shizznit

Not bothered about looks. I have owned a few Warwicks and lets face it, they are not that pretty! I am more into the tone, playability, value for money and balance/comfort.

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1329149006' post='1537856'] Was that recently? And was it the one off of Whitchurch Road? [/quote] No, this was a studio in Pontypool about 10yrs back. I heard something about a studio somewhere on Whitchurch Rd a few months ago. I dunno which one.

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1329124378' post='1537287'] This one happened before I finally passed my driving test 8 years ago and I used to use the train to get from Cardiff to a rehearsal studio in Newport... "I have to get to Swindon. I left my bass on the train!" (I was very keen to get it back asap. That particular bass was an Overwater Progress III!) [/quote] [quote name='shaundixon666' timestamp='1329135173' post='1537517'] Did you get it back? [/quote] Thankfully, yes! Had to ask the customer services staff at Newport station to see if someone could jump onto the carriage I was travelling on to find it. No-one bothered to do so at Bristol Temple Meads or Bristol Parkway, so it wasn't until the train stopped at Swindon when they managed to get on and keep it for me until I could get there to collect it. One of the most stressful moments in my life!

[b]Technical Specifications [/b][b](from EBS website)[/b] [u]Frequency Response[/u] 50 - 18k Hz [u]Sensitivity[/u] 102 dB [u]Power Rating[/u] 500 W RMS [u]Impedance[/u] 4 ohms [u]Volume[/u] 63 liters [u]Height[/u] 44 cm / 17" [u]Width[/u] 58 cm / 23" [u]Depth[/u] 44 cm / 17" [u]Weight[/u] 19 kg / 42 lbs [u]Price[/u] RRP £920 [b][u]Test Bed[/u][/b] Amp – EBS Reidmar 250 Basses – MTD 535-24 and Lakland 55-02 [b][u]Appearance[/u][/b] Cabs are generally not much to look at and the Neoline 210 is no exception. The absence of the blue coloured strips at the top and bottom of the face of the cab and the switch from a chrome finished woven grille to a black finish has certainly given the Neoline range a more inconspicuous appearance. It reminds me a lot of certain bass cabs made in the 80’s with chicken wire styled grilles, so not really keeping up with fashion. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I actually prefer this unassuming cosmetic look compared to the rather ‘bling’ persona that the Proline cabs adopt. If you like your cabs covered in diamanté gems with laser beams shooting out of the tweeter horn then this may be too bland for you! The dark felt covering is reassuringly thick and tough and will take more than a few knocks, but it will be a hair magnet next to a cat! [i]Overall Rating: 7/10[/i] [b][u]Sounds[/u][/b] I hooked up the Reidmar 250 amp and set the tweeter control at the back of the cab to -0+dB. There is certainly a subtle difference in tone between the Pro and the Neo models. The voicing is a bit more perky and urgent sounding than the Pro. To say it sounds aggressive is probably not accurate, but does have a tiny bit more percussive thump when popping or plucking in a fast staccato rhythm. I wouldn’t like to put this down to the Neodymium speakers entirely as I think the voicing is coming more from the spruce plywood and extra front porting this cab has (Proline – birch plywood). The tone around the Neo cab feels and sounds very different, so acoustically the experience is different and that could come down to the wood construction. EBS applied a spruce construction to cut a bit more weight off I suspect, so the change in acoustic character could be a consequential exchange. I haven’t popped the cab open to see if the bracing inside is different, but I am satisfied with my conclusion otherwise. But, there is very little difference in tone compared to a Proline model and you will have to spend quite a bit of time to notice the subtle tonal variance. Rolling back the tweeter and turning off the filter control on the Reidmar 250 amp opens up a whole new range of classic tones. I dialled in my ‘Bernard Edwards Tone’ and switched to my Lakland 55-02 in passive mode. Again, the response is very tight and punchy and boosting the mid’s on the amp really makes this cab sing. The tone has an almost keyboard sample type articulation when you apply it in short bursts, but holding on to a note really bellows sweetly which makes me grin every time I do it! Pleasantly controllable and flexible. Okay, it was only a matter of time before I switched back to the MTD to do some slap! EBS gear is famed as one of the best amps for this style and the Neoline 210 definitely supports that reputation. The tonal focus this cab is incredible right across the fingerboard…even when slapping the low B string. Even when your bass EQ is completely flat the tone is incredibly musical and impressive. Very little work needs to be done on the