Kiwi

I was born in Warsash on the mouth of the Hamble - it was used for filming Howards Way in the 80's.

welcome Mark, whereabouts in Hampshire are you?

[quote name='skelf' post='23802' date='Jun 26 2007, 10:57 PM']Was Jaws a boy,I really was not paying that much attention to the film.[/quote] Alan, what on earth were you distracted by?

[quote name='The Burpster' post='23353' date='Jun 26 2007, 07:49 AM']Chris, I believe Kiwi (the point of his reply) has been trying to obtain the correct sound for the piece of music that he has been asked to play........ That sound MAY have required a specific sound, or maybe the [b]band[/b] required a specific sound or look, hence his post above.......[/quote] In my experience, having the right instruments for the song makes a hell of a difference to how inspired other people in the band feel about their playing. I've heard musicians lift the standard of their playing to match the quality of the sounds they hear. Its not just bass either. What about if the keys player is using an organ patch on a Casio home keyboard instead of using a Nord Electro 2? OK its adequate and you'll get by, but is adequacy the standard you want to achieve musically (he asks rhetorically)?

I've decided my Smith 6 isn't used enough to justify keeping it. Its usually used for recording chordal bits but now I have a guitar there's not much need for me to use it by itself. The two 5's get used mostly on stage and the c string on the 6 just tends to get in the way of the guitar in the mix. However, because I'm embarking on some MIDI programming, I think there will still be a need for a way of inputting chordal data using something other than a keyboard (which I can use but I'm not particularly nimble on being a leftie). I had an email exchange with Rob Green about my ambitions for a headless MIDI Status Stealth 6 and it looked like there were so many unknowns for him in what I wanted that I was potentially opening myself up to a lot of risk cost wise if the build process wasn't straight forward. That is, I was going to end up paying through the nose for anything that wasn't straight forward to install. So I had a chat to Jon Shuker about a headless 6, given the gorgeous shape of johngh's, but with a maple/wenge neck and the Graphtec Ghost MIDI piezo pickups/"Hexpander" convertor. The bass is going to be used in my lounge and rehearsal studios mostly rather than on stage and a headstock has tended to get in the way with low ceilings. Plus I just like the look and feel of headless basses and I've wanted one for a looooooooong time. Jon already has the piezo saddles I want in stock too so he's used to working with them, hopefully that will mean the cost risk is lower. I will need to sell my Smith 6 to cover the cost, however but hopefully the Shuker will sound better.

BUMP! Anyone else not seen this?

[quote name='Muppet' post='23917' date='Jun 27 2007, 10:30 AM']as far as innovations go, I'd like to be able to recall preprogrammed preamp settings, though I'm sure someone's though of that already.[/quote] Yes, Vigier offered it on their basses in the late 80's while we were all still in love with technology I've got a few ideas for a nifty neck system but I'd like to get it patented at some point. There's an old Alembic Series 2 called the "Dragon Bass" which has movable pickups mounted on brass rails. I really like the idea of movable pickups and wish someone would invent a system that is relatively easy to install. [quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='23945' date='Jun 27 2007, 11:54 AM']Warwick's Fortress and Streamer "Pro M". Stick a Twin Jazz Pick-up half-way between the bridge and neck and apply a separate 2 band EQ to each coil. Bet it worked, but where is it now? (I'd like to try it!)[/quote] Tobias had that kind of idea with their Growler bass, basically a separate eq per coil. My favoruite whacky bass is this - I have gas for it. Believe it or not, you can adjust the top bout angle to get a body width you're comfortable with. He also had a prototype with moveable pickups but I've not seen that on a production bass yet.

[quote name='lonestar' post='23746' date='Jun 26 2007, 09:06 PM']It's very funny, interesting, nostalgic and a really easy read. Mr Pratt... ...comes across as a nice guy with a wicked sense of humour[/quote] I've met Guy, he was about as personable as a f*rt in a lift. You might say the same thing about Boris Johnson as well only I think Boris doesn't have to try hard to be funny.

Might be easier for us to help if you discuss specific problems with specific songs?

I couldn't agree more, unfortunately because I play covers there's always a tool that will do a better job - hence, G.A.S. Having said that, its under control more or less with a pair of fretted/fretless 5's for modern songs, a jazz, Alembic and stingray for covers. If I did more original music, I could have a pair of matching basses for my signature sound and be done with it.

[quote name='Bass Culture' post='22983' date='Jun 25 2007, 02:00 PM']Er, so anyone heard the GK or MB combos at all?[/quote] I've tried the Markbass CMD121 at a gig at the The Bedford in Balham, it was loud, soft, warm and rubber bandy sounding to my ears. Would be a good amp for aggressive sounding basses where you wanted to preserve the lower mids and tame the highs a little. Did the job for the gig but I was always aware of what the amp was taking out of my sound in terms of clarity and upper mids. I own two GK RB700 combos and prefer them for use with my Smith basses, they're brutally honest amps so don't don't compensate for duff sounding instruments. Thats OK with the Smiths because they're not very aggressive sounding. The GK combos are loud and preserve a lot of upper midrange and presence to my ears which the Markbass combo didn't. When I use my Pentabuzz with them, they help fill the room.

