Kiwi

I have one. Whatever you do, make sure you don't get the MkI version. The locks have a tendency to pop off with any sudden jolt if the tangs aren't bent back sufficiently. I've managed to bend mine back but it took a set of mini mole grips to do it. The MkII versions apparently had this design issue resolved. Also, keep an eye on the wheels, I've had a situation where the attaching bolt on one of mine came loose and I lost both the wheel and the bolt . They're easy enough to get from a well stocked skate shop but finding a shop like that is another thing entirely if you live outside London...

I ran a GK RB700 combo with a 2x10RBH extension cab for a while. It was so loud it was almost unplayable. HUGE sound and once I turned down the tweeter it sounded very clean. I wouldn't say neutral because it was quite aggressive sounding but loads of growl. I miss it (apart from the weight). If you have wheels on yours keep an eye on them. Mine distintgrated over hard surfaces.

What would MacGyver do...?

hi Karl, does Rob have tuners and headpieces back in stock now? Or did you buy them a while ago?

wow, thats something special and interesting! I never knew silver steinies had been made - thanks for sharing!

If you can coat the bare wood with some kind of coloured, matching base coat (like using a varnish stick or similar), then go to a beauty shop somewhere and get some nail buffing pads. NOT the rigid, abrasive ones, the softer, super fine polishing ones a bit like these: (Those grey and white ones - S1224 seemed to work best for me.) Then get some superglue and backfill the dent with layers of glue and let each one dry. Don't worry too much about the white staining or going over the edges of the dent too much, just don't do more than you're prepared to buff back later on. When you've applied enough layers so that the backfilled glue stands proud of the surrounding finish, use the nail buffing pad to abrade the glue filler back to match the surrounding finish level. Sometimes you can use a more abrasive nail pad if you're careful to mask off the surrounding finish to protect from accidental scrapes and use the buffing pad to finish things off. Just take it easy and be patient. Use the coarsest pad to do most of the work and then the finest pad to polish the glue surface and existing finish plus remove any superglue staining. I've done it myself on poly finishes and the repair was invisible apart from when I held it up to the light.

zzz

Talk to [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showforum=66"]Prometeus in the Affiliates forum[/url]? He seems very good value for money although I haven't tried any of his instruments. Quick turnaround time too compared to most luthiers.

well as far as Bilbo's comment on Jeff's backing vocalists, I'd agree about him doing his own thing with a vocalist. BUT, it would require him to collaborate rather than fulfil the role of consultant maestro. Having said all that... Jaco + Joni. How much more perfect could it get? Musically? Commercially? Critically? Maybe Jeff should have gotten in with Eva Cassidy when she was still alive, that would have been a nice combination I think.

[quote name='SteveO' post='439956' date='Mar 20 2009, 06:35 AM']Interesting idea, looking at [url="http://www.bassgearmag.com/blog/?p=109"]this article[/url] they claim that each speaker has 2 coils which allows the switching. Won't this affect the performance though? i'd have thought that a speaker with only one coil would be better than one carrying the dead weight of a second unused coil. Maybe the convenience outweighs the small performance hit though, or maybe it's so small as not to be an issue.[/quote] I can understand the principle for one driver, but what happens in a 4x10 cab?!

Noone seems to know much about Musicman Cutlass basses there either, huh Ben?

I know its not very helpful but at least Cubase comes with MIDI drivers. I had a similar experience using M-Audio Pro Logic M-Powered until I eventually understood that MIDI drivers needed to be installed (unlike my previous experience with Cubase which was a lot simpler). I'd like to help out but my experience of Cubase is probably out of date. However, these sites may be of some assistance perhaps? [url="http://www.pdf-search-engine.com/tutorial-cubase-pdf.html"]http://www.pdf-search-engine.com/tutorial-cubase-pdf.html[/url] [url="http://pdfdatabase.com/download_file_i.php?file=4240172&desc=cubase+.pdf"]http://pdfdatabase.com/download_file_i.php...esc=cubase+.pdf[/url] Good luck with it.

I can't tell you how they will sound and I think you will be hard pressed to know the difference between them (assuming there is some difference) unless you buy both. What made you think that piezos sound different? I think you should go with the bridge that has the biggest transducers. Mine are by ABM BTW.

[quote name='Golchen' post='438953' date='Mar 19 2009, 09:40 AM']I have a strat neck that feels great, but in a previous life some wally chose to try and stone/level the frets without taking the tension off the truss rod. Thus all the middle frets are flat! Can anyone recommend a decent place for restoration, either by a really good fret job (might just take it still?) or a refret? The joys of buying instruments unsighted![/quote] If the middle frets are flat, wouldn't that mean the neck was back bowed? I'd say take it to Martin Petersen, he's the closest to you who does good quality fret jobs. Might be a bit expensive though, so just be prepared for that.

[quote name='Ant' post='439000' date='Mar 19 2009, 10:27 AM']acrylic paint! it's dried nice and hard. i love this amp.[/quote] lol ok, flake off then. Apart from that I like it but I wouldn't buy it off you.

Basically piezo transducers are a type of rare earth ceramic that generates an electric current when pressure is applied. Pretty amazing stuff! Phil Mann and I were comparing notes on the piezos in our basses on Facebook this morning because we've both had issues. Mine have been described elsewhere but basically its important to get good contact between the string and the saddle. They can otherwise be a little temperamental if not set up properly. Taperwound or exposed core strings are usually needed to get the best out of them too. Phil uses La Bella Super Steps on his and recommended them to me. I may go with a handmade custom set from Newtone as well though because they can do a thick, exposed core. I'm not aware that treating the piezo in any way has an effect but I could be wrong. As far as I'm aware, it all comes down to good string contact and making sure there's a buffer preamp in place to take care of any impedance issues. Buffer preamps don't have to be complicated and are even sometimes included already in some circuits. For example, you could have a chat to John East about creating a customised U-retro with an additional buffer preamp to handle the piezo output. I think it might be relatively simple for him given his units are modular in design.

that paint will probably rub off on anything it touches...car boot interiors, carpets, hands...

You're looking at not only establishing a different regime of muscle memory but also facing the prospect of rewiring your brain. I'm a lefty-plays-righty and I've tried to play left handed and it feels worse than starting from scratch. Its like you have to get comfortable with your muscles before even beginning to learn, inspite of my left handed dominance. Playing bass is the only thing I do right handed. HOWEVER. The best session drummers can play ambidextrously, so there's no reason why not if you immerse yourself completely in the task for maybe 6 months to a year perhaps? In an ideal world I'd play fretless right handed and slap left handed so my left hand is doing the most important things in both cases.

In a normal circuit, you just solder the pickup signal wire to the appropriate tang on the volume pot and make sure the earth is soldered to the casing or another earth lead (depending on the pickups). Not sure how the EMG battery wiring might make things more complicated though. It depends on how the tone pump has been removed and even then its going to be tricky to talk someone through that on a forum without the instrument in plain view.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='438053' date='Mar 18 2009, 09:34 AM']£17? No wonder it takes Jon so long to build stuff.. he's always on the phone to kiwi...[/quote] LOL, oh yes, Jon was telling me about the different flavours of noodles he and Rob have been trying out. He said he quite likes the kimchi flavoured one.

only if its being used to remonstrate a deceased mammal of the equine persuasion.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='437695' date='Mar 17 2009, 07:19 PM']a hundred years ago it was all about the brass instuments in big bands and stuff[/quote] Are you sure about that?

Well its a little late but thanks to Hamster, we've recovered the thread discussing string anchoring. (FWIW) [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=21840&st=0&p=221592&#entry221592"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...mp;#entry221592[/url]