amp…the cab somehow helps you. It has strength as well as depth and is quite simply amazing. I’ll say it again…amazing! Volume…oh yes…it has plenty of that! As I am working from home today I had to be a little bit careful about cranking this baby, but I did give it a quick ‘stage volume’ squirt for about 5mins. I couldn’t push the speakers until I could hear a break up in the tone, but I had to back down quickly as soon as the window in my music room began to shake! The Proline 210 that I also own can be pushed to the same volume, but does start to break up a little bit sooner. I was probably close to that with the Neoline 210, but it did give me a bit of confidence that there was still a bit more in reserve. The extra 50w per speaker will help towards, but I am more convinced by the power efficiency of the Neodymium magnets being able offer an extra bit of performance. The Neoline 210 cab is stereotypically EBS. The low end is punchy and tight and the mid-range very focussed and transparent. This cab sounds very excitable and is very sensitive to the touch. The quick response is really breath taking and I have really bought into it, but as a standalone cab the Neoline 210 may not hold enough girth for some players and I would probably recommend pairing it with a 12” or 15” cab for a more full range experience. It can handle quite a lot of bass boost for a 210…probably the best handling 210 cab I have ever played through, but as the frequency response for this cab is between 50-18k Hz don’t expect miracles at high volumes if you intend to use this cab on its own. I generally have my low end EQ set flat so it’s not a big issue for me, but I would understand if other players that want more in the basement will find the speakers a bit brittle at high volumes. I would say the Neoline 210 draws the line between ample stage volume and acoustic room fill. If you want to fill the venue using your backline volume then I would go for a second cab or larger set up…failing that, seek a solution to put your amp through the FOH. For smaller applications the Neoline 210 performs very well indeed and you will be hard pushed to find another 210 cab that performs this well with such clarity and dynamic response. This cab really projects and gives a nice gloss to whatever you may throw at it. I am not a jack of all trades when it comes to musical styles, but I have played blues, funk/slap, rock/metal, hip-hop and well known soul lines and tones through the Neoline 210 whilst writing this review and it could cope with all of that very well. The tuning and voicing may not be everyone’s taste and may come across as unforgiving because of its hi-fi, hyperactive character. However, if you can reign in this buck you will reap the rewards! [i]Overall Rating: 9/10[/i] [b][u]Reliability/Durability[/u][/b] As with any cab due care and attention will improve the performance and life. EBS have a reputation for building very solid and tough bass cabs and I can testify to that. I have only owned the Neoline 210 for 10 days so it really hasn’t been pushed or accompanied me to dozens of gigs yet, so I can’t comment on the reliability and durability of this particular cab quite yet. I can vouch for the other EBS cabs that I have owned for the past 8yrs and they sound just as good today than they did on day one. The tweeter horn did fail on my Proline 410, but that was down to my own embarrassing silliness and misuse. A RAT pedal at full tilt with the horn turned up high at brain melting volume will do that, so don’t try it! Apart from a couple of scratches here and there caused through careless transit and slight bobbling of the felt covering I have nothing else to say. I do have a concern about repairing or replacing a speaker if needed. Neodymium speakers will eventually become a thing of the past, so replacing a like-for-like speaker could be an issue in the future. [i]Overall Rating: 8/10[/i] [b][u]Ease of use[/u][/b] You have the option of connecting your amp via speakon or jack, which means you can pretty much hook up any bass amp that can be used at a 4ohm load. You can also series link to another cab if you so wish. The tweeter horn level control at the back is easily accessible and has a clearly marked dial to tune to your perfect horn level to suit your taste. It stacks very nicely on top or below of any of the EBS cabs available, with the exceptions of the 10” and 12” cabs which are a few inches smaller in dimension. I was considering purchasing a 12” cab to place below, but the cabs won’t sit on top of each other snuggly and look a tad out of proportion. Not a huge issue, but not aesthetically pleasing to look at either. As the Classicline cabs don’t have the plastic corner covers that keep the Proline and Neoline cabs tightly in line with each other that might be bothersome too. But, if you can live with it who is going to stop you? I’m stalling to be fair. The fundamental feature of this cab is the weight. Thanks to the Neodymium speakers and spruce plywood construction it yields at only 19kg (42lbs). To put it into perspective…about the same weight as a healthy medium sized dog! That’s really impressive and if you suffer from back pain (as I do) this weight reduction is very welcome. The Neoline 210 can be carried very easily by one person and the chunky handle grips that are recessed into the side of the cab give a secure feel when whilst walking from the car to the stage. The cab is no less bulky than most 210’s to carry, but your hands and wrists will not fatigue as quickly thus minimising unwanted droppage and doing the ’10 yard sprint’ to the stage when your arms have finally given up on you! [i]Overall Rating: 9/10[/i] [b][u]Customer Support[/u][/b] I have spoken to Ralph @ EBS on a couple of occasions and I am glad to say that the level of after sales care has been 1[sup]st[/sup] class. When I blew my tweeter horn on my 410 he immediately sent a replacement diaphragm free of charge even though I admitted that I grossly misused it and eventually broke it! When you speak to Ralph you can tell that he reflects the passion and commitment that EBS have for their products and their customers. Can’t fault him…very good guy to deal with. [i]Overall Rating: 10/10[/i] [b][u]Value for money[/u][/b] This level of professional quality, high performance and portability does come at a price though. Ummm…there is no way easy way of saying this…the RRP for this 210 cab is £920! Not a very competitive price in the Neo speaker loaded cab market and will be out of reach for many players. But, EBS cabs are notoriously tough and reliable. Could the Neoline 210 be a cab for life? IMHO…yes, but I would expect rather than hope that this kind of investment will pay off in dividends over many years of use. [i]Overall Rating: 6/10[/i] [b][u]Summary[/u][/b] You could argue that £920 can buy a high end 410 with more power handling on tap and I would agree to that. I have already received some very confused looks from friends as to why I ploughed so much money into a small cab, even though I bought mine at a discounted price. When mobile phones get smaller, when computers get smaller or any other every day item becomes more user friendly, compact and efficient you will see the value of that item go up in price. It’s the cruel world of consumerism and yes…I am a whore to it, but the extra investment I have dedicated will be beneficial to me in other ways. My health for one example. Getting heavy bass kit from the car to the stage is one thing, but carrying it up and down 4 flights of stairs to my apartment without the luxury of a lift is something else when you have a whiplash injury. As a standalone cab the power on tap will satisfy most demands of the small to medium size indoor venue musician, but it is only a 210 at the end of the day I would tread carefully if you want to fill the room from your backline if this is your inclination. Because the frequency response range is between 50 - 18k Hz the Neoline 210 is not a full range package. I bought an EBS Reidmar 250 amp just before Xmas as a light weight and portable solution for my backline requirements for smaller gigs or in situations where space is a luxury. It was my intention to couple the Reidmar with the Neoline 210 to complete what I was hoping to be a compact and easy to transport mini rig and I am glad to say that I have. The tone and power is unmistakably EBS and my close fascination and admiration of this brand has been unchanged. The Neoline 210 is a gem in what I consider to be the golden age of lightweight digital bass amplification technology. Sadly, these cabs may not be around for much longer due to the tightening of the exportation of Neodymium material to the rest of the globe and we could see production of these light weight and efficient speakers come to extinction in a matter of months rather than years. Some other manufacturers have already taken steps to discontinue their Neo range of speaker cabinets to seek other alternatives or take a step back to ceramic magnets and I would imagine our Swedish friends may take the same unfortunate decision very soon too. But, for now I am pleased that I now have a memento from what could be the short lived era of speaker technology that set a new bench mark for bass amplification over the past 10 years. [i]Overall Review Rating: 8/10[/i] [b][u]Positives:[/u][/b] [b]Very lightweight and portable[/b] [b]Powerful[/b] [b]Clear and defined tone[/b] [b][u]Negatives:[/u][/b] [b]Very expensive for a 210 cab[/b] [b]Speaker repairs/replacements could be difficult in the future[/b] [u]Also check out:[/u] Vanderkley MNT210 Mark Bass 102HF Genz Benz NEOX 210T PJB 8B Bergantino AE210 (discontinued) EA NL210-III

