Kiwi

Pete, I've shifted this to site issues. I'm not sure whether we set people up to delete their own posts or not. Unfortunately bandwidth where I am makes it difficult for me to look at anything behind the scenes at the moment. I can't see any specific permissions relating to the deletion of posts however. Maybe if you drop a PM to Phatmonkey, he will be able to help you out?

[quote name='wotnwhy' post='77860' date='Oct 22 2007, 08:17 PM']with Jon it's almost the other way round. he seems to relish the idea of doing something new and unique (this was a very large factor in me choosing him)[/quote] It certainly seemed that way with my commission too, I don't think he's designed a MIDI bass before but what sold me on him was that he had already used parts from the same suppliers. So there was no teeth sucking and 'could be tricky' bollocks from him when I asked for something that deviated from an absolutely bog standard instrument because he already knew what work was involved, instead of charging me for his learning curve. [quote name='wotnwhy' post='77860' date='Oct 22 2007, 08:17 PM']*again, as mentioned a lot, the prices are [i]very[/i] competitive (another major factor in me choosing him)[/quote] He charges most outsourced parts at cost as far as I can see, which I think is both fair minded and gracious of him. He doesn't appear to profiteer which I have found in a number of other UK luthiers, so I'm inclined to trust his judgement on spec more. We also ended up agreeing about parts qute often which was encouraging. [quote name='wotnwhy' post='77860' date='Oct 22 2007, 08:17 PM']*and finaly, Jon seems to have an incredible nack of getting you the [b]sound[/b] that your after. (ie, i want a deep and punchy, or, i want it clear and crisp)[/quote] This I am going to have to wait and see. I've asked for a Ken Smith sound but with a little more mid range and a little less boom. Jon seems to think we've got the spec right. I am a little wary of builders who let me do too much of the spec when it comes to wood, it's their expertise and materials I'm paying for, after all.

There's a sticky pinned in the technical and repairs forum on this [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1324&hl=deadspots"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...mp;hl=deadspots[/url]

[quote name='Buzz' post='76841' date='Oct 20 2007, 03:17 AM']Aye, I concur with most of the above. Do it, and you've done your part. Audiences don't notice bass anyway (j/k) so you'll be fine, just hobble along as best you can. Worst to worst, just play roots and 5ths It'll reflect badly on him in his band as he's f***ed up.[/quote] +1 I been in this situation so many times. Don't feel guilty in this situation at all. It's up to your mate to give you enough opportunity to prepare.

[quote name='synaesthesia' post='76834' date='Oct 20 2007, 01:38 AM']Been three done it bought the t shirt mate. For loud gigs I play though an electronically crossovered sub powered by an 800 watt power amp, and usually I run a -12dB filter at about 50hz generally without losing any satisfactory trouser flapping bottom, either in playing an Alembic, a Rick, a 7 string Conklin etc.[/quote] Regardless of which, my experience is that flat cabs don't work in all live situations. But they may work in some. [quote name='synaesthesia' post='76834' date='Oct 20 2007, 01:38 AM']In 12 years of commercial recording and mixing, I've filtered electric basses of at 60hz depending on tracks. In a mix particularly for pop or rock records, this is quite a common so that you have a tighter low end, and a punchier recording, particularly if the track will be compressed a little at mastering. Your generic 4X10 bass cab doesn't really go very low in the nether regions and many people claim 'deep' bottom end nirvana with one - your average punter playing through a cheapo wireless which starts to filter off at 70 to 90hz (your freeports, some samsons, som AKG) claim they hear all the way to 35hz of their B string.[/quote] All based on a recording context mate, which just supports the point I conceded to you earlier. I agree with you, as far as a recording situation goes. However you've not addressed the onstage situation and issue of [b]context[/b] that many players on this forum are likely to encounter. Does the average punter use a wireless? I couldn't tell you what the average punter uses in their signal chain. [quote name='synaesthesia' post='76834' date='Oct 20 2007, 01:38 AM']My point is searching for flatter response towards 40hz whilst perhaps necessary for PA and DJs reproducing synthesised frequencies isn't all that necessary for satisfactory electric bass guitar reproduction.[/quote] "Satisfactory" being a question of taste? [quote name='synaesthesia' post='76834' date='Oct 20 2007, 01:38 AM']The heritage of established and acceptable tonal character of bass guitar given its definition via its historcal development with generally poor audio reproduction equipment added to the fact that many players post Jaco choose to emphasize their bridge pickup sonic character supports my claim.[/quote] Eh?

[quote name='synaesthesia' post='76728' date='Oct 19 2007, 09:03 PM']What is probably not reflected in this argument of mine goes deeper than yours is that that tonal characteristics of electric bass guitar actually does not need to, nor for the most part want to go that deep and in most cases does not produce a flat response down to 40hz.[/quote] Are you talking a 4 or 5 string electric bass? What stage acoustics are you assuming? What sounds smooth in one gigging environment may not sound smooth in another. You may have a point for a 4 string bass being recorded through a mixing desk. But in my experience playing a 5 string bass live with frequencies shelved below 40Hz results in a very inadequate sound. Sometimes its necessary to boost that low just so that the onstage mix sounds fuller. At the end of the day a flat response cab will give me more control in my set up, in that when I'm eq-ing for on stage monitoring I can be reasonably confident that what anomalies I hear are more likely due to the environment than colouring in my gear. However I've generally found flat response cabs are inadequate above certain stage volumes. With increased voumes, the stage acoustics and other instruments can overwhelm any benefits from the improvement in monitoring quality. Given a rock gig using my Alembic, a 400w valve amp and a choice between my Acme B2's or a wheezy old 8x10, the Acmes would most likely be inadequate as a flat response cab. I can't comment on the BFM cabs in not having heard one yet. If I was gigging in an environment where there were a lot of reflective surfaces and I needed to use a semi para eq to be more precise in what I cut/boost then the Acmes (and perhaps the BFM Omni's) as flat response cabs would do the job better than a 8x10. The points I'm making here are: 1) It's all very well getting excited comparing and contrasting the technical aspects of these speakers but at the end of the day, its easy to forget the other influences that affect what you hear on stage. That is to say, just because the cabs are flat response doesn't necessarily mean your whole rig will sound better when used against guitars and drums on a hollow stage in a nightclub with concrete walls and hard seating. 2) In my experience, flat response cabs are a great idea but have limitations just like any other piece of kit. However its possible to compensate for most inadequacies in the spec of the other pieces of gear being used. That is to say, if someone likes their flat response cabs because they're light and portable (whatever design they happen to be) then it makes sense to choose other kit that gives more colouring when needed. Of course the way to completely bypass all of this discussion is to invest in in-ear monitoring. Then stage acoustics get left out of the equation completely and it makes the process of eqing to personal taste a load easier.

What a stunner - good score Sir! I think you should leave the tuners as they are, they match the modern look of the bass nicely. Have you got any sound clips to share yet?

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='76583' date='Oct 19 2007, 04:05 PM']Comparisons to Acme remain academic and speculative until and unless measured charts of Acme are made available.[/quote] Unless you get one of each, stick 'em next to each other and do an A/B comparison with the same amp and bass? I think its all too easy to get caught up in the technical aspects and lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, something maybe technically inferior but it still sounds good to a lot of people. I think others have attempted to make this point in the past. If this wasn't the case then p-basses would have been ditched the world over in favour of Alembics in the mid 70's. Technically an Alembic Series 1 or 2 is superior to a Fender Precision in terms of how its been engineered for efficiency and broad frequency response but not everyone's cup of tea tonally. I think the point Alex was making is that its all a question of taste, at the end of the day.

I'm surprised someone hasn't thought of this before - it makes so much sense, especially where "extra grease cutting power" is needed! lol

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='76152' date='Oct 18 2007, 07:52 PM']I'd better square this with a mod before I go any further. I know that I got the nod when we were a former incarnation but I don't want to pee people off.[/quote] All squared up, ship shaped and bristle fashioned. You're good to go.

that sounds a bit rough, do you have any right of appeal?

