grandad

I was born in 1948 & I don't think I'll ever become sick of the Beatles. I revisit them every now & again. Some numbers might age better than others. Sometimes I find something new that I hadn't noticed before. But the same applies to dozens of other artists in my music collection of LP's, Cassettes & CD's.

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_roll"]http://en.wikipedia....i/Rock_and_roll[/url] A pretty good read I think. Rock 'n' Roll just evolves like any other Art form.

Not that old but one of the last line of Peavey bass amp heads to be made in the US is the Delta, Nitro & Fire-Bass series. These became the Max 160, 450 & 700. I gigged through a Max 160 into an Ampeg B115E for several years & still have them. I sold on a Max 450 as I didn't need the extra volume. I took it out the cabinet for inspection & the build quality was excellent. Fibre glass pcb, discrete components, accessable layout. Having worked on military & civvy equipment since the 60's I can tell you that if this is typical of the equipment built at Meridian MS then it's no wonder old Peaveys have a reputation for longevity.

Agree, excellent service in my recent experience.

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1438245557' post='2832778'] Alternatively, it means you're older and more opinionated. [/quote] Perspective - yes. Wisdom - hopefully! Older - yes. Opinionated - well maybe. Stubborn - sometimes.

Yes Blue, I think you're right when you say "a ray of sunshine".

Many autobiographies from that generation of UK artists tell a similar story of growing up in the 50's and 60's, (I've just read Bill Wyman's). Their experience, in many ways, reflects mine. Post WWII Britain was a grey, austere place, money was short, food and fuel rationing, and the shops were bare. Just 2 BBC radio stations and Radio Luxemburg. The questioning of authority was quite daring and teenagers were not yet invented. From Great Britain's and the Commonwealth's world dominance at the turn of the century, WWI and then WWII brought us to our knees and I have so much respect for my Father and his generation. I only played amongst the aftermath on the bombsites. Some interesting facts here on the UK and USA that sets the picture: [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_United_Kingdom"]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_United_Kingdom[/url] The Beatles were a breath of fresh air. Their music and irreverence inspired many. Since retiring I've had the time to read quite a few biographies of artists from the sixties and many share a common theme. Elvis's 2 by Albert Goldman are very well researched and the various Beatles's are well worth a read. Another eye-opener is "Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay" by Simon Napier-Smith. The music you grow up with as a teenager is always precious as it shares so many formative moments and special times. Those of us who grew up with the Beatles, and their peers, feel we had the best of times. I do.

Thank you KiOgon.

I think I've got it under control now. Been up to about a dozen, now down to 2, (there's always those that I still regret parting with though).

I know what you mean. I find I need a couple of months of toing and froing between any new rig and my old before I can decide on which I prefer. In fact I've just decided to stick with my old tried and trusted rig and sell on the new stuff I've bought this year. Of course it'll cost me again but I've enjoyed trying out some high end gear and someone else will get to try it out at a discount. BC needs to shoulder some of the blame here! The enthusiasm of basschatters is so infectious.

Roland Bass-Cube 30.

I've had a PJB Flightcase and PB300 for a few months. I A/B it with my Peavey Max 160 into an Ampeg B115E. So that's SS discrete into Ferrite speaker compared with SMPS + class D into Neo's. They are very different in tone when set with a flat eq. I would say the SS bottom end is more dominant against the low mids for the Class D. To get a similar umph the bass is at 2 compared to 12 oclock and the low mids at 10. But I'm not sure this is a lack of umph in class D amps as more the clearer tone of a newer amp design. The umph is there to be dialed in as are more tonal options. The thing I've noticed most is the definition. Notes are more precise and also getting used to hearing the higher harmonics. I was comfortable with my old rig and I think it takes some listening time to adjust.

Worth a read I thought. Electronics is a difficult subject to get across to the layman. Many analogies don't quite fit but are useful nonetheless. Strange stuff electricity. You can't pick it up and examine it, only experience it's effects.

Apart from recently going with the PJB Flightcase + PB300, (SMPS, Class D & Neo's), I changed the foldback from 2 x 12" wedges to a Yamaha 600i system, (SMPS, Class D & Ferrite). The complete PA weighs 56 lbs, that's 2 x 10" wedges + powered mixer. Though I don't put the bass through it, the bass response is very good with the speakers on the floor. [quote name='PauBass' timestamp='1435649435' post='2810877'] I'm beginning to agree with all of you that say that Class D amps lack something. I hadn't noticed much with my function/wedding band but since we are back with our loud rock band I do have noticed. As much as I like all the Class D amps I have tried, and the one I have at the moment , more an more I'm having the feeling that, specially in our loud rock band, my bass sounds thinner. Yes, there's plenty of volume but I'm finding there's a lack of heft, the note weight is not there and this shows clearly on the band mix, I have lost my place a bit no matter how loud I turn up. We always record rehearsals when we are writing new songs, the difference from when I was using my DB750 to the recordings with Class D amps, confirm it for me, there's something missing, and I'm not talking volume. [/quote] I know what you mean when you say "there's something missing". I thought so to initially but I think it maybe that one's 'focus' is distracted away from the lower frequencies to all the harmonics which are now more prevalent. I can still get my 'old school' sound with some drastic eq-ing. Attack is there as is sustain. Definitely crisper, not a soft sound.

