kevin_lindsay

I've got the BG250-208. I replaced the stock Eminence speakers with a pair of Fane Sovereign 8-225 units (a. Mod which was recommended by various users here on Basschat). This mod means that the combo runs the full potential 250 Watts output through 4 ohms (the standard speakers run at 8 ohm drawing a maximum of 150 Watts - only obtaining the 250 Watts if an extension cabinet is plugged in to the standard layout). The Fane speakers have a wider frequency range than the standard units too, which is another bonus. The combo is plenty loud!! Here's a clip of the unit being used last month in King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow (clip is from soundcheck with the band December). I've used the little combo on quite a few gigs and it has always performed well. There's also a direct DI out to feed the front of house guys too. I've also got a larger TC rig for larger gigs, but for smaller venues, the ability to carry the 208 combo with one hand is a no-brainer. December - King Tuts.mp4

Thanks for the heads up regarding the Andertons offer on the TC Electronic RS212 cab - I've just ordered a couple of them. Too good an offer to pass up methinks.

Those Wharfedale cabs - wow!!! They look good, and what an amazing price!!! Let us know how they perform in a gig setting mate.

Yeah, I've used it for years on Pau Ferro boards. It works exactly the same way as it does on rosewood boards.

Cool - Heisenberg bass!!

I use my own TC Electronic BG250-208 with my NS Design CR5 upright bass, as well as with different electric basses. I did the speaker upgrade as recommended here on Basschat (changing the stock speakers for a pair of Fane Sovereign 8-225 units). The output volume was significantly increased, and the range of tones widened too. I've had no problems at all using the amp in smaller venues. You obviously don't get the full, bottom end "oomph" that you can get from larger speakers, but the combo handles bass surprisingly well. Add in the fact that you can lug the unit around with one hand, and it's a no-brainer as to why it's been such a hit with me.

Sorry bud, my bass finishing pics only have Shell Pink, Olympic White, or 2 tone vintage burst! Hahaha. Incidentally here's the 2 tone Burst I'm currently working on: Yellow stain on bare alder (which was bleached prior to applying the yellow stain - the same way Fender did with their original bursts), nitrocellulose clear sealer coat, then tobacco brown burst, then clear topcoat. I also crazed the lacquer for a slightly aged feel.

Vintage style 3 colour Fender bursts were done in the following manner: 1 - Yellow stain in bare wood 2 - tobacco brown burst on the edges 3 - red transparent colour on top of tobacco brown (this also gave the impression that the tobacco brown colour was nearer to black, but retains a warmer hue than using black) The reason finder used this order, was to. Allow for possible "rub through" of the finish when flatting the lacquer prior to buffing. If you have the black on last, it's very easy to rub through the tracing-paper thin layers. Rubbing through a final dark layer before applying the clear topcoat, would result in a light patch in the colour, which would then require further touching up. Rubbing though a red layer would still leave the dark finish below, so wouldn't be noticeable on the final finish. Fender also used a "target burst" finish where the yellow stain onto the bare wood was replaced by using a transparent white base coat, then transparent yellow on top, followed by the tobacco brown / red layers. Here's a three tone "target burst" I did on the Andy Summers Tele I made a whole back :

It's the controller for his Porter & Davies platform - a device which vibrates a platform you stand on while playing. This gives you the sensation of playing more loudly than you actually are, as you feel the vibrations through your feet /legs (apparently!)

The CR models come with or without the magnetic EMG circular pickups. The EMG units lean towards an "electric bass" sound. That's not the reason I wanted an electric upright, so I opted for the bridge pickup only (which has a blend pot to change between the plucked "pizz", and bowed "arco" modes. The standard D'addario NS Contemporary flatwound strings actually have a modern mwaah sound (think Tony Levin on Peter Gabriel's "Secret World Live" album - especially on "Come Talk To Me", or "Shaking The Tree" - that's the sound you get from the bridge pickup!!) I'm loving using it. http://www.basscentre.com/ns-design-double-bass/ns-design-cr5-double-bass.html

Best bass purchase: my NS Design CR5 upright bass - Love it!!!! Worst bass purchase: Dunlop Super Bright bass strings. Dear goodness! At first they're all top and zingy, but without a solid bass fundamental to the tone. Then, as they bed in, they start to settle down. And then one day, overnight, the sound goes from zingy to sounding like someone is kicking a cardboard box down the street. Bloody awful strings!! (in my humble opinion)

That's a great price to allow me to dabble. What size should I opt for? As for my locale, I'm up here in Motherwell, Scotland

Hi guys. I've owned a few double basses over the years, and also a Yamaha Silent Bass SL100. However, I always just played pizz on them. After about 5 years without an upright bass, I've just re-entered the realm by purchasing an NS Design CR5 upright. And, I am thinking of trying out a bow with it. I've no real experience with using a bow (I don't know how to even adjust one, or how to apply rosin!). As I've no idea about whether a German or French bow would be easiest to. Adjust to, can you guys suggest anything relatively affordable for me to look at? Thanks

Culture Club, and Tom Bailey from The Thompson Twins, at the SEC Hydro in Glasgow on Thursday!!! Then The Music of Cream at St Luke's and The Winged Ox on the Friday.

They're great instruments, I think you'll love it.

King Crimson at Edinburgh Playhouse on Tuesday 13th November Loved it!!

Yup! The whole gig was a celebration of Trevor's career, and is available on DVD - "Slaves To The Rhythm"

And here's Trevor playing the tune live for the first time - 25 years after the single was released. He also introduces Bruce Woolley as "an original Buggle", he's in the band on stage.

I bought a vibra-slap just to show my son what one was, and how it's used, after he heard one after the, "for cheap easy meals" line in Elton John's "Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy" track.

Nancy, I got my pre-order for the same price as your one - result!!

Last night I saw Paris Monster in Glasgow, at The Hug & Pint. Great gig. However, the support band were brilliant local band - so much fun. TOM McGUIRE AND THE BRASSHOLES. Really great syncopated guitar, bass, and horns - I'll be going to see them whenever they're next playing live.

I played a gig in a Glasgow bar a couple of years ago. The first set went down well, but one odd looking guy aged in his 60s stands at the side of the band facing the audience while nodding along to the tunes. He then disappeared. Second set starts, and about 10 mins in to it, the nodding sidestage man appears in the same place, only now he's holding a black padded holdall. He then proceeds to unzip it mid song, and produces a saxophone!! Which he then parps along to the tune we're belting out. At the end of the song he shouts,"YES, YES, YES!!!!", packs up his horn and vanishes. At the end of the night we ask if anyone knows will the random player was - no one had the faintest idea who he was!! Another oddity was being roped in to dep on bass for a "Christian rock band" (yeah, I know!!) on a gig in Aberdeen. Hours of driving to the gig, to be faced with a crowd in a church hall consisting of sheltered teens and early twenties types who look like they've never been allowed out in public on their own before. Lots of shuffling from them during the band's set. About 20 mins in, they form a large circle facing each other, ignoring the band. Then, one by one they start doing forward somersault rolls from one side of the circle, across the floor, to the other side. And so it continues. Oddest thing I've ever had to play through.

Here's a pic Maz (Pino's wife) sent to me a few months ago. Looking well worn.

Nick Lowe - I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass. Brilliant Bassline

Pino's playing on this is wonderful: