Mudpup

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1509387588' post='3398544'] Cheers - that makes it very clear thank you! So almost no one has had a bad experience of Ashdowns (from the responses, so far, other than the MiBass)? Well that's very positive, in itself, and helpfully knocks on the head my own preconceptions! [/quote] Theres a load of people who've had bad experiences with Ashdowns if you hunt around the forums and it seems mainly based around the baked in woolly low end that people have experienced with various earlier ABM and Mag models - myself included. I had an ABM500 evo3 for a few months and just couldn't get on with it. Paired with a Barefaced Big one and a Spector Euro i couldn't get away from the pillowy low end and lack of cut at the top frequencies. i came to the conclusion that they worked better with "older school" passive basses than they do with more modern clangy active ones. Gave up on it after about 6 gigs and sold it. However, i tried a Rootmaster 800 (along with a couple of TC heads) in PMT a few years ago when i was looking for a backup to my GK 700RB and kind of liked it - the assistant said i should try the new ABM600 whilst i had everything plugged in. I'm glad i did because i found it had a load more heft about it and it didn't have that muffled sound that my old ABM had. You could dial it in if you like that sort of thing but it was easy to get rid of it - which i couldn't do with the old one. According to the guys in the shop it's due to the newer power amp in it. I bought it on the spot as it was noticeably more up my street than the Rootmaster (its a class D issue with me....) To get a big clangy sound with a load of depth and punch you need to set the eq pretty flat without the shape switched on, cut a bit of the bass dial and also drop some 180hz from the slider - use the volume to add slam. Switch the valve in to about 10 o'clock if you want harmonic fruit, switch it off if you want a more sterile sound. I dont like the compressor so that stays off and the subharmonic thing seems like a gimmick so its never used. Roger Baer also mentioned on a rival forum about using the shape switched on, cutting the bass dial right back (9 o'clock) and goose the high mids and treble - seems a bit mad and counterintuitive but it sounds huge. I uses a Stingray, Precision and Sandberg PM with it and they all sound great - its fine with active or passive it seems. The Stingray sounds fabulous. And there are no worries with volume - we're a loud band and it never gets over half way on the master volume even at bigger gigs.

Looks like a black ABM600 with creative knob titling to me...... And a second VU instead of a compressor

[quote name='Elfrasho' timestamp='1508999411' post='3395832'] I agree. It's possible but not easy and requires forward planning. For mucking about at home, or having it for 'always on' effects it's great. [/quote] Its not too difficult in reality. You just set up alternate bypass/effect patches in the A,B,C,D etc mode then just punch through them as you need them. For example i have A - bypass, B - chorus, C - bypass, D - compressor, E - bypass, F - Ampeg sim. You always have the next effect in the sequence as a bypass as a safety net then and you can whack through any of the effects within a second or two. It works really well live - dead easy.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1508844274' post='3394764'] Gaffa tape the audience to the floor [/quote] Gaffa tape the doors shut before they arrive

Clingfilm anything near the front of the stage on the floor that people are likely to tip beer into. Pedalboards, LED lights, monitors etc...... Also gaffa tape mic stands to the floor - this tactic saved our geetard/singerist from having a lump taken out of his rather expensive Les Paul a few months ago when someone knocked it into him.

I've tried them. I like zingy strings - these seemed to die off a bit quick for my liking. In fact all the EB ones I've tried seem to do that except for the cobalts. I prefer Dunlop Super Brights (or DR Hi Beams if they come up cheaper anywhere) - they stay brighter for longer.

I have one. Its an excellent pedal with loads of uses and sounds perfect for what you need it for. The compressors and modulation effects are top notch, amp models are good and its easy to use. There is one kicking about on eBay for £25 at the moment (i was thinking of grabbing it for a spare) - you could try it and easily sell it on if you didn't get on with it. (And they've just issued a firmware update which adds a load of new stuff on to it [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/306712-zoom-ms60b-new-v20-firmware-update-now-available/page__p__3324764__hl__ms60b__fromsearch__1#entry3324764"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry3324764[/url])

Cheers la bam! The only thing that slightly concerns me is that its class D and all the class D amps I've had previously have lacked a bit of heft compared to my GK RB700 and Ashdown ABM600 amps. I've had a Genz Shuttle 9.2 and a GK MB Fusion and they both didn't quite have the shake i get from my current gear. It arrives on Tuesday and i'll probably gig it on Friday and Saturday so i'll have a better idea in a weeks time :-)

