BigRedX

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1502530698' post='3352018'] Typo fixed. [/quote] Thanks! I could really do with a proof reader before I post! Just in case anyone is vaguely interested, the results of the decade I spend ploughing stupid amounts of money into my home studio can be heard on [url=https://open.spotify.com/user/bigredx/playlist/5lsuJH8hAQSy0arZQMZ3vA]Spotify[/url] or bought from [url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skin-Tight-SugarBox/dp/B005M067XW]Amazon[/url]. It's not a proper album because the band split before we had everything tracked, but I was able to cobble something together using the earlier EP (recorded with much more primitive equipment) and 3 remixes done by a couple of Japanese DJ/Producers (which shows what someone with some proper production skills, and probably a lot less gear, can achieve)!

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1502455087' post='3351583'] Would you have listened to that excellent advice, back in the day..? [/quote] At the beginning in 1990 when I had a load of money to burn, lots of ambition and belief in my recording prowess, and was doing music that was mostly electronic based, I'd have told future me to take a hike. I'd had a couple of experiences with good local studios and hadn't been that impressed other than they had a lot more "toys" than I did Also until I had upgraded to Logic Audio and was recording on the computer rather than on a tape-based system, there were still definite and obvious limits of what I could achieve which were being imposed by the equipment I had available to me. The EP that we released recorded in the first version of my home studio, didn't sound bad at all, but in retrospect the most impressive thing about it was what we had managed to do with relatively modest equipment and a lot of ingenuity. By the time I had spent most of the money and was recording the album, and realising that the overall sound wasn't a massive improvement over the 8-track cassette, I might have been more ready to listen, but then of course it was too late. These days setting up an excellent recording system at home is stupidly cheap, so you'd be stupid not at least give it a go. However I would suggest that you keep the spending in check. Once you've got a suitable computer, DAW, something to get your audio (and MIDI) into the computer and some decent speakers to listen to it all on. Stop there. Really get to know the tools that you have at your disposal. If you can't make an excellent sounding recording with this, then TBH it doesn't matter how much more money you throw at the studio, it is extremely unlikely that you will significantly improve what you can achieve. Remember that even the most basic computer based recording system, in technical terms, far outstrips the equipment that some of the most iconic recordings of the last 70 years were made on. Realise that the things that made these recordings so great were the musicians, the recording space and the engineer(s) and producer(s) capturing the sound, not the equipment they were recorded on. IME home studios are a great tool for organising your musical ideas and sorting out pre-production, but you can't beat a good studio with a great engineer when it comes to making a great recording.

[quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1502374673' post='3351053'] Studio gear GAS is even more dangerous than bass/guitar GAS, in my experience... you've been warned! [/quote] I suggest that anyone who is contemplating spending money on a serious home studio has a good read of [url=http://basschat.co.uk/topic/308700-advice-what-next/page__view__findpost__p__3338557]my cautionary tale[/url] before getting out their wallet and credit card.

If you are going to normalise it, do it before you split it into individual songs or you will loose the relative volumes of quiet songs vs loud ones.

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1502220273' post='3350097'] 99% of the time I blame the sound guy but it often depends where you are in the room. What sounds tight and punchy where the engineer is standing may be boomy mush 40 yds away from him / her. 60-65hz is where the punch is so why they seem keen to boost 30/40/50hz to stoopid levels is beyond me. [/quote] Which is because EQ can only go so far in fixing room problems.

Rather than moan about the crap sound on here where in general we are all in agreement, why not post something on the band's Facebook page. Be vaguely positive by saying how much you enjoyed the performance, and it was only the terrible sound that let it down. Maybe find out who the PA hire company is as well and post something similar on their social media. If enough of us start doing it then maybe we'll start to get a more balanced sound at gigs. As for Rebellion... how many years have they been holding it now? Surely the PA hire company will have sorted out by now how to deal with a room they keep coming back to year after year? Or are the organisers using different companies every year?

