StraightSix

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1322576302' post='1452917'] Next week, how to make a pop shield with an old stocking and a coat hangar... [/quote] ...and how to build a Neumann U87 from an empty toilet roll holder and a sheet of sticky-backed plastic...

This is a potentially mammoth question with a multitude of possible answers... Where are you setting the studio up...? How many in the band...? Do you want to record live drums (I assume so cos of the drum mics you mentioned)...? Do you want to record live or overdub...? What's your budget...? Etc etc...

Cheers - 'tis good 'ere methinks...

Yes I'm used to doing that with the E string as an anchor when playing the others but when using the pickup edge, it is very close to the E string which restricts the pull-stroke on the E if you see what I mean

I tried the Blonde/Pine bodied version today and really liked it. The neck is larger than a Jazz but pretty comfy still and I don't have huge hands. It sounds good with stock pickups but, being single-coil, there is a faint background hum (I was pretty close to the amp though). Great fit and finish and looks very nice with the Pine grain showing through the finish. My only beef, as I play mainly fingerstyle, is the lack of anything to anchor my thumb to - the SC pickup is pretty small and the edge of the pickup is close to the E string, otherwise a very nice bass.

Use a small section of the back of the bass as a test to make sure the old and new paint finishes don't react. Is lighter fluid really the best thing for degreasing...I thought it left a film behind...? It is a petrochemical concoction along with most oil and grease products...I would just wash it gently in a mild soap and water solution and dry thoroughly.

I get my Duracells at the local big supermarket (pop them in the trolley when she's not looking) - they're about a fiver for two PP3s and they last me well over a year in my active Jazz bass.

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1317041201' post='1385791'] Personally I'd not change it, and instead hunt for an equivalent in black. Besides rosewood & white looks so much better than RW & black, but I would swap the scratchplate to tortoise shell.[/quote] I would agree - white and rosewood board with tort pickguard is the only type of white I like. [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1317071869' post='1386491'] On a related subject, some years ago there was a lot of scepticism over cryogenic treatment of valves. I had several matched pairs of valves and access to liquid nitrogen, so..... I did some experiments with treated and untreated valves. Now some people can't hear the difference between an EL34, a 6CA7 and a 6L6, while to others the tonal differences are very striking. I got my wife to swap around the different valves for me while I was outside the room, and kept a cover over the amp so I couldn't see what was inside. I was able to identify every valve that she put in the amp correctly, and whether it had been treated or was standard. However posting the results on an amp building forum created a LOT of scepticism - they wanted to know that cryogenic treatment made no difference, and were not willing to even try the valves themselves. [/quote] Dare I say it but I agree again I have experienced the voodoo that is cryo valves...tis real

Just for further info there's another Octave thread here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/161896-best-octaver/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/161896-best-octaver/[/url]

[quote name='AttitudeCastle' timestamp='1323614662' post='1465026'] Pardon my ignorance, but can anyone recommend an Octave which offers both clean octave up and down? Does one exist? [/quote] The old Pearl range included the OC-07 Octaver which can do 2 down and 1 up - it has four level knobs, one for each octave and one to blend in the normal note. Very nice but can be pricey. The last few on Ebay varied from £65 to £118.

Another Kramer thread that might be of interest here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/162308-kramer-bass/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/162308-kramer-bass/[/url]

Google says this: [url="http://www.kramerguitars.com/"]http://www.kramerguitars.com/[/url] Wiki says this: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kramer_Guitars"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kramer_Guitars[/url] This may also be of interest: [url="http://www.vintagekramer.com/"]http://www.vintagekramer.com/[/url]

One man's meat is another man's poison etc... My idea of 'best' might not be the same as yours (or anyone else's for that matter). Do you have a chance to try them out to see which [i]you[/i] prefer...?

Are you looking for a clean boost to push your amp harder or something which generates drive/distortion...?

The Sustain knob is your enemy when it comes to compressor noise - try turning that down...

If you want to get really carried away, try the Zvex Woolly Mammoth though be aware it's more of a fuzz than an overdrive/distortion and it's pricey...and MAMMOTH: [url="http://zvex.com/mammoth.html"]http://zvex.com/mammoth.html[/url]

AFAIK and I think it has already been suggested, it shouldn't cause any problem to disconnect the Piezo and try the cab like that - if it works how you like, this is undoubtedly your cheapest option There is talk of a similar problem here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/68970-markbass-mini-cmd-121p-simplest-of-upgrades/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/68970-markbass-mini-cmd-121p-simplest-of-upgrades/[/url]