I think i fancy a change of amps just for the hell of it and have been having a look at the Markbass Evo 1. Has anyone had much experience of one? Any particular opinions? I've had a few class D heads (GK and Genz Benz) and eventually moved them on preferring the sound of a 'proper' power section as i find they sound a bit slammier. I currently run a GK 700RBii and an Ashdown ABM600 usually with a Stingray or Sandberg in a loud rock covers band. But the Markbass has intrigued me....twin mixable channels with a few allegedly decent models, some effects, a tuner, headphone out/aux in. Loads of useful features in my book including Ampeg/VT Bass rocky clangy stuff. But will it have enough punch and rumble when its cranked up a bit? A few days ago i shop tested an EBS Reidmar, a TC RH750 and a MarkBass Big Bang. I liked the MarkBass and TC the best but seem to remember a few guys saying the TC sounded a bit flat/unpunchy at volume (although it did sound good at a low level). And its always hard to tell unless you've got everything cooking at a gig. Any thoughts?

Yamaha BB424X Went into music shop intending to buy some sort of Fender Precision a few years ago. Played about 5 different ones at various price points but didn't like any enough to spring for one. Shop bod pointed out a BB424X on the wall and said if i played it i would buy it, no thanks mate i want a Fender and not fussed about Yamahas (especially white ones). Oh go on then i'll have a quick go........The sound was exactly what i was looking for - love at first listen. Ok, i can live with the white too. But the neck is just a tiny bit wrong for me, too chunky. Not to worry - i'll get used to the feel, the sound is worth it. And i couldn't. It bugged me every time i picked it up. After a year i sold it because it was never going to work for me. But i still miss the sound and build quality........it was a fantastic bass.

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1508145905' post='3389991'] God dont let anyone see that, its gone nuts, Im keeping well out of it, talk about stirring up a hornets nest, I won't be doing that again! [/quote] Ha Ha - i saw that!!!! Its gone properly wonky - something about a fella chatting up someones missus last time i looked. Totally forgot what the original post was about by the time id got to the end. Good entertainment. And regarding the OP - in particular circumstances i would do it. If it meant getting the bands wives and kids away for a few days break in reasonable accommodation and just having a short break and a giggle whilst nipping out for a couple of hours to do the gig it could work for me. It sounds like its local and if you're not turning down paid work on that date then why not??? I've done a few down in Cornwall where admittedly we were paid but used them as a weekend away with family/friends and the pay subsidised the costs of accommodation and food/beer. Always made a loss on the whole trip but usually had a great weekend. We used to gig on the Saturday night in Perranporth and drop into a charity fair in Redruth on the Sunday afternoon and do a freebie there for 90 mins. The charity gig made me feel like i'd helped someone out somewhere and was good for the soul. Mix in a few days on the beach and walking with the kids and dogs and it was a fun few days. If its just a promoter trying to get a cheap act so they can profiteer and i got absolutely zip from it then i wouldn't.

[quote name='obbm' timestamp='1508102761' post='3389815'] A bit more research shows that there are 2 companies trading under the name Chord. The Chord Cable Company who specialise in high-end Hi-Fi and other music related cables. Their Speakon cables start at £40 and go to £100. and Chord music brand, part of the AVSL Group Limited. [url="https://www.avsl.com/brands/chord"]https://www.avsl.com/brands/chord[/url] Very confusing and misleading. I think the OP's cable is from the latter, probably made in the Far East. [/quote] They're definitely cheapo ones - not genuine Neutrik plugs and Chord branded cable. Oh and thanks for the wiring advice too - much appreciated :-)

just changed them both to 1+/- and they still don't work Doh :-(

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1508091817' post='3389698'] Are they wired to 1+/- or 2+/-? , and which do your amp and cab use. Usually 1+/-. Obviously it makes a difference. If they're on the wrong contacts it's an easy fix, but I wouldn't be buying anything else from that lot in a hurry! [/quote] Checking the wiring tonight. They're actually branded Chord ones, not homemade, so i assumed they would be pretty standard

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1508088310' post='3389672'] Return them and get some from our own Obbm. Top quality cables, so I've heard [/quote] Yep i know but they're better than i need for the spares box and these were very cheap. Would have been handy if they worked though :-)

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1508088064' post='3389669'] Yup seems I was right- [url="https://www.talkbass.com/threads/aguilar-ag-500-speakon-outputs-not-working.590217/"]https://www.talkbass...working.590217/[/url] Mods- apologies for posting a link to TB, if it's an issue please just delete. [/quote] Ahhh, off to google it now. Cheers!

