Linus27

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='510106' date='Jun 10 2009, 12:59 PM']Get some white paint and paint it all over the cab. I've heard that the lighter a cab is, the easier it is to carry.[/quote] This man is a genius. Why other companies don't do this I don't know

[quote name='obbm' post='510065' date='Jun 10 2009, 12:18 PM']I once put a Trace 4x10 on fixed castors and it sounded awful as it lost all coupling with the ground. Dolly is preferable. Finding a suitably attractive dolly could be difficult as I'm sure Mrs OBBM would have something to say on the matter.[/quote] I'm sure I saw a few suitable dollies tucked away in your garage

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='510048' date='Jun 10 2009, 12:07 PM']Providing your cab is well sealed I find the easiest thing to do is fill the cab with Helium. It doesn't affect my tone, and allows me to "float" my rig into position. Either a heavey amp sitting on top or sand-bags provide sufficient ballast whilst playing.[/quote] The only problem with helium is it can be quite expensive and is in high demand for blowing baloons up. Do you think I could use my own body gasses instead? I do tend to produce a fair amount as confirmed by my wife and on a Thursday after Curry day at work, also confirmed by my wife.

[quote name='escholl' post='510030' date='Jun 10 2009, 11:50 AM']imo, no. some sort of trolley/board with casters is the way to go.[/quote] That certainly would be the easiest way forward.

[quote name='ezbass' post='509994' date='Jun 10 2009, 11:00 AM']I use a lightweight trolley for my 1212L Schroeder, but when I was using heavier Ashdown cabs I used a board with casters. On reflection I think the board was easier to use than my current trolley as the trolley sometimes gets terminal wobble and tips over. Another nice thing about the "skateboard" was that you could pile things on top of the cab; head, pedal board, etc. If you decide to go the board route, don't skrimp on the casters as you'll only end up replacing them with better ones.[/quote] I was wondering if its worth putting casters direct onto the bottom of the cab.

I've just bought a brand new Ashdown ABM 500 Rack mouted EVO III Head. With the speaker connected but volume up, its as silent as a mouse. As soon as I plug my cable into the input socket, it starts to hiss. If I turn the treble dial up the hissing becomes much louder. If I turn the valve blend dial to add more valve, the hissing becomes much louder. I have tried 3 basses and its exactly the same with each bass. I have not tried a different cable yet but it is a brand new cable. I will try a new one to elimate this option. Does anyone else have this head and notice a hissing noise when a cable is connected to the input socket?

Getting an Ashdown ABM 4x10 today and they are not the lightest cabs around. Just wondering how others move their cabs about. On a trolly, attached casters etc. As I am not as young as I used to be, any suggestions or advice appreciated.

Tons by Derek Forbes of Simple Minds. Also Bruce Foxton of The Jam.

Cool. Thanks for the info. If I can think of some more, I will let you know.

The West End Centre in Aldershot is very good. Can you share some good venues you have played at in Wales please.

[quote name='Rich' post='506922' date='Jun 6 2009, 12:45 PM']Ooh look, there's a squirrel.[/quote] Thats not a squirrel, its a badger.

[quote name='mikhay77' post='506890' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:52 AM']In an age of modern amps,cabs and bass electronics,why do some players just play with a plectrum,surely tonal variety is much wider finger stylie,or are we stuck in a rut.I cant seem to justify using one,except sometimes playing guitar,............discuss[/quote] Its nothing to do with modern technology or electronics. It's a case of simply technique or what suits the song. As a plectrum player of 23 years who has moved over to finger style for the last two year, I can fully appreciate both techniques. My current band really suits finger style. Lots of space, freedom tonally and something to groove to. My old band was fast punk pop. No way I can play this with fingers. You just can't get the attack, drive, tone and energy with fingers that you can with a plectrum. For me personally the bass also dictates. My current band really suits a Jazz or Musicman with fingers. My old band really suits a Precision and a plectrum. I guess why a spanish/flamenco guitarist plays with fingers and a metal guitarist plays with a pick. Just different styles. One last thing, some of my style was to play a melody on one string and the root on the string above. I found playing this style with a plectrum more effective. It was too clumbsy with fingers. So again, technique. Below I have posted an example. You can see in the verse I am playing a melody on the G string whilst hitting the open D every other time. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTuOXm4jkCU"]Inter - Radio FInland[/url]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='506865' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:25 AM']Firstly using three fingers is not disgraceful just not ideal, but many people get by with it. The locking is usually due to playing with your fingers too straight with the middle joint clicking into a straight position under the stress of applying pressure to the string. The best approach to undoing this is to slightly change hand position as follows: 1. With you palm facing upwards cup your left hand as though holding a fat baton. 2. gently curl the top of your fingers so that the tips face the tip of your thumb. 3. keeping relaxed place the neck where the imaginary baton was and move the tips of your fingers towards the strings with your thumb resting gently against the back. 4. use the natural weight of your arm to pull gently (rather than squeezing) in a line towards you through your arm into your hand and out through your elbow (thats an imaginary line) Maintain this position when applying pressure to the strings and if you keep your fingers gently curved you should eliminate the locking problem. best of luck with it. Jake Obviously it's difficult without showing you exactly but I've explained as best I can.[/quote] Really great bit of advice. Thanks for sharing.

I got the Squire VMJ and its superb. I got it by pure luck after going shopping for a fretted bass. After playing lots of fretted basses and not finding one I liked, I thought I would have a go on the VMJ just for some fun and I fell right at home with it. A week later I came home to find my wife had bought it for me as a surprise Xmas present. She said you just looked so happy and comfortable playing it. So cool. It does sound amazing but do check the build quality as I had to take mine back as the lined fret filler fell out. The latest one so far has been perfect. I also put some flats on it but I think it sounds better with a rounds. The other thing I don't like is the Jaco look. A bit to cliche these days but it does look awsome though. Really worth getting as an intro to fretless.

[quote name='pegman1' post='503780' date='Jun 2 2009, 01:44 PM']Thats interesting about the 75 pickups i bet they're quite pricey though because they're not off the shelf.[/quote] Actually no, they are pretty cheap, 0055230000 PICKUP ASSY 75 JAZZ BASS NECK RRP £42.99 0055231000 PICKUP ASSY 75 JAZZ BASS BRG RRP £42.99 They said as they are not off the shelf, it can be about 8 weeks delievery. They can be ordered through any Fender dealer.

I had one and they are fantastic basses. Hardware is the same as US apart from pickups but I spoke to Fender and you can buy the pickups that come in the US 75 re-issue Jazz. They are not off the shelf items so need to be ordered in special but I have the part numbers if anyone wants them. The build quality is superb. Faultless and the neck on mine was not chunky at all. Amazing basses. I do think they are overpriced these days though for a Mexican bass.