Here's my list of suspects, I still have the instruments in italics. Sierra Precision - goddawful with a ply body Westone Spectrum 2 - goddawful with a ply body, but had 2 pickups Jaydee Supernatural Mark King - lovely but lacked a little warmth - very 80's sound. Warwick Rock Bass - stunning value, can give a stingray a run for its money Status Groove 5 - lovely bass, just couldn't get on with the offset body Jaydee Custom Jazz - less said about this, the better [u][i]Smith BSR5GN[/i][/u] - lovely bass, warm, growly but still has snap [u][i]Pedulla Pentabuzz[/i][/u] - very special, completely fills the room and sustains for days Smith BSR6GN - very nice but not as warm as the BSR5GN, I don't have the skill to fully exploit it Modulus Sonic Hammer Deluxe - soo-poib bass, not for my style of music however [u][i]Musicman Stingray[/i][/u] - brought back from the dead, after some major part transplants its everything I'd want a stingray to be Alembic Elan 6 - needed a chiropractors warning, dark sounding Pedulla MVP5 - lovely workmanship, just lacked warmth, couldn't fit Alembic pups and pre to match Pentabuzz so had to go Musicman Cutlass 1 (#1) - nice bass, neck like a banana, sold it to a collector Modulus Quantum 5 - nice bass, best suited a warm amp Modulus Quantum 5 fretless - also nice bass, warmer than the fretted, had to get the neck sorted though [u][i]Alembic Series 1[/i][/u] - very special, has the best fret job I've ever played [u][i]Musicman Cutlass 1[/i][/u] (#2) - also very special, like a stingray on steroids [u][i]Smith BSR5GN fretless[/i][/u] - lovely bass, can't get the action as low as the Pentabuzz though [u][i]Celinder Update J 4[/i][/u] - lovely bass, probably the only jazz I'll ever need to own [u][i]Celinder Update P 4[/i][/u] - lovely bass, probably the only precision I'll ever need to own To come: Shuker Custom MIDI Headless 6 I still love graphite necked basses, I haven't found many that sound meaty like the Cutlass though. More graphite neck manufacturers should be putting wood fingerboards on their basses IMO, it dampens the clatter. They should also be experimenting with warmer body woods like bubinga instead of sticking with the same old ash/alder combinations.

OK, mystery might be solved - looks like we're getting hit by a search engine of some kind. Most of the "members" are guests who haven't logged in.

Its a nylon jobbie with nylon webbing, double stitching and a thick foam padded interior lined with light grey velvet. There is a divider made from the foam/velvet combo separating the basses from one another. The only downer is that the pockets aren't big enough to carry my fold up stands so I'll have to work around that.

"If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher - masterfully understated, steady as a rock and every note counts.

Your Other bitch. I take second place even to that mutt of yours. BTW my gig bag came from the LA Bass exchange c/- Mr Eubassix. Looks a load more study than the rubbish from Ritter that I bought.

[quote name='Ba55me15ter' post='22889' date='Jun 25 2007, 10:51 AM']I know it's a bit unconventional, but I use my SA450 to power a JBL Eon 15 PA cab laid-back in its monitor position. It works incredibly well, and also gives you the benefit of a relatively uncoloured sound so anything you eq should sound pretty similar FOH. Very portable too.[/quote] I'd love to know where the rumour about Markbass being clean sounding started. They've definitely got jazz bass friendly colouring to my ears. Your band sound great BTW.

[quote name='Peaty' post='22874' date='Jun 25 2007, 09:58 AM']I have scored a bunch of recycled teak planks and was thinking of making a bed with them but now i am begining to wonder if a jazz style body might be an interesting test. Does anyone know any good reason why teak should not be worth a shot.[/quote] Hi Pete, I'd imagine weight might be an issue? Teak has a reputation for being a heavy wood.

Fantastic idea, but how many people would show up? Would bands expect payment to attend? Lots of intangibles to tie down

"Most users ever online was 372 on Today, 04:55 PM" WTF?!! Whats been going on? Was anyone on here at that time? Did we REALLY have 372 users online at that time or did google belch in our direction?

I'd like to know what the SPL ratings for the cabs with 8" drivers are. Looks like you'll need the 1x15" with anything other than the 4x8".

I do - haven't had any problem with it yet although I haven't taken it out to gigs much recently. Best place to start looking would be the distributor although it might be possible to get replacements through a spare parts place like Adam Hall.

Probably the most comprehensive documentation of changes over the years is here: [url="http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/TOWN8019/default.htm"]http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/TOWN8019/default.htm[/url] There's also a comprehensive account of the difficulties at the MM factory in the early to mid 80's on Wikipedia (which I helped to write). [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Man_%28company%29#Early_years"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Man_%28...%29#Early_years[/url]

Musicman changed from nitro to poly around 1979.