Does anyone know if there is any difference between the BF Big Baby II and the FR800 other than the fact the FR800 has an amp built in, and if that's all it is, can you get a Big Baby II upgraded to an FR800? I ask because I'm about to change my rig and get a Helix. I was wondering whether or not to keep my amp (Tech Soundsystems Black Cat) and get a Big Baby II or sell the amp as well and go for an FR800. It's all about equipment sharing gigs where I might be expected to bring my own amp but not cab(s) and portability...

Doesn't appear to have a locking nut, which renders the locking vibrato mechanism useless.

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1501963465' post='3348543'] I'm pretty sure that the FC1010 is a programme change controller and doesn't play notes. I have a Roland FC300, which doesn't either. [/quote] IIRC it will produce notes if you delve deep into the editing facilities. Have a good look at the manual. What it definitely won't do is to produce a stream of CCs with values on pressing a single foot switch which is one of things I needed mine to do and why I don't have it any more.

Of course you could just mark the appropriate input gain settings on you amp with some masking tape and pen and then adjust as required, or are you swapping between finger style and pick mid-song?

I've found that the harder picks sound great when you play on your own, but as soon as you get in the mix with clean sounding guitars all that lovely attack just disappears.

Here's a couple of photos of the one I used to own, the space under the black plastic on the back is FULL of electronics. The combination of the optical pickup and piezo works very well, although there is is still a good deal of handling noise from piezo which isn't helped by the amount of chambering in the body, and TBH the space hollowed out for the electronics is actually a lot bigger than the actual upper bout chamber, so even the "solid body" model is still fairly hollow body! Also the optical pickup takes some setting up - firstly you have to align the LED and sensor vertically with the string and then you have electronically balance the signal from each string by adjusting a series of preset pots that can only be accessed by taking that huge back cover off. All in all it's a bit of a faff, and you really ought to do it every time you change the strings, so while the system potentially lends itself to lots of string type experimentation, the reality is that once you've found a set that work for you, those tend to stay on it. I was lucky in that I really like the first replacement set I tried - TI Jazz Flats - and so I never go around to checking out anything else. Having said all that I'd definitely have another one if I could find a tasty looking fretless 5-string.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1501758654' post='3347150'] Andy? Slight diversion; I was looking at Sei's website just now and I see that they have a bridge with an optical pickup. Have you any knowledge of those? [/quote] That will be the [url=http://lightwave-systems.com]Lightwave[/url] system. When it was originally launched it was also available for selected luthiers to build into their instruments. Zon and Sei amongst others offered this option. These day AFAICS it is only available on [url=https://www.willcoxguitars.com]Willcox Guitars[/url], so the only way to get the system into your own build would be to buy a bass with it fitted and cannibalise the bridge units and electronics from that. The amount of electronics inside a Lightwave/Willcox bass is staggering. I used to own a Sabre A Bass which was mostly hollow - the top half was chambered normally and the bottom half plus a large section under the bridge housed the circuit boards and battery pack. BTW as well as the optical pickup system the Lightwave also incorporates a piezo element in each bridge unit.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1501704663' post='3346815'] It looks properly uncomfortable to play sitting down though. [/quote] I think you are supposed to rest the section with the controls on your leg classical guitar style.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1501712236' post='3346888'] How so? [/quote] I think it might be a joke based on the fact that Ashdown amps have a bit of reputation for catching fire.

We'll have to see when actual units arrive in this country, but the single voltage could be down to something as simple as the fact that there's no room for a back panel mains fuse holder, so it isn't possible for the user to change the fuse to one of the appropriate rating for their country of residence without opening it up and voiding the warranty.

[quote name='markdavid' timestamp='1501674085' post='3346435'] hi,you need to measure from the nut to the bridge saddles,that will give you your Scale length [/quote] No it won't. You need to measure from the nut to the 12th fret and double it. This is the only accurate way of doing it. Of course scale length doesn't take into account the extra non-speaking portions of the the string, which depending on the construction of your bass may require you to fit strings longer than the scale length would normally dictate.

A minute or so with Google reveals that it does have a standard IEC mains connector and switch mode PS. However the US version also has 120V 60Hz printed on the back panel, so there must be some differences to the PSU between this and the 240V version - even if it is only the value of the non-accessible mains fuse.