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1329131321' post='1537441'] I remember you saying how great the Eden was with the Reidmar [/quote] It does sound very good. I can get a very nice ballsy old school tone using that cab and I really don't want to get rid of it, but I can get a similar tone from the EBS cabs thanks to the character and filter switches on the Reidmar. It really does give me the same flexibility as the HD350 amp, which I what I wanted. I walk into my music room at home and see three 210's stacked up next to my Proline 410 in the corner and think to myself "Hmmm...what could I live without?". For a large gig or open air gig I use the Proline 410 + 210 cabs, but the Neo cab will cover for the Proline 210 if I decide to sell it (it will also bump up my backline power to 1300w) and it will double up as my standalone portable rig for smaller gigs. That's the dream! The XLT is great and so is the Proline 210, but as soon as I picked up the Neoline 210 and felt the weight of it I knew that the other two cabs could be packing their bags! OMG...it is so light! I am telling my partner that I need the space (not far from the truth), but strictly speaking I need some readies to put down on a new Shuker bass! Work is really slow today, so I might post a review of the Neo 210 a bit later if there isn't a thread already for it.

I have used my Reidmar through a Proline 210 and a couple of times using the Eden XLT210 for 7 gigs since I bought it and I am going to have a crack using it with my new Neoline 210 Wednesday night. I am hoping that this is going to be my ultimate lightweight and portable backline. I'll report back about how I get on with it. I'll also take a quick photo! If I am really into it I might offer my Proline 210 F/S or F/T along with my Eden XLT210. I don't really need three 210 cabs!

Okay, for balance...I have used these excuses... "I think my girlfriend is pregnant...she has been crying quite a bit this afternoon" "My Sat-Nav is not working" (My sense of direction is very bad. The rehearsal studio we were using was in the middle of nowhere 45mins drive away from my home) "My gutts are really bad today. You wouldn't be able to stay in the room for long with me in it tonight" "It's the Star Wars premier is that night" "My right ear drum is perforated" (from a previous rehearsal...partially deaf in my right ear as a result) "I can't get my cab into my Mini" (I don't know what I was thinking when I bought that car!) "I'm going to see Daniel O'Donnell with my Mam" (it was a birthday gift for her before you all start sharpening your knives!) This one happened before I finally passed my driving test 8 years ago and I used to use the train to get from Cardiff to a rehearsal studio in Newport... "I have to get to Swindon. I left my bass on the train!" (I was very keen to get it back asap. That particular bass was an Overwater Progress III!)

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1328896123' post='1534605'] Can we cancel rehearsal next week as its Valentines Day. [/quote] Haha...already had a text message from two members of my band asking the same thing!

[quote name='lxxwj' timestamp='1328822677' post='1533392'] I really hate the MXR one, that kinda buzzy thing if you sustain a note too long annoys me. [/quote] Yeah, I am with you there. I got rid of mine after only 4 weeks using it because of the same issue. I bought the Sound Blox pedal as the replacement.