Macster, you haven't missed out. This is as far as discussions got: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=63&st=240"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=63&st=240[/url] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2053&hl=bassbash"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...amp;hl=bassbash[/url] As you can see from the links, what actually happened was that we discussed the possibility of having it sometime later as it was too close to the SE Bash, NOT because the Mods showed up. We also discussed having it in Oxford as its near where Ped lives and he was going to take over scouting for a location. No dates have been discussed yet but we are probably are overdue for one. It depends on the level of interest I guess, the September ones generally have been the less popular events.

I'm absolutely satisfied with my GK combo once I added a 2x10 to it. I felt the 1x15" lacked a little punch although that was like saying the foie gras needed a bit more salt. With a 2x10" it has everything - warmth, punch, clarity and I've reached a stage where I feel there's nothing I could do to make it sound better. What's best about it is that it sounds good with all my basses - a very flexible and honest sounding rig. (I would love for the whole shooting match to be a bit lighter though, and for there to be some durable castors fitted as well.)

Next bass bash, I can bring my Acmes if Nedsbeds brings his Omni's

As has already been stated, funk is about the one. Funk is about the aftermath of nasty, deep and exhaustive sex so visualise the sleaziest, most excessive night of shagging you've ever enjoyed and inject a bit of The Morning After into your playing! Bootsy had it down perfectly and Bernard Edwards is one of my favourite players. Larry Graham is seriously underrated as a player (even though everyone has heard of him, his feel is phenomenal) and Robbie Shakespeare is worth checking out. However Jamerson is the first and is still the last word in feel. He was where it all started. I like his playing for 1) Playing as few notes as possible and letting his music theory do the work for him (esp. hand positions). 2) Not always playing on the beat. His jumping to odd chordal notes at key chords in a sequence is part of what defines his style along with his feel. Just listen to Reflections by Diana Ross and the Supremes. He sometimes pulls back the timing of particular notes and instead of slowing the song down, its like plucking a rubber band. The energy gets released and it drives the song along. Utterly remarkable. The more I listen to him the more he really does my head in. No wonder everyone raves about him. George Porter from The Meters is also good for fat funky and simple grooves.

Gotta get the blue LED's behind the transparent pickup casings! I've tried a set in Alemboid's Status Series 1 6 string and they were indeed clear and hifi (nearby noise sources notwithstanding). However I thought tweaking pole pieces offered a disappointingly limited variation in tonal response. Technically they do exactly what the maker claims, just not as well as I would have hoped. In the end I decided to go for a set of Delano soapbars instead, they were warmer and sweeter sounding to my ears.

Ah my favourite topic! Check out these fantastic bass/amp combinations some time: Jazz + SWR SM400 + Goliath 4x10 - v crisp and deep Stingray + Boogie 400+ + 4x12 - loads of chest thump P-bass + Ampeg + 8x10 - round and brown Smith BSR5 + GK 1x15" combo + 2x10 cab - very even, growly and full (sounded good thru Rich's Eden WT400 but not so good through my WT800) Status Series 2000/Stealth + Hartke 3500 + Hartke 4x10 (or same as a Trace rig)- loadsa growwwwl Any other fave combinations out there?

Sounds to me like your music had precisely the RIGHT effect, if he had to leave after 10mins and all the punters who were having fun stayed. What's to be bothered about? One less tosspot in the audience is a GOOD thing.

I'd ask Gene Simmons whether he'd sell his grandmothers remains if someone offered enough money.

I can tell you from my experience presenting to large rooms of people professionally, as well as the usual gigging, that nerves are VERY much a state of mind. There are some things you can do to help increase your confidence and the most important is PREPARATION. Simply put, its not possible to over prepare for something. Secondly, it does get easier with experience (especially, as has already been mentioned, when you start to understand what the audience DON'T hear). Thirdly even if I still have nerves then I find it helps to at least act like someone who is confident even if I'm not. That means taking some time out to put yourself in the shoes of someone who is relaxed and confident and visualising how you want to come across, so that you get the audience reaction you're after. Again, that gets easier with experience. At the end of the day, smell the fear. Then do it anyway.