My finger style playing is only marginally louder than my pick playing so I don't really have problem, but if I did I'd simply make up a new patch on my Bass Pod with the appropriate volume cut or boost to match.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1501700120' post='3346769'] Or - indeed - Steve Harris, Gene Simmons, Geezer Butler, Geddy Lee, Dee Dee Ramone or Roger Waters. But I think you know what I mean [/quote] The bass play is no more or less likely to be the main songwriter in the band than any other member including the drummer.

[b][u]Style[/u][/b] [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]Gus G3 [/color][/font][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]5-string (B E A D G)[/font][/color] [b][u]Construction[/u][/b] [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]Body and Neck: Standard Gus construction - carbon fibre exoskeleton over cedar. Metal flake orange finish with chrome for the aluminium tubes[/color][/font] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Fretboard: Carbon fibre fretless colour impregnated to match the body and neck finish. No [/font][/color][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]fret lines. LED side markers in orange (yellow at the octaves) with chrome surrounds[/color][/font] [b][u]Hardware[/u][/b] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Machine heads/tuners: Hipshot Ultralites (Y key chrome)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Nut (material and width): Graphite standard Gus G3 5-string 45mm[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Pickups: ACG MC Series (bridge and neck versions) fitted into chrome covers[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Pre-amp: ACG DFM Pre-amp, Gus Chrome knobs[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Bridge: Standard Gus G3 bridge in chrome[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Schaller Strap locks in chrome[/font][/color] [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]Hiscox Gus G3 hard case[/color][/font] I don't know about the strings. I'd have to experiment and see what suited the bass but my starting point would be either Warwick Black Label or LaBella Steel.

[quote name='Rob MacKillop' timestamp='1501684510' post='3346558'] More than I was willing to pay. Looks good though...when I need an upgrade. [/quote] If you are prepared to wait, I'm sure a second hand one will turn up that is within your budget. I get my 4-string Lightwave Sabre A with a fretless and a spare fretted neck for under £500 including delivery from the US, import duty and VAT.

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1501683430' post='3346542'] I know it's a bit more, but i'd be getting one of these: [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/LW_VL5_FR_Amb.html"]http://www.bassdirec...VL5_FR_Amb.html[/url] [/quote] Exactly what I was going to suggest.

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1501679550' post='3346503'] A generically weak front pickup should have been fixed a long time ago ( it's not like it's a cosmetic change) on an instrument as premium priced as this [/quote] Define weak? Does he just mean that it's lower output than the bridge pickup? In which case why is it a problem? On just about every P-J equipped bass the P pickup is much louder than the J with the volume controls both set on full, but we've all learnt to adjust the relative volume settings to compensate. Why can't we do the same on a Rickenbacker? Also with identical pickups in both locations the neck pickup always tends to sound louder, so having a lower output pickup in this location can be a good idea. Also IME higher output pickups don't always sound as good as ones with a lower output. If you want to drive some valves hard than high output is probably the right one for you. However if you want a subtle and detailed tone, a lower output pickup is far better. Finally which pickup is the "front" and which one the "back"? The front of the bass is the one that faces the audience and has the pickups and controls attached to it, so any and all of the pickups fitted are the "front" ones. Far better to use bridge and neck (and middle if applicable) then there is no confusion.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1501672128' post='3346407'] Originality can only work if there's someone (or more...) in the band capable and willing to write songs..! In our band, that's not the case, so our options are either to: 1 - play covers or 2 - play nothing. We choose the songs we want to play (and we're capable of playing...) and do that. Simple. There's really nothing special or magical in playing original material, especially if it's not very good in the first place. [/quote] Why is no-one in your band capable or willing to write songs? Songwriting is a skill just like learning to play your instrument(s). You get better by practicing doing it. Everyone in your band has learnt to be able to play at least one instrument (and AFAICS Dad3353 can play at least 2) so why don't you want to spend a little time working on songwriting? Because if you were songwriters you would know that there is very little more special or magical than someone coming up to you after a gig and saying how much they enjoyed the songs that you have written.