I have a Sound Blox Envelope Filter Pro which is the bee's knee's, but at £250 it is quite pricey. If you want cheap and cheerful the EHX Micro Q-Tron is pretty tidy.

I have had these excuses... "Can we reschedule this week? My dog is expecting to give birth." "The studio we booked this week got shut down because of a drug raid by the cops." "I really fancy a curry this week...shall we all do that instead?" "I don't have any drum sticks." "Oh...I didn't realise that I got the gig and you wanted me to come back after the audition!?" "I ran out of weed and I had to sell my guitar." "I went to Tesco's to buy milk for the tea tonight and when I got back to the car some d*** reversed full pelt into me an 2 other cars in the car park." "Can't make it tonight because you all do my head in." (we took that as his resignation!)

I use a ProCo RAT for a nice deep and smooth fuzz. Then I have a DOD Bass Overdrive which gives a more subtle fuzz. I used to have a Marshall Govenor pedal for a bit more top end fuzz, but that pear shaped a while back and I haven't replaced it yet. I am considering a MXR Blowtorch pedal at moment.

[list] [*]Make sure all of your kit is healthy and in perfect working order! [*]If you have songs to learn before the audition...learn them! If you don't then be methodical and patient learning the song as you go along and avoid gurning in frustration. When the other musicians are watching you like a hawk negative body language will be easily picked up. [*]Be on time and show your willingness to help the other musicians getting their kit out of their car (that first impression goes a long way!) [*]Make small talk whilst everyone is tuning up/setting up. Football is usually a good ice breaker! [*]Don't criticise the other musicians if something doesn't sound right to you. Remember, your under the microscope...not them! [*]Don't criticise the last band/artist you worked with. [*]Just be calm and be yourself. [*]Work out if your personal commitments will allow time to be a part of the band/artist you are audtioning for. [*]Enjoy the experience! Meeting new musicians is always a lot of fun [/list]

I haven't joined the discussion, but I have been reading this thread with a lot of interest. Max - Be sure to let us know when the new batch of Thumpinators are ready for sale.

[quote name='muttley' timestamp='1328527738' post='1528409'] There's probably [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_goods"]a bit of this[/url] in play too. [/quote] That's a very plausible description about this topic.

The only time I have picked up a Fodera was at Mars Music in Dallas, TX about 10yrs ago. It was a slightly battered second hand Emperor 6 string belonging to the store manager and that was selling for $8800!!! Goodness knows what the resale value of that instrument would be in today's money. I only played it for 10mins as I didn't want to give the indication that I was interested in buying it, but it was enough time spent to get a bit of insight about the brand offers. The bass itself was very raw and flat and I wasn't really into the tone, however the build quality was incredible. It played like butter and felt awesome and it has been the only 36" scale bass that I haven't struggled with so far. It also had one of the nicest buckeye burl tops I have ever seen. Really pretty bass. That said... When I left the store and got into my car I couldn't help but giggle a little bit. I thought about it a bit more and I thought to myself what do Fodera do so differenty that other builders don't to warrant their prices? There are several threads on this forum about fair pricing, so I am not going to go into that on this occasion, but I have picked up many top end Sei's, Overwater's, MTD's, Wal's, Ken Smith's, etc etc...that have felt just as good, have the same level of build quality and pleasing tone for less that half the price of a top end Fodera. Other than carrying the claim that "I own a Fodera" to impress other folks I can't see the point. I would expect a Fodera to be twice as better of those other brands I have mentioned at twice the price, but they are simply not. The difference is marginal in the real word.

Used a BBE Sonic Maximiser through the effects send/return with my old Warwick rig and the results were amazing. I now use it in my effects rack at my home studio and works really well with electric and and acoustic guitars.