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1508087018' post='3389657'] I could be remembering this wrong but aren't there two different ways of wiring them up? [/quote] Really??? i thought a speaker cable was a speaker cable???

i just bought a couple of speakon cables from Amazon to keep in my spares box. They look pretty standard to me but i hooked them up to check them yesterday and they dont work. Weirdly its both of them - the odds of getting 2 duff ones seem pretty remote so i wondered if i was being dumb???? I left the amp running and changed them to my usual ones which worked absolutely fine, swapped back to new ones and once again no output at all. Its an Ashdown amp so i could see from the VU meter that i was getting input into the amp too. Any ideas?? I had a look inside and tightened the little screws up a tad just in case but all seemed in order - well there was a red and a black wire connected at both ends (thats my limit to techie wire stuff) its these ones... [url="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003ZZ7RNA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1"]https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/url]

[quote name='2elliot' timestamp='1507578889' post='3386548'] Yes. That is a fantastic skate park... Proper old-school cool. [/quote] Ah...Rom Skatepark :-) I spent much of my yoof hanging out there back in the Alva/Bones/Benjyboard era - a great park But musically speaking..... The Farm at Upminster as mentioned above is our preferred rehearsal place. Theres also a place called the White Rooms further down towards the A13. Theres a PMT and DV247 just on the edge of town near the A12 (they're only a few hundred yards from each other) so you're spoilt for decent shops to browse in. And theres a pretty healthy music scene in the pubs - The Admiral Vernon in Dagenham is one that we play pretty regularly and theres also The Crown at Roneo Corner. They both run regular jam nights. I'm not too sure about the originals scene but if you do the rock covers thing there are a lot of good bands that play locally and they're a pretty friendly bunch for a chat. Have a look out for Java, The Rising, Yellowhouse (thats me - pop along one night and say hello!), Slam, PermaBeast amongst others. The only downside is that the the venues are pretty locked into the regular bands and it can be hard to get a gig at the better ones. Most bands use Livebandphotos.co.uk for gig listings locally. Heres the links to the Vernon and the Crown... [url="http://www.livebandphotos.co.uk/pubmap/?The%20Admiral%20Vernon,%20Dagenham"]http://www.livebandp...non,%20Dagenham[/url] [url="http://www.livebandphotos.co.uk/pubmap/?The%20Crown%20Inn,%20Roneo%20Corner%20Hornchurch"]http://www.livebandp...er%20Hornchurch[/url] Hope it helps you settle in :-)

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1506910752' post='3381932'] great to hear you nailed it. Gigs like this make all the bad ones worthwhile to go through....almost hehe [/quote] It creates a problem too - we already know that the next one wont be in the same league....

Hope not - the other guys have been on the phone today bleating about it and, if i did dream it, they were all in bed with me. Which is rather disconcerting......

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1506886108' post='3381823'] [/quote] I'm on it Dad Just figuring out how to upload 10gb of video so i can share it on our social media without it blowing our internet up and taking 5 days

We had an amazing gig in a pub/hotel in Chertsey last night. Probably the most enjoyable one I've ever done. Its a regular one that has been getting better every time we play there. We're getting a bit known in the area and its the sort of place that can be really good fun if you get the right crowd in. The missus came along with me and we met some friends for dinner in the venue before the gig - the guys in the band said they'd set everything up so i only had to rock up 5 mins before we were due to start and plug in/tune up. Result!! We also booked a room so i didn't have to drive 70 miles home afterwards and the boss gave us a discount and threw breakfast in for free. The crowd were up for it from the first note and didn't stop dancing and singing for 2.5 hours. Hot sweaty loud and a full on high energy set. We just had a 5 minute breather at half time so we didn't drop the crowd. There was a leaving party in the bar next door and a masked ball going on upstairs - by the second set most of those guests were jumping around in main bar where we were playing. We usually pull about 80/100 people to this one - the owner said there were about 450 watching us and quite a few drifting in and out and it was the best night he'd ever had there. We got some great good quality video that really caught the feel of the night and we played a blinder as a band - no mistakes, the best sound we've had there and absolutely the right set for the venue. And we got paid extra.......

Lovely!!! I have a strict second hand basses only rule now but when that finish came out i nearly caved in and ordered a Stingray - i would have just sat there gazing at it :-) Just gotta wait a few years until someone offloads a used one i guess....sigh......