for a pedal eh? Things I don't like about octave pedals: warbly wobbly upper octave, bad tracking, lower octave only sounds synth, or only sounds realistic - I like a bit of flexibility - and a pedal with no special sauce, nothing unusual added. So I like the MXR Poly Blue very much - ticks all boxes. I like the Joyo XVI - ticks most. I like the Boss OC5 - ticks most. And I have to say I also like The 85. The addition of a 5th is a really cool feature, the Focus control alters the whole sound in unusual ways. If there's a downside it would be that you can't simultaneously select octave up and a 5th up - its either or. The one time I've gigged it I found the 5th, blended with a smidge of -1, and full dry signal produced a wonderful harmonious thickness to my sound. Used on appropriate songs it filled the sound under solos in a very satisfying manner.

No not really. I enjoy such a wide range of sounds. I've just come to realise I'm more into trying different things out than aiming for something specific.

Fascinating little discussion. And well timed too. I absolutely love trying different gear, experiment and novelty drive me. I am not searching for the ultimate sound as many bass players do, I just like trying out new and different gear. So my latest plan is this . Rather than buying endless different amps and storing and humping them about, I am buying a powerful yet small and lightweight head, then I shall try different preamps into the power amp section . It will smooth out the loading process, give me all the variety I could possibly want, and above all it will be fun.

I can't count the number of items I've bought here and on FB and eBay. Only twice have I come home with a piece of absolute crap. Both times my fault. First time for believing the seller and the second for not having the balls to pull out if the deal and demand my money back. And once I sold a perfectly good, working bit of gear in great condition and ended up having to buy it back because it was apparently not working. It works perfectly and always did. Why do I remember these three so clearly? Because they are exceptional. I'll go on trusting people.

I had the next size up, the one with an expression pedal. It's a perfectly usable piece of kit. I wasn't keen on the way the effects were organised. There are specific effects in each block and only one could be used in each block. So if there were two effects I wanted to employ but both were in the first block - tough. Couldn't edit the order either. Of course other folk probably wouldn't worry about this. The unit itself was well made, the sounds were fine.

Ah man, I hate it when gear lets us down. Fingers crossed the HB is ok. Once again the Elf punches above it's weight though!