I used a Trace Elliot 1215 300w combo for rehearsal for a few years and that was plenty loud. It all depends on your drummers attack. If you can be a tad louder than the kick without stressing out the bass amp then everyone should work around that as far as volume levels are concerned. Believe me, everyone else in the band will be tighter if the can clearly hear the kick drum and bass working together at a balanced volume. If you have a light drummer, tough! Everyone will have to turn down to compensate because as soon as you lose the drummer in the room you will have no idea what he is up to and sooner rather than later you will get the "That's what I always play!" response. Rehearsing at gig levels is totally unnecessary in most situations. Get it right at rehearsal, give everyone a chance to be heard clearly and worry about rocking Wembley later. (can you tell this is a touchy topic for me?)

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1328263847' post='1524506'] All my injuries have come whilst on the job[/quote] [quote name='Paul_C' timestamp='1328264443' post='1524523'] [/quote] Another one of my Freud line slips!

All my injuries have come whilst on the job, but from no-one involved with the band. I had roadie from another band on the bill run over my foot in his van and shattered my large toe (hasn’t been the same ever since). I had a one of dozens of homemade pyro’s that was created by the sound engineer at a venue in Belfast hit me on the back of the head because it wasn't tied down correctly and left me concussed (my guitar player also had half of his hair burnt whilst standing too close to one). My leg went through the stage at the Miners Institute, Blackwood and spent the rest of evening at the Royal Gwent to stop the huge amount of blood I was losing because I cut through a massive vein. I have a deep 5 inch scar on my right leg as a result. The cheeky swine’s at the venue expected me to pay for the repairs!

That set will please punters across a wide age range and musical taste. If that's your aim then that's a pretty tidy set IMHO.

I love this thread

I have managed to scale down my collection to three basses and they all get use every week. Before scaling down I did own 6 basses at one point, which for me at that time was excessive. All were top end instruments and it did pain me to cull three of them. But, I had to be sensible and decide which ones weren't being used the most and release the funds into other kit that I really needed at the time and also take a much deserved and overdue holiday with my partner! I still have the three survivors from that cull after very careful considerations… I wanted to keep the Lakland because it's a good work horse and it is able to cover a lot of bases for me. Lakland must have been thinking about me when they designed the profile of the neck because it feels really great to me. This bass has had a very hard life living with me, but it has always remained consistent and reliable. It has probably been my most favourite instrument I have ever owned and also the most reasonably priced. It's quite special too...painted Inca Silver (uber rare for a 55-02), original Bart pickups and it's #54 ever made! The Thumb is just an incredible and stable instrument. It’s a heck of a lot of fun to play and is a popular bass with a lot of people that I work with because of its really barky tone. It's a 4 string and I need a break from the 5's once in a while. The MTD 535-24 is very much a house cat. It never sees a gig, rarely travels and I fundamentally only use it to record at home. It probably has the most balanced tone out of any bass I have ever owned. It sounds incredible through my EA iAmp! I will need to do a revision again soon. Though the Lakland is amazing, it kills my back if performing with it for a long period, but I really don’t want to part with it. My plan is to now sell the MTD and retire the Lakland to studio use only and then replace that with a new and lighter Shuker Uberhorn 5 string (maybe 6 string). I have had to make the decision to get shot of the MTD in favour of relieving back pain and keep my collection down to a strict number of just three. I will never gig with the MTD, even though it is lighter than the Lakland, so it is packing its bags. As long as I have one great bass for live work, one great bass for studio work and one great 4 string to break up the monotony of playing 5 strings...that really works for me and I have no need for more instruments. I think it ultimately comes down to only owning what is absolutely necessary, what will serve you best and what speaks to you as an musician finding or expressing their own voice. After 18yrs of constant playing I am much more in tune in what I want and what I expect from my instruments. Impulse buying is something I experience less of these days. Well, basses at least…amps are my GAS right now…bought a new EBS Neoline 210 this week!

Well done Dave...that looks the mutts nuts!