tauzero

They're not hi tech futuristic basses, they're active basses with rather more sophisticated preamps than the average off-the-shelf active bass. But I do agree that it's a good idea having sound clips on websites. tks Engineering has the same on their website [url="http://www.tks.se/"]http://www.tks.se/[/url], allowing direct comparison between their various cabs.

I'm another weekend warrior - I really should do more but I'm too lazy. I'd place myself as being in the top 25% of Dog and Duck players, so Victor Wooten can rest easy. Mind you, seeing Steve Lawson at the Moffat Bass Bash has got me to get the 7-string back out and start trying to work the B3's looper.

I started on guitar and still play it, though I'm primarily a bassist. I think it's been useful to me having a knowledge of both instruments. I would say that if you happen to have another instrument, whatever it is, in the house, then it's worth messing around with it, but actually going out and spending money on another instrument (whether it be guitar, keyboard, or drums) is not necessarily going to be worthwhile.

Ah, a bass goitre.

I must say, I think that one piece of wording by John Hall is - well, dodgy. "As far as your instrument is concerned, we've made it very clear to you privately that we would have been happy to take care of your instrument, as we are doing with other people if: 1. If it was new and legally imported into the U.K. (It isn't)" Apparently the instrument was imported unofficially. Hall says it either isn't new (but it was) or it was illegally imported into the UK (but it wasn't, it was unofficially imported). The wording implies an illegal act on the part of the current owner or of the seller, which I would suggest is probably defamatory. Not that I give a toss, it's only a Rickenbacker.

You could check if the preamp section is OK by running a lead from the FX Send to another amp (preferably the FX Return on another amp as it'll be less sensitive, but normal input will be OK if you start with everything on the second amp turned right down). If that produces an output, it's either the power amp module itself or possibly the power supply, if there are separate power supply sections for the preamp and power amp. There's a block diagram on page 13 of the manual [url="http://www.laney.co.uk/uploads/990e3637fce6000ea29ca779b982005f.pdf"]http://www.laney.co.uk/uploads/990e3637fce6000ea29ca779b982005f.pdf[/url] which may help seeing what's going on.

The venues which are actually venues (ie. have PA and a stage) seem to be moving towards having just tribute bands on, which for covers bands such as us is frustrating. I'm not anti-tribute, just wish that these venues would alternate tributes and covers.

Brilliant weekend and thanks again to Alan for organising it. Steve Lawson was excellent - I now have to get my 7-string back out and work out how to use the looper on the B3...

And England have just beaten Scotland. We may not get out of here alive.

Answering myself, everyone's at the Stag.

There's a private do at the Balmoral today. Any idea where people will be going instead?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1425899275' post='2711875'] For some bands image is important. Some musicians think it's ok to look like a sack of sh*t with a string tied around the middle. Clearly the two are not compatible. [/quote] And for some musicians only the money is important, which is clearly incompatible with psychedelic rock. Man. Not sure about the hair requirement, from what I remember of the era 50% of the bassists wore woolly hats. Like this bloke:

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1426111544' post='2714652'] I've tried that on a sports bike - bass on your back forces your helmet forwards and you end up staring down at the ground the whole time. Not the safest mode of transport to a gig [/quote] I did it once, GK 200MB combo strapped to the pillion seat, headless cricket bat bass, bag of leads, and sleeping bag all bungeed and cargonetted to the rack on my Tiger. Tamworth to Maidstone and back...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1426197305' post='2715663'] My thoughts on The Hofner Violin Bass: [i]"That style bass only looks cool on one guy, Paul McCartney."[/i] [/quote] I don't care whether it looks cool or not, it's a horrible thing to play.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1426156183' post='2714950'] EDIT: This [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Double-bass-upright-bass-/161633107434?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item25a2157dea"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item25a2157dea[/url] should give an idea of the market price of an unbranded double bass. If it were closer, not in Southampton, I would have put a silly low bid on it. [/quote] I'd be a little concerned by the lump of wood sat under the bridge.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1425578667' post='2708808'] I say; [i]"If it wasn't for The Beatles none of us would be be playing electric bass guitars"[/i] A lot of us had never seen an electric bass guitar until they came along. And it was passed down to each pop music generation. [/quote] Just as well the Beatles weren't that popular, otherwise we'd all be playing those dreadful Hofner violin basses.

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1426157883' post='2714984'] Not going to attempt to revive an old argument, but there is not, never has been, and never will be a Rickenbacker copy that is indistinguishable from the real thing.[/quote] Presumably because they're all either worse or much, much better.

Perfect for playing your Squire through.

As the body length is 660mm, that door is only about 2'6" (750mm) at the most. Does that mean that it's owned by a midget?

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1426068789' post='2713916'] I am not, by nature, very techy although I am also not imtimidated by technology but I see a real flaw in this 'tool' in terms of application. From what I can see, if you cannot play, say, a harp, this thing lets you play the sounds of a harp and so on through all sorts of intruments. Fine, I get that. It may be a midi usb interface thingy, i don't really care. What interests me is HOW DO YOU LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT?!! [/quote] By experiment. It's a MID controller that can be played in a variety of ways. Describing it as a completely new instrument would be a slight exaggeration, but it seems to be the first based on the fret switch guitar controller idea which has actually been designed with the express purpose of playing in assorted ways.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1426008445' post='2713378'] Looks like a Fisher Price Chapman stick. I could never play a stick in a million years but this thing looks tempting. [/quote] Not as many strings as a Chapman Stick. You need this: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161630963957"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161630963957[/url]

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1425974556' post='2712813'] The inability to escape drunken, middle aged twats, [/quote] My band can't get away from them either, because I'm on the stage with them.

I'm a fingers player.

It would appear so, through a real MIDI port: [url="http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/10/rock-band-3-fender-mustang-pro-midi/"]http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/10/rock-band-3-fender-mustang-pro-midi/[/url]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1425946021' post='2712734'] Is MIDI over USB simply a question of making up a suitable lead, or does it require an interface to get actual MIDI protocol data? Every time you have to convert data you introduce latency which is the last thing you want in a performance instrument. [/quote] An Arduino would do the job. Switch on is a couple of seconds, latency would be negligible. If you want to avoid having flying USB leads (I agree they're a bad idea), power with a 9V battery, and attach whatever box you're using to the Instrument 1 with a short USB lead to the socket. Or maybe modify the Instrument 1 to use a Neutrik mini-XLR 4-pole socket and plug to replace the standard USB socket.