My Flightcase has a SMPS, is Class D and has Neo's as does my PB300. A small lightweight practice amp + gig rig. Previous to this I usually gigged with a Peavey Max160 head + Ampeg B115E. So a complete change from a standard discrete SS amp + ceramic 15" to a smaller lighter rig. I A/B'd the 2 rigs as I was so reluctant to swop my trusted older rig. I was always happy with it volume and tonewise. It has been totaly reliable over several years and not that heavy compared to some. The PJB has very effective tone controls, is more refined and both my basses are brighter. The impression I get is that the overall sound is more precise. I would not say it was cold or clinical just more defined. The loudness of 400W to my previous 120W is discernable and I guess feels about 50% to maybe twice as loud. The PJB seems to project more and I'm still finding out where I like to stand wrt the cab. The differences are immediatley apparent, I still like both rigs but with my hearing now impaired the PJB is winning, SMPS, Class D and Neo's. Having said all above, the first PJB I had was a Briefcase. This was Class AB and had ceramic pirahna speakers. I found it to be just that little bit warmer than the Flightcase.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1434528266' post='2800361'] This is the downside of the internet. Anyone can put up the most ridiculous and fanciful bullshit and people will believe it. Edit. . . just re read that .. . . Vulture not Grandad [/quote] I don't neccessarily agree with everything in the article but it did seem relevant to the debate and provide food for thought. I like songs with wit and subtlety and insinuation and tongue in cheek and euphemism and double-entendre. Bues and Rock poetry has produced such fabulous lines - if you don't like my peaches honey, please don't shake my tree, I got the pork chop you got the pie, shake your money-maker, etc. The music in 'Brown Sugar' is classic. The lyrics maybe lack much of the above.

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1434528041' post='2800358'] I am not suggesting if we play it, people will assume we are support the content. I just wondered if anyone had had bad experiences playing it. I am not sure how comfortable I would be singing it if there were people in the audience who may get offended rightly or wrongly. Its interesting that some of the lyrics web sites have changed the words, most notably 'with the women' instead of 'whip the women'. Not sure if this is deliberate or not as they do get quite a few wrong in other songs [/quote] Being comfortable with the lyrics is important to me as I play for my own enjoyment and also hope it gives pleasure. If you choose to use your music as a vehicle to convey an opinion or attitude, thats ok too. The great thing about song lyrics is the scattering of double-entendre thus allowing for instance both parents and children to enjoy a number. One of my favourite numbers by the Stones is Sweet Virginia. For years I thought it praised the beauty and colours of the flora, i.e. 'greens and blues'. I have just penned an arrangement of C C Rider very different to Ma Rainey's 1924 version or the Elvis 1970. I prefer it, some would call it sacrilege.

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1434524613' post='2800331'] No! The song is the song! Might as well talk about "Baa Baa Black Sheep" yet again, shall we? [/quote] Songs evolve with new lyrics/arrangements all the time. I happen not to like the original lyrics as I find them in poor taste. I am however against censorship in Art. I am also against censorship of personnal opinions/preferences toward Art.

[url="http://www.vulture.com/2015/04/brown-sugar-still-tastes-good.html"]http://www.vulture.c...astes-good.html[/url]

Put flatwounds on and never change them again!

I have the same D'Addario flats on both my Tokai SG and Aria Pro II Cardinel CSB380. They sound so different. The Tokai, (32"), has lots of smooth low end and no bark - 2 humbuckers. EQ is pretty flat. The Aria, (32.5"), has a lot of grit - 1 single P type pup. EQ needs a smiley face to tame the mids. I enjoy both very different tones and prefer the feel of flats. I'll never go back to rounds, don't like the feel and all that finger noise would annoy.

Our old lead guitarist has just started a music club at Quarry Bank Community Centre and we had a great 1st meeting. I ended up jamming "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Route 66" and some other numbers I forget now, with this 70 year old Blues enthusiast who certainly knew his harp and sang well too. About 20 people turned up. So much for retiring from gigging, all sorts of possible alliances were discussed as possibilities for the future. [quote name='molan' timestamp='1430690727' post='2763818'] Good review - I must admit that I prefer the ceramic driver PJB cabs but I know a lot of people that prefer the Neos so I guess it's just a subjective thing. We've just received a pair of PB300's in part exchange so I must test one with one of the baby combos to see how it sounds [/quote] So I bought one - excellent service from Bassgear. Both Cub and Briefcase just sounded themselves but bigger, as you would expect. Then I figured that a Flightcase on top would just look 'the bees knees' so I took a trip to Bassdirect and picked one up, leaving them to sell on the Cub and also the Briefcase. Now I'm thinking that I ought to try out a Buddy with it maybe. Although I too prefer the ceramic's it was the weight that sold me but the eq is so well chosen that the slightly grittier neo's can be tamed. I have to live and play with an amp, or for that matter a guitar, for at least a couple of weeks before I really get to know it but the flightcase and PB300 are my rig today though I did demo' the Tecamp Classic 112 combo at Bassdirect and was very impressed.

Recently owned a Briefcase and a Cub, and have just settled on a Flightcase + PB300. They don't all have the same voice/sound but they all allow you to articulate your play. I would advise trying before buying and with your own bass. Also look at the facilities each model offers & get the model that suits your need - number of channels, etc. The power ratings, (wattage), is misleading due to the relative inefficient speakers I believe, but they do seem to project the sound well. I do believe to be true the often repeated praise that PJB amps allow you to hear the true sound of your instrument.