BigRedX

I owned two bits of TE gear in the late 80s/early 90s. First was a GP12 Pre-amp which was great and I only got rid of it because I needed something with programmable memories. I also had a Bright Box for about half a day. It did nothing so it was back in the shop before closing time.

[quote name='binky_bass' timestamp='1500722813' post='3339794'] Look at this on eBay [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/253051790111"]http://www.ebay.com/itm/253051790111[/url] Just why? [/quote] Someone with basses listed in your signature is in no position to point and laugh at other instruments no matter how ridiculous you think they are ;-)

I don't mind my luthiers being opinionated and a bit grumpy, but please be eloquent and interesting at the same time. Stephen Delft and John Birch both managed it in the 70s so why can't this guy? Instead we get almost 11 minutes of fairly disjointed rambling and swearing while he attempts to set up someone's Rickenbacker bass. I hope he didn't charge the customer for that half-arsed job. Also I don't get why he would want set-up specifications from Rickenbacker. Surely any competent luthier sets up the instrument by feel based on the customers wishes and not by some numbers supplied by the factory? Why is the pickups having different output levels a problem? If you want them the same output adjust the relative heights until they are the same. Maybe they aren't supposed to be the same. Again it's should be a customer choice. Also why is only being able to get the string wrapped twice around the machine head post a problem? If you've strung it up properly two turns are all you need. It's not a Fender where getting a decent string break angle is dependent on being able to wind loads of string around the post. There seems to be just so much vitriol being spouted against Rickenbacker basses. If I was a new player this amount of hatred would make me want to own more than ever.

Who exactly is this "Dave" bloke, and why is his opinion even remotely of value?

The reason you get lots of presets and user programmable memories on modelling amps, is because they are essentially a free extra once you've put in the processing power to do all the other stuff.

[quote name='fiatcoupe432' timestamp='1501488924' post='3344897'] So what do I need if I wanted to record drums with 4/5 mics? [/quote] A really good sounding and decent sized room with a variety of movable acoustic treatments to record the drums in.

A Rickenbacker isn't a Fender... What a surprise!

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1501234785' post='3343446'] Side question here - but are these for playing bass through? I splashed out on some long coveted wireless Senn R185, about £300 at the time. They had very slight but noticeable latency compared to wired phones, was gutted to have to return them.. [/quote] Nearly all wireless headphones use Bluetooth for the data transmission, and unfortunately low latency is simply not part of the specification.

Over the last 15 or so years I have bought and sold somewhere in the region of £25k worth of items on eBay. I've had a couple of problems but nothing so bad that it would make me stop using the site for either buying or selling. I do think it helps if your buying and selling interests fall outside of the mainstream. Certainly when you sell, the people interested in your items tend to be more serious if it's something a bit more unusual than a Fender-alike bass.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1501169476' post='3343043'] Bigger maybe. Better? Not sure about that at all. [/quote] From my personal experience of selling on Basschat and on eBay, I'd much rather sell on eBay. The immeasurably bigger audience far outweighs any other problems I have encountered.

[url=http://www.acguitars.co.uk/acg-eq01-filter-pre-amp/]ACG EQ01[/url]. Personally I wouldn't bother with anything else unless you were to get an ACG bass with the DFM pre-amp fitted.

eBay

The last time I bought a bass I had tried in the shop first I had sold it again within 6 months. I don't think I've ever moved on a bass quite so quickly. Also there is no such thing as a good set up. Only a set up that suits you. Everyone is different and will want slightly different things from a set up.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1501095624' post='3342516'] Not if they are set at neutral - beyond that they can cut and boost. Are passive tone controls effects? This could be taken to the nth degree. The pick up design and state, the electronic component condition (eg capacitors), height of pick ups, volume control, strength and position of plucking etc all change the sound - they could all be classed as effects. I view effects as outboard devices changing the signal significantly such as a distortion/drive, chorus, delay, flanger, phaser etc etc. The idea that onboard EQ is an effect, to me, is a non standard viewpoint. Unless you're talking external EQ unit and even then I wonder. [/quote] Firstly where is the neutral point of an EQ circuit? It's certainly not the one with all the knobs in the centre position. Every component in the signal path will be affecting (effecting) that signal to some degree. Just listen to the difference between a guitar our bass with the pickup connected directly to the output socket and the same instrument with a passive volume and tone control wired in, even if they are both set to maximum. Even simple passive EQ circuits have the potential to change the signal significantly. If they didn't there would be little point in having them.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1501091671' post='3342468'] Sorry to muscle in on Blue's debate here but I fundamentally disagree. On board EQ is just a more efficient and comprehensive version of a single tone control. Think hi fi rather than Dansette (60s/70s teens will particularly get this analogy). Talking of effects and distortion effect, I have played a Cliff and the Shadows song from the very early 60s which has distortion on the bass in a gig and got virtually the same effect playing my classic Stingray hard, with the treble turned up against full bass on the guitar's EQ, through my MarkBass set up with no pedals!! I was well impressed as was the band. The remainder of the set was thumpy but defined (like a 60s recorded P bass) played over the neck joint - moving bridge wards occassionally for extra definition. [/quote] EQ alters the sound that has been captured by the pickup(s). Therefore it is an effect.

As I said in another thread on the subject of poor sound at gigs, I don't go very many "big" gigs and at all of the recent ones I've attended with one exception the sound has been excellent and appropriately balanced. Strangely enough the one band that had a very poor sound were the middle band in a 3 band gig and both the band playing before and the headliners had a great sound, so they (or their sound engineer) must have wanted it to sound that way. If I was to attend another big gig with poor sound I would make a point of mentioning it on the band's Facebook page, and probably also find out who was doing the PA and let them know too. Maybe this current trend in crap sound is being perpetuated because no-one is complaining directly to the bands or the PA companies. If enough of us do so maybe they might take some notice?

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1501010104' post='3341792'] I disagree. Blue [/quote] EQ is an effect. Therefore they are the same.

Maybe we should start letting the bands, venues, and the PA hire companies know that we don't think much of their FoH sound.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1501000310' post='3341680'] Are you pehaps talking about your sound or effects? [/quote] They are the same thing IMO.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1501000220' post='3341677'] The sign of a good song is one that can be alerted a lot and still be enjoyable. [/quote] You don't even need to play the same bass line as on the original.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1500995498' post='3341595'] Develop your sound. Make it a good one then use it on everything. No really, everything. Make those songs yours. James Jamerson, Duck Dunn and Nathan East have played on a thousand hit records (I'm grabbing that number out of the air but it's closer than a few hundred) and probably several thousand that weren't hits, over the last 60 years and between them they have used 3 tones. That's one each for all those different songs they played for so many different singers on so many records and over so many the decades. If someone wants to play 20 songs on a cover band gig and use 20 different sounds, that's OK. Totally unnecessary, but OK. IMO you'll be a better bass player if you sound like you. That's what the pro's do. [/quote] Would you give the same advice to the guitarist?

What are your guitarists doing with regards to matching the guitar sounds on the songs you are playing?

Looks great! Have you sorted out a suitable case for it yet?

Actually they are acoustic treatment tiles. The amount of sound proofing they will provide (especially at low frequencies) will be minimal.

[quote name='Freddy Le Cragg' timestamp='1500547778' post='3338593'] Ed Tudor Pole was in a season 2 episode as well. [/quote] He